The tax credits change 16hrs to 24hrs min

[smokey]

He doesn't drive but he has done gardening with his step father before, can do manual lifting etc. He also has experiance in the building trade (roofing) he worked for his dad for a while. Hmm I will have to get him to look into that and see how it is done etc x

In that case look into companies that are used by councils and housing assotiations as they do all there roof, window, heating repaires this time of year.
For example mitie are hired by the council to do the windows and there are millions being replaced now as the company charge the council less during the winter

 

[feeble]

It sounds to me like he could really put his skills to good use!

Good luck and let us know how it goes x

 

[Foogirl]

Loving this - there is always a solution. You just need enough heads to get together to work out what it is!

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

He said he has applied for a cscs card and that will increase his chances of roofing work. Without sounding dumb what is that? x

 

[smokey]

Its like a certificate that shows hes experianced in his trade or qualified and not just a con artist trying to tarmac your drive

 

[RachA]

I'm afraid i haven't read all of this but something that i have read got me thinking.

Someone said that they are cutting benefits for people who's children are over 1 year. How is that going to work? I am asking as my sisters OH walked out on her and her two girls in Oct - they are 10 and 13. She is doing some work - i think at the moment it amounts to around 12 hours per week (she is a self employed dog walker and carer). As she still has to drop off and pick up her youngest at school and she is unable to drive she actually can't work many more hours each week. So will her benefits be cut as she doesn't have a pre 1 year old?


I guess the cut to WTC doesn't annoy me as it doesn't affect me but the cut that does annoy me is the CTC. My OH earns just over the £40k threshold therefore we will be loosing it however i know many couples who both earn just under the threshold. They will still get the CTC but we won't, just they are already nearly £40k better off than us!

 

[feeble]

I'm afraid i haven't read all of this but something that i have read got me thinking.

Someone said that they are cutting benefits for people who's children are over 1 year. How is that going to work? I am asking as my sisters OH walked out on her and her two girls in Oct - they are 10 and 13. She is doing some work - i think at the moment it amounts to around 12 hours per week (she is a self employed dog walker and carer). As she still has to drop off and pick up her youngest at school and she is unable to drive she actually can't work many more hours each week. So will her benefits be cut as she doesn't have a pre 1 year old?


I guess the cut to WTC doesn't annoy me as it doesn't affect me but the cut that does annoy me is the CTC. My OH earns just over the £40k threshold therefore we will be loosing it however i know many couples who both earn just under the threshold. They will still get the CTC but we won't, just they are already nearly £40k better off than us!

There seems to be no real reason why it is based on personal income rather than household income.

As it stands,it's just a clear attack on stay at home parents and those without two high wage earners in a family. Madness

 

[RachA]

It annoys me no end that we are being penalised because i want to stay at home with my children. Thankfully we have never used our child benefit for general living - it goes into an account for using for holidays. It'll just mean now that once the money has gone we won't be able to have any holidays.

 

[suzib76]

and for all those that say they cant find an extra 2 or 4 hours, why not find an extra 10 or something?

24 hours isnt a target, there is no reason why someone couldnt go from 16 to 26 hours, or even higher

this is the very thing that is wrong with the goverment and its all good and well saying they are punishing those who work and not those who dont, but what they are actually doing is laughing in the faces of any families who have one or more full time worker or where both parents work because these are the people who get feck all

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I am a SAHM and do get some benefits due to my complicated situation. I am not going to refuse what I am entitled too.

I could only work school hours and holidays would be hard and also the nemourous days off my son has x

If you are entitled to benefits, sure, take them. But the entitlement has changed so we all need to cut our cloth accordingly. Thousands of women manage to work around school hours and holidays, it is not impossible. To be honest, it's a much better situation to be in than women with children below school age. It's too easy to say "I can't work". these days.

I wouldn't say someone with younger children than me has it easier at all! My son is disabled which means he is mentally younger. There is not an hour of each day when I am not doing something that revolves around him and that means when he is at school!

It is not just the mental side of looking after him, its the emotional side. Not saying no one else is not stressed and going to work but its stuff just SOME people would not understand. I get carers and tax credits to support me so I dont have to work. I COULD work but realistically, no I cant.

I dont care what anyone says about how easy it is to go to work. Untill you are in a situation then its easy to pass judgement!

 

[feeble]

Umm... The government are still supporting carers of disabled children!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I was replying to foogirl with her sweeping statement!

 

[Kimmy25]

and for all those that say they cant find an extra 2 or 4 hours, why not find an extra 10 or something?

24 hours isnt a target, there is no reason why someone couldnt go from 16 to 26 hours, or even higher

this is the very thing that is wrong with the goverment and its all good and well saying they are punishing those who work and not those who dont, but what they are actually doing is laughing in the faces of any families who have one or more full time worker or where both parents work because these are the people who get feck all

I agree with all the changes theyve made so far, however I didnt vote for Tories. I work a 55 hour week and my OH a 60 hour week so we can support our children.

