Cash benefits or Food stamps?

[beorhthelm]

You clearly have no actual experience of the benefits system,

wrong, i have been both a recipient, had close friends and family as both short and long term recipients. however my experiences has also been the rampant abuse of the system. the problem in this debate is the refusal to accept there are an awfull lot of people in this country willing to abuse the system. many will hold up the genuine cases, the cockups of the sick getting taken off benefits etc and say thats the only problem. I would much rather a system that paid more to those that need the help, instead of a system that make it convenient to many to just make do on benefits who do not need it. untill people accept the flaws and endemic abuses this system will never be resolved to work as it is intended.

 

[macky]

a good start wit the benefit system would be to stop outsourcing the little help there is forthe unemployed
How can they justify paying private companies Surely if they started to save money there There would then be more maney available
To be able to offer real training instead of the shot training that they offer at the moment

 

[Nibble]

Of course the main issue many are missing here is that shaming benefit claiments into work/paying taxes with schemes like food vouchers is that the people playing the system have no shame in the first place and those who are trying to find work etc are the ones who miss out on benefits/schemes that they would genuinely need to get back on their feet.

Unfortunately many people are falling prey to the ConDems divide and conquer tactics. There's the analogy that if the Conservatives made the public put coins in a lampost to make street lights come on, many people would rather walk around in the dark than have the "freeloader" behind them coming along and using the light they paid for.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

With snide posts like that are you really puzzled why people want to give you a slap ?

Snide? FFS. What was snide about that? I was trying to make amusement out of a typo. Where is the malice, please enlighten me. Might have been a crap joke but nothing else. Did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning?

 

[spig100963]

It is human nature to take the easiest route. All the time the minimum wage is the same as Job seekers people will choose the simple option.

 

[smeariestbat]

15 pages

 

[Nibble]

It is human nature to take the easiest route. All the time the minimum wage is the same as Job seekers people will choose the simple option.

Really? Why are so many people working in minimum wage jobs then?

 

[spig100963]

2.59 million plus god knows how many single mums are not.

 

[spig100963]

Unemployment in my opinion would be near nothing the minute average wage was 100 pound a week over benefits.

 

[Aadam]

Wrong target. Genuine unemployed will need extra money for job interviews etc. Its the 2 million increase in those who receive disability benefit since the 80's who are really milking the system.

Just wow. The DWPs own statistics say only 0.7% of those claiming disability benefits are fraudulent claims. It's the media that divert the attention from the tax avoidance companies and super rich onto the sick and disabled that warp this sort of thinking. It is shocking that in this day and age we attack those that genuinely need our help, rather than those so high up the food chain that their piss would be too good for us if we were on fire.

I think surrendering a passport should be compulsory in order to receive benefits.

Nothing pisses me off more than seeing people on benefits sodding off on holiday abroad.

Really? In receipt of what benefit, disability benefits, unemployment benefits? My dad had a stroke earlier this year and as a result was unable to work. If the family combined to take him away on holiday, you'd decline him this because he is in receipt of a benefit...?

wrong, i have been both a recipient, had close friends and family as both short and long term recipients. however my experiences has also been the rampant abuse of the system. the problem in this debate is the refusal to accept there are an awfull lot of people in this country willing to abuse the system. many will hold up the genuine cases, the cockups of the sick getting taken off benefits etc and say thats the only problem. I would much rather a system that paid more to those that need the help, instead of a system that make it convenient to many to just make do on benefits who do not need it. untill people accept the flaws and endemic abuses this system will never be resolved to work as it is intended.

I'm unsure whether this claim is in relation to unemployed seeking employment, or those on disability benefits and unable to work. But as said above the DWPs own statistics say only 0.7% of those claiming disability benefits are fraudulent claims. There will always been a certain section of society that are lazy and won't want to work. In case people have missed it, there's a shortage of jobs out there. I'd rather those willing and able to get these jobs than forcing the disabled that cannot work and the work shy scroungers taking what could be a job from someone that wants and needs it more.

I don't have a problem with people claiming benefits when they genuinely need them. To a point, I don't really have too much of an issue with the work shy not being forced into jobs that those who genuinely need them should get. What I do have a problem with is the Daily Mail (and tabloids of similar ilk) witch hunt against the sick and disabled. The hate crime against the disabled is disgusting.

Long gone are the days whereby a society would come together and help out those less fortunate than them, those in need. There was a time when if someone in your community needed help and support, the others would come together and pay for that help, particularly with pensioners and the sick. Now, we look down our noses at anyone in a wheelchair, suspecting them of faking it or single mothers of having babies just to get a flat from the council rather than thinking she could be a victim of domestic abuse or left on her own.

I don't know where I'm going with this rant, but it sickens me to read some of the assumptions in this thread.

 

[spig100963]

Just found this on another site.

Approximately one third of the population old enough to work don't, so don't pay income tax , the other third work for the state ie, nhs, civil servants, fire police etc, and the other third work in private industry so they pay for the other two thirds wages pensions and benefits.


Is this true? If so no wonder we are skint.

 

[Nibble]

Spig, I'm sure you mean well but sweeping and unfounded statements don't really fix this particular wagon.

 

[Aadam]

Just found this on another site.

Approximately one third of the population old enough to work don't, so don't pay income tax , the other third work for the state ie, nhs, civil servants, fire police etc, and the other third work in private industry so they pay for the other two thirds wages pensions and benefits.


Is this true? If so no wonder we are skint.

No.

Those that work for the state also pay taxes. People seem to forget this. It always makes me chuckle when knuckle heads claim that they pay the wage of the Police, failing to recognise that the police do indeed pay taxes too. Plus, a proportion of your council tax goes towards some state services.

 

[spig100963]

No.

Those that work for the state also pay taxes. People seem to forget this. It always makes me chuckle when knuckle heads claim that they pay the wage of the Police, failing to recognise that the police do indeed pay taxes too. Plus, a proportion of your council tax goes towards some state services.

A third not working is high though. 1 in 3, please tell me that is not right to.

 

[Don Quixote]

They will just sell them on the black market for less than they are worth.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I have paid and continue to pay thousands in tax each year effectively in cash. If I'm ever unlucky enough to have to claim benefits then it seems reasonable to me that I get some of my CASH back.

The issue is with the welfare system NOT that fact they pay cash.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

They will just sell them on the black market for less than they are worth.

Quite.

 

[Uncle C]

The unemployed have very little to live on if they spend it on stuff like fags and alcohol it just means they have less for other things.

You mean like big screen TVs, mobile phones and playstations?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I think surrendering a passport should be compulsory in order to receive benefits.

Nothing pisses me off more than seeing people on benefits sodding off on holiday abroad.

Errrr ..... virtually EVERY employment agency you speak to wants to see your passport and certainly every perspective employer does. I would trust the Job Centre to look after a jelly baby let alone an important document.

 

[Aadam]

A third not working is high though. 1 in 3, please tell me that is not right to.

Whilst a third not working might be correct (I'm not sure it is though, sounds a little too high) don't forget most of these might not be in receipt of a benefit. Unfortunately most statistics concentrate on those within the working population, this is those between the ages 16-64. So you have those in school and those retired too. Of the working population you also have stay at home parents etc. to add to those unemployed, sick and disabled. I know in 2012 5.4 million people were in receipt of an out-of-work benefit which works out to about 9% of the population.