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?

Child benefit is also removed from benefits, it counts as 'money you already have coming in', so you don't get benefits and Child benefit.

Of course people with children can lose their jobs but it depends on the person as to the effect it has. Those with a good work ethic etc will put all their energy into finding work and will take any job that comes along and move when something better comes up. Others will simply claim benefits and do the bare minimum to look for work expecting to either remain on benefits or for the perfect few hours a week school term time only job to be handed to them on a plate.

Likewise those on IS, most either have another child to get round the change to JSA to wait until JSA kicks in before they even attempt to look for work. God forbid they look for work before that happens rather than moan about the change in benefits and criteria.

People have this warped view that everyone on benefits is there because they are vulnerable when the reality is that many chose them as a way of life.

4. Subsidise childcare. This will make work pay and remove the poverty trap for single parents and couples in low paid employment

I agree with all your points but just want to add to the above. Not all single parents live in poverty or only work at minimum wage. Plenty of single parents earn very good money and don't receive any state support at all. I think too many people think single parent = benefit scrounger of the Channel 5 variety and it's simply not true.

I would like to see childcare not only subsidised so that those working at the lower end of the wage spectrum are able to support their families (single or otherwise) but I would also like to see extended childcare made the norm so that single parents in particular can work in a field that suits their skills and experience (if your husband dies and you're a nurse working on shifts, for example, with no family locally, finding childcare to support you working nights is near impossible). Having 24 hour childcare readily available would remove a massive barrier to working that many single parents face, in my opinion.

I would also like to see increased support for study and training for single parents and single women at two levels: (1) to help those who have spent 25 years bringing up a family and caring for elderly relatives only to have their husband run off with his 25 year old secretary as you near retirement to find fulfilling employment for the remainder of their working life. Many single women have previous training they can't afford to update (think JSA sanctions if they're not available for work, no/little support for training courses) or never used because they married and became stay at home parents. (2) acknowledge that just because a young single parent got pregnant earlier than some consider desireable, she shouldn't have to spend her life on minimum wage and provide genuine training and study opportunities accordingly.

There is way too much 'I dragged myself up from nothing and I'm a millionaire' mentality that seeks to ignore the massive barriers some people face in getting a leg up in the world. Indeed, I think it sometimes serves the majority to have a minority to look down on and lord knows, we don't want that minority getting ideas above their stations, do we?!

Those with a good work ethic etc will put all their energy into finding work and will take any job that comes along and move when something better comes up. Others will simply claim benefits and do the bare minimum to look for work expecting to either remain on benefits or for the perfect few hours a week school term time only job to be handed to them on a plate

You really don't have the first idea do you?

This notion f 'limiting child tax credit to 2 children only'

Why??

Why 2? woo can you explain?

Is 2 the ideal? What about step/blended families? Twins?

People don't need the job centre to get a job, I don't know anybody who got work through an advert in there etc. It's a wonder how those already working manage to move jobs isn't it

Ilovesooty, jobs may not be as abundant as they were some years ago but there is still plenty of work out there if you are not picky.

I am going to say something to you Noe Daisy that you won't like, but tough!
I think if a single mum wants to stay at home and raise her children then she should be allowed to do so, if mother's were not thrown out to work regardless of the child's welfare or the parents situation. Women would not be feeling that desperate where they felt their only option was to have another child.
I know plenty of married/partered women that don't work, would you be as critical of them.

One more thing Daisy, picking on the poor and vulnerable and down trodden will not go down well with most people

i have one of them term time only jobs yaaaay :P

and yeah of course you need job centre they got to tick their boxes. im quite sure people looking for jobs dont just look in the job centre probably look in different places as well, but they job centre are meant to help and as i say boxes need to be ticked.

when the reality is that many chose them as a way of life.

No Daisy this is your opinion, it isn't a reality. As I stated earlier, many studies have been done, including by the highly respected Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which prove, categorically, that this isn't the case. Those that actively choose to live on benefits are in fact a very, very small minority.

It's so easy to judge when you've only experienced one side of a situation though Derek. That's why Shiny Dave is so self assured.

Ilive, that's your opinion and you are entitled to it just like I am to mine. I personally think its a waste of taxes and education for a person to chose not to work and given that millions manage to work and parent then there's no reason not to. A vulnerable person varies in view, I'd see that as a young person leaving care not an adult stating they can't possibly be expected to work as they have a child.

Derek, the sanctions need to be tough. Given how many manage to stay on JSA for so long and not manage to find any kind of work then they need to be tough.

There will never be a policy that everyone will agree on but the playing field could be more level, less could be paid out so it could be better spent elsewhere and we could make it a system to be proud of rather than one that's constantly picked up by TV companies showing it for the laughing stock it is.

How do sanction help someone to find a job?

There's tough and then there's downright stupid and prohibitive daisy

Daisy of course you're entitled to your opinion, as long as you stop presenting it as fact!

What do you know about sanctions? How many people have died due to sanctions? How many people have ended up at the food bank because of sanctions? Do you consider being sanctioned for going to a job interview reasonable?

Daisy I work in employability advice. I know it what's out there and how difficult the process of getting into work is when you're facing barriers already. Do tell us all what your knowledge and experience is based on. I'm sure some of us would love to know.

She can't Derek

She will just pontificate from inside her little bubble while knowing nothing. People with her smug ignorant mindset make me sick.

I think it is because society is based upon competition and not caring. It's all about who has or does what. It isn't about lets make sure we all have enough/nice things but about who is deserving and who isn't.

People go to work to pay for their lifestyle/roof over head etc and to get things and they don't like people who don't work to have more nice things than them. And some working mums/dads are resentful that they have to work and don't see their DC as much yet some mums/dads not working get to stay home.

Yet if you concentrate on being happy in your own life, it doesn't matter so much what others have- whether they work/don't work.

I don't judge those on benefits, I think it is good they have enough to live on (and many don't). But too many do judge.

That's the thing Daisy, it's much easier for those already in employment to move jobs because employers don't like gaps in employment history and would rather take someone one who has had had very recent employment or is already working in the industry. It's a vicious cycle.

I have no doubt there are people who choose benefits as a lifestyle choice but from my own experience (and clearly many others here), paid employment is the preference for most on benefits.

i'll give you an example of the main"beef" with benefits. My Bil aged 60 served with the army for 25 years, then worked as an electrician for the next 20. Paid all his contributions, never ever been on the dole or claimed any assistance.......until now. Getting loads of grief from the job center, treating him like dirt and giving him such a hard time because he dares to ask for some assistance (to which he's perfectly entitled, having paid into the system).
Food banks have been set up all over the country because people are getting the hated "sanctions" where all money is cut off for up to 8 weeks for something that often isn't their fault. For example a job center will demand why you didn't turn up for an interview, when no letter was ever sent out.
Someone I know got a sanction because they were late by 5 minutes for signing on, but it was because the person in front had taken more time up than they should.
It's not a crime to be poor, and to have to rely on benefits, but the government would have us believe it is. The only "beef" with benefits, is caused by a government who allow people in this country to go cold and hungry while giving billions of pounds in aid to countries (think India) who don't even want it.