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Benefit families speak out | Benefit families speak out |
(about 1 month later) | |
By Julian Joyce BBC News | By Julian Joyce BBC News |
The Welfare Reform Bill goes back before MPs on Tuesday amid wrangling over the detail. The Bill will impose a cap of £26,000 on the amount of benefits that households can claim. | The Welfare Reform Bill goes back before MPs on Tuesday amid wrangling over the detail. The Bill will impose a cap of £26,000 on the amount of benefits that households can claim. |
At the beginning of February, we looked at how jobless Raymond and his family of seven in north Wales managed on annual benefits totalling £30,284.80. | At the beginning of February, we looked at how jobless Raymond and his family of seven in north Wales managed on annual benefits totalling £30,284.80. |
Among the many website readers who wrote in after the article was published was 45-year-old Ade, from Bedfordshire. | Among the many website readers who wrote in after the article was published was 45-year-old Ade, from Bedfordshire. |
He wrote: "I had sympathy for this family until I read in detail what they spend their money on. I believe that a cutback on booze and tobacco products is a must. Then unsubscribe to Sky... you should be thankful for what you get and adjust your lifestyle accordingly." | He wrote: "I had sympathy for this family until I read in detail what they spend their money on. I believe that a cutback on booze and tobacco products is a must. Then unsubscribe to Sky... you should be thankful for what you get and adjust your lifestyle accordingly." |
Father-of-five Ade, like Raymond, is happy to detail his income and expenditure. But unlike unemployed Raymond, who has not worked for more than a decade, Ade works as a full-time systems analyst, on take-home pay of £20,592. | Father-of-five Ade, like Raymond, is happy to detail his income and expenditure. But unlike unemployed Raymond, who has not worked for more than a decade, Ade works as a full-time systems analyst, on take-home pay of £20,592. |
But because he and his wife Chris have a large family, including a child with autism, the couple are also entitled to a range of benefits that boosts their income to £40,874 a year. | But because he and his wife Chris have a large family, including a child with autism, the couple are also entitled to a range of benefits that boosts their income to £40,874 a year. |
Like millions of other British families they fund their lifestyle on a mixture of wages and benefits. And that means - despite Ade's relatively modest income (just above the UK median salary) - they are able to run two cars and take a low-cost annual holiday with their children. | Like millions of other British families they fund their lifestyle on a mixture of wages and benefits. And that means - despite Ade's relatively modest income (just above the UK median salary) - they are able to run two cars and take a low-cost annual holiday with their children. |
Ade says: "We live a very easy life. We are pretty happy with what we have." | Ade says: "We live a very easy life. We are pretty happy with what we have." |
Here we break down the income Ade and his family receive - and detail where the money goes. Click on the grey boxes to see what Ade says about the family's outgoings | Here we break down the income Ade and his family receive - and detail where the money goes. Click on the grey boxes to see what Ade says about the family's outgoings |
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Salary (after tax) £20,592 | Salary (after tax) £20,592 |
Benefits £20,282 | Benefits £20,282 |
Total £40,874 | Total £40,874 |
*Disability Living Allowance. Families entitled to DLA will not have their benefits capped | *Disability Living Allowance. Families entitled to DLA will not have their benefits capped |
Child tax credit £218 | Child tax credit £218 |
'One of our sons is autistic, so we get extra payments' | 'One of our sons is autistic, so we get extra payments' |
Disability Living Allowance £49.00 | Disability Living Allowance £49.00 |
'Our son qualifies for the medium rate. We spend the extra money on a special diet to reduce the symptoms of autism' | 'Our son qualifies for the medium rate. We spend the extra money on a special diet to reduce the symptoms of autism' |
Carer's Allowance £55.00 | Carer's Allowance £55.00 |
'We use this money on things like nappies for our son, who still needs them even though he is four' | 'We use this money on things like nappies for our son, who still needs them even though he is four' |
Weekly shopping £150 | Weekly shopping £150 |
'We are members of a membership warehouse retailer and we do our shopping once a month in bulk to save money' | 'We are members of a membership warehouse retailer and we do our shopping once a month in bulk to save money' |
