The Phillpot Lesson

[yerbamate]

The way in which the whole benefit system has been manipulated by this ogre, should be the benchmark for all involved in future legislation on handing out benefits. No-one should be able to claim anything other than basic help, for a limited time. Any form of benefit is not a right, but a helping hand. Bring on reform asap.

[jim360]

Nonsense - never measure a system by those who exploit it viciously.

[sir.prize]

Apparently none of the Philpotts' household went to work. They relied solely on benefits. They were in the top 2% of 'earners' in the UK. After tax, they received £98,000 per year.

Obscene!

[hc4361]

sir.prize - his wife and mistress both worked.

[sir.prize]

Sorry - yes you are right hc4361

[emmie]

the ones who exploit the system are the ones who give those who need help a bad name, don't tar everyone with the same brush.

[jackthehat]

The family received about £68,000.......the equivalent take-home pay of a person earning £100,000.

[hc4361]

Let's assume a man earned £100,000 before tax AND had 11 children.

He would still be entitled to benefits.

[rockyracoon]

What be benefits woud he be entitled to hc?

[LazyGun]

I would agree that you should not judge the whole of the benefits system by the actions of a few individuals.

There are some specific things I have some problems with though- it seems clear from the Phillpot case that he considered his children a means of generating a significant wedge of cash and associated benefits - housing, tax credits etc.

I would like to see child benefits means tested and maybe capped at say 3 kids or something like that....

[chrissa1]

How do you work that out hc?

[rockyracoon]

Jeez, I really need to edit before hitting submit!

[sir.prize]

jackthehat. I was quoting BBC World News broadcast 10 minutes ago. Philpotts received £98,000 benefits.

I'm sure it will be repeated on BBC news

[jackthehat]

///Child benefit
Philpott: £20.30 a week for eldest son, £13.40 for the other ten. Yearly total: £8,023.60p
Working tax credits
Mairead: Up to £20,560 a year for her six children
Lisa Willis: Up to £17,870 for her five children
Estimated earnings from their cleaning jobs: £14,000
Yearly total: £38,430
Housing benefit
Philpott: £150 a week
Yearly total: £7,800
ESTIMATED GRAND TOTAL: £68,000
This is the approximate take-home pay of someone earning £100,000///

From the DM

[hc4361]

Child benefit of around £8k a year, plus childcare tax credits of £210 per week.

[hc4361]

Jackthehat, £14k of that total is not benefits. It is the earned income of his wife and mistress.

[rockyracoon]

No child benefit when single earner earns over £60k, are the childcare tax credits in place yet?

[emmie]

and housing and council tax benefit.. ?

[jackthehat]

I know, hc, I was just providing the figures that have been bandied about to illustrate that they were not in receipt of £98,000 worth of benefits, as had been suggested.

[jno]

man cheats benefit system... let's abandon the benefits system at once!

[hc4361]

That's a very new thing though, Rocky