Could you live on £57 a week?

[pap]

£57. Not a lot of money. I pay more than that on one monthly utility bill. And yet, this is apparently enough dough to get by on for a week in 2013.

 

Iain Duncan Smith, who gets around £225 per day after tax, reckons he could live on £57 a week if he had to.

 

There is a petition here calling on him to do it.

 

http://www.change.org/petitions/iain-duncan-smith-iain-duncan-smith-to-live-on-53-a-week#share

 

I doubt we could even get by on £57 per person per week. What about you?

[Tokyo-Saint]

What's this for Pap? Dole/pension and would the payment be in conjuntion with any other payment i.e. housing benefit. Had a look at the link but it's a bit short on info.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

I was out of work for 2 years after graduating, well, just under.

 

The first year of which I was still living in Leeds, before having to move back in with the folks. I just could not afford it any more.

 

It's nigh on impossible. Spent a lot of time hungry. Though it was a great way to lose weight. I was very skinny.

 

It catches up eventually, bills etc still add up. I've basically only just put all the debts, court cases, bank threats etc to bed in the last month or so.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

What's this for Pap? Dole/pension and would the payment be in conjuntion with any other payment i.e. housing benefit. Had a look at the link but it's a bit short on info.

 

I would imagine it would be in conjunction with Housing. As above, for the first year I was also on housing. Although this was less than my rent, so I still had to make up the short fall myself.

 

I was on £52 pw JSA, which when you are making up £5 pw rent (not alot I know - but when you have so little, it does make a difference), by the time you pay your bills (which were always more than I had) and trying to eat, you basically end up in a black hole of debt.

 

It didn't help that Halifax suddenly decided to start implementing daily charges on arranged over-drafts. Which obviously pushed me over my limit, which then meant I was racking up £5 a day in charges. How on earth are you meant to break that cycle?

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Wouldn't even cover my lunches.

[Millbrook Saint]

So that's roughly £225 a month, assuming he's living on his own

rent - paid for

council tax - paid for

water £50

utilities £75

leaving £100 for food for the month, not impossible for a single person but not good, I haven't taken in to account things like tv licence etc, don't know if that's paid for.

[Turkish]

I do love it when people with loads of money claim they could live on that. He probably could do it for a couple of weeks, bit of novelty value and all that, knowing full well he'll be back to his £1k a week takehome soon after. A year would be a lot more appropriate to guage it by. No way could i survive on that, as you say Pap, one utility bill is more than that.

[Sour Mash]

What's this for Pap? Dole/pension and would the payment be in conjuntion with any other payment i.e. housing benefit. Had a look at the link but it's a bit short on info.

According to this link, its after rent and bills http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9964767/Iain-Duncan-Smith-I-could-live-on-53-per-week.html £50 is more than enough on that basis.

[Millbrook Saint]

According to this link, its after rent and bills http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9964767/Iain-Duncan-Smith-I-could-live-on-53-per-week.html £50 is more than enough on that basis.

 

Completely agree, £53 a week is more than enough after his bills have been paid, it is afterall supposed to be a temporary measure until he can find work

[Tokyo-Saint]

£50 a week after rent and bills is fine. Stuff like TV licence is optional. It covers the very basics, food and that's about it. It wouldn't be a very nice or comfortable way to live but it is not supposed to be. It is supposed to be a short term safety net.

[hypochondriac]

If you had to then the answer is yes you would be able to survive. We don't have poverty in this country.

[Chez]

So that's roughly £225 a month, assuming he's living on his own

rent - paid for

council tax - paid for

water £50

utilities £75

leaving £100 for food for the month, not impossible for a single person but not good, I haven't taken in to account things like tv licence etc, don't know if that's paid for.

 

not much spare for fags, beer and Sky TV

[Special K]

Wouldn't likeit. I would be a more miserable ***t than usual. 50 quid isn't very much, but as some say, it's not supposed to be a "lifestyle choice".

 

Love to see IDS living on it. Not for a week though, but for 3 months minimum.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

So that's roughly £225 a month, assuming he's living on his own

rent - paid for

council tax - paid for

water £50

utilities £75

leaving £100 for food for the month, not impossible for a single person but not good, I haven't taken in to account things like tv licence etc, don't know if that's paid for.

 

Blimey, if you pay £50 a month for water then you need to stop using so much. For a family of 3 we pay £34 a month. Gas and electric together is £68.

[Turkish]

Blimey, if you pay £50 a month for water then you need to stop using so much. For a family of 3 we pay £34 a month. Gas and electric together is £68.

 

Really??!! how big is your house?! We were paying £160 for ours in our old house, yet to have a bill for the new place. Who are you with?

[JackFrost]

According to this link, its after rent and bills http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9964767/Iain-Duncan-Smith-I-could-live-on-53-per-week.html £50 is more than enough on that basis.

