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Single mother loses £32 a month in NI rise
Mark Blunden25 Nov 2008
A SINGLE mother told today of her anger as it emerged she would be one of the biggest victims of Alistair Darling's mini-budget.
Ann Conway, a teacher from Archway, earns £43,875 a year, making her among London's biggest losers from the Pre-Budget Report which will see her NI payments rise by £32 a month in April.
Ms Conway, 47, is head of history at Islington Arts and Media School in Finsbury Park and has three children, aged 13, 15 and 23.
Even with weekly gains of £2.55 in child benefit - increased to £20 and £13.20 per child - Ms Conway will end up £324 worse off a year.
Today she attacked Labour's plans and warned that families like hers were facing a lean Christmas. She said: "I wouldn't mind higher National Insurance being spent on things like child benefit, schools or hospitals but it seems my money is being used to get the banks out of trouble.
"The effects of the Pre-Budget Report will mean spending less at Christmas and although we won't lose our home we can't afford to redecorate, go on holiday or eat out - £324 a year may not be much to some people but to me it's a lot of money to be without."
Ms Conway's outgoings are £1,500 a month, including £500 on food, £630 in mortgage repayments on her housing association property and fuel bills of £85.
With the interest rate cut last week, her mortgage repayments decreased by £30 a month.
She will gain little on the 2.5 per cent VAT cut as her main outgoings are exempt.
She said: "I completely disagree with the Government bailing out the banks and then continuing to let them go on making profits.
"It's unfair they're putting up my NI straight away but the rich people who got us in trouble in the first place are let off until after the election. I'm still struggling with money even though I'm supposedly at the top of the scale.
"The Government is letting the £150,000 fat cats who got us into this mess get away with it by taking money off people like us."
Ms Conway drives a VW Campervan and feels her family has been stung by the recent fuel increases, plus now another two pence on fuel duty.
She said: "The cost of living is really going up and teachers' wages should be going up in line with this but they're not and if oil prices have gone down I don't understand why fuel bills are still so high."
Reader views (9)
Surely the 23 year old can get a job? He is another adult in the household, not a child. ALso, is there a father? He must be considered to have some responsibility.
Not a happy choice if we are supposed to be sympathetic.
- Sarf East Mum, Bexley UK, 25/11/2008 20:58
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And the 23 year old does what?
- E Reed, San Mateo,ca., 25/11/2008 18:05
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Both of her boys could get paper rounds to help the family budget.
- Joan, London, 25/11/2008 14:37
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Reading this article makes my blood boil! This lady is earning over the national average, has a cheep Housing Association property and reicves child benefit on top of this.
I would like to point out it was her choice to have three children and I am fed up with these people moaning about there bad deal. What about single people living in london, unable to get on the housing ladder, paying a huge amount of rent. Do we get any tax credits, extra benefits or cheep accomodation?
I don't have children by choice so why should I pay extra NI contibutions to subsidise the likes of this woman in this article. If I was in goverment I would make those with children pay extra as they use more resources!
- Anon, London, 25/11/2008 13:31
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I think Bob your maths is a bit out - if she is on £43k she won't be bringing in £2800... maybe extra maths lessons for all will help?
- Victoria, London, UK, 25/11/2008 13:12
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Tony, Essex, as a teacher she's being paid a £44K salary from the public purse, presumably with the pension rights that go with it, child benefit on top, and sees herself as being hard done by! Wage slave? I think not.
- Tonyb, Melbourne, Australia, 25/11/2008 13:06
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Her oldest son can always get a paper round to help with the finances.
- Joan, London, 25/11/2008 12:59
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Ms Conway needs to wake up - you are middle class and you pay for everything. You pay the feckless their benefits, you pay for public services so the rich don't have to, and you pay those lazy, pocket lining traitors called MPs their bloated salaries and obscene pensions. I'm sure they will all thank you personally for being their wage slave.
- Tony, Essex, 25/11/2008 10:47
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£1500 outgoings. Approx £2800 incomings. She must be saving a lot or spending on items that will attract VAT relief.
- Bob Turner, Corsham, 25/11/2008 09:43
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