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?

And base child benefit on household income, not individual

It's bonkers 2 parents earning £45k each qualify but 1 parent on £60k doesn't!

It's universal so you would get it on top of your wages

No one to receive benefits for more than six months unless they are disabled . Disabled people should then receive a far greater amount .

But would the wages not be so heavily taxed to pay for UI that it would be just like your usual income? So not getting anything extra at all?

Child maintenance payments need a massive overhaul and should come directly out of the salary.

The minimum number of hours worked to qualify for top up benefits should increase from 16 which is barely any.

Anyone who works should be significantly better off than those who don’t and freebies should be taken into account too, like school meals, prescriptions etc.

Carers allowance should rise for those who care for people who have significant care needs.

I don't think that would generate enough revenue to pay for everyone's tax-free allowance though!

Are there enough people working and paying tax to fund a universal basic income for all? I guess not…..

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.

I agree with previous posters - we need UBI.

And for everyone to read The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists.

For most carers it's not just £69.70 carers allowance a week because people likely get means tested benefits on top as well unless they have a high earning partner.
I would put more resources into tackling benefit fraud and although not directly related to benefits I would improve mental health care for people with addictions/ depression/ anxiety etc to help them come off long term benefits. There should be more support to help them work. Also more social housing - why are people not up in arms about public money going directly to pay off BTL landlords mortgages via Uc rent element and housing benefit ? How have we got ourselves into this situation? It's a ticking time bomb. There's going to come a point where no -one can afford to rent without Uc top ups for life. I help a lot of people to claim benefits and yes sometimes I'm pretty shocked at the amounts they come out with wheras for single people it's a pittance to try to live off.

Sort out CMS once and for all.
Include CMS in benefit calculations - because you’ve made it a reliable payment.
Penalise non payment, fast.

Oh and absolutely remove the rules around reducing it if you’re in a household with more children. Someone else’s children aren’t yours, and the decision to have more of your own should be taken in the knowledge that you need to afford it.

Child maintenance payments need a massive overhaul and should come directly out of the salary.

I agree, @Lollipop999 and it needs to get alot more difficult to wriggle out of CMS by being self-employed. One of my friends in the US was able to get her horrible ex to pay child maintenance, because the consequences were so dire if he didn't. The enforcement tools included wages withholdings, driving license suspension, professional license suspension, passport denial - in extreme cases, even someone's bank accounts can be identified and garnished!

Agree they need to sort out PIP and other disability benefits. The decisions seem to make no sense. I see a lot of people in my job role, help a lot of people to apply and am frequently shocked at the outcomes both ways. Hugely increasing numbers of PIP claims being made in recent months, huge numbers with mental health issues. It's going to become unsustainable given that top rates of PIP are almost £600 a month plus all the extra premiums that can come with being awarded PIP. I think there will be a big review in coming years.

@Summerhillsquare has it right. Stop treating people in poverty like criminals. Try to help people by actually helping them to help themselves, not punishing them.

“Mostly: stop using benefits to prop up low wages!”

yes!

Universal income, maybe but how do stop it becoming inflationary?
Money only has worth if it somehow linked to productive activity.

create a job for everyone to get them off benefits. Everyone works. Get rid of nonsense sick pay. You know for nonsense lazy excuses. Nobody wants to work anymore as if its a fucking human right or something! 🤣🤣🤣

“Hugely increasing numbers of PIP claims being made in recent months, huge numbers with mental health issues. It's going to become unsustainable given that top rates of PIP are almost £600 a month plus all the extra premiums that can come with being awarded PIP. I think there will be a big review in coming years.”

Agree with this being unsustainable due to the sheer numbers with mental health conditions being diagnosed, and see it in my job role too. From a mental health perspective pip should only be given to the most severe cases.

For most carers it's not just £69.70 carers allowance a week because people likely get means tested benefits on top as well unless they have a high earning partner.

It's actually taken £ for £ off universal credit so they don't get anything extra really.

I also think that more disabled people could work, but in very 'managed' jobs. Eg. More home working, possibly as low stress piece work or as and when possible. I'm thinking of the old fashioned 'envelope stuffer' jobs, but more modern options. I know things similar to this do exist, but it's very spotty and specific.

If this were incentivised and non punitive I think it could help people and be useful/of actual financial benefit to a company. I truly believe that almost everyone wants to work, to contribute and be involved in society.

The regular jobs just aren't possible for everyone, even with accommodations. It would be beneficial to create some jobs for these people, or for people transitioning back into work.

My point is that they are often claiming UC alongside carers allowance, it's not as if they just have to live off carers allowance is it ?

Unemployment is the lowest it has been in 50 years

I have no idea why people keep spouting this bullshit about obody wants to work any more when unemployment figures have been consistently decreasing

“Agree they need to sort out PIP and other disability benefits. The decisions seem to make no sense. I see a lot of people in my job role, help a lot of people to apply and am frequently shocked at the outcomes both ways”

I know this is anecdata, and I’m not a fly on the wall in the GP surgery…
But I have a sibling who was perfectly able to do low waged low skilled jobs as a student - before and during uni.
Was able to tutor during uni.
Was able to teach whilst on PGCE placement.
Was able to go to “fancy” use your brain job whilst on work placement from a postgrad course.
Yet somehow has a selective mental health condition that means they can’t work, after finally exhausting the perpetual student options.
He is 50.
Literally never worked a “permanent” job.
I don’t know the terminology about workgroups, but he’s whatever group means he gets full whack ESA and doesn’t have to frequently jump through hoops to keep it.
And then I see stories of people who are hounded by DWP. I don’t get it.
He thinks he’s too good to stack shelves like the rest of us - and DWP seem to agree!

100% agree

It depends how high the UBI is, doesn't it. At a 50% tax rate, a £1million salary would generate £20K/year for just 25 people.

We'd need a small UBI as @onyttig referred to in Finland, a massive income tax rate and/or some other huge sources of tax revenue, like high corporate taxes. I don't know what that would do for job opportunities though.