Can You Budget Like This Family?

[sir.prize]

They appear to have a better understanding of money than I do . . .

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2792593/mother-11-says-s-easy-claim-benefits-plans-bumper-christmas-spending-4-000-taxpayers-cash-children-s-presents-including-ipads-gold-bracelets.html

. . . where am I going wrong?

[Mamyalynne]

I totally take your point sir.p and I also agree with 2SP - reports like these send out messages that are not helpful to the great majority of those struggling.


What she said was- // Speaking earlier this year, Mrs Prudham said: 'People criticise me for getting lots of benefits but it's the Government's fault. You're not going to say no to money if it's offered to you'//- I guess she has a point.


I am in receipt of a disability benefit and of course wish I wasn't.

[Dizmo]

Sir.p / Mamya: Here Here.

[hc4361]

It's already been pointed out that her husband works full time, they aren't claiming anything they shouldn't.
Who would refuse money they are genuinely entitled to?
Plenty of working people claim benefits because they are low paid.

[hc4361]

As she's selling her story to the media her benefits may be cut - she is getting an income from it.

[EDDIE51]

You just can't win on here. This is a family with a full time working father who claim the family tax credit and working tax credit that the government keeps telling us makes it better to work .
As I have said on here before 85% of housing and council tax benefit is paid to people who work full time , many seem to believe that it is only paid to 'out of work scroungers' which is almost the opposite of the truth.
The father works and pays tax and NI, hopefully the children will grow up learning the value of working for a living and become working tax payer themselves in a few years. 12 years or so from now those 11 children will hopefully be working and paying tax and national insurance and putting back some of what they took out as children.

[Mamyalynne]

hc,if indeed an income is being made by media coverage - then yes it should and hopefully will be declared when earnings for Tax Credits are gathered.

They would be rather foolish not to declare it in the circumstances I would think.

[EDDIE51]

^^ IF they earn any thing from this story the benefits will only be cut by the same amount that they earn from it . Their total income will remain the same. Then once the 'media cash' is spent the benefits go back up £ for £ to compensate.
I have 5 children the youngest is now 27. When they were all dependant on my ( full time) wages we got £92 benefit money a week and 100% rent and council tax benefit plus the family allowance. That was back it the 1990s, £92 was a lot of money then, the system is more generous now for 'in work' benefits but less generous for 'out of work benefits'

[keyplus90]

I am planning to spend just about £45000 on Xmas this year as things are not as they were last year.

[hc4361]

You skinflint.