Is this likely to happen? Benefit related.

[littlemisssarcastic]

And where would it end?? Is this just the start of a slippery slope ?

An American friend of mine gets some assistance, she has a card with a monthly amount which she can only use for groceries. Fab idea

If I ever need benefits I will be grateful for any help I can get to feed clothe and house my family, that is what the money is for. Sadly too many on benefits let their kids eat crap to pay for drink and fags. Some need help with working out Priorities

Absolutely terrible, stigmatising and patronising idea that was clearly dreamed up by some rich idiot with no idea about budgeting in the real world.

All the sensible stuff about eBay, market stalls and charity shops has already been said.

Will those that think it's a fab idea, kindly answer my question.

My mum was a single mum on benefits. Life was pretty shit (as a child I was fine, but looking back, my poor mother was not). We were so poor. I'm lucky now that I work, my partner works, my stepdad has a good job and my inlaws etc. But it is with bitterness that I recall my cousins/friends who had sky tv and leather jackets (but no decent food/none at all at times! Again, as an adult I kow that now). Why should people be allowed to squander their benefits on shit like this?! I am not tarring all claimants with the same brush. I remember what it's like to be poor and not to have anything at all, but my mum tried to feed us properly. We didn't have luxuries. It's just not fair and IMHO it's not helpful to dole out money meant to help people survive, and for it to be spent on luxuries and sky fucking tv.

Oh, and [dawndonna] in my book you can have as much as you want - you are saving the state a FORTUNE!

A friend does buy to let and due to proposed changes, won't be taking DSS. Why on earth don't the rent payments just go to the landlord or if its HA or council, say your benefits are £1200 a month and rent is £600, just give the £600? Seems simple but I know it isn't.

Quite a few years ago I was on benefits (unexpected circumstances etc ... but that's life)
Things I remember of those days (ds was very young) - Buying all his clothes and toys from car boots and charity shops, Walking round the park and buying an ice-cream, paying 50p to go in the butterfly house, being taken on a day trip and giving ds some 2 pences to go on the machines (gambling!!).
I could go on, but my point is all of this would be impossible if this disgusting thing happens. No way would anyone get on their feet again, not because of finances but because of what it would do to your state of mind.

All those who agree, I suggest you stop believing all this about those on benefits buying cigs, booze and Tvs, because yes, there will be a few who do it, just as there are many working people who do it. But, the vast majority of benefit claimants are not irresponsible - they are people, people just like you. I know plenty of people who went without as kids because their parents spent their money on these 'sins', but their parents were working, not on benefits. Maybe it makes some people feel better about themselves if they feel they can control others. Maybe it's those people who need restrictions?

we should make sure the disabled have cards
then make sure they are only able to use them in non accessible place.
that'll teach them

"When hard-working families up and down the country are forced to cut back on such non-essential, desirable, it is right that taxpayer benefits be only used for essential purposes."

This. You're being given that money for free, to survive on. It is not supposed to be for you to get pissed or smoke yourself to death on (and thus costing the nhs more)

I guess it depends on how they define 'troubled'

DH and I foster and we have the result of a troubled family prioritising drugs and alcohol over necessities living with us. It took us months to convince them they didnt have to steal food and hide it in their room as the cupboards would never be bare

It needs to be tackled somehow

^we should make sure the disabled have cards
then make sure they are only able to use them in non accessible place.
that'll teach them^

Yet again you've come into a thread and made stupid non relevent sarcastic comments like this to try and prove a point.

All those who agree, I suggest you stop believing all this about those on benefits buying cigs, booze and Tvs, because yes, there will be a few who do it, just as there are many working people who do it

Tis funny that, because the majority I see do this.

And working people can do what they want with their own money that they have earned.

Sunshine401, I agree with you entirely.

I think it was Dawn that was the carer? I have a friend in a similar position, she doesn't smoke or drink but she works harder than any 'employed' person I know. Who the hell has the right to tell her what to spend her hard earned money on

In the main this is not something I would want to see, however I think it would be a good idea to have the option for those families that do buy fags before food for the kids. I know there aren't millions of these families but they do exist, I heard an upsetting interview on the radio about children coming to school everyday who have not had breakfast and will not be getting lunch, these kids need to be helped.

And how does your American friend pay for bus fares, phone calls, clothes, stuff for the kids at school, a washer to fix the tap, etc, QOD?

Either that "groceries" card is on top of her main income, or she's trading it on the black market to get those things.

And once a black market is up and running, it can be used for booze and fags.

Pointless idea. But nice little earner for the supermarkets.

so what Ghostship - SO WHAT - what on earth does it have to do with you if they spend it on booze and fags

it's non of your business - it's their money not yours

Maybe people should be forced into workhouses - that'll teach them to be out of work during s recession

GhostShip you lost me there....

The thing is anyone who would prioritise things like alcohol over food will just find a way round it, sell the card on for less than its value, buy someone else's food in exchange for cash, whatever.

The peo

I think its fine for long term claimers or families where its proven that the money is not being spent on the children. Why would people object to the idea? If you are claiming then you need state assistance and if truly needed would be grateful for whatever form that came in. All supmarkets could sign up so as to cover whatever is local for people.

For those that see benefits as a lifestyle choice, perhaps it wont seem so attractive when it cant be used for luxuries in life.

MissElleTow, i do think winter fuel allowance should go direct to the fuel company - why not, its given to pay for fuel. Child benefit i think will eventually go anyway but given the amount of people on here alone who admit to it not being spent on the child it was meant for then changing it is not a bad idea. Think it will eventually go anyway at some point.

Blackholes have you ever tried job/house/etc hunting without internet and phone? all out local internet cafs have closed down now because everyone has the internet, the internet at the library is from the dark ages, really slow and the time slots are really short, there's also no printing facilities there!

Lots of blocks of flats don't have a full market choice of internet/phone/tv packages - so what if the only one available, or cheapest one, happens to include sky TV???

Not really usual, she uses an agency to vet them, credit check them, then has insurance against them not paying.
She had one person loose their job, the insurers got involved and the guarantor actually took over the payments as they served their notice. If the guarantor hasn't paid up, the insurance would have.
Its a shame, really is

She has 2 properties on a contract with the council who guarantee her rent and tenant it themselves, but of course those people are at liberty to actually not pay the council their rent from the benefits paid to them ,,, by the council
Mad

May I ask what you do for a living GhostShip??

The people who will be affected are the ones who hate living on benefits, but have no other choice. The ones that would be too embarrassed to pay for things if the person serving them knows they are on benefits.