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?

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

Yes, Happy, because all people on benefits drink, smoke, go on foreign holidays and buy clothes every month. FFS.

Expat is right, us benefit scroungers, go the pub every night, start fights, smoke, swear at our kids, have 40 in tv's in every room, ipads and the such

It really gets my bloody nerves when people just assume people on benefits waste their money on shit they dont need. I dont smoke, drink, by clothes every month, I rarely go out, pretty much everything I own is either recycled from family, freecycle or brought dirt cheap from ebay. I shop at Iceland because Tesco and Sainsbury are sodding expensive. I dont go on holiday, I dont have sky or a contract phone. I make the best of what I have and being on JSA is absolute shit, give me a sodding job any day of the week.

[expatinscotland]

Oh, seriously! Schools do not all have libraries where kids can sit after the school closes and do homework! And you need to do job searches online. Plenty of areas now have NO library or a Job Centre with facilities for people to sit there online for 35 hours/week! You also must have a phone to allow the Job Centre to contact you, and yes, a mobile is often cheaper than a landline.

Welcome to the 21st century.

[ShumbTucker]

"What's the beef with benefits"

Some people can't stand the thought of someone else getting something for nothing or even worse, something they haven't got.

I've never claimed benefits but I don't begrudge my tax going to help people in society who need it and I certainly don't think we need to introduce vouchers for "necessities" only, people on benefits are people too. People who have children who don't understand that mum is "scum" therefore we can only have bread and water. Supporting vulnerable people in our society is what makes Great Britain great IMO. Most benefit claimants I know didn't leave school, get knocked up and put their hands out, many are the result of redundancies during the economic downturn or women who's partners fucked off and left them with nothing.

I'm lucky. I'm employed, my husband is employed and even in my poorest times my family have been in a position to support me but I'm not thick enough to count my chickens before they have hatched. Who knows what next week,next month or next year might bring? It might bring prosperity but equally it might bring hardship at least I'm reasonably sure we won't starve unless some of the posters here get their own way.

[ghostspirit]

people already look at people on benefits as scum... lets give them vouchers. and a big sticker on their head.

what about people on top up benefits. ?

[ShumbTucker]

That's shit Derek but it doesn't surprise me. I employed a young woman at the beginning of December who was sanctioned the month before for failing to attend her JS appointment because she was at an interview. I was speechless. She then went on to tell me similar stories to the ones you have posted here and I felt very sorry for her indeed. She is only trying to support her daughter in the best way she can, just like you and your Ds. I was overjoyed I could give her a job and end her misery, I wish you the best of luck too.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

I had a temporary job at Sainsburys with a view of it turning permanent, so I worked damn hard for them, only for them to cut me lose. So I'm back on JSA again.

I wish I could work for you Shumb.

[ghostspirit]

i also dont like the comment of should not have children if cant afford them if need childtax etc.... no one knows what money difficulties they will have when having children. and its not as simple as just save have money behinde you, if something gos wrong that money will soon be gone. working husband walks out. mum is up shit street. she then has to live with single parent on benefits stigma. and if she works and needs tops ups she has that stigma as well.

your situation is your situation its how it is. dont matter what anyone else gets and it does not mean they are bad/lazy/scum/scroungers or what ever just because they get something you dont... then things are not always what they seem....

[GilbertBlytheWouldGiftIt]

"Televisions and hand held technological gadgets are luxuries. Schools have libraries so techno homework could be done there or the local public library (preferable to the school library."

That'll be useful if your library doesn't happen to be one of the 200 local libraries that were closed in 2012 alone then?

[ilovesooty]

No access to the Internet? Unable to update universal job match on Christmas day? - sanctioned.

How many libraries open on bank holidays?

[ghostspirit]

ha ha derek my eyes water at the thought

[ilovesooty]

Oh and if you manage to get a half hour slot in a library have you seen the charges got printing and photocopying?

[GilbertBlytheWouldGiftIt]

Surely there could be some kind of big house for all these children of paupers to go and live in? And perhaps they could do some kind of manual labour while they are there?

[Dawndonnaagain]

Woowoo What you are saying is the poor shouldn't have children. Who decides how much is enough to bring up a child?

[GilbertBlytheWouldGiftIt]

While I'm at it, the families of benefit claimants could all live and work in a communal dwelling, while toiling away at their Workfare.

Maybe there could be a name for them, these Houses for Work...

[GilbertBlytheWouldGiftIt]

My DS is quite small, probably fit handsomely up a chimney.

[ghostspirit]

bring back the work houses...

[Territt16]

I dont see the problem with supporting family's that lose there jobs, but at the moment so many unemployed people have kids when out of work, this needs to be stopped.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

My DD is quite good at hovering and polishing, she could do cleaning, she wont notice that she never sees mummy who's too busy working 16 hour days for a pittance.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

And perhaps they can sterilise us so we cant inflict any more pauper unwashed children on the world with our evil wombs/sperm.