Ian Duncan Smith thinks he can live on £53 a week. Lets make him

[Stevie Boy]

at the moment id love to have £53 a week to live on, after all my bills have been paid, and the ex wife sucking me dry i have a total of less than £10 a week to fed me and my kids when i have them

 

[DJ NOBO]

Maybe, just maybe, people who claim benefits shouldn't have the luxury of having spare rooms, when people who work struggle without spare rooms

 

[L2MidgetGem B.H.A Seagull]

Having now read an article in The Guardian about this interview, I see that the claimant had £53 a week available AFTER rent and other bills were paid. That is £53 per week for food, or bus fares maybe if job hunting etc..

Friend of my wife claims to spend £30 per week to feed her AND her partner, granted she buys 'value' products, and shops post 8pm to get the best special offers, and actually home cooks rather than but ready made products. £53 a week is starting to sound quite achievable.

May be. But I'm now spending £25+ a week on electric and another £25 on gas.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I think the government have caused a divide within the UK population. Middle class workers look down on non workers. I have seen it myself. When I was on the dole. People would call me a Jeremy Kyle Scrounger.

They certainly are being vilified. I've always thought that encouragement was the best form of tactic. I do think we are broken Britain and I don't think I have been coerced by the press to believe that. We are a consumer society and generally, very lazy (generalisation alert)*.

*That includes all 'classes' of which I believe are now just the haves and the have nots.

 

[BigGully]

I'd like to know where 25K+ comes from. When I was out of work for about a year. There was no way i was getting that kinda money.

Many do, and receive other benefits too.

I have been in receipt of benefits back in the 80's, pretty soon the mortgage was covered, access to free dental care etc and although I didnt take the free school dinners and free school trips etc it was there.

Was it easy, yeah to a point compared with trying to turn a profit in business at that time, I acknowledged this was only a stop gap and I was pleasantly surprised at how supportive the benefit system was.

But I found work, not a great job and worked very hard and soon found permanent employment at a level that fulfilled my needs.

I wasnt expecting a thriving career within the benefit system, it is not meant for that.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

If he or his tory cronies lived on a council estate they would hang. Themseves after a week.

It's good to see a full stop in your post, but what the Hell is it doing there?

 

[wellquickwoody]

May be. But I'm now spending £25+ a week on electric and another £25 on gas.

As I stated in my earlier post, £53 after rent and other bills (gas, leccy, water etc) were paid.

 

[clippedgull]

As I stated in my earlier post, £53 after rent and other bills (gas, leccy, water etc) were paid.

Where is the link backing this up? I can't find that level of detail on the Guardian article.

 

[Ulloa]

Petition | Iain Duncan Smith: Iain Duncan Smith to live on £53 a week. | Change.org


Put your money where your mouth Is an lead by example you pompous git. If he thinks It's so easy to live on It he should prove It.

Good, hope they starve if they can't survive. Under Labour people on benefits was living a better life than tax payers.

 

[Albion Rob]

Many do, and receive other benefits too.

I have been in receipt of benefits back in the 80's, pretty soon the mortgage was covered, access to free dental care etc and although I didnt take the free school dinners and free school trips etc it was there.

Was it easy, yeah to a point compared with trying to turn a profit in business at that time, I acknowledged this was only a stop gap and I was pleasantly surprised at how supportive the benefit system was.

But I found work, not a great job and worked very hard and soon found permanent employment at a level that fulfilled my needs.

I wasnt expecting a thriving career within the benefit system, it is not meant for that.

Sounds like how it should work to me. You have a sticky patch, the govt gives you a hand to make sure things don't go to shit for you then when things pick up you get back in the game and off the support.

I suppose what I dislike is that 'they' can find the one in a million person who has never worked a day in their life but claims £6 million a year in benefits or the one go has caviar topped pizzas delivered every night AT THE TAXPAYER'S EXPENSE and present hat as the norm. I don't think it's like that - people I know who have been in that situation have had a horrible time and I wouldn't swap places with them for all the caviar topped pizza in Britain.

The fundamental question must be why? Are we really looking to save money or are we just looking to teach these 'oiks' a bit of a lesson?

 

[BigGully]

Good, hope they starve if they can't survive. Under Labour people on benefits was living a better life than tax payers.

I am not sure I share your sentiments, but there has been such a swing from rewarding those not working there is an obvious bitterness from us working hard taxpayers.

We have a point.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

We have all been conned here, You should only get benefits if you can't work, people who work shouldn't get benefits - they shouldn't need them!

Mixing up the two allows the issue to be clouded, it allows big corporations to avoid paying liveable wage rates whilst also destroying competition from small businesses and it allows governments to avoid their responsibility to provide jobs and a welfare system.

 

[oldboy]

At the blind club i go to im blind in one eye. My mate whos got 20% vision went to atos he had his money stopped and was put on job seekers 71 quid a week. Hes been offerd no jobs or interviews in 8 months.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I wasn't far off that between October and December, I'd spent loads decorating my house on credit card and the company I work for took two weeks wages from everyone (long story which I won't got into). I planned out what I could spend every single day for two months, food budget was £30 a week, no going out except for home games where I allowed myself £10 for a few beers. The only thing missing is bills which I put aside an amount every month on payday, you'd probably have to wear jumpers in the winter I guess.

It's shit, but it's doable. If it was easy, why would anyone bother getting a job?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Sounds like how it should work to me. You have a sticky patch, the govt gives you a hand to make sure things don't go to shit for you then when things pick up you get back in the game and off the support.

I suppose what I dislike is that 'they' can find the one in a million person who has never worked a day in their life but claims £6 million a year in benefits or the one go has caviar topped pizzas delivered every night AT THE TAXPAYER'S EXPENSE and present hat as the norm. I don't think it's like that - people I know who have been in that situation have had a horrible time and I wouldn't swap places with them for all the caviar topped pizza in Britain.

The fundamental question must be why? Are we really looking to save money or are we just looking to teach these 'oiks' a bit of a lesson?

Surely, if the Daily Mail could, they would come up with a new caviared pizza leech everyday of the week, but they don't/can't.

I guess one of the dangers of a welfare state is that it is difficult to cater for every Tom, Dick and Henrietta.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I do think that IDS was ill-advised to say that (understatement), but a line has to be drawn somewhere.

However, they are chasing after the wrong people to plug the deficit.

Also agree with this. It really doesn't help anyone making comments like that, it just smacks of putting the boot in, especially when he's clearly never had to do it.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I'd like to know where 25K+ comes from. When I was out of work for about a year. There was no way i was getting that kinda money.

It's the people who have previously worked and play by the rules that get hit the hardest.

You need to knock some bird up a few times for the child benefit and privately rent out the spare room of your council house, then you're on easy street

 

[janee]

This benefit is to cover living expenses including food and fuel and spending money inc 20% council tax. Those who think it includes bills are wrong. It is after housing costs. I currently spend (hat on food OR fuel. It is not possible or funny

 

[Thunder Bolt]

We have all been conned here, You should only get benefits if you can't work, people who work shouldn't get benefits - they shouldn't need them!

Mixing up the two allows the issue to be clouded, it allows big corporations to avoid paying liveable wage rates whilst also destroying competition from small businesses and it allows governments to avoid their responsibility to provide jobs and a welfare system.

This is right. The vast majority of people on benefits are working.

 

[oldboy]

I remember ted heath former pm he said unemployment eats in to your soul.. Hes was right you kinda end up in despair.