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Wirral woman’s hard struggle to make ends meet (From Wirral Globe)
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Wirral woman’s hard struggle to make ends meet
3:50pm Tuesday 7th July 2009
I AM a recently separated 59-year-old woman.
I have worked all my life and brought up five children.
I work 30 hours a week and bring home about £600 a month.
Out of this I pay £400 rent, £85 council tax, TV licence, electricity, phone which I have to have, and water.
Can anyone tell me how I am supposed to live?
This country has gone to the dogs and it gives you no incentive to work.
I might as well just sit on my backside and have at least my rent and council tax paid.
Any ideas would be very welcome.
I get housing benefit of £17 per week. £9 is taken out of this for an overpayment five years ago.
I also receive £33 a week working tax credits.
The law states I need £68 per week to live off.
I have not got anywhere near this.
Name and address supplied.
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Your Say Your Globe
Spiffy, Wallasey says...
10:42pm Tue 7 Jul 09
slumdog, wallasey says...
12:04pm Thu 9 Jul 09
Her children might be no better off!
They might not get on!
What would you suggest if she had none?
Spiffy, Wallasey says...
6:09pm Thu 9 Jul 09
I would want paying an awful lot of money for that.
I made a suggestion based on her home circumstances alone and puprosely did not comment on the political side for the can of worms that would obviously open and the huge discussion that would probably follow.
I do like to take a rest from this website now and again :p
I made comment though recently (in my real off-the-computer life) that this country is experiencing the worst recession since the 30's yet we are surviving purely because of the welfare state.
Without it there would be thousands starving to death.
Be grateful for small mercies. It isn't perfect - it needs reform - but its better than nothing at all.
slumdog, wallasey says...
3:39pm Fri 10 Jul 09
Having enough food/shelter etc to stay alive whilst other people make vast amounts of money is hardly a cause for giving thanks.
alapinto, Wirral says...
8:01pm Sun 12 Jul 09
Spiffy, Wallasey says...
8:25pm Mon 13 Jul 09
I really think you should take that back and in future think on before you make such arrogant pronouncements.
I am hardly rolling in money looking disdainfully down my ever so elegant nose at people vastly worse off than myself.
I AM one of those.
However, without a welfare state (which I contributed to fully when working)I would be starving to death too as would my two young children. So yes, I AM grateful for small mercies.
slumdog, wallasey says...
12:07pm Tue 14 Jul 09
If your circumstances are at all similar to those of the lady in the letter, then in my opinion you deserve much better! That was the point I was trying to make
Spiffy, Wallasey says...
2:27pm Tue 14 Jul 09
slumdog, wallasey says...
3:54pm Tue 14 Jul 09
Did you get skitted at school because you looked like her?
I'll take it back by all means spiffy. My intention was definitely not to offend you.
Spiffy, Wallasey says...
5:18pm Tue 14 Jul 09
Oh...hang on... Skitted at school because I looked like her ? Perhaps you aren't then.
Not sure how comparing me to perhaps the most famous patronising attitude ever expressed toward people suffering in poverty illustrated your point at all. Frankly, you were rude and undeservedly so.
A disappointing contrast to the sometimes intelligent discussion you offer up.
Apology accepted in the spirit it was given.
slumdog, wallasey says...
5:31pm Tue 14 Jul 09
You dont come across as a 'bad person' Spiffy. I'll always apologise for offence unless I meant it. If I had meant to be rude, I would have tried harder, so you can be assured that My apology is genuine.
Spiffy, Wallasey says...
8:34pm Tue 14 Jul 09
I appreciate you taking the time to explain and apology genuinely accepted.
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slumdog, wallasey says...
10:14pm Tue 7 Jul 09
At the same time however there are plans for nice people with degrees who become unemployed to be dealt with at special offices set up in university buildings, and the waiting time before you can claim interest payments on your mortgage has been at least halved. The maximum payment threshold has been raised too.
The top ten percent of earners in Britain get 40% of the wages. That only leaves 60% of the wages to devide between the other 90% of the population. Great Britain!