I don't get transport help because my mum works?!

[old.Tohtori]

Bugz, by the way, things could be alot worse.

I'll give a good example.

I was denied government "social help" because of too much income.

Ok, let's look at the facts:

380e/month basic unemployment.
280e/month living support.

660e total.

There's my income.

Now my expenses they are willing to count?(they don't count bank loan repays as they are "personal loans", remember this)

580 rent.
12 water.

Those are the things they COUNT into the support application.

I'm left with 68e a month.

I'm gonna leave out other expenses, for arguments sake.

I'm left with 68e/month for food and they say "Yup, that's enough." and i'm a diabetic, so eating pasta all day isn't really an option...or, a healthy one. That's just barely over 2e/day.

Ok, sure, we'll give you 30e as support, just to make ti a nice 3e/day to live.

So i loan from my family to get by, sure, mans gotta eat.

Next application they count this in as "income" and i'm denied even the wealthy 30e.

Ok, so i pay back from my next income to my family and such, take a small loan from the bank to survive/pay other expenses and..

You have been denied support and they list my bank loan as income, and DON'T count me paying back my relatives.

So, if i loan from the bank, it's an income. If i pay the loan back, it's not an expense. If i loan from family, it's an income, but if i pay back, it's not an expense.

That's a money making machine right there.

AND, before anyone says "Just get a cheaper place to live", ok, here's the deal on that.

I can't afford the security deposit(three months in advance) so personal rent agreement is out. The government offers "state housing"(basically what it's called i guess), but i was denied that for...can you guess it?

Too much income

 

[Samaroon|Terracotta]

Wtf, I meant "Education" I know you're over 16! Calm down dear.

S'alright then, I'll let you off with just a little spank! ;o

And just for drama, I'm getting £2.50/hour tonight while theres an event on..

 

[Golena]

My EMA will just about cover school meals and my train fare.

However, once anything else comes into play: namely school shoes etc. - I'll be burrowing into my own pocket.

I think people miss the point I'm trying to make here. I'm not so much as bothered about being denied it but more so the fact that it's because my mum's employed rather than unemployed.

How much money would you like to receive.
I'm sure the government would be more than happy to increase income tax on your mum by the amount your requesting.. minus administration fees ofc.
Either your mum pays more taxes which means she will have less money to help you out with or someone is going to have to go without. The money isn't going to come from no-where.

I'd much rather the goverment only stepped in and distributed "free stuff" (it's not actually free!!) to those that really have no choice without it and left the working tax payers with some choice about where their money ends up. The system will never be 100% fair, so lets have it actually taking effect as little as possible.

It's like university grants. While i'd be happy to pay taxes that allowed people that really couldn't afford to attend university the opportunity to go. I'd rather not do so in order that some kid whose parents could afford to send him there could have some extra cash to spend down the local pub.

 

[Raven]

To me - it seems that we all need to just get unemployed because that way, the council will pay everything for you.

/disgusted.

welcome to the labour government

 

[megadave]

Can't you just get buses for free instead of the train? :d

 

[tris-]

i find it hillarious youve only just realised.

but then there comes a point when we all realise life is not fair, looks like youve got to that point.

 

[NikonL]

i find it hillarious youve only just realised.

but then there comes a point when we all realise life is not fair, looks like youve got to that point.

ahhh the "point". the day you realise not just that movies and tv are works of fiction, but that they rarely have any bearing on real life. and that nothing has to work out well for you because you work hard and are a good person

scary day that. i try and block it out as much as possible. whenever i'm feeling miserable or stuff isn't working out, i tell myself that it's just karma (or some variant) balancing things out, and that my life will get better soon to make up for it. ignorance is bliss imo

 

[tris-]

i started to handle it after that using the idea of predeterminism, which is now what i believe in

i will tell you unfair. i goto work 13-14 hours a week and earn the same money as someone on job seekers allowance, so why do i bother to work?

 

[megadave]

Because sitting on your arse claiming from the government is just cuntish.

Since you work under 15 hours you could claim and still work anyway? Or i'm guessing you're in education?

 

[tris-]

but my point is why work if people who dont work get the same amount of money

 

[raid]

been there too. when they check parents' income/job for something, it sure sucks if your parents work but wont still help you that much with money. then the next guy whose parents are just bums gets full amount of money from everywhere...

but really, once you grow up a bit, looking back at those "problems" is funny at worst

 

[Lamp]

The whole social services platform in the UK needs a shake up. Absolutely no common sense in the way its run. The way the elderly (for example) are treated in this country is a disgrace. And don't even get me started on immigration.

