To ask what's the beef with benefits?

possibly dash good point there, not something I thought of. I just wish more people realised that things happen and whoops you're on benefits.

Biscuits maybe they realise it on a subconscious level and the fear informs their need to disparage claimants.

Some people genuinely forget or dont realise that they (unless they are in the top 5% or whatever of the country in terms of wealth) are only a month or two away from being on benefits or being homeless.

Happy

Also the food vouchers would be for a company such as ASDA, Tesco's etc both of which benefit from the free slave labour that this Government are providing for them alongside the money they get for each claimant they take advantage of.

And not all stores would take food vouchers, you might have to travel a fair bit to find one that does.

I for one am glad people are having children they "can't afford". If the entire working class stopped having kids (which is what Daisy is suggesting) the result would be a demographic catastrophe. Put cruedly, Daisy would find her care home horribly short staffed in 20-40 years time.
Supporting children is an investment in the future. I don't think we should begrudge it.

Happy my husband is disabled, he cannot work due to his disability and extremely high levels of pain. Why would you think he isn't entitled to a glass of wine now and then?
Food vouchers stigmatise further and create a black market. Not a good idea. I have every right to choose what meals I cook and what ingredients I use. My children with ASDs cannot for various reasons associated with their ASDs eat certain foods. This requires occasional specialist shopping, food vouchers would not allow for such.

It is getting a bit tiring seeing the words "lifestyle choice" to describe almost everything.

No-one in their right mind would choose a lifestyle that involved having to decide whether they eat, put fuel in the car to get to work or put the fire on to heat their house. Yet, that is the reality for increasing numbers of people - those with children, with more than one child, no children, couples, single people.....

I don't agree with zero hour contracts. And I don't care if people work or not but shouldnt expect the taxpayer to support them indefinitely. And benefits should be more towards a flat rate rather than all those bits and pieces which results in some people doing well and others struggling.

Wouldn't it help if benefit recipients were given food vouchers (I know some are) so then there'd be no money for booze and fags. Benefits should be for only necessities ie food, heating, water. There's no need for clothes to be bought every month or for holidays or school visits to other countries (I had to forego one of those with I was a teenager).

Oh I'm not worrying about you. I'll reserve that for people worth my worry. People with poverty of imagination and poverty of empathy don't factor.

Daisy you are spouting nonsense.

Ilovesotty, don't worry about me. You know nothing about me bar anonymous internet posts so save your pity for those that need it.

I have compassion for lots of things but lazy people expecting others to pay for the life they fancy living isn't one them.

We should have a welfare state, I don't think anybody would want to see it gone but it needs to be that and not a free for all that it is at the moment. Perhaps when it reverts to that, hospitals will have more funds and education may improve so that all schools are equal.

Daisy I asked for evidence, you have provided none.
I suggest you start with The Joseph Rowntree Foundation and then perhaps you will be more equipped to enter a discussion you so obviously know nothing about. The myth of generations of people not choosing to work and having children has been debunked so often it's become positively boring.

some want to live in areas they can't afford, That will be those people in poor areas that suddenly became expensive. They are then trapped in them. Moving costs money, it means taking kids out of school, leaving all friends and family (some of whom were probably available for child care) and giving up any job they currently have. Oh but you didn't know working people get benefits did you.

Did you really imagine that someone on benefits moved TO an expensive area?

its not rocket science that if you choose to have children that things may go pear shaped in the future as no relationship is guaranteed. Are you saying that no one should have children or only the super rich? If your company closes down tomorrow do you have enough money to last until your children leave home?

They are too high for those that chose not to work as if they were not enough why would so many choose that lifestyle? So your proof that people choose that lifestyle is circular? Your evidence that people choose is the benefit rate and you know the rate is high because people choose it?. Want to try that one again?

If we break the cycle and stop paying people to have children they won't support

Okay try and think about that.

"Mrs Jones. We're cutting out the benefit for your children to break the cycle. Since you won't be able to afford to feed them we're willing to take them into care permanently or have them put down at the vets. Your choice"

Dashoflime for PM

Great post!

Apologies 26

Daisy

They are far too high and the system is broken. It's no longer a welfare state for most claimants but a lifestyle choice.

Thank you for finding the reason that I have 5 chronic health conditions that prevent me from leading a 'normal' independent lifestyle but leading a lifestyle choice of living off benefits.

May I suggest you stop reading the DM and watching channel 4 and 5 then maybe you will understand the hardship that is being suffered in this country.

Daisy you might be comfortable financially. In my eyes you are poor in terms of anything that makes you a worthwhile, compassionate person.