Iain Duncan Smith's new challenge - £53 a week

[Arch]

You have summarised my point very well.

Well, I'm glad to hear I've merely summarised your point. I rather thought I was making it myself, but never mind...

 

[Arch]

Why all the posts about living on £53pw? Isn't the JSA rate £71pw, not that that's a great deal.

The chap who was on R4 cited £53 as what he had to live on - it seems now, this is what's left after his bills... £53 a week for food and pocket money would do me fine, if all other bills were already accounted for.

But this chap is working apparently, just not very lucratively, so presumably he's not on JSA.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

£71 - (bedroom tax) £14 - (water rates and sewerage) £3.50 - (abolished council tax benefit) - approx £1.50.

 

[screenman]

What does a company that employs say 20 people and has not made a profit for the last 3 years and is being propped up by the owners own money, who has not taken a wage for over 2 years do about paying more wages? should they shut? should they lay a few people off so that the others can get a raise? or do they like some I know carry on making small changes hoping to get back into profit one day.

In other words do some of you honestly believe every single business owner out there is making a huge profit each year.

 

[Alun]

£71 - (bedroom tax) £14 - (water rates and sewerage) £3.50 - (abolished council tax benefit) - approx £1.50.

Isn't the "bedroom tax" deducted from housing benefit though, rather than JSA?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Isn't the "bedroom tax" deducted from housing benefit though, rather than JSA?

Yes, like the water charges. It's what's left after housing costs are accounted for.