We focus too much on those receiving benefits and not those benefiting from it. Companies making massive profits, whilst their low wage workers receive benefits in order to be able to afford to live. Let’s raise the minimum wage to a living wage. Businesses will whine but they will adjust.
16 billion paid last year in housing benefits because there isn’t enough social or affordable housing. That’s 16b going in to the pockets of private landlords who are making profits off their investment in property. Building more social housing and raising the number of affordable homes these companies provide would reduce that bill.
Disability benefits are increasing because the NHS is underfunded. People are unable to work because they are unwell. Poor health for the elderly means more people need social care. Making the NHS a fit for purpose organisation, able to meet the needs of society, focussing on prevention rather than cure.
Pensions are the largest part of the welfare bill and it’s getting bigger. Reduce the state pension, making it mandatory for people to save their own pensions, which they should be able to do if they are paid properly.
The reason the welfare bill is so high is because of politics. Pure and simple. It isn’t because of lazy people or scroungers, it is because the benefits system, the NHS, business taxation is not targeted for how it will help the nation, it is targeted for how it helps a party’s political capital.
The reason governments won’t fix all of the above is it would take a massive injection of capital. We are too focussed as an electorate on reducing the national debt in the short term and governments can be won and lost on it. If a government was bold and invested in our nation, it would give a long term benefit to everyone.