 

As long as it is after bills/rent etc. then I could live on that if I needed to, making the necessary cutbacks.

 

Assuming it's referring to JSA, that's a payment that is designed to tide someone over until they find work, not a payment that someone can comfortably live on.

[pap]

I don't know.

 

Any of you chaps been shopping lately?

 

Things are a crapload more expensive than they have been for a while, I reckon. Since ms pap has flown the coop during working hours, I end up spending quite a bit of time picking up the slack and shopping. I've also spent quite a bit of time working away from home living in self-catering digs.

 

Feeding one person is more expensive per head than feeding more. I'm also not convinced you can get a decent standard of food for that cash.

[Chez]

Wouldn't likeit. I would be a more miserable ***t than usual. 50 quid isn't very much, but as some say, it's not supposed to be a "lifestyle choice".

 

Love to see IDS living on it. Not for a week though, but for 3 months minimum.

 

It would be good if he did it for at least a month and had to get a job in that time (perhaps using someone else name and less impressive CV) and any costs associated with getting to an interview etc.

[Doctoroncall]

I do love it when people with loads of money claim they could live on that. He probably could do it for a couple of weeks, bit of novelty value and all that, knowing full well he'll be back to his £1k a week takehome soon after. A year would be a lot more appropriate to guage it by. No way could i survive on that, as you say Pap, one utility bill is more than that.

 

That's what I thought, 3 months could be enough before the misery gets to him and he quits.

[Chez]

I don't know.

 

Any of you chaps been shopping lately?

 

Things are a crapload more expensive than they have been for a while, I reckon. Since ms pap has flown the coop during working hours, I end up spending quite a bit of time picking up the slack and shopping. I've also spent quite a bit of time working away from home living in self-catering digs.

 

Feeding one person is more expensive per head than feeding more. I'm also not convinced you can get a decent standard of food for that cash.

 

own brand, cheapest bread, lots of woopsie isle stuff, no booze or treats and £40 a week is just about do able.

[Millbrook Saint]

Blimey, if you pay £50 a month for water then you need to stop using so much. For a family of 3 we pay £34 a month. Gas and electric together is £68.

 

Just a guess, I have family of 4, pretty sure the water is less than that, just a guess off the top of my head.

 

 

 

Special K

 

Wouldn't likeit. I would be a more miserable ***t than usual. 50 quid isn't very much, but as some say, it's not supposed to be a "lifestyle choice".

 

Love to see IDS living on it. Not for a week though, but for 3 months minimum.

 

 

Thing is someone like IDS wouldn't be content with sitting around collecting benefits and would go out and find work. The true test would be not to make him live on that for 3 months but to go unemployed, give him £57 a week and tell him to try and find work in his local area which would make him better off in work than out. Then we'd see how hard/easy it is to get off benefits.

[Chez]

Blimey, if you pay £50 a month for water then you need to stop using so much. For a family of 3 we pay £34 a month.

on a meter? Is that water and waste?

[Chez]

Just a guess, I have family of 4, pretty sure the water is less than that, just a guess off the top of my head.

 

 

 

 

 

Thing is someone like IDS wouldn't be content with sitting around collecting benefits and would go out and find work. The true test would be not to make him live on that for 3 months but to go unemployed, give him £57 a week and tell him to try and find work in his local area which would make him better off in work than out. Then we'd see how hard/easy it is to get off benefits.

 

 

...with a **** cv and a tat on his neck.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Really??!! how big is your house?! We were paying £160 for ours in our old house, yet to have a bill for the new place. Who are you with?

 

Not big. Currently a 2 bed maisonette, about 800 sq feet. We're with EDF.

 

£160 does seem a lot, dependant on house size/insulation etc.

[pap]

own brand, cheapest bread, lots of woopsie isle stuff, no booze or treats and £40 a week is just about do able.

 

Yeah, but not advisable.

 

Always been the case that the stuff that's the worst for you is generally the cheapest stuff around.

 

My perspective; speaking as a former and sometimes member of the underclass, is that taking benefits away doesn't really act as an incentive for the long-term unemployed to find work and start paying tax. They normally just start robbing more

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

on a meter? Is that water and waste?

 

Yep, on a meter, water and waste (although waste gets charged at the beginning of every period).

[Turkish]

Not big. Currently a 2 bed maisonette, about 800 sq feet. We're with EDF.

 

£160 does seem a lot, dependant on house size/insulation etc.

 

It was a big, pre war 3 bed semi, we've moved to a 10 year old place, 3 bed detached now, not as big but a lot nicer. Hoepfully our bills will come down!

[Sour Mash]

I don't know.

 

Any of you chaps been shopping lately?

 

Things are a crapload more expensive than they have been for a while, I reckon. Since ms pap has flown the coop during working hours, I end up spending quite a bit of time picking up the slack and shopping. I've also spent quite a bit of time working away from home living in self-catering digs.