 

[Foogirl]

I wouldn't say someone with younger children than me has it easier at all! My son is disabled which means he is mentally younger. There is not an hour of each day when I am not doing something that revolves around him and that means when he is at school!

It is not just the mental side of looking after him, its the emotional side. Not saying no one else is not stressed and going to work but its stuff just SOME people would not understand. I get carers and tax credits to support me so I dont have to work. I COULD work but realistically, no I cant.

I dont care what anyone says about how easy it is to go to work. Untill you are in a situation then its easy to pass judgement!

Actually, I am in that situation - my daughter is disabled. I know all about the mental and emotional strength required to care for her. Unfortunately my husband earns too much for us to receive carers allowance, even if I gave up work to be with her full time. I'm lucky to have a fantastic nursery which provides excellent care for her including all the therapy she needs. And I know I am lucky to have found it and that they are few and far between. I would never, ever suggest that someone who gets carers allowance for looking after a disabled child should go and find a job. In fact, I would be happy for every penny of tax I earn to pay for carers allowance because frankly it just isn't enough. I find it incredibly difficult to care for her 7 days a week and having a nursery where I know she is being well catered for allows me to have some respite. I have the biggest admiration for anyone who copes with out that. This thread is not about carers going out to work and if it were, I would have made absolutely no comment on it. In fact, I think I actually said earlier on this thread that unless a child needs the constant supervision of one or two adults, there was no reason for a couple to work fewer than 24 hours a week. Others may tar people in your situation with the same brush as "them that's on benefits" but I certainly am not one of them.

And to be fair, my "sweeping statement" was aimed at couples who between them work fewer than 24 hours a week, who always find a reason not to work and more and use CTC or WFTC to fund that choice. Not people in your situation.

 

[Foogirl]

He said he has applied for a cscs card and that will increase his chances of roofing work. Without sounding dumb what is that? x

Construction skills certification scheme. It is so contractors have demonstrated a basic level of skill in work and more importantly health and safety. Most large contractors insist anyone who works or visits their building site has it. Jeez, I even have to have mine and I only ever pop my head round the door for a meeting!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

You can get carers allowance despite what your partner earns? It would only be YOUR earnings that affect it, even if you are married?

Taken from direct gov - Q. My partner works full time. Does this mean I can’t claim a carers benefit?

A. No. Carer’s Allowance is not an income related (means tested) benefit. So, for example, if you are a married woman, looking after a disabled child getting Disability Living Allowance and your husband works, you can still make a claim for Carer’s Allowance.

Anyway, I was just explaining my situation and how it appears to people on the outside, in RL people probably think I just dont work because of my sons mental handicap! People dont think often- just judge! It is only online that I explain myself. I am just saying people here coming in and saying X and Y dont work etc but they may not know the situation!

I was also explaining myself in response to your easier than children not at school comment as actually that was not true in my case!

We do get some respite but not enough for me to work and in any case, no job or pay could convince me that working was better for me right now. I believe he needs me right now and so home is where I shall stay

 

[Foogirl]

Oh, that's interesting. I had been told by my HV I wouldn't be able to claim because of his salary.

I know people judge. I see it every time I use her disabled badge. I just wanted to be clear I wasn't one of them. Of course it isn't always that simple but this thread is not about those on carers allowance and I made it pretty clear in earlier posts I was not talking about those with children in need of full time care. My point about it being easier was in relation to childcare costs rather than anything to do with the difficulties in actually looking after children. And in that respect, you'd have to admit that not having childcare costs to deal with must surely help.

 

[chel27]

I have just read this whole thread!! This 24 hour a week thing with tax credits will also affect us. I work 20 hours from home as my son has a disability and so does my OH meaning he cant really work. I have asked my employer if I can raise my hours to 24 hours a week but it just isnt possible So I then find myself in a very tough situation. I cant afford to lose my Wtc (they are already trying to get rid of the disability element of wtc) hey thats just great...make the disabled suffer more....oh but they can raise jobseekers by 5%!! how does this make sense?
I dont see whats wrong with cleaning toilets either...I do this in my house everyday!!! I wouldnt mind getting an extra 4 hours a week to clean toilets if I could...I dont care how I earn it as long as I do.
I get carers allowance but once I work 24 hours I wont be entitled to it but this is something we will have to adjust to.
If my OH didnt have a disability and also worked 20 hours the goverment make it pointless as we would be worse off and struggle more due to paying more bills, (not that im saying we shouldnt have to pay them) but why make it harder for both couples to work rather than just one working? doesnt make sense. I understand it isnt easy to get a job nowadays but cleaning jobs always appear in my local area. I got a letter sometime last year explaining these changes to me so I knew they were coming but that doesnt always make it easy. So I have a slight problem with this being raised to 24 hours but I am in the process of working on it lol

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

It does not seem fair does it x

 

[Foogirl]

I do think if the threshold for wtc changes they should also make the same change in Carers allowance. There must be a reason they are currently the same.