Benefits: How much would I be "entitled" to if I came back to claim in the U.K. I want as much as possible?

Question

I am a U.K. citizen who has contributed absolutely nothing tax wise to the U.K. economy in the last 15 years. Mr. Jomamo has never contributed a penny to the U.K. tax system, as he is a Spanish citizen.

If I landed in the U.K. tomorrow with my son and found a house to rent that acepted D.S.S. payments , then could I claim housing benefit and live rent free? Could I claim anything to make home improvements?

How much would I get to maintain me and my son if I didn´t work?

Could I make claims for any extras?

If Mr. Jomamo came too and we omitted to mention that we were "living together" how much could he claim? If he swung the lead a little and claimed to have some sort of incapacity would he get more? Could he claim for a car , for example?

To sum up. ...what kind of a figure would we be talking about weekly/monthly?

I would like to know exactly how well/ badly it is possible to live on benefits.

COMPLETELY HYPOTHETICAL- both got jobs we´re staying where we are!

Answer 1

despite what the media say, it is very tuff living off benefits. my sister is a social worker & she sees first hand the level of poverty there is. you would be waiting a long time for a house or flat, they would put you in a shared accomodation property & you would struggle to live on the money you get

Answer 2

not sure, but i live in ireland, you can get even more here , sure we all in the eu now, well aint we lol

Answer 3

The system doesn't work for everyone, I'm with Mrs GC.

I recently applied for council assistance with housing as I was being made homeless through no fault of my own. I do work and so does my partner but we are public sector workers living in an expensive city!

The reponse we got from the council was disgusting. I was at the time about 5/6 months pregnant. We were told we were a working family and should therefore re-house ourselves. When we explained that we could not afford to do so in an adequately sized property (all we could afford was a tiny 1-bed flat) we had to provide all manner of proof. They refused to take into consideration that we would be living on my partner's salary alone when I was on maternity leave.

Even having done that, we were told to remain in our flat until evicted by baliffs, (knowing we would also incur court costs) and then show up at the council where they would put us in B&B - BUT because we worked, they would be charging us £200 pw for the privelige!! That was absurd as it was more than our rent!

We are now living temporarily in a friends 1-bed flat while she travels, god knows what we will do when the baby outgrows the cot in our bedroom!

Moral of the story, don't ever bother to work - life will be handed to you on a plate!

edit:

Seriously though, it appears to me that those who can live more than comfortably on benefits alone, are those who are cheating the system by either claiming more than they should/ claiming and working together etc.

At work I see people who live well on benefits (well done-up council houses with all mod cons, flat screen TV's, cars etc), but I also see people in extreme poverty who are really struggling (don't use their heating, light the house with candles, tight food budgets, second hand clothes)  so I can't work out what is going on?

edit:

If Ieft my partner I would be much higher priority, it really made me realise why some people say 'Mr' isn't living with them as you put it. I am too honest and too bloody scared of being caught out - consequently I struggle - sounds fair that doesn't it??

We should have a system where hard work and honesty are rewarded but we don't. I like the sound of the system in Spain, we really need to try that here!!

Answer 4

I seriously thought about giving up Uni this morning and taking long term sick as has been offered to me. Then I realised there is just no way I could afford to give up my bursary and live off sickness benefits,

All the handouts sound great on paper but the reality is a little different.

Answer 5

There is one small thing being over looked here , when I lived in the UK I was a licensee and I came across  lots of women living in council houses bringing  up several children usually from different fathers claiming all sorts of benefits , but what the social didn't know they mostly all had a man living with them earning £400-500 per week giving them a nice comfortable life style.

Answer 6

Get a job

Answer 7

In order to be as well off in work as on benefits, you would need a weekly wage of at least £170 a week (before tax).

Answer 8

Well said Haz and 44, it is truly a miserable existence, those that think it's the lap of luxury haven't had to use it.  Those that have known nothing else accept it, but most of these haven't known much real satisfaction in life either.