 

Feeding one person is more expensive per head than feeding more. I'm also not convinced you can get a decent standard of food for that cash.

You can buy a load of food for £50 a week. These people are still having their bills and housing paid for and subsidised on top of £50 worth of food each week. That's more than generous.

[Doctoroncall]

I don't know.

 

Any of you chaps been shopping lately?

 

Things are a crapload more expensive than they have been for a while, I reckon. Since ms pap has flown the coop during working hours, I end up spending quite a bit of time picking up the slack and shopping. I've also spent quite a bit of time working away from home living in self-catering digs.

 

Feeding one person is more expensive per head than feeding more. I'm also not convinced you can get a decent standard of food for that cash.

 

When I was a student, you find ways, make four portions instead of one or share the cooking and the costs with others. Get to know the time the bread, meat and veg are reduced in the supermarket. There are things you can do. We even watched cricket for free at Headingley when they opened up the gates in the last few hours of the day's play.

 

Is there a shift of expectancy where folks used to search out for things that will help, to now, where they'll only accepted it when it's delivered to them on a plate?

[bridge too far]

You can buy a load of food for £50 a week. These people are still having their bills and housing paid for and subsidised on top of £50 worth of food each week. That's more than generous.

 

Don't they need clothes, shoes, bus fares then?

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

It was a big, pre war 3 bed semi, we've moved to a 10 year old place, 3 bed detached now, not as big but a lot nicer. Hoepfully our bills will come down!

 

Will come down massively mainly due to the much better insulation in newer build houses.

[Ken Tone]

It doesn't sound as if many of you actually heard the Radio 4 Today programme piece that started this. The bloke interviewed said he was only now going to receive £53 a week total income, because of the 'bedroom tax' reducing his benefits. (He has a 3 bedroom house ,which he doesn't want to leave because his kids stay with him 3 nights a week, but his ex-wife has official custody ,so they count as spare rooms.)

 

The bloke had worked for years but lost his job a while back and had been unable to get proper work since, although he'd tried to set up as a market trader.

 

At the end of the interview the presenter asked what he like to say to Duncan Smith, and he said 'ask him if he could live in £53 a week', so he did and IDs said ”if I had to I could".

 

I've no idea if theTelegraph is correct in saying that since the interview it has emerged that the bloke gets some tax credits too.

[Sour Mash]

Don't they need clothes, shoes, bus fares then?

Well as £50 is more than enough for food, that shouldn't be a problem then. How many pairs of shoes do they need to buy each year?

[pap]

When I was a student, you find ways, make four portions instead of one or share the cooking and the costs with others. Get to know the time the bread, meat and veg are reduced in the supermarket. There are things you can do. We even watched cricket for free at Headingley when they opened up the gates in the last few hours of the day's play.

 

Is there a shift of expectancy where folks used to search out for things that will help, to now, where they'll only accepted it when it's delivered to them on a plate?

 

Of course there is a shift in expectancy. It's pretty much what fuelled the consumerist boom. Look at our Saturday night TV schedules. Both channels prime time shows are effectively full of wannabes who largely, don't want to put the shift in to become a real pop star. Verbal wrote a post a few years ago about the collision of consumerism, advertising and credit. When you look at the amount of personal debt in this country, it's very clear that there has been a shift in expectancy and attitude. People want stuff now, and lack of money isn't necessarily a problem.

 

I appreciate what you're saying, but you'd almost have to plan your life around discounts and bargains.

[Reggie Dunlop]

He probably could live on that short term, try doing for 6 months to a year he would soon crack

[Tokyo-Saint]

Don't they need clothes, shoes, bus fares then?

 

 

Of course they do, I'll pay for that then, sorry.

 

btw bus fares to interviews is paid for. I assume you mean to visit friends etc? Don't worry, I'll get this one.

[JackFrost]

Don't they need clothes, shoes, bus fares then?

 

As my old mum used to say,

 

"It's amazing what you can find in charity shops"

[Tokyo-Saint]

Or indeed the job centre!

[FarehamRed]

Can you survive on £53p/w? Yes. Is it a life? No.

 

To my mind, the real problem isn't the level of benefits, it's low pay. Basically, lots of employers are know that the state will subsidise the wages they pay to staff, so they only pay the minimum wage (or just above it). Increase the minimum wage so it becomes a living wage and lots of people would be lifted off the bread line and you create a real incentive to work. Of course, employers will never do that, as it would hit profits.

[bridge too far]

Can you survive on £53p/w? Yes. Is it a life? No.

 

To my mind, the real problem isn't the level of benefits, it's low pay. Basically, lots of employers are know that the state will subsidise the wages they pay to staff, so they only pay the minimum wage (or just above it). Increase the minimum wage so it becomes a living wage and lots of people would be lifted off the bread line and you create a real incentive to work. Of course, employers will never do that, as it would hit profits.

