UK benefits system - what would you change?

[Galactico]

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?

@feellikeanalien and yet some on here also expect family carers to be available at the drop of a hat to care for elderly relatives so they can leave hospital.

Wanting it both ways

Improving childcare would go a long way towards getting more people working. Make it affordable and available around the clock. That's how it is where I am, my son's nursery is open 24/7 so shift workers can get childcare too.

Bless your heart. Do you think MOST of the UK has 24/7 childcare?

Kids these days are so sweet.

I'm not in the UK, I'm saying this is what the UK should do

Not everyone is looking or keeping them who should be.

I wrote a bit up thread our experience as an employer who is working with a parole officer to keep someone walking on the right side…

he hasn’t returned or been available to work since before Christmas. Has a couple of promises via messenger, lent him money to get through the weekend as they ‘had no food” and yet went off line thereafter.

between March 22 and December 22 he managed to clock up 200 odd hours work. We bought a 2nd hand car and gave it parked up home to help him with transport. Mind you he told DH he had a drivers licence but it was at (unemployed) dad’s who remarkably had managed to afford to head away over Christmas. Then came word employee had to go through court to have his identity confirmed as he claimed he had no photo id, to get a new drivers licence…

then when I offered to organise a replacement birth certificate, his sister gets involved and she, we were told, is helping him. Then disappears off line again until he re-surfaces saying he was at dads (the one who was supposed to be some many kilometres away) and hitched hiked home. Available to work and get up to ours the next day.

doesn’t show.

I notice his fb profile changing (he only communicates via messenger because his most recent mobile is broken/affected by damp depending on the day and he can’t call DH.

also doesn’t have credit nor data (yeah I know what I have just written). But I can see someone logging in on his messenger account, just not dropping firm to read my replies…

in the meanwhile while all this crap is being sprouted, his photo is appearing at a night time kick boxing facility near his home, in training... in particular when he is supposed to be hitch hiking his way home…

so in summary, a one size solution doesn’t fit all and some people really need a slap around the backside and sent off to a working camp if they want to be fed, kept warm and housed at the tax payers expense….

Not dropping down…

Yep. I work full time earning £21k and have no childcare costs and I still get £400pm UC plus child benefit.

Forgot to add that I would make it illegal for companies to employ people on a freelance basis to get round the fact that they are paying them below minimum wage.

When i.was a nurse ,wards used Bank staff they are basically zero hour contracts (although some people had a substantiiive post and did extra bank work k) I'm Ggoing y back.a number of years but it worked quite well.for people with childcare/ caring roles rather than being tied to.a Rota they could pick.and choose which shifts they wanted to do and there was always plenty of work ,many people worked full time in the bsnk.
things may have changed as this was before the.pandemic but in this instance it worked welI for lots of people
obviousl y NHS is very different to.a private company though .