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?

pay carers allowance as a salary. Will open up access to more in work benefits such as UC and the childcare element and so on.

CMS - they pay the assesed amount direct to the resident parent in the first instance and then claim it back from the nrp. That way the money is guaranteed to reach the child and if the nrp doesn’t pay the CMS then they are building up a debt to them, which should have the same consequences attached as council tax debt.

UC should be paid weekly

The maximum anyone should be able to claim in benefits should be 75% of NMW. That should be permanent and irreversible. Then if anyone thinks benefits are too low, they should protest to get the NMW raised, so that working people are still better off than non-workers.

UBI would be an utter, utter nightmare. It's an absolutely crazy idea. Insane.

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.

A colleague of mine is really struggling, works FT but we are not on a big wage (less than £24k pa) and they can’t claim
any help with rent/top-ups etc.

This is my question. Mumsnet thinks the best of everyone - that nobody would game the system, that nobody ‘chooses’ benefits because everyone know they’d be better off with pension contributions etc. But that’s not true - some people do game the system, some people would rather live with future uncertainty so they don’t have to work because they’re lazy. Some people just pop out kids with abandon because they’re not bright enough to realise the impact on society of them living off UC, or don’t care.

And when MN supports the idea that there should be a safety net for everyone regardless of their poor decisions, you can see why they do it 🤷🏼‍♀️

Exactly. One of the problems at the moment is that many people in their fifties and sixties have become economically inactive especially since covid and we don't now have enough people paying taxes. Start giving them another whatever amount a month basic universal income and even more will be giving up work !

For a start we should stop saying "except for the disabled" I know lot's that work including ones with disabled dc and have their own businesses and are mortified that people think they just claim benefits.
Everyone should have a set amount that they can access at any time for any reason eg redundancy, extra maternity paternity leave, illness, stress etc so they can have time out instead of some people getting the lot and people who have worked for years finding it impossible to get even a small amount of financial help.

But that’s not true - some people do game the system, some people would rather live with future uncertainty so they don’t have to work because they’re lazy. Some people just pop out kids with abandon because they’re not bright enough to realise the impact on society of them living off UC, or don’t care.

there are more people gaming the system at the other end, they get constantly ignored with their low wages high profit business an tax avoidance

if there is 20 times more money being lost due to one sector, why not sort that issue first

How much would the basic income be, and what would happen if lots of people just decided to take that and not work or pay tax?

It doesn’t make sense. Why would people just not say ok thanks and quit work

It’s not like the majority haven’t had a moment where work isn’t perfect

@ivykaty44 absolutely we should also be sorting that as well. But many fewer people have the option of offshoring their wealth than those who have the option of claiming UC.

I would have a system where those with mortgages are treated the same as those who rent.

Stop people being sanctioned for spurious reasons eg having to attend meetings etc that clash with the usually low paid work a claimant is able to get.

This could be catastrophic for many children.

Yes lots work, lots have high earning partner, lots have huge amounts of savings or inheritances.

But many fewer people have the option of offshoring their wealth than those who have the option of claiming UC.

doesn't matter how many people, its the amount of money

if you have 3000 people claiming benefits that could be working instead of staying at home and they are increasing the cost by £1 million and with 40% of UC claimants working legit and claiming there is a bigger problem with income from worker - my previous post covered that this morning. Added to which we have the lowest unemployment since records began, so its not unemployment that is a problem.

or off shore account combined not paying tax to the tune of £125 million

its the later that is the bigger problem, yes both are an issue but sort out the bigger one first

So effectively the government should buy people's homes for them by paying an amount for their mortgage in the same way that rent is paid for ?

I agree with this. No one should ever be better off on benefits than working. Raise minimum wage to an actual living wage and then no one will need top up UC, which is actually detrimental to those on low wages (mostly women) who don’t qualify for benefits as it keeps wages artificially low. Raise the minimum amount of ours you have to work to 24 which still allows time for child care and provide free basic but safe childcare for all with additional fees for those who want fancier child care.

People need to get used to the idea that they need to work for a living unless there is a very good reason why they cannot. The days of spending a lifetime on benefits because you have a bad back or are depressed need to come to an end. We need to get back to the idea of money being something you get in exchange for work, rather than something that just appears out of nowhere regardless of what you do.

Yet they pay towards a landlord's mortgage so what is the difference?

Why would people just not say ok thanks and quit work

For the same reason they don’t leave jobs and claim benefits (and why people work when childcare leaves them barely breaking even) now - because the vast vast majority of people don’t want to live on just very basic money and they think of the longer term with pensions/promotions and the likes.

So you think exactly the same amount of people would work and pay taxes?

No drop out at any level to just not work or work less

Finances change behaviour all the time, why not this?

Very often the landlord has a mortgage, the rent pays the mortgage, the taxpayer is contributing to the rent. Its just cutting out a stage.

I agree.

i don’t. Anyone who was inclined to live on a very basic level of money and lifestyle would already have quit work and be one the oft-talked about “could work but don’t bother” people already.

It would be completely unaffordable. People on Universal credit with a mortgage already get a much higher work allowance than those that rent if they have kids, so they already benefit in that way towards their mortgage. I find it absolutely shocking the way that landlords are able to buy multiple properties and get their mortgages paid off through Uc rent element, there needs to be much more social housing and much stricter rules for BTL but sorry i don't think paying towards people's mortgages is affordable. maybe something like the old system of tax relief on mortgage interest might be more helpful as that would help everyone not just those on UC.

I do wonder what would happen. Some jobs are essential but low paid and hard and socially rewarding. Would more people stop doing this work as they now have enough to live off, or would more people do this work as they have enough to live off, but can now do something rewarding and have extra for holidays but there is now no need to do something less socially rewarding but better paid.

Agree with this!