Edit, Missed Mrs GC, well said too.

Answer 9

I wouldnt like to guess   probably a hotel somewhere in the country,  with enough cash to live like a king probably.....

Answer 10

I completely agree with red cross on this one

Being on benefit is not all it's cracked up to be and getting a council house is definitely not as easy as it sounds

I was about 6 months pregnant and living in my car for a month before I was housed

It was bloody horrific and I would never wish it upon anyone

When we eventually got a flat he lost his job and had to claim JSA for 3 months

I can't remember exactly how much it was but it was pennies

Fair enough we had our rent and council tax paid but that still left utility bills and food, not to mention any debts that we had such as a credits cards etc

At 7 months pregnant I was taken to hospital because I had lost so much weight basically through lack of eating

there was no money left over to buy food!

It was the worst time of my life and I never want to go back there

Being on benefits only seem to work in your favour if you literally have a football team of kids

to even it out a bit I'll tell you what I get now

I work 18 hours a week - roughly £900 per month

Child tax credits/working tax credits - £600pm (£450 of that pays my sons nursery fees)

CB - £67 pm

I don't claim housing benefit but I do get a 25% reduction on my council tax as I am the only adult living here

My partners in the army now and doesn't live with us full time anymore so I don't take into account his wages but he does give us nearly £300 a month



There's no way on earth I would be better off sitting on my @rse all day

That's why I can't undersant how people with only 1 or 2 children can say they would be better off on benefits

Cranberry is right!

You cannot live a life of luxury on benefits unless you are fiddling the system somewhere along the line

Answer 11

Right Kat kat's dealt with one side I can 'do' the disability bit.

Incapacity is only paid to people who have paid TWO years worth of full stamps. It is paid a varying rates the highest  being about £160 a fortnight..so £320 per month. You DON'T get income support on top of that.

Disability Living Allowance is paid to people under the age of 65 and can be worth anything from £17 pw to £120. The top figure is for PROFOUNDLY disabled people. No award is ever made without proof from a GP or consultant or a medical examination. You can give part of that payment up in exchange for a car.

You would only get a house in Liverpool in the Norris Green area of Liverpool ..anywhere else it would be a two bed flat usually in Anfield or Fazakerley.

I think there are shyster out there but in the main people living on benefit have a truly miserable existence.

When I say shyster I include the Dr's who ROUTINELY fiddled their expenses when completing medicals and reports.

EDIT-it may tot up to over £800 a month but you have to pay your gas/water /electricity / food at the same rate as everyone else.

Norris Green-No one wants to live there...even though the housing stock is three bed semi's with gardens. It's a no go zone due to gangs and crime. It's really sad as there are so many decent people trapped there. The housing associations have done A LOT around Liverpool in making affordable social housing but getting one is easier said than done...You are talking years.

Answer 12

The UK is very much in favour of HANDOUTS to immigrants.....its disgusting!!

Answer 13

People don't live on benefits....they just exist....which is exactly what is meant to happen...those that do live have either got a scam going.....job on the side....savings they never declared or some other means of obtaining little luxuries...

Answer 14

Hypothetical scenarios aside the government does actually make it easier for people to claim benefits, and its not as we always think that people are lazy but they can get more money being unemployed than employed.

I remember when i was out of work for a couple of years, you had your rent payed, you had money twice a week, all ya prescriptions were free, it worked out i would have got less money if i got a full time job,i did eventually get full time paid work and have remained ever since, but i can see how difficult it can be for people especially those with children

But yes your right there are some who abuse the system and this is why it shoudl be changed to make it not so easy for this to be done

Answer 15

Welcome back, just seems strange you left

and as you haven't been here for 15 years a figure would mean nothing

Answer 16

CTC  council tax credit

CHB   council housing benefit.

IB incapacity benefit

JSA job seekers allowance

CTB  council tax  benefit

DLA disability living allowance.