 

Absolutely this

[Sour Mash]

Can you survive on £53p/w? Yes. Is it a life? No.

 

To my mind, the real problem isn't the level of benefits, it's low pay. Basically, lots of employers are know that the state will subsidise the wages they pay to staff, so they only pay the minimum wage (or just above it). Increase the minimum wage so it becomes a living wage and lots of people would be lifted off the bread line and you create a real incentive to work. Of course, employers will never do that, as it would hit profits.

which is the main reason they exist and emply people in the first place.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Can you survive on £53p/w? Yes. Is it a life? No.

 

To my mind, the real problem isn't the level of benefits, it's low pay. Basically, lots of employers are know that the state will subsidise the wages they pay to staff, so they only pay the minimum wage (or just above it). Increase the minimum wage so it becomes a living wage and lots of people would be lifted off the bread line and you create a real incentive to work. Of course, employers will never do that, as it would hit profits.

 

That £53 isn't for a life. It's the mimumum needed to keep people off the street, fed and heated. That's it.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Can you survive on £53p/w? Yes. Is it a life? No.

 

To my mind, the real problem isn't the level of benefits, it's low pay. Basically, lots of employers are know that the state will subsidise the wages they pay to staff, so they only pay the minimum wage (or just above it). Increase the minimum wage so it becomes a living wage and lots of people would be lifted off the bread line and you create a real incentive to work. Of course, employers will never do that, as it would hit profits.

 

+1

 

At the moment we are subsidising multi million pound business' like Tesco's.

 

 

Labour politicians bang on about how proud they are of setting up the minimum wage, however it was a meaningless political gesture. There is absolutely no point in a minimum wage if it's set so low that the state tops it up. It's just one big con on the electorate designed to embarrass the Tory's and confuse the gullible..

[Barry Sanchez]

You cant live on that, you can survive on that, you will also receive no dignity or compassion.

[hypochondriac]

Can you survive on £53p/w? Yes. Is it a life? No.

 

To my mind, the real problem isn't the level of benefits, it's low pay. Basically, lots of employers are know that the state will subsidise the wages they pay to staff, so they only pay the minimum wage (or just above it). Increase the minimum wage so it becomes a living wage and lots of people would be lifted off the bread line and you create a real incentive to work. Of course, employers will never do that, as it would hit profits.

 

Tell that to the millions around the world who get nowhere near that.

[Joesaint]

If you aspire to have more money, then earn it!

 

I have always worked, yet people on benifity can affort: Designer clothes, Massive TV (and elictricity bill), smoking, drinking, and holidays. This is money taxed from people that earn it and thrown away to lazy bums!

 

Plus, in every 3 pounds the government spend 1 pound of it goes to welfare!!!!!!! We need to save money, and the country from the dept (which is still rising, thanks to Labour) I find it funny that when the goverment makes cuts its wrong, yet spending money you do not have to win votes, selling gold at its lowest price, as well as raiding the pension pot is fine!

 

 

(PS not a tory either!)

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Of course they do, I'll pay for that then, sorry.

 

btw bus fares to interviews is paid for. I assume you mean to visit friends etc? Don't worry, I'll get this one.

 

They never once paid for travel to any of my interviews.

 

I was told it is part of what Job Seekers Allowance comes out of.

[Sour Mash]

+1

 

At the moment we are subsidising multi million pound business' like Tesco's.

 

 

Labour politicians bang on about how proud they are of setting up the minimum wage, however it was a meaningless political gesture. There is absolutely no point in a minimum wage if it's set so low that the state tops it up. It's just one big con on the electorate designed to embarrass the Tory's and confuse the gullible..

No, that's more to do with the endless supply of cheap labour we have imported into this country over the last 40 years.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

If you aspire to have more money, then earn it!

 

I have always worked, yet people on benifity can affort: Designer clothes, Massive TV (and elictricity bill), smoking, drinking, and holidays. This is money taxed from people that earn it and thrown away to lazy bums!

 

Plus, in every 3 pounds the government spend 1 pound of it goes to welfare!!!!!!! We need to save money, and the country from the dept (which is still rising, thanks to Labour) I find it funny that when the goverment makes cuts its wrong, yet spending money you do not have to win votes, selling gold at its lowest price, as well as raiding the pension pot is fine!

 

 

(PS not a tory either!)

 

You've been reading the Daily Mail way too much mate.

 

When I was living on benefits I could barely afford to eat. Let alone any of the other things you mention.

 

It's a complete fallacy.

[pap]

No, that's more to do with the endless supply of cheap labour we have imported into this country over the last 40 years.

 

Which, I might add, Lord D makes a lot of use of