Working Housing Benefit Claimants 'up 60%'

[Corruption]

I feel the deck is so stacked against me in terms of high price for any kind of shelter that ive weighed up my options and decided im better off to work less rather than carry on busting my ass contributing to a system that is against my interests.

Ive now switched to part time and will not pay a penny in income tax this year, my wages at full time just wasnt enough to propel me out of being too poor to buy at such ridiculous prices( and private rent taking nearly half of my salary) and with too much in savings to get any housing benefit.

It seems im cutting off my nose to spite my face but ive worked and saved hard and its got me nowhere so i will enjoy more free time and draw down savings until they are gone. I cant beat the system so i will join it, excuse the pessimism but thats where i am right now.

I can understand that if youre earning an average wage on PAYE, there really isnt any point in working yourself into an early grave when you can just play the system by working 16 hours a week.

Ive got a contract starting next week which means flying to the Shetlands and working 12 hour days and all i can afford in my area despite earning several times the average pay and getting my tax down through working via a limited company is some crappy ex-council house for about 200K thats in need of refurbishment.

Honest work really is a mugs game.

[wonderpup]

The only solution is a massive, truly government owned (no private sector 'partners') council house building programme, which has been promoted by many on this site for years. The problem with that of course is it would result in a *gasp* smaller state and a lot of useless jobs would have to go.

One thing to avoid would be the enormous council estates of the past which were seen as being full of lawbreakers. Smaller groups of 20 - 50 houses here and there as well as some larger estates would be great.

But that would cost billions- far better to spend the money on a 'Help to Buy' scheme that inflates the housing market, puts more pressure on the supply of rental homes,which pushes rents up resulting in even higher housing benefit costs.

Yep, George Osborne is a genius!

[Snugglybear]

And don't forget if your income is low enough then your kids get grants for uni still.

Only for living costs (£3,387 max for 2014-15).

Tuition fees (normally £9,000 per year) - loan for everybody for whole cost if resident in England. If resident in Scotland and studying in Scotland, usually free, though if studying outside Scotland loan available for fees (normally £9,000 per year). If resident in Wales and studying anywhere, you only have to take out a loan for £3,685 per year.

[Corruption]

Only for living costs (£3,387 max for 2014-15).

Tuition fees (normally £9,000 per year) - loan for everybody for whole cost if resident in England. If resident in Scotland and studying in Scotland, usually free, though if studying outside Scotland loan available for fees (normally £9,000 per year). If resident in Wales and studying anywhere, you only have to take out a loan for £3,685 per year.

As voted for by Scottish and Welsh MPs, England really needs a referendum on whether it wants to be controlled by Westminster.

[Snugglybear]

As voted for by Scottish and Welsh MPs, England really needs a referendum on whether it wants to be controlled by Westminster.

Education is a devolved matter. So Members of Parliament no longer vote on education policies in Scotland and Wales, only Members of the Scottish Parliament and (Welsh) Assembly Members.

Apologies to Northern Ireland that I didn't mention the situation there earlier. Fees £3,865 if you study in Northern Ireland, elsewhere £9,000. Living costs, maximum of £3,475 if household income is £19,203 or less, partial grant if it's betwen £19,204 and £41,065, in addition / otherwise maintenance loan. Again, a devolved matter.

[Corruption]

Education is a devolved matter. So Members of Parliament no longer vote on education policies in Scotland and Wales, only Members of the Scottish Parliament and (Welsh) Assembly Members.

Apologies to Northern Ireland that I didn't mention the situation there earlier. Fees £3,865 if you study in Northern Ireland, elsewhere £9,000. Living costs, maximum of £3,475 if household income is £19,203 or less, partial grant if it's betwen £19,204 and £41,065, in addition / otherwise maintenance loan. Again, a devolved matter.

But the same Scottish and Welsh MPs that voted for free education or subsidised education for their own then voted for English students to pay the 9K.

England must be the only place in the world where such an injustice takes place and to rub salt into the would people of EU states get free education in Scotland funded by the English taxpayer.

[Snugglybear]

But the same Scottish and Welsh MPs that voted for free education or subsidised education for their own then voted for English students to pay the 9K.

England must be the only place in the world where such an injustice takes place and to rub salt into the would people of EU states get free education in Scotland funded by the English taxpayer.

Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs did not vote on free or subsidised education. The House of Commons / House of Lords had no say in the matter. It was decided in other legislatures i.e. the Scottish Parliament and the Assemblies of Wales and Northern Ireland.

Scotland decided to offer free tuition to students from any country that offered free tuition to students from the Scotland and the rest of the UK i.e those countries which give them own citizens free university education and therefore can't charge students from other EU countries under EU rules. Scotland doesn't, however, offer any help with living costs to EU students.

Now, Westminster MPs did vote on the matter of allowing universities to raise tuition fees - the record of which way each one voted is available here http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2010/dec/09/tuition-fees-higher-education