Cash benefits or Food stamps?

[Seat Stealer]

I work in an industry that attracts a lot of people with time on their hands, AKA unemployed. I have noticed that they seem to generally have cash for their leisure activities are also able to afford to smoke and drink plenty of alcohol. If this country was really serious about cutting the benefit culture surely we should start with stopping what is obviously excessive luxury payments and replace cash with food vouchers. What do you think?

 

[martyn20]

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.

 

[Jim Van Winkle]

I don't think you will find too many tax paying citizens out there who would disagree. The only problem with food stamps is this may create a black market for them. But I am sure this can be easily remedied with ID proof to use the food stamps.

 

[martyn20]

What about those who need the money for rent and travel etc

 

[Seat Stealer]

Rent is paid direct is it not? Travel expenses for interviews could be obtained direct from the dole office. We should not be paying for life's luxuries. I cannot afford to pay for taxis, booze and 50 inch TVs and I work full time. I even quit smoking because of the cost. We need to make it more attractive to work. Supplement low paid wages with monies saved by giving food stamps.

 

[cammac]

people who are not working need more than just food, maybe a mixture of food stamps and a smaller amount of cash, i have worked hard and paid into the system and if i lost my job i would`nt just want food stamps as i have other needs too. its to easy to make sweeping statements but until you find yourself in that situation its hard to really comment. Its the people who take the piss out of the system that ruin it.

 

[martyn20]

Is it just the scroungers you want to punish or everyone, can those who regularly go for interviews have a fag and drink every now and then?

 

[5mins-from-amex]

Rent is paid direct is it not? Travel expenses for interviews could be obtained direct from the dole office. We should not be paying for life's luxuries. I cannot afford to pay for taxis, booze and 50 inch TVs and I work full time. I even quit smoking because of the cost. We need to make it more attractive to work. Supplement low paid wages with monies saved by giving food stamps.

Low wages are supplemented already with working tax credits.

 

[desprateseagull]

noble idea, but what about genuine, hard up folks who need cash to buy other things too- clothes, replace worn out washing machine etc.

I dont think Argos etc take luncheon vouchers!

 

[Seat Stealer]

Is it just the scroungers you want to punish or everyone, can those who regularly go for interviews have a fag and drink every now and then?

Not if I'm paying for it.NO!

Surely that is just the incentive needed.

 

[Seat Stealer]

noble idea, but what about genuine, hard up folks who need cash to buy other things too- clothes, replace worn out washing machine etc.

I dont think Argos etc take luncheon vouchers!

Hardship loans are available from the DHSS, small amounts of cash should be given each week, but not enough to make this form of lifestyle attractive.

 

[Camicus]

All it would do is make people trade food stamps for cash at a vastly inferior price as happens in the states. I get a bit sick of the assumption that people on benefits are all smoking drinking scum bags who live a life of Riley whilst your out grafting to keep them. there are some yes but the majority are just ordinary folk trying to get by having paid in to the system for years.

 

[martyn20]

Not if I'm paying for it.NO!

Surely that is just the incentive needed.

Those that have tried time and time again to get a job to feed heir families, have gone to every interview but have had no success, you still do not want to give them any money without telling them how they can spend it?

 

[Justice]

I work in an industry that attracts a lot of people with time on their hands, AKA unemployed. I have noticed that they seem to generally have cash for their leisure activities are also able to afford to smoke and drink plenty of alcohol. If this country was really serious about cutting the benefit culture surely we should start with stopping what is obviously excessive luxury payments and replace cash with food vouchers. What do you think?

Excessive payments? I was unemployed for a while after eighteen years of self employment all I received was around £65 a week.

 

[beorhthelm]

All it would do is make people trade food stamps for cash at a vastly inferior price as happens in the states. I get a bit sick of the assumption that people on benefits are all smoking drinking scum bags who live a life of Riley whilst your out grafting to keep them. there are some yes but the majority are just ordinary folk trying to get by having paid in to the system for years.

tough. the very large minority (or could be a majority - do you have evidence otherwise?) of workshy and con artists have spoilt it for those who need the benefits system. lets make it difficult so that it might sort the genuine from the shysters. too long bleeding hearts have played on the sentimental and overlooked the abuses, now we spend more on welfare than on education and almost as much as healthcare. people not willing to make tough action on this are part of the problem now.

 

[Seat Stealer]

All it would do is make people trade food stamps for cash at a vastly inferior price as happens in the states. I get a bit sick of the assumption that people on benefits are all smoking drinking scum bags who live a life of Riley whilst your out grafting to keep them. there are some yes but the majority are just ordinary folk trying to get by having paid in to the system for years.

I have been unemployed, it can be difficult....very difficult. However I am sick of people that take the p"ss. So what you're saying is that people don't need so many food stamps as they are given.....or is drink etc more important. Otherwise why would you trade them? No one mentioned scumbags, as you so wonderfully put it. However, I am fed up with people spending my taxes to fund their chosen lifestyle.

 

[martyn20]

tough. the very large minority (or could be a majority - do you have evidence otherwise?) of workshy and con artists have spoilt it for those who need the benefits system. lets make it difficult so that it might sort the genuine from the shysters. too long bleeding hearts have played on the sentimental and overlooked the abuses, now we spend more on welfare than on education and almost as much as healthcare. people not willing to make tough action on this are part of the problem now.

You don't think the new tests the sick have to go through to get benefits are tough enough? Have you seen how many fail and how many have died after being forced back to work? Do you think it's easy to get benefits right now?

 

[Bwian]

I have been unemployed, it can be difficult....very difficult. However I am sick of people that take the p"ss. So what you're saying is that people don't need so many food stamps as they are given.....or is drink etc more important. Otherwise why would you trade them? No one mentioned scumbags, as you so wonderfully put it. However, I am fed up with people spending my taxes to fund their chosen lifestyle.

I'm as equally fed up with people avoiding their tax liabilities to fund their lifestyles, making me pay more than I have to.

 

[looney]

I work in an industry that attracts a lot of people with time on their hands, AKA unemployed. I have noticed that they seem to generally have cash for their leisure activities are also able to afford to smoke and drink plenty of alcohol. If this country was really serious about cutting the benefit culture surely we should start with stopping what is obviously excessive luxury payments and replace cash with food vouchers. What do you think?

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.

 

[Castello]

Not if I'm paying for it.NO!

Surely that is just the incentive needed.

Congratulations its only taken you 121 posts to write such self deluded moralising crap, that I really have no desire to hear another word you say, and add you to my ignore list.