To think being on benefits might be better than working

If everybody saw the benefits of working and negatives of being financially dependent (nearly always on a man) then why are there so many people who choose not to? I don't mean temporarily btw, more of a permanent lifestyle choice.

I’m certain my mother would have been better off in benefits than working when I was a child and she got divorced (not in the UK so different systems). Instead, she worked a full-time and two part-time jobs at times and still struggled.
However, she never considered not to work (and she definitely doesn’t love working!). I was working in travel when COVID hit and was furloughed for a long time. The novelty wore off quickly - not working is really only great if you have all the money to do what you really want to do and keep yourself busy that way (probably with a bit of volunteering thrown in). For my mental health it was horrible (and yes, I did volunteer to help with that and make myself useful).

Unless you have a disability or repeatedly have young children you wouldn't qualify. You couldn't ever get a mortgage, afford a holiday or nice things, increase your wage. Your social life would decline. Your retirement would be living tightly still, and your mental health would likely suffer. There's only so much walking around free areas locally and watching TV that you can do before the novelty would wear off.

Go on then...you'll see. The housing benefit would be for a room rate and probably won't cover a room if you're in an expensive area and you'd be surviving on about £70 a week. Under 25 it's £311 a month!.
We often see posts on here that seem very generous but they're UC for parents with rent in expensive areas, premiums added and PIP for often multiple disabled DC.
I've never claimed but was shocked how little a single person is expected to live on. It wouldn't even cover my current utility bills.

Ridiculous. Just because someone posted this stuff it doesn't mean people can choose to go on benefits because they feel like it. It has the potential to get people like you frothing though, which was probably the intention.

Universal Credit is barely enough to pay bills and do a very limited supermarket shop every week (which includes putting things in your basket and then having to put things back as you go over budget). It really is poverty. And very depressing.

Well, people have to be understanding about the fact that working life can be very very very shit - so it’s natural to wonder if the grass is greener. It isn’t, of course - but people don’t know that until they find out for themselves

Yeah, you can't just decide to give up work and live off benefits on a whim, you have to have a reason that's accepted like illness or disability or caring for someone else as there's no other choice.
Without the fact you're most likely to be worse off even if you could just do that, you are expected to seek work proactively and prove it, or be sanctioned for not doing so. And wait 5 weeks while the claim goes through with no income.

No point to trying it really because you're going to have to get another job anyway. Might as well just get another job while you've got one and cut out all the aggro.

But then the benefits system reform has been very public, so most people know this, and are just seeking to start a late night scrap and have other posters frothing about 'lifestyle choices'.

How about having some self respect, and ask yourself just why you believe others should pay for you to live your life sitting on your arse when you're able-bodied and fit for work?

I don’t know whether to be shocked, disgusted or sad.

where do you think benefits money comes from? It comes from all the people working and paying their taxes. And you think everyone should work to support your lazy ass because you don’t want to? Give yourself a shake.

Maybe everyone should have your attitude, stop working and then no one would get anything because blood doesn’t come from a stone no matter how hard you squeeze.

I honestly can’t believe that any capable, able person in a job would choose a life on benefits. You won’t get a council house. There aren’t any and you wouldn’t qualify and tbh you don’t deserve one. You won’t get much money. You will go in job seekers allowance and spend your time looking for a job to prove to the JSA that you deserve the money.

Then when you have next to nothing, have to rely on food banks and live in a small crappy flat because your benefits dotn stretch to much come back and tell us if you made the right decision. Complete plonker.

Rage bait, designed to promote hatred and division.

You could work out the amount you would be entitled to, and then work out an annual budget based on that amount, so including money to repair/replace vital equipment, clothes, birthday and Christmas presents, social obligations, travel costs in case of a sick relative, travel to job interviews etc. Then book a couple of weeks off work and live on that budget, while spending 30 hours on each of those weeks looking for a new job that you don't hate (and, if necessary, spend some additional time looking for housing that you can afford on your new budget). Hopefully at the end of it you'll have a better job, and if you don't, you'll have more of an idea of whether you could live on that budget long term.

OP is stupid because benefits when you are fit for work are not enough to live on.

Things like this really pee me off!
Are you actually serious?? You don't like to work, you're considering living off benefits?
I've worked all my life even when my children were young, struggled badly sometimes (back before food banks etc) paid into the system and never received any government help as I was working, just so you can give up your job to live off benefits cos you don't like work.
Personally, I think you're just lazy!
Or maybe you've just made this thread up cos your bored and just want to rile people up

I dunno, I mean you’d go from financial reliance on an abusive man to financial reliance on an abusive state. Depending on how bad the abuse is, the state might be an improvement.

I don't think so. You'd be broke and having to look for work to qualify for benefits. You'd still be worrying about money all the time and have no way of ever increasing your income without getting back into work. And you'd have to deal with the DWP which is shit and demoralising.

@Agix exactly. And yet here we are with people who are bored in a job thinking they can swindle the system. It truly beggars belief

Go for it then, OP!

As my amazing spin instructor yells at us every Monday morning, are you friggen glad you have legs that work? A body that can move? That you were able to get out of bed today? Be careful what you wish for and remember there are people who can't get out of bed, before you attempt a fraudulent claim at job seekers

If you are single and healthy then no. You won't be able to afford anything.

Payment amounts can get higher once kids and disabilities are in the mix but they still don't/barely cover the actual cost of living with disabilities.

I'm constantly worrying about the next bill, or what happens if my landlord wants me out as a similar property goes for more than 2x what I'm paying now.

The only people who might be better off on benefits are those who have disabilities, or disabled kids.
I don't think aspiring to be disabled to get money is a great look. Do better.

Hahaha hahaha no.

You’re being unreasonable, it’s really not as easy as you make it seem. Most people won’t be entitled for much either.

Although, I will say working full time but on a low income is very frustrating. So many people are stuck on low pay in the UK and it’s not through lack of trying. Just like being on benefits, I still find there is a stigma if you work a “low skilled” job, people presume you’re lazy and/or unintelligent (unless it’s a temporary stint when you’re a student). You’re more likely to be micromanaged in these types of roles too, I once had a colleague ask why I’d been showing as away from teams for too long (I’d just popped to the loo).

I have a BSc, did a coding bootcamp, internship in FS, moved to big city (supposedly more opportunities), zero CV gaps, and applied for over 100 roles. Still not landed a ‘career’ job.

Instead I’m overworked in a job without prospects, and reporting to stakeholders earning double my salary.
My salary barely covers rent for a flatshare in an undesirable area of the city.
I also don’t feel entirely secure in employment as I know so many who get made redundant.

I’m not ignorant enough to think benefits are any better however I can really relate to disliking work life too.

So who do you think should be paying for you then, op?

My arse.

There's always been people who are happy to ponce money rather than earn it even when they're fit and healthy.

Some go in search of a mug willing to marry them, and some go in search of benefits.

Others have pride and decency and just get on with it.