Page 10 | UK benefits system - what would you change?

Galactico · 2023-01-06T21:36:08+00:00

Just a bit of curiosity, really. Many people agree that the benefits system isn’t fit for purpose now. Whether that be because they feel it’s too easy to get them and so there’s a lack of incentive to work for some people, or because people are subject to degrading assessments and the constant threat of being sanctioned/removed. Any opinions?

blebbleb · 07/01/2023 15:28

whowhatwerewhy · 07/01/2023 12:28

I would happily do nothing for £1500 I would better of than I am now working .

Same here! I have nowhere near that left after childcare costs!

OnlyTheBravest · 07/01/2023 15:33

If UBI was £1500. I would probably work no more than 3 days a week. In order to have a better work/life balance.

Oher · 07/01/2023 15:43

OhIdoLike2bBesideTheSeaside · 06/01/2023 22:23

Controversial
But I'd make it worth working for people
Too many people are too comfortable on benefits and not motivated to work (I'm taking about lazy perfectly ok to work people not poorly or disabled)

I know people on benefits better off than my and DP working and that isn't right

And don't even get me started on these cost of living payments what about people who work and contribute and don't earn a huge amount but too much to claim any help with huge bills???

This.

I’ve met too many people who live on benefits and say it isn’t worth getting a job because they’ll be worse off financially. That needs to be adjusted so it is always better to have a job than be on benefits.

littlematchstickgirl · 07/01/2023 15:58

I think childcare should be made affordable / heavily subsidised, so that people can afford to work. Child benefit and other benefits relating to housing, etc needs looked at - too many people having children that the state pays for, whilst others don't have children they desperately want because they can't afford them.

Rents need to be looked at, to make housing more affordable and for those houses to have a good standard for people to live in them. More council housing stock required.

Lots of people work incredibly hard but due to cost of living, need help to meet costs. That help should be available for people who are trying.

People who decide to do minimal hours to maximise benefits need to be looked at. Understandable, but why should I work my ass off and never go on holiday, etc so I can afford to live, while others don't make the same effort?

The thing that does annoy me is people who have never worked because they've always been on benefits and have no intention of ever working (when there is NO reason they can't work). They should be helped/made to find a job and not get benefit money. Benefit money should be there to help people who have fallen on hard times, not people who can't be arsed to work. Disclaimer - the above relates to lazy, entitled people, NOT people who genuinely can't work due to health / caring reasons

FrangipaniBlue · 07/01/2023 16:08

Testina · 06/01/2023 23:59

Reduce the number of young people going to university and compulsory purchase and repurpose all those student accommodation blocks that have sprung up into social housing.

Put funding into local tertiary colleges so that there are still learning and training opportunities.

Childcare up to the number of hours worked fully tax deductible. I know people commute too, but that’s complex to administer.

All social care (delivered in home, or residential) to be charged against properties and collected on death - of second owner.

End the practise of severing Joint Tenancy for Tenants in Common to protect half a couple’s home from the above.

Stop giving planning permission for 5 bed houses on new build estates! Maximise the land. Smaller numbers of 4 beds too. Do what you like to extend or build your own - but when it’s new estates, just stop building the biggest ones. Few people need them, and if they do - they can buy existing stock.

Tax the fuck out of second home ownership when that home is not a long term rental in the housing pool.

Stop BTL mortgages. Allow private persons to rent out one property (to cover things like short term working away, or back up when first living together, or renting out a parent’s home for them to cover residential care costs). But for anyone with more than one property, it’s a business - tax the fuck out of it. The longer your average tenancy in a property of yours, the less tax you pay.

Rent control on private rentals.

God knows how, but sort out PIP… there’s such a bewildering mix of stories of obviously unwell people getting nothing, then a thread on here yesterday encouraging someone with simply unilateral deafness to apply. Madness.

Mostly: stop using benefits to prop up low wages! Cut Corporation tax in return for a big reset of NMW, and slash the UC bill to balance the lost tax revenue.

All of this!!

