Fuck it - the government will look me

I'm not working poor, I'm quite well off and love my job.

Go on then. Give up your job. I dare you.

And you completely ignore HB, free prescriptions, free dental, no tax, unemployed discounts, no commuting costs or work clothes etc. All this leaves people very marginally better off (if at all) working minimum wage jobs. And if people get disability benefits there would be a very good chance they'd be better off.
It's the working poor, not the rich, middle earners, the pensioners, disabled or unemployed who have been completely and utterly failed by this country.

@Swiftie1878 I know you didn't, that was the poster I replied to. I was just saying I didn't interpret their post as a could....

Then an estimate should be made for taxis, and it should certainly be lower than the cost of leasing a car!

I didn’t post those words. Think you’ve got me confused with another poster.

Westminster voting intention (Latest: 11 pt Reform lead)
Reform 31%, Labour 20%, Tory 17%, Lib Dem 13%, Green 10%

We need actual facts to counter the unsubstantiated narrative

Politicians don’t like to work with facts and truth as the general populace don’t like to hear it. If we got the truth I think I’d be more annoyed.

Not many. Tens of Millions apparently, despite never having contributed enough to draw down the balance and no intention of ever doing so. And therein lies the problem.

Who are the tens of millions who haven't contributed enough, are you referring to pensioners @WildLimePoet?

@MNLurker1345oh so you mean that she lives frugally without incurring debt. No equity but no debt and limited income.

The phrase ‘living comfortably’ for those retired that now own their house outright and have private pensions and other savings usually refers to being able to afford to upkeep on a large house that exceeds need, run a car, visit garden centres, cinema. theatre, eat out and holiday abroad etc. Minimal or no debt or housing costs but medium/high levels of income plus equity.

The idea that people are living comfortably on benefits (whilst not also working) at the cost of tax payers is a lie that needs to be challenged. People don’t understand the benefit system let alone the disability system. Politicians don’t even understand the system. Or are deliberately misunderstanding.

Its bloody obvious to anyone with any understanding of the process that ‘mild anxiety’ won’t score enough points for a PIP award never mind score 12 points on mobility so why the narrative that those with mild anxiety get a mobility car?

We should do a FOI request to see how many of those with a primary diagnosis of mild anxiety were awarded PIP and at what level for daily living and mobility and the number awarded mobility at higher level chose the mobility scheme.

We need actual facts to counter the unsubstantiated narrative.

@MrsMurphyIWish but the Tories froze the tax bands. I don't disagree that they should be lifted. I was just making the point that plenty of public sector workers have been paying more taxes.

I’m UPS3 (26 years teaching!) and will now be dragged into the higher tax bracket. I have been in the higher tax bracket before when I had TLR but I gave it up when it was obvious DS was ASD as I couldn’t commit to giving “my all”.

I will accept the drag - I benefited from my early years - but I am concerned about future teachers. No one will want to progress and we will have a conveyor belt of ECTs.

Ah good point, I think mine got destroyed by the brain tumour.

You would receive a very small amount of UC as a single unemployed person. Far less than the wage you would be giving up

You are making your argument look more farcical with every post. It just gets worse, and explains why the whole system is an absolute colossal waste and offensive largesse.

Not many. Tens of Millions apparently, despite never having contributed enough to draw down the balance and no intention of ever doing so. And therein lies the problem.

I guess ‘may be eligible for’ isn’t quite as catchy as Entitledto.

People used to bob along not knowing what they were able to claim until the internet came along and signposted everyone to make sure the maximum amount was claimed always.

8- 12 points = Standard Daily living rate of PIP £333 a month.

It's only really quite recently that "entitled" has been used to mean "unjustly feels entitled". If you do actually have a right to something, then you are entitled to it. And many people are entitled to claim certain benefits.

The Welfare system needs to distinguish between a 54 year person with Autism who has 25 years of NI Contributions who is no longer employable and a 20 year old with 'mental' problems. This is where a contributory amount should be assessed and given to someone with '25 years' worth of NI contributions.

Another very stupid and Short Sighted decision was the closure of 'Remploy' by George Osborne an organisation that could be adapted to employ disabled people in the 8-12 point category of PIP needs. These disabled people could work part time in an environment that could be adapted to differences and difficulties not suitable to a mainstream workplace.

Sure, but you are increasingly in the minority.

Am I @Damnthetorpedoes? what are the majority doing?

If they drag teachers, police and train drivers into non working people they’re likely toast

Isn't the average train driver on 50k? A Met officer and London teacher can start on 40k.

The Tories were terrible for taxes and they could’ve done so much more. Tackled the welfare bill. Tackled the cliff edges harming productivity. They didn’t. They kept the triple lock and protected pensioners. They kept upping the welfare spend to record numbers.

So do you think labour should try and reduce welfare?

The public sector has been shielded, I should know, I work in it. We’ve been given pay rises which are unaffordable as the budget isn’t there. The budget isn’t here because the private sector (which funds us) has taken a hammering. Productivity is down. RR set fire to the private sector with the NI and increase in NMW. Companies stopped hiring, jobs were lost, companies folded,

I'm in the public sector now after yrs of private. I think the pay rises are decent but equally the strikes are disruptive. Productivity has been shit for years, not just now.

Without a productive private sector and private sector workers, there is no state sector, services or welfare. It is that simple. RR has actively killed productivity and that needs to be owned. It is possible to think the Tories could’ve done better and think Labour are a compete disaster.

Productivity has never recovered from the 08 crash & much of that was under the Tories, years of which we had low borrowing which should have boosted investment and therefore productivity. Pushing money to pensioners and inflating assets damages productivity so I am confused how you can argue the Tories could have done better when they didn't for years?

You’re right, everyone needs to pay. Wastage in the public sector needs cutting as does the welfare bill.

I would get rid of the NHS model but that would involve cross party consensus.

I hadn’t even thought of that! Give certain sectors much needed pay rises that lift them into non-working people! Talk about voting for Christmas.