How is the current benefits system sustainable?

[OneLemonOrca]

This is kind of a sub thread from the public enquiry thread about child development.
More and more people are being diagnosed with autism and severe anxiety, and being deemed unfit to work full time or at all.
I am wondering what is going to happen or how this will actually be sustained. Is there going to be changes in eligibility to benefits? Is there anyone that actually knows?

Why is it ‘fucking weird’ when she volunteered virtually her entire life story on a thread about this very topic? Trying to shut down conversation with slurs may suit you but it won’t work on me.

Really,so no one on here has said benefit claimants choose not working as a lifestyle etc .
Have you read any of the multitude of benefits threads lately.
They always take a nasty turn that benefit claimants are the source of the countries ills.

But not enough to keep things running.
You can't have everything. You cant have a system with high benefits, few taxpayers, aging population slashed immigration and Brexit doing its damage quietly in the background.

There is going to be outrage when Labour comes in and begins benefits reform, but I think it will happen.

This. I do think once Labour are in they will have to look at getting the welfare bill down too. I'm really surprised both parties have promised to keep the triple lock as well. A double lock would be more affordable. Also the recent reports of 8 percent fraud in UC and also quite a lot of older people spending more than a month out of the country, but then claiming pension or pension credit which is against the rules unless they have declared to DWP they are overseas for more than a month.

We do have an ageing population.

Government data shows that the employment rates for over 50s have been rising continuously for at least the last 20 years, so that ageing population is much more likely to be in work than in the past.

It also shows that the average age of retirement was at its lowest for men in 1986 and for women in the 1990s. So people are retiring later.

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/economic-labour-market-status-of-individuals-aged-50-and-over-trends-over-time-september-2023/economic-labour-market-status-of-individuals-aged-50-and-over-trends-over-time-september-2023

So we might have an ageing population but at least they're still working hey?

Yes I agree, people seem to want everything and it’s just not possible, we don’t have enough people working. Labour have already said they’re going to be looking at benefit reforms and they’re right to do it.

*Lots of people on benefits also pay tax.
Anyone should gets state pension and earns enough has to pay tax.
Lots of people who get child benefit pay tax
Many people who get PIP pay tax
Quite a few people who get universal credit will also pay tax.

Is anyone disputing the above? The problem is the country needs far more money & increase tax revenue. It’s why immigration is never going away.

Clearly we should have everyone who is disabled pts. Disabled people are a drain on society and the UK (despite being the 6th richest country in the world) just cannot afford to accommodate their lazy and undeserving greed for benefits to help them survive. The very worst ones are those who don’t even look disabled. I don’t believe them at all so we can bump them off first.
Then hard working able people can have the lives they deserve and everyone will be able to afford everything they want, there will be enough healthcare, education and housing for everybody. Hurrah!

You do deserve it. If people have worked over 40 years of course they deserve their pensions.

Theres a massive disconnect between this and everyone saying we should just tax the rich etc

So why don’t labour just do that rather than cuts..?

So we might have an ageing population but at least they're still working hey?

There are already 11m over 65 yr olds. This is projected to grow by 10% over the next 5 yrs & by 32% over the next 20. It’s a major shift particularly when healthy life expectancy hasn’t increased.

You do deserve it. If people have worked over 40 years of course they deserve their pensions.

But it doesn’t work like that. The state pension money is payed by the current workers, nothing is saved in a pot for you. So when the workers shrink we have a problem.

Maybe their partner does a lot of childcare and they use money from PIP to pay for a cleaner and takeaways if can't cook.

Theres a massive disconnect between this and everyone saying we should just tax the rich etc

So why don’t labour just do that rather than cuts..?

Taxing the rich involves completely overhauling the tax system as PAYE has far more burden than actual wealth. However lots of ordinary people don’t want that themselves. Plus the global elite are global so you need global tax initiatives across countries.

11 % of over 65s are in work.

Up on 5% in 2000.

ageing-better.org.uk/news/almost-one-million-more-workers-aged-65-and-above-millennium-new-analysis-reveals

Benefit reform should be done by labour.
But in a civilised manner and not the hateful way that the Tories use.
My own circumstances are was made redundant,I'm late 50s I can't get a job for love nor money and have put off getting involved with the benefits system for a long time unfortunately finances now dictate that I will have to and I'm dreading it .

@MaryMaryVeryContrary national insurance, if there is a shortfall increase it or create a social tax. My brother said as a higher earner he is not bothered in paying less N.I, it will not improve the country around him and so little in his pocket. The recent decreases make no difference to him. I agree with others in also getting people treated quicker and improving routes work. I don't really get the point of your question. When I was working I received no benefits and paid N.I paid it happily knowing the system covers sickness, unemployment and pensions.

most people who claim benefit actually work

@Octavia64 whats your point? Are you saying that because more older people work now there isn’t an issue? 🙄

Autism causes issues with reading other people, and executive dysfunction, if you need other people to care for you and supervise you because you aren’t safe cooking etc, how can you supervise a disabled child who needs supervision? Some things just don’t add up

As far as I understand life expectancy is no longer rising? I've mentioned this on several threads but nobody's confirmed (or denied) it so I've decided to have a look for information on this myself when I get the chance as I want to know for sure now.

With the health of people in retirement. The false economy issue (that's increased the benefits cost) is also why healthy life expectancy hasn't increased.

False economy means more working age people are unable to work (or work but still need benefits), and then they go into retirement in worse health due to the effects of poverty and stress on their health.

Lots of people on benefits also pay tax.
They all do because everyone pays tax, working or not. Also people who aren't able to work or are retired keep other people in work. Going to the shops for food or other stuff needed keeps those businesses going. Needing social care or NHS treatment keeps health and social care staff in work.

@Againname those projections are based on the average life expectancy which has reduced a small amount. Healthy life expectancy hasn’t improved in years.

And there’s also the issue that a lot more of todays 40/50 somethings don’t & won’t own their homes so still have to find rent money.

Yes, lots of people calling for more NHS services too, but the reality is that the NHS is already covering far too much. It's not sustainable. People will need to start paying a percentage of their healthcare bill, as they do in other countries such as Sweden. This allows them to provide better services overall.

The problem is in the UK that people want everything for nothing.

@Pollipops1 thanks for replying.

I'm not surprised healthy life expectancy hasn't increased. Funding cuts to support systems leaves people more sick. Poverty and stress and health are all interlinked.