IneedanewTV · 07/01/2023 17:56

How can we afford UBI of £1500 per month? I pay no where near that kind of tax a month so I would be a net benefiter. If we get rid of the tax free earnings of £12k and tax me on the £12k on will still have more money than I do now. Fabulous idea but how do you pay for it? Who is going to pick the cabbages from the fields, collect the rubbish? No one will want to do those jobs full time. Why would they when you can earn £1500 doing nothing.

Beezknees · 07/01/2023 18:16

Oher · 07/01/2023 15:43

This.

I’ve met too many people who live on benefits and say it isn’t worth getting a job because they’ll be worse off financially. That needs to be adjusted so it is always better to have a job than be on benefits.

Show quote history

You're always better off working than you are on benefits, UNLESS you have a huge childcare bill to cover while you work.

Beezknees · 07/01/2023 18:19

I'd definitely still work full time if I also got UBI of £1500! I work full time now and get UC top ups of £500, so I'd LOVE an extra £1000 to be able to put away for retirement and DC's future.

XenoBitch · 07/01/2023 20:07

A UBI of £1500 would be great. Would more than double what I am on now.

Off the top of my head, - things I would change....
Practical help for people looking for work, and not just threat of sanctions. Definitely not their money being cut if they can not find something within a certain time frame (like a few have suggested here). Someone looking for work in their 50s has ageism to contend with and could be job hunting for a very long time. Customised help too based on your previous experience, skills and strengths... not just have you applying for every job going. It is a waste of the applicants time, and also the employers time.

Abolish the UC LCW group. If you were granted this after 2017, then you are on approx £70 a week. Many people in this group stay there for years. Too sick to work, but maybe can return at some undetermined point in the future. Either you are fit to work, or you are not.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/01/2023 11:37

"More help for single, childless people. The only discount they get is off council tax. In my case that was the grand total of £5 per week."

Yes, and if you're between jobs ie not a long-term benefit recipient you get contributions-based JSA rather than income-based meaning you don't get the free things that those on income-based get.
I don't know if that's changed with universal credit now, but it obviously penalises people for working (as well as being penalised if they saved while working).

Draconis · 08/01/2023 12:17

Lol at UBI of £1500 a month. Most 18 yr olds would think they'd hit the jackpot and would spend their life sleeping, hanging out with their friends and gaming.

Babyroobs · 08/01/2023 12:23

Gwenhwyfar · 08/01/2023 11:37

"More help for single, childless people. The only discount they get is off council tax. In my case that was the grand total of £5 per week."

Yes, and if you're between jobs ie not a long-term benefit recipient you get contributions-based JSA rather than income-based meaning you don't get the free things that those on income-based get.
I don't know if that's changed with universal credit now, but it obviously penalises people for working (as well as being penalised if they saved while working).

If you are between jobs and have rent to pay or kids to support you can claim Universal credit as well as long as you don't have saving over 16k as £77 a week JSA would not cover these things. Obviously if you have a working partner then their earnings would affect a claim. I was between jobs for a couple of months last year and only got contributions based JSA of around £77 a week because dh 's earnings ruled us out of anything means tested like UC. I was surprised I even got the contribution based JSA seeing as I had voluntarily given up my job due to hating it but then again I had worked solidly for 40 years prior with no break so i don't feel bad about claiming £77 a week for 2 months !

Gwenhwyfar · 08/01/2023 16:32

"If you are between jobs and have rent to pay or kids to support you can claim Universal credit as well as long as you don't have saving over 16k"

I don't think savings should be taken into account at all, or at least not until it's a huge amount. People shouldn't be discouraged from saving, which I was when I was temping. With the old JSA you also got money taken off your benefits for any savings over 6k. With between 6 and 16k you could still claim, but you were penalised.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/01/2023 16:33

Draconis · 08/01/2023 12:17

Lol at UBI of £1500 a month. Most 18 yr olds would think they'd hit the jackpot and would spend their life sleeping, hanging out with their friends and gaming.

Then their parents would demand rent rather than just a small contribution and they'd realise it's not quite so much money after all.

