To wonder what the govt has planned to punish those NOT on benefits?

[Glitterknickaz]

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This is not the first time cutting benefits has been suggested as a punishment. How are the government proposing to punish parents who don't tackle truancy efficiently that aren't on benefits exactly? Just like the assertion that the rioters should lose benefits, yes because they were ALL on benefits weren't they?

Once again the government fuels the totally untrue daily mail esque belief that all of society's ills lie at the feet of benefits claimants. Apparently they are the root of all evil, eh?

Not one of the policies publicised has said what would happen to those who do not claim benefits.

Money designed for basic sustenance should not be removed imo. At the end of the day it is the children that will suffer from these measures.

Yes, Kladdkaka. Sweeping generalisations.

"LOTM should spend a month living in the shoes of those people she seems to look down on"

Oh but she won't, as she won't make lifestyle choices that will put her on benefits. Apparently.

PS. LOTM, when I was your age I was working full time, had a disposable income etc. I'm now 28 and on benefits. I thought I'd made the right decisions too. I wasn't that lucky.

If I hadn't been dxd with epilepsy, I would be earning enough in my own right not to need to claim any benefits. I wasn't lucky either.

People who grow up with wealthy parents and are sent to public schools can find it hard to comprehend how far from the norm their experience of life is. You're surrounded by people who come from the same background. It's easy to see issues as black and white when you've never seen the shades of grey.

Meh, clicked on the button by accident with that last one.

Anyway, I looked up the statistics. Can't help myself, autistic obsession with numbers and such like.

According to the Office of National Statistics the main claimants are women aged 60-64, followed by other groups of pensionable age. Of working age claimants the biggest group are men aged 60-64 followed by both men and women 18-24. The lowest claimant rates are amongst both men and women 25-40. Although the difference between the claim rates amongst working age people is fairly consistent whatever age or sex they are. So the assumption I accidentally posted too soon is rubbish.

83.244.183.180/100pc/stgp/cnage/ccsex/a_carate_r_cnage_c_ccsex_feb11.html

Loudlass that was only half my post, the other half was slightly delayed.

Well maybe people from that background should take more time to experience the 'shades of grey' before forming such a one-sided view of the world?

LOTM, you must actually be enjoying this? Do you really believe that the people on this post are abusers of the welfare state. Your angst is misdirected and kind of pointless in this context.

Margin 'People who grow up with wealthy parents and are sent to public schools can find it hard to comprehend how far from the norm their experience of life is. You're surrounded by people who come from the same background. It's easy to see issues as black and white when you've never seen the shades of grey.'

Very well put, but LOTM has never seen it this way. I find it hard to believe someone as well educated and as intelligent as she constantly reminds us she is, has trouble understanding this.

Sorry to jump in but

Coco, Once again you have completely missed the point. My post was referring to the parents of disabled children who have simply no choice but not to work.

Why do you always do that?

And may I also add that the term "Luxuries" was a sarcastic one.

loudlass my dp works with ss and sees first hand everyday just how hard it is for children in these circumstances to get an education, he always moans about how they are being failed by the system :( its something the governement need to drastically sort out, and i know my dp finds it hugely demoralising that try as he might there is not a lot he can do to help :(

and LOTM, really, how nice of you to sit in your ivory tower and look down and judge everyone! you really dont have a clue.

Well as long as you purely are meaning those with no choice- disabled, health issues etc then agreed

I apologise as I thought you meant everyone (like my ex who pays no CM yet seems to always find the money to get drunk and get tattoos while we worry about new shoes for her)

Stop scanning posts read the whole thing :o

You ex sounds like a royal arsehole by the by.

It's well recognised that many children in the care system do poorly in the education system compared to other children. This is because of a mixture of possible causes, including family backrgound of absenteeism, family placement instability, ineffective In Year Fair Access Protocols in some local authority areas, and a lack of support for personal education plans due to staff shortages.

I probably should not scan so much but Im too hot and too pregnant and fuzzy headed.

Ah, The perks of pregnancy. I miss them. :o

LOTM you must hate me.

I am employed full time by a major bank and have been for 11 years. However I have been off sick since November and my sick pay has run out. Therefore I get £67.50 per week in Employment and Support Allowance - wow that is a huge amount of money compared to my normal

I even have the temerity to have a child who is being assessed for Asperger's Syndrome and has a diagnosis of dyspraxia - he gets Disability Living Allowance. I'm daring to use that money to buy a new floor for his room to replace the carpet that he has urinated all over as he doesn't get to his potty (at 6 years old) in time.

My husband even claimed Jobseeker's Allowance for 6 months last year.

How very dare we?

Hi, i havn't read the whole thread (as some of the posts made me feel sick and angry) so exscuse me if i am repeating what others have said.

I am a mum of 2 dd's, dd1 has Aspergers, hypermobility and possible ADHD, dd2 has Autism, severe language delay, hyperlexia and hypermobility. I was forced to give up my job 2 years ago in order to get my dd2 to a sn nursery 20 miles away, there was no way i could hold down a job when i needed to be driving backwards and forwards all day as well as going to 2 lots of appointments for my dd's. We have to use my dd's DLA for me to be able to stay home and do therapy for my daughters. Since not working my dd's speech and languge skills have improved, i spend hours each day doing speech therapy, music therapy, physio and OT with my girl, theres no way i could have done this whilst working. We are skint, we are on beniffits but its worth it to see an improvement in my girls and knowing they will stand a better chance in life. I do hope to return to work when both girls are settled into their new school and when we have less apointments to attend. Its hard to find a boss understanding enough to employ someone who is likely to be called away from work to go and collect their child and will need 7 days of each month for apointments.

We all do what we feel is best for our families and i feel i have done the best for mine, its not really anyone elses buisness how we chose to support our families (wether its with money or with our time and care).

I dont think that explaining your individual circumstances helps tbh ben

So many people have done that on MNs on threads like this.

They are dismissed with ''I dont mean you"

And the posters that would have it that the majority of claiments are feckless and lazy and laughing their arses off at the noble tax payers, continue to believe what they want.

I have seen statistics posted, research, anecdotal evidence , you name it.

None of it makes a whit of difference.

People believe what makes them feel justified in having the opinions they hold.

I think it is very sad.

True. I have yet to see a bigot change their opinion on any of these threads.

thefirstMrsDeVere

I know, I know. I just get so angry imagining people like LOTM sitting there with their "perfect life" looking down on everyone else.

Everyone is a split second away from permanent disability. Anyone's child can be born with or develop a disability. Anyone can be made redundant and be made unemployed. Anyone can suddenly develop a chronic illness.

You know, I truly believe in karma I have to admit that before the last 18 months during which we have had all of the above, I used to secretly think that people who had to claim benefits were as LOTM describes: layabouts, lazy, used to question why they weren't able to work etc etc.

Look how life backfires on you. I am now grateful and reliant on the welfare state, despite still being employed full time but not able to work. I am now realising that my child is different and will always be different. I will claim whatever I can to provide whatever equipment, therapy and experiences for him to make life easier for all of us as a family.

And of course there is always the ultimate 'tragedy top trumps' put down if somebody's personal story is too complex and difficult to dismiss entirely.

I cannot understand why anyone would persist in a belief despite so much evidence to the contrary. It doesnt make any sense.

Ok if you read certain papers, mix in certain circles you could be almost forgiven for beliving certain ideas.

But if you are then exposed to a wider world through the internet, television, research, the personal experiences of others etc WHY would you insist on continuing with your original idea?

I have strong opinions. I think I know what I am talking about but even I would have to admit I was wrong if faced with evidence from several different sources that proved me wrong.

And I dont like being wrong.