To ask what's the beef with benefits?

[mytartanscarf]

Do people think they are too little? That they should be more?

There's always a lot of upset on here about them - about how wrong the government are and how awful life is on benefits. I've never been on benefits so obviously can't judge. But what are the solutions?

I suppose I am asking what should the government do?

handcream if your company never makes compulsory redundancies you're in a rare and privileged position.

white goods being replaced for people on benefits... thats a new one.

It's too expensive for them..

Another bit of luck or perhaps I decided I better stick with them??

im not sure of your point handcream is it be that if you can do it so can do it so can everyone else?

Magrats has put it far better than I have. Issue is that there are some MNetters who don't believe that there are more than a handful of people committing fraud or who put themselves first by smoking and putting nights out far beyond their own children's needs.

My point is that if you dont want a zero hours contract make sure you have other options, don't rely on anyone to provide for you and that includes your partner and the state.

how do people do that handcream?

I have just thrown out some ideas....

Idont no idea what that is about, yes you're mistaking me for another poster.

they must have wooshed over my head then :/

Well the cow across the road from me, who lives with her son and daughter, is on benefits, keeps 15 cats, yes 15 you read correctly and 2 horses which are in stables, she's also a smoker.Tell me how can you do that on benefits? We have 3 kids, my dp works full time, has the same income as the benefits cut off or is it tax credit cut off?! I'm a sahm, and we're entitled to nothing not even tax credits! By the time we paid nursery fees and fuel, i would be working for nothing, literally. We could hardly afford to keep 1 pet never mind the amount she has over the road. So tell me, how can some on benefits afford to keep so many pets, like her? Or afford holidays abroad? When those of us who are honest, hard working citizens manage to just about scrap by?! I am all for benefits for those who are in between employment, but those lazy sods who have milked the system for years, who seem to be better off than those working, they should have their benefits stopped to force them to get a bloody job!

There are some who choose to be a SAHM and then when their partner leaves them wonder where it all went wrong. They then are unable or unwilling to take a job because their partner who they clearly knew little about has left then without a penny. Of course they believe the state should support them, they don't want to leave the area to find something because they don't want to leave friends and family, they won't take a zero hrs contract and they have lost some of the skills they had when they were working. But the good old state will support them

you really have no idea whatsoever. I have read some shit on this thread but this is possibly the most insulting and poorly informed post of them all.

You are aware, for example, that it's possible for one partner to get a court order to stop the other half moving away following a relationship breakdown? you are aware that when a relationship breaks down, people need their families and friends around them for emotional, practical and often financial support? that ultimately, when work is secured, it is family and friends who help out and deal with those days when children are ill and can't attend childcare or school? you are aware of how benefits, tax credits, housing benefit etc. etc. work - the ins and outs - vs. a zero hours contract and the difficulty these pose for many parents (single or otherwise?) The good old state will provide a very basic standard of living with an expectation that you work as soon as you can secure a job. You are also aware that children have two parents but that frequently one of those parents ducks out of caring, taking responsibility for sick children, dealing with the school, homework, getting hair cut, shoe buying, uniform buying etc. etc. and that only 38% of parents with care receive maintenance? As for not knowing your partner....I would be banned if I said what I really think here. You have no clue and I wouldn't wish what I went through on my worst enemy. I might make an exception for you, however.

People need to get real though about what a lot of people earn compared to those on benefits. I leave the house at 615 am- the only person in my row of 6 houses to work; the only person with a car older than 3 years and I earn £200 more for the privilege taking into account my costs; what benefits are on offer etc- thank god my neighbour offered to work cash in hand as my cleaner despite her arthritic fingers otherwise I'd be working and cleaning my home
Rent 415
Council tax 69
Petrol 160
Nmc fees 10 a month
Add to this dla or it's equivalent say 320 plus ESA approx 280
That's 1200 without the free car. I really wish I was making it up
Then there's free prescriptions- I pay £10
Free opticians...
I earn 1500 - student loan
Can you see why I think I'm a mug as I drive off at 615am whilst they are all in bed?

Oh and the dentist

maybe she gets help from else where family or something? hard to beleive someone with 3 kids on benefits could afford all of that.

im nto sure its fair to shout get a bloody job if you dont work yourself

I think generally the public are in denial or are just unaware of what's happening. My fathers z4 BMW convertible was an ex motability
car. Wake up people

And before anybody has a go about disability I have had bipolar disorder for 20yrs. I work full time plus extra just to survive. I either don't know the system as well as my arthritic neighbour or I have more self worth. Either way I'm not sure it's helping me.

ashes i spell shit and i dont even know how to use grammar

Anyone else heard of council/HA supplying White goods? Damn sure I haven't, and all 3 of the places I've had were empty of EVERYTHING including floor coverings and in one toilet seats and light fittings were absent. Not shades, actual fittings.

Lavender, I asked because you gave the impression that you wished to join the discussion.

Magrettes bloody nonsense, even those on benefits have to provide their own white goods, unless of course the person concerned was in furnished accommodation.

Hand cream. I am lucky, I have no mortgage, but many, many years ago I made what I thought was the right choice and had an endowment mortgage. Fortunately I am in a position in which I have had easy access to a good education and am therefore able to interpret what newspapers etc, are saying. I changed my mortgage. It was down to luck, luck that I had a father who was intelligent and could see the advantage of educating his children, luck that I inherited his genes and therefore an enquiring mind able to interpret facts etc. Opportunity, free education etc. All these things add up to make our ability to make choices apt or otherwise. Sometimes bad choices are bad luck, sometimes they are bad decisions, but those making the bad decisions do not always have the ability to see how to make better decisions. There are also those who are coerced, have ended up on benefits via refuge and the like, where benefits are literally a safety net. Perhaps a little more thought around the subject before judging those less fortunate would be kind.

Neither council nor HA supply white goods in social housing. Hell, they don't even supply flooring

copy and paste is a terrible double-edged sword

I didn't mean to post all that, but a ranting "bingo" system with points awarded for "smoker" "plasma" "pets" etc might be worth it.

handcream surely when you pay in national insurance throughout your working life you're entitled to rely on the state to look after you should you need it. Isn't that what the money's for?

Well my milkman's great aunt's gardener's illegitimate frog's next door neighbour's stoat has a gulfstream, a Bugatti veyron and Hors to Australia every month on benefits. So nyer.

Oh and shite like the stuff about z4s on Motability have made my family's situation really difficult, so thanks.

More expensive cars always attracted a higher down payment before the lease started. Prestige vehicles come into that category but so do most people carriers. Because of the Daily Mail campaign no vehicle with a down payment of more than£2k can be leased.

Which means Galaxy/Sharan etc are out. I'd like to see any of you put 2 wheelchairs in the boot of a Fiesta. I tried. You can't.