And remember folks - you lot voted in this government. You want to change things ? Don't vote Labour at the next General Election.

 

[- English -]

tbh bugz college is an option to go to, like uni. You dont have to go. You should want to go and are willing to get a part time job for pay your expenses. I paid my way through college by doing 2shifts a week at mc ds. Never had to borrow money from family. I also paid for clothes, shoes, food and going out etc. Ok i did get £10 a week from Ema but i rarely attended all lessons (well form) so I didnt get it all the time. My bus travel costed 15£ a week... and in my last year of college i saved up enough to have my driving lessons, pass my test, buy a car, pay insurance and then drive to college...

 

[- English -]

The whole social services platform in the UK needs a shake up. Absolutely no common sense in the way its run. The way the elderly (for example) are treated in this country is a disgrace. And don't even get me started on immigration.

And remember folks - you lot voted in this government. You want to change things ? Don't vote Labour at the next General Election.

so easy to critise labour - would just like the conservitives to get in power just to prove nothing can be done instantly, not everyone can be satisfied 100%... aint the cons all about making the rich richer and making the poor poorer?

 

[Lamp]

aint the cons all about making the rich richer and making the poor poorer?

Yes. Old school Conservative values.

But let me spin the coin. Isn't Labour about supporting the working class man ? About supporting a world class National Health Service ? Supporting our elderly citizens ? Has New Labour done that ? Have they stood for those values ? No. Tony Blair and new Labour are positively right wing compared to the traditional working class Labourism of (say) Tony Benn and his generation.

You can no more say that the Tories support the rich than you can say Labour supports the man in the street.

Both parties want in. Both parties will cover the middle ground and talk a fine talk but not deliver.

The problem is that we don't have any politicians in power - or making / taking decisions - who have any experience. They're all young men (and women !) in their 40s who have no more clue about politics than you or I.

If we had proper politicians - those from the 60s, 70s, and 80s - then this country would be run with more professionalism, efficacy, and downright common sense.

What we've got now is a homogenous middle-grounded namby pamby nanny state governed by big brother political correctness, ineptitude, and down right rediculous policies.

 

[pikeh]

when i used to work at royal mail doing 4 (!) hours a week, every employee got a bonus. £800. for working 4 hours a week, and people doing 40 got the same.

didnt complain mind.

 

[Mikah75]

unless you go to uni after they dont tell you this but if you're still in school college and 18-19 you get free nhs stuff, and you can apply for a HC1 form when you go to uni for free dental treatment, prescriptions etc and wigs xD if you go to uni away from home and say your parents dont give you an allowance

 

[echome]

Please stop F***ING crying !

Take a look around you and see all the people who are much much worse than you. Never been to the UK but I am quite sure you are not amoung the most poor persons.

Insted of complaining about what you don't have you should insted cherish what you do have. And realise how the systems goal is to try and support indigent people. Might not always work... but that is a hole other matter.


.... Well seriously you have to understand how your system works before you complain about it. If you don't like how things are you have your rights to try and change them - But I am telling you that it does take a lot of effort to do such a thing. Best of luck if you want to try anyway(And that I mean from the bottom of my heart, since I think the system allways need people who trys to change it). VIVA LA REVOLUTION !!!

 

[Elkie]

Unfortunately Bugz its a part of life, and at times you have to dig into your own pocket to get by.

 

[Bugz]

Please stop F***ING crying !

Take a look around you and see all the people who are much much worse than you. Never been to the UK but I am quite sure you are not amoung the most poor persons.

Insted of complaining about what you don't have you should insted cherish what you do have. And realise how the systems goal is to try and support indigent people. Might not always work... but that is a hole other matter.


.... Well seriously you have to understand how your system works before you complain about it. If you don't like how things are you have your rights to try and change them - But I am telling you that it does take a lot of effort to do such a thing. Best of luck if you want to try anyway(And that I mean from the bottom of my heart, since I think the system allways need people who trys to change it). VIVA LA REVOLUTION !!!

