Working for a benefit funded lifestyle.

[Michaeldyn]

https://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/yes-youre-better-working-benefits-%E2%80%93-its-not-enough-reduce-poverty

 

If you are single person aged over 25 who is unlucky enough to lack a job, this is what you get each week (using JRF’s Minimum Income Calculator, which makes assumptions about rent and council tax, for someone living in social housing):

 

Job Seeker’s Allowance £71.70;

Housing Benefit £73.22 (enough to cover rent on your flat);

Council Tax Support £13.24 (to cover most but not all of your Council Tax of £14.47 following localisation and a 10% cut);

Total disposable income £70.47.

 

If you get a full-time job on the National Minimum Wage (£6.31 an hour) then you will:

 

Earn £236.63 gross;

Pay £11.12 in income tax and £10.52 National Insurance;

Receive back £5.54 in Working Tax Credit (and you don’t even get that if you’re working only part-time);

Get nothing in Housing Benefit & Council Tax Support as your earn too much to make you eligible;

Leaving you with a total income of £132.84 (disposable income of £62.37 a week more than on the dole).

 

But what they don't allow for in their calculation are the additional costs associated with working, like travel. I assume the worker will also have to pay for dentist, prescriptions ect.

So the worker in effort is getting £1.50 for his time. Much better to be on dole and get a cash in hand job

[sutty27]

You think people who aren't working don't have to eat lunch?

 

Yes there might be a few expenses missing for the working person, but if it's minimum wage hopefully it's close to home and doesn't require any expensive travel.

I'll be cycling to work this morning, that's free, as is walking and running.

 

It wasn't my scenario was it. Good try, but someone else added it up and you asked if I was prepared to comment on it any further.

 

The unemployed are expected to travel some considerable distance when they are looking for work even when the only work they can find is minimum wage, I know a few young people that sometimes spend more time travelling to work than they spend at work, and all for MW, they might have to go into work for a 2, 3, 4 hour shift and it takes them between 2 and 3 hours to get there and back, take off their travel costs and it can almost eliminate their pay for that shift.

[Berberis]

The unemployed are expected to travel some considerable distance when they are looking for work even when the only work they can find is minimum wage, I know a few young people that sometimes spend more time travelling to work than they spend at work, and all for MW, they might have to go into work for a 2, 3, 4 hour shift and it takes them between 2 and 3 hours to get there and back, take off their travel costs and it can almost eliminate their pay for that shift.

 

If these people are doing 2,3,4 hour shifts, wouldn't that mean they are entitled to working credits or even extra help from the Job Centre ?

[ricgem2002]

The unemployed are expected to travel some considerable distance when they are looking for work even when the only work they can find is minimum wage, I know a few young people that sometimes spend more time travelling to work than they spend at work, and all for MW, they might have to go into work for a 2, 3, 4 hour shift and it takes them between 2 and 3 hours to get there and back, take off their travel costs and it can almost eliminate their pay for that shift.

didn't you say this in post 11 "The only way to solve this problem is for everyone to work for the money they receive". so why do you care ?

[sutty27]

If these people are doing 2,3,4 hour shifts, wouldn't that mean they are entitled to working credits or even extra help from the Job Centre ?

 

No idea what extra help they can get but as far as I know they don't claim anything.

 

---------- Post added 21-03-2016 at 09:51 ----------

 

didn't you say this in post 11 "The only way to solve this problem is for everyone to work for the money they receive". so why do you care ?

 

Yes but I wouldn't send someone in receipt of JSA 20 miles to earn it, they would earn it in their local area so they wouldn't have any travelling costs.

Edited March 21, 2016 by sutty27

[Cyclone]

So the worker in effort is getting £1.50 for his time. Much better to be on dole and get a cash in hand job

 

So in conclusion you can get more money if you commit tax fraud.

 

Not really a surprise.

[ricgem2002]

No idea what extra help they can get but as far as I know they don't claim anything.

 

---------- Post added 21-03-2016 at 09:51 ----------

 

 

Yes but I would send someone in receipt of JSA 20 miles to earn it, they would earn it in their local area so they wouldn't have any travelling costs.

so now you changing the criteria (whys that not a surprise )

[Cyclone]

The unemployed are expected to travel some considerable distance when they are looking for work even when the only work they can find is minimum wage, I know a few young people that sometimes spend more time travelling to work than they spend at work, and all for MW, they might have to go into work for a 2, 3, 4 hour shift and it takes them between 2 and 3 hours to get there and back, take off their travel costs and it can almost eliminate their pay for that shift.

 

How can full time employment result in 2 hr shifts?

[sutty27]

How can full time employment result in 2 hr shifts?

 

I didn't say anything about full time employment.

 

But even people working full time can end up doing a 2 hour shift, then they might have several hours off before doing another the same day.

[Cyclone]

I didn't say anything about full time employment.

 

But even people working full time can end up doing a 2 hour shift, then they might have several hours off before doing another the same day.

 

You're comparing working to being on benefits, someone working part time would be doing both, ie in receipt of in work benefits...

And you're having to come up with unlikely scenario's of 2 hr long shifts in order to exaggerate the cost of transport.