Draconis · 08/01/2023 18:14

"Then their parents would demand rent rather than just a small contribution and they'd realise it's not quite so much money after all."

Maybe they don't need it seeing as they're getting £1500 a month each too. Fab household income when no one's working at all.

IneedanewTV · 08/01/2023 19:14

Littlebluedinosaur · 07/01/2023 13:56

I would like to see all benefits and associated handouts quoted in gross terms. So what would someone have to earn in terms of a PAYE salary to get the same net income. Take universal credit et al and add on the value of free prescriptions, free school meals, social tariff broadband, cost of living payments, 85% childcare paid and so on then turn it into a gross amount so it can be compared to the equivalent salary.

I can see why some low earners feel cheated by a system that ‘pays’ more to people on benefits. All of the benefits and allowances and handouts should be added up….

This.

ConsuelaHammock · 08/01/2023 20:06

No benefits until you have paid into the system for at least 5 years and then you can only claim for a maximum of one year.
I’d give young men and women a financial incentive to use a contraceptive implant until they can support a child by themselves without taking from tax payers.
I would sterilise those who keep having children and have them taken off them by social services. It’s an awful thing to suggest but those children would be better off not being born.
More small houses so pensioners can downsize and free up properties for families.
Men should not be able to avoid paying for their children. Remove passports, have a website naming those who do not look after their children. Too many are happy for the tax payer to take on their responsibilities.
Universal credit only paid to those working fulltime. More crèches run not for profit in workplaces.
More vocational training for those who aren’t academic.
Instant removal from schools for bad behaviour( from 12/13 upwards) and they can go and litter pick or do some other menial work instead. Preferably in high vis vests so everyone knows they’re a dick! Removal of child benefit from the parents of wee dicks who don’t know how to behave in school. A couple of years of army training (minus the firearms ) for those who don’t comply . Lots of midnight runs through fields covered in mud and climbing walls should do it .

ivykaty44 · 08/01/2023 20:13

No benefits until you have paid into the system for at least 5 years and then you can only claim for a maximum of one year.

This will make care leavers homeless, they are in a hard enough position as it. Wages for under 23year old is very low with £7.49 as minimum wage for 18-20 year old from April 23 £299 as a full time wage, without working benefits hey really will struggle

ConsuelaHammock · 08/01/2023 20:22

Why would they be homeless ? They get a job and find a house share ? Perhaps there could be housing provided ( like hall of residences ) for a set amount which includes bills such as heating and wifi etc

Babyroobs · 08/01/2023 20:31

ConsuelaHammock · 08/01/2023 20:22

Why would they be homeless ? They get a job and find a house share ? Perhaps there could be housing provided ( like hall of residences ) for a set amount which includes bills such as heating and wifi etc

In some areas where housing/ rent costs are high, an 18 year old care leaver would be unlikely to even be able to afford a room in a house share even if working. Same as for any other young person who for whatever reason may be unable to live with parents.

Simonjt · 08/01/2023 21:00

ivykaty44 · 08/01/2023 20:13

No benefits until you have paid into the system for at least 5 years and then you can only claim for a maximum of one year.

This will make care leavers homeless, they are in a hard enough position as it. Wages for under 23year old is very low with £7.49 as minimum wage for 18-20 year old from April 23 £299 as a full time wage, without working benefits hey really will struggle

Those with certain disabilities would be homeless as well.

ConsuelaHammock · 08/01/2023 23:17

Where do care leavers live now ? And how do they afford it ?

ConsuelaHammock · 08/01/2023 23:17

Simonjt · 08/01/2023 21:00

Those with certain disabilities would be homeless as well.

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Why ?

ConsuelaHammock · 08/01/2023 23:18

Halls of residence type accommodation for those who for whatever reason can’t afford a house share then !

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 08/01/2023 23:37

ConsuelaHammock · 08/01/2023 23:18

Halls of residence type accommodation for those who for whatever reason can’t afford a house share then !

Shiny new name for the workhouse

UK benefits system - what would you change?

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