Sky TV when claiming benefit?

to be out of work, nothing to do, possibly depressed , why not a small so called luxury? A tv subscription is hardly living the high life ,

That's true but WKf but we didn't need it anyway It makes sense that is it on a loan application or whatever, though.

GGMK2 Attendance Allowance is not means tested.

I would be surprised if it is allowed simply because you can take out insurance against being unable to be e.g. If you lose your job. There are many things that are priced on an annual basis like car insurance and I don't think that's covered on means tested benefits. IIRC house insurance is an exception. I'm out of touch more, so I could be wrong.

I do take Annie's point about the difficulty in drawing a line when setting benefit levels without being judgemental. It is a minefield. I think it is right that such a TV sub should be taken into account.

But where do you draw the line? - what is a necessity? - a holiday every year? The line has moved gradually over the years - I am old enough to remember the furore when having a TV was moved into the category of a necessity.

I am glad that I do not have to make these delicate decisions.

Yes, Phoenix I remember, you had a very lean time of it.

Do you not still have your mortgage interest payments paid?
I know you used to.

Deedaa as someone who unexpectedly was on benefits following redundancy, and who also know of a family with 7 children, where the husband hasn't worked since the age of 19, due to "health problems" I agree with you, to an extent.

However, having gone round the supermarket with a calculator to check if we could actually afford a small jar of coffee, when we had a ridiculously small amount of benefit to live on (if anyone wants umpteen recipes for chicken thighs, £2.49 for 12 from Lidl, I'm your girl, or how to get God knows how many meals from a pound of mince, and my "random vegetable soup" is legendary)

Yes, some semblance of normal life is reasonable, unfortunately the time we had to spend on benefit had no semblance of normal life, and nearly cost us our home, as mortgage payments are not taken into consideration.

Sorry phoenix has started on my bit of research before I read your post.

Ana - I didn't read your post as being in the least bit judgemental - just the opposite.

Time these people who have to rely on benefits learned their place , a mobile phone? a tv subscription? Good grief do they think they have a right such extravagance , do they not realise they have no right to what the more affluent consider extravagant luxuries

If it is a contract the family would have to finish paying it, before going on to something like Freeview that does not cost, I think it is reasonable that benefits should take that into consideration.

Could it be an urban myth?

Attendance Allowance form

Not on this one either.

Thanks, phoenix. It was interesting finding out, anyway. A couple of the councils that I looked at wouldn't let you find out until you'd filled in your name and address! So I didn't.

Which benefits are the ones that have this on the form?
This is the Pension Credit one and it isn't on there.

Apologies, (esp. to DJ) I was getting confuddled between the forms filled in to claim benefits, and those relating to payment arrangements for debt.

However, I do think that when applying for some benefits, if you are paying rent, it is taken into account, but it is a different thing with a mortgage.

Wasn't not want.

I should qualify my comment - it want made in relation to claiming benefits. Just that I consider it a luxury, because it doesn't come cheap.

Many people are not on benefits from choice. Redundancy, illness, divorce or bereavement can hit anyone. It's a bleak world if they are allowed no pleasures just because of their circumstances. I'm not advocating a life of luxury and I do get annoyed by the ones who continue to produce children every year, but some semblance of normal life seems reasonable to me.

If you suddenly lose your job,contracts still have to be paid for, at least until the end of the contract, it would be unfair not to take Sky or phone contracts into consideration as outgoings nanabilly

Not allowed phones now?

I think it's wrong that folks on benefits have sky and phones and many of them smoke and drink too ..most of us in work have to choose which we want ...if any...
sky prices are ridiculously high how can they moan that they can't afford to eat but have high price tv packages.
Ok they might be tied into a 12 month contract but how many give it up at the end of that contract so they can spend that money on more important things.

I've just looked this up, and every council has its own form. Not one of them so far said Sky subscription, and I've checked half a dozen.
So where did you get this information from, Phoenix?

They just want a list of your income and expenditure.

If you're entitled to benefits, they can't tell you how to spend the money (think of how many smoke and have pets - and that's not being judgemental, just an observation).

Does it say tv subscriptions or Sky subscriptions ?

It's part of outgoings for a family isn't it? As such, has to be paid, although Sky may choose to let a person pay smaller amounts until it's paid.equally, maybe they wouldn't! Utilities would do, but when applying for benefits all outgoings are probably taken into consideration.