Look at the household income not individuals

When calculating minimums household income should be taken into account not the individual person. A couple who are both just below the low income threshold together earn a lot more than a single person, whether with children or not, who are just above the low income threshold.

Why the contribution is important

As a single parent myself, I earn just over the low income threshold, so I am not eligible for pretty much any benefits or help, whereas a couple, whose individual incomes are below the threshold are eligible. The system does not deal fairly for single people and should be rebalanced to be more fair for all households. I can barely cover everything on my single wage, and have no spare cash for actually living. Buying shoes or school uniform or clothes for my kids means I have to cut back on food shopping or find money elsewhere in my limited budget, or alternatively go into further debt. And that’s with me being on an allegedly decent wage.

Also the government need to put realistic numbers on what constitutes a low wage versus the cost of living. In my opinion it is way too low versus way higher cost of living.

by LCAyr on August 19, 2021 at 12:32PM

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Comments

  • Posted by Dober67 August 20, 2021 at 13:31

    As stated previously, this does need a lot of thought about who will receive this. Saying people who are a couple having more income together than a single person isn’t true in all cases. As someone who is disabled and a husband into forced retirement, we are only £1.25 over the threshold and therefore don’t qualify for any other help. So, to make sure it is distributed fairly, a lot of checks and rechecks are needed. A lot of different things have to be took into consideration, just not the final amount, but how it is used for, eg: how much is spent on rent, mortgage, and other essentials.
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