why is it a taboo to ‘ benefit bash ‘ on mn ?. See below for context.

I acknowledge benefit fraud happens. It can’t be denied, there are figures published on it.
@SerendipityJane ’s post highlights exactly why I’m not up in arms about benefit fraud though. The majority of claimants are genuine and in need of that money, tax evaders are never and cost this country a heck of a lot more.

It annoys me that some people do well on benefits and others really struggle. Whole system needs to be overhauled. Pay nothing in get nothing out. Thats the system in some countries.

You will get people talking about how they legitimately claim UC as well. Why should those who know people who aren't legitimate have to shut up or be branded ridiculous?

I am aware the ones getting benefits they shouldn't are in the minority, but they exist, and it takes away from what could be used to help people who do need it as well. Although I doubt the government would use it for those who need it and channel it towards something to benefit them/their business partners instead.
A friend of my mother, for years, regularly told her how she enjoyed staying at home with the kids instead of working, that she wouldn't want to miss their childhood, etc. For the sake of clarity, her and partner claimed for disabilities that didn't exist. My poor mum still mentions it now and then, how she wishes she could have done the same and feels awful for working full-time since I was born. They're still close friends and mum doesn't judge her for claiming, but she often tells me how she wishes she could have done the same and apologises (unnecessarily, as I've told her) for not being there enough.

What I feel is less judging her friend and those who do similar, and more that every parent should have the option of staying at home and not using expensive childcare with little to no financial support, at least in the pre-school years, if they aren't wealthy.

You agreed with this state ment and said that other countries do it. Which countries?

Make non contributionsry benefits time limited. Other countries do it. They aren't uncivilized places of destitution either

Here we go disabilities are are frauds .

every parent should have the option of staying at home and not using expensive childcare with little to no financial support, at least in the pre-school years, if they aren't wealthy.

But that’s not going to happen is it? It’s pie in the sky thinking. Saying ‘everyone should have the right to..’ doesn’t mean it is at all realistic or doable. I can’t think of a single country which pays mums some kind of living wage to stay at home for 8 years so they can have kids.

Yup that didn't take long. @Enncee knows people claiming for non-existent disabilities too 🙄

These comments hit the nail on the head 🙂 rich people = smart and protecting their hard earned wage, poor people = scummy benefits scrounger

If these people knew what is is like to claim disability benefits, they would not spew such bollocks.

How is anybody supposed to answer anything with a couple of colourful, out of context circles?
Provide the full report and justification, then maybe we can comment.
You also don't have to focus on only one thing

How does that even work? I have disabled children and they have to be pretty seriously disabled to get any disability benefits. My 3 who qualify would no way be capable of looking after a younger child for any length of time, not even my 16 year old who only just qualifies. Tbh my teenager who isn't disabled enough to get dla wouldn't be capable of looking after a younger child (or himself actually) on his own either.

I just don't get why any child who has a severe enough disability to get disability benefits could look after a younger sibling, especially a disabled sibling who would also need a great deal of extra care. It's not like some people (cough Mil cough) think where you can have mild asthma and get a fortune in disability benefits and a free car. You have to be severely disabled to get even the lower rate.

I know there are parents who are disabled enough to get pip and then look after their disabled child as well but I can only imagine how hard that is and hope they have a lot of support.

And...? I mentioned 2 people, one I know and a family friend - who I don't judge.
I know many more people with the same disability as me who claim legitimately for it, me included. Some can't work, some, like me, can and use it for adjustments needed or to work less to accommodate for extra rest days needed. Why do people come on these threads just to berate anyone who dares to mention they know of benefit fraud? Maybe easier to ignore where I mention most claimants are genuine, I suppose.

I’ve worked administering them and I can tell you they make up a large proportion of claimants. Able bodied, choose not to work cause pop out a couple of kids and get a house, council tax and spends for free.

Bleeding hearts folk don’t like to acknowledge it’s a lifestyle choice for MOST claimants. If you aren’t disabled or have lost your job and are using it as a safety net while getting back on your feet, you should be working.

I have an interest here, one daughter who is a full-time working single parent and earns enough to get no Benefits other than the standard nursery help. She's hard up and has had to leave a job she loves to go for one that pays more but is less convenient in terms of location and hours.