Entertainment/going out £40 | Entertainment/going out £40 |
'Although Chris and I might go to a restaurant, we'll often just buy a DVD and watch a movie with the children' | 'Although Chris and I might go to a restaurant, we'll often just buy a DVD and watch a movie with the children' |
Car costs £75 | Car costs £75 |
'We need two cars because we are members of a home schooling network, so we have to take the children to events and outings' | 'We need two cars because we are members of a home schooling network, so we have to take the children to events and outings' |
Mobiles £15 | Mobiles £15 |
'My wife and I have mobile telephones. The children are much too young to have them' | 'My wife and I have mobile telephones. The children are much too young to have them' |
Energy bills £40 | Energy bills £40 |
'We pay our gas and electricity bills by direct debit, so to be honest I haven't noticed the cost going up that much' | 'We pay our gas and electricity bills by direct debit, so to be honest I haven't noticed the cost going up that much' |
Mortgage & home insurance £250 | Mortgage & home insurance £250 |
'I don't begrudge the money I spend on the mortgage because one day we will own the house outright. We are making extra payments to pay the house off earlier' | 'I don't begrudge the money I spend on the mortgage because one day we will own the house outright. We are making extra payments to pay the house off earlier' |
Church tithes and offerings £115 | Church tithes and offerings £115 |
'The church we belong to has given us a lot of support over our autistic son. Giving the money is the right thing to do' | 'The church we belong to has given us a lot of support over our autistic son. Giving the money is the right thing to do' |
The family's biggest outgoing is the mortgage on their home, a three-bedroom end-of-terrace. But, says Ade: "One day we will own it outright so it's not wasted money." | The family's biggest outgoing is the mortgage on their home, a three-bedroom end-of-terrace. But, says Ade: "One day we will own it outright so it's not wasted money." |
The couple do not smoke or drink. Nor do they subscribe to a TV satellite channel. They say their children - aged 12, nine, seven, four and one, are too young for mobile telephones. | The couple do not smoke or drink. Nor do they subscribe to a TV satellite channel. They say their children - aged 12, nine, seven, four and one, are too young for mobile telephones. |
Chris schools her children at home, so there are no uniforms to buy. Yet books and other teaching materials must be purchased, and she needs a second car to drive her children to events and outings. | Chris schools her children at home, so there are no uniforms to buy. Yet books and other teaching materials must be purchased, and she needs a second car to drive her children to events and outings. |
And, unlike Raymond, who faces a cut in his benefits under government plans to slash the welfare bill, Ade and Chris's annual benefit entitlement of £20,282 falls well under the proposed £26,000 cap. | And, unlike Raymond, who faces a cut in his benefits under government plans to slash the welfare bill, Ade and Chris's annual benefit entitlement of £20,282 falls well under the proposed £26,000 cap. |
Ade says he has no problem at all with claiming benefits that almost double his salary. | Ade says he has no problem at all with claiming benefits that almost double his salary. |
"We are reaping benefits of a good society and I see no problem with that," he says. "Benefits are a good thing, and if society can afford it, they should be paid." | "We are reaping benefits of a good society and I see no problem with that," he says. "Benefits are a good thing, and if society can afford it, they should be paid." |
"But benefits should encourage people to work - they should not be something in place of work." | "But benefits should encourage people to work - they should not be something in place of work." |
Ade used to work for the Benefits Agency in London and handled dozens of claims every year. | Ade used to work for the Benefits Agency in London and handled dozens of claims every year. |
"Once I handled a claim from someone who had not worked in 18 years. It was then I decided to leave the agency," he says. | "Once I handled a claim from someone who had not worked in 18 years. It was then I decided to leave the agency," he says. |
"Benefits are there to help people who are genuinely in need, and they should be a tool to encourage people to work hard," he says. | "Benefits are there to help people who are genuinely in need, and they should be a tool to encourage people to work hard," he says. |