It was more disgust than crying. Thanks for your attempts at being an asshat. Oh and if you haven't been to the UK, how do you know how our system works? I know how my system works very well - I just don't agree with it. Viva la labour more fkin like. The asshats

@Elkie - yeah, I guess it does suck and I'll have to dig into my pocket for the time being.

 

[echome]

It was more disgust than crying. Thanks for your attempts at being an asshat. Oh and if you haven't been to the UK, how do you know how our system works? I know how my system works very well - I just don't agree with it. Viva la labour more fkin like. The asshats

@Elkie - yeah, I guess it does suck and I'll have to dig into my pocket for the time being.

Just because I havent been to the UK I still know a great deal about your system.

And no I was not trying to be an "asshat". Simply trying to open your eyes.

 

[Golena]

I'd personally be able to take your crying about changing the system far more seriously if you had at least come up with a semi-credible way it could be done differently that was actually fair and not just simply changed to suit you.

Far too many "revolutionists" these days are great at yelling.. omg this sux, then when asked how they would do it either say.. "Give all the money to MEEE MEE!" or come up with horribly flawed idea that would be 800 times worse than it is at the moment.

 

[Bugz]

I'd personally be able to take your crying about changing the system far more seriously if you had at least come up with a semi-credible way it could be done differently that was actually fair and not just simply changed to suit you.

Far too many "revolutionists" these days are great at yelling.. omg this sux, then when asked how they would do it either say.. "Give all the money to MEEE MEE!" or come up with horribly flawed idea that would be 800 times worse than it is at the moment.

FYI, I actually e-mailed them suggesting things they could do to improve the system and things that were wrong w/ it.

Just because I don't post every inch of detail here. This is simply a place to vent anger and the such :d

 

[Overdriven]

Just because I don't post every inch of detail here.

Wouldn't really be alot for you, would it? =(

 

[haarewin]

FYI, I actually e-mailed them suggesting things they could do to improve the system and things that were wrong w/ it.

no doubt drag and deleted!

 

[Marc]

When I were a lad, everyone got free bus passes to college, regardless of family income, wether single parent etc. I guess its like anything in life, a postcode lottery

 

[Hawkwind]

When I were a lad, everyone got free bus passes to college, regardless of family income, wether single parent etc. I guess its like anything in life, a postcode lottery

I lost out in teh postcode lottery, mate two houses down the road did get the bus pass I had to cycle. Even walk with crutches when I busted my knee playing rugger.

Just because I havent been to the UK I still know a great deal about your system.

I seriously doubt that, most of the UK population have not got a clue how the DSS works. They like to keep it that way by constantly changing the rules every 5 mins. Maybe if you live in certain parts of Eastern Europe you do. There you seem to get constant updates of what you can receive from our system. I guess that's missing from UK education.

 

[tris-]

I seriously doubt that, most of the UK population have not got a clue how the DSS works. T

there is no absolutley no reason why echome couldnt be more informed about our system than us. he probably knows more than me.

 

[Mikah75]

I seriously doubt that, most of the UK population have not got a clue how the DSS works. They like to keep it that way by constantly changing the rules every 5 mins. Maybe if you live in certain parts of Eastern Europe you do. There you seem to get constant updates of what you can receive from our system. I guess that's missing from UK education.

well it's not hard to pick up a paper (no not the sun) or watch the news, depends on a little effort to increase ones knowledge

 

[Corran]

I seriously doubt that, most of the UK population have not got a clue how the DSS works. They like to keep it that way by constantly changing the rules every 5 mins. Maybe if you live in certain parts of Eastern Europe you do. There you seem to get constant updates of what you can receive from our system. I guess that's missing from UK education.

To be honest the rules dont change as much as they should do. Currently it is a fucking joke. I know alot about the rules etc (worked for the DWP and now work in fraud for the Council.)

Money gets given out with very few checks, the people that administer it often do a shit job and screw it up. The amounts that get given out are basically set in stone and they do not take into your circumstances additional things (ie medical reasons for high costs).

As things stand though, we give out TOO MUCH money via state benefits. People take the piss and see no incentive to work. And why would they? Especially people that have "bad backs" (haha easiest way to fake DLA claims is with that). They get their income support/incapacity. DLA Care, DLA Mobility(including possibly a free new car every 2-3yrs), their rent and their council tax. Often I see people in the excess of 1.5k a month in benefits. Makes me wonder why I struggle to get along with what I earn when they earn near enough the same by sitting on their arse.