At the moment we've juggled childcare between us, so that she only uses wraparound after school but her second child will need that too after September which will be expensive. School holidays are difficult too and will be more so when the youngest leaves nursery.
Another daughter has mental illness and lives on UC and PIP (apologies if the name of this has changed again), she is often very unwell and just "scrapes by". She has to have constant medicals, provide doctor's letters, go on paid courses etc. etc. We provide somewhere for her to live and pay most of her bills because UC is just not enough for her to live on.
I do know people who are able to claim UC and housing benefits whilst clearly perfectly able to work. In several cases they have cash only jobs working from home and many have husbands working for cash who only declare any income if it means that they can get additional payments.

Why do people like my daughter have to fight for every penny whilst others seem to sail through the system?

The very few cases that exist of this aren't anything like the level of unpaid taxes from businesses, but governments aren't going after their mates who are footing their bills. The truly rich literally live off the efforts of everyone else, but only the poor get bashed if they appear to be.

It's an illusion to trick the ones who the enemy is.

So did these people not have to provide the evidence of disability that you presumably did? Including the couple that your mum gossips about?

Have any of you benefit bashers tried to claim recently. You have to jump through hoops just to claim. They want evidence that you spent at least 35 hours a week searching for jobs. If they even have a hint that you aren't then you are sanctioned.
other myths, you aren't having your rent paid or council tax you'll get a contribution but that's not changed in years and rents have risen.

I did a search recently pretending I left DH and moved into DD s last flat. After paying rent and council tax I would be left with £80 a month left for food and bills. Living the life of Riley !

I agree, nail on the head there.

This whole topic takes me back to Victorian England Poor Law - 'the deserving and undeserving poor' - seems views haven't changed much in the 150 years or so since then.
IME the hating never stops at the 'undeserving poor' which is why I think it may be taboo on here.

!!!!!

MOST claimants are claiming fraudulently? Gosh, have you informed the Government of your research results?

Isn't part of this to do with the cost of childcare though?

One of my friends (single mum) was on UC and could only afford to work 3 days a week when her LO was small, due to the cap on the childcare element of UC.

The thing with this is that you often don't really know someone's true situation. I know a local lady who gets a lot of gossip and negativity behind her back because she's a "scrounger", for similar reasons that you've stated you have an issue with.

However, I know her a little better than most and know that she's doing the very best she can with a bad situation. She's a proud lady, as lots of people are, and wouldn't ever want people to know the ins and outs of her and her family's health and bad circumstances. So because she doesn't divulge this information to most people, they decide to fill in the blanks and assume the worst.

My view on this is that the types of people you mean in your post are usually very dysfunctional. Brought up on benefits so they don’t know any other way, often with learning difficulties or mental health problems, anti social behaviour.

They’re not too disabled or busy to work but they don’t ‘fit’ into the real world, they’d never cope with a proper job without support that just isn’t available.

It can be a little annoying that a minority of them absolutely rake it in by having loads of kids or whatever else, but as a PP said it’s not a lifestyle to envy.

I don't like people benefit bashing because those that have done this around me have usually been very privileged or fortunate themselves. Ex sil married at 23, humongous flat handed to her and husband on a plate by daddy and in laws- think 3 super king size bedrooms with family size en-suite bathrooms for each, drawing room with bathroom, living room, kitchen and a room where the live in help slept. A daily cleaner and ironing lady and a girl who looked after the children as well as a live in driver/ man Friday. She didn't want to give the kids hand me downs to the servants as they didn't deserve it. Those families are not likely to be able to pull themselves out of their situations.

She now lives here and that lifestyle has gone but she would slag off her customers ( bank branch employee) who she knew were on benefits and therefore automatically lazy and the English should do something about that. Hard to hear from someone so privileged. Meanwhile her wage for several years was pure pocket money as it was DH's job to provide for every need and solely his problem if he couldn't meet what she deemed were there needs. When he couldn't live up to it they didn't need benefits because daddy stepped in and sent several hundred a month.

Having said all that I was very surprised to be told by a school mum that they get UC top ups as they wanted her to be at home while kids small. The husband does work and a lot but surprised it was an option.