to wonder why people are entitled when it comes to benefits and general life?

[toomuchentitlement]

It is becoming increasingly obvious, from threads here and conversations with people IRL, that quite a lot of people are so entitled. Obviously, everyone is anxious about the budget coming out on the 8th and what the proposed cuts will be, and so most of the talk has been revolving around benefits and the Tories (the party and those who voted for them). It is beyond frustrating how much entitlement there is in this country!

Firstly, there are people who have lots of children and then complain that the government doesn’t give them enough to feed their children. Well – the government (i.e. the taxpayer) had no part in having these children so should you not be grateful for whatever amount they do give you? I firmly believe that when you have children, they are your responsibility. This is where people say ‘Should it only be the rich that have children?’. No , just those who can afford children – if you can only afford one then stop at one. If you cannot afford any , without ANY state help, then do not have any. If you choose to have more children than you can afford to have, then you accept that you and your children will suffer as a result of your selfish decision. Yes, I totally understand that sometimes you can have children that you can afford and then life changes course; these are not the circumstances that I’m talking about. I’m talking about people who are struggling with the children they have (or don’t have) and then decide to have more. Someone will talk about contraception failing – which is rare- and even then you have choices; abortion, adoption, keep your children and struggle.

Second key area I have noticed is about housing. So many people argue that they shouldn’t have to move house ( to find a job or to be in a cheaper area) because they have family around or they grew up in a certain area. Absolutely you don’t have to move – if you can afford to stay where you are without state help! If you are relying on the state to help you and complaining about lack of jobs, then you will have to move somewhere cheaper. Plenty of people move. Family will still be family wherever you are.

Finally (well there’s a lot more but I realised I’ve typed a lot) , is regarding work. There quite a few people who absolutely believe that we shouldn’t have to work more than part-time because its not family friendly. On some threads, I have noticed people make snide comments about ‘ what a shame they live to work and not work to live’ and insinuate that these are bad people. They will bitch about these people and tear down people in highly-paid jobs but then turn around and demand more from them (in tax). My point being ; if you do not approve of full time work or highly paid jobs, why then do you want to take so much from these people who earnt the money doing what you don’t approve of?

This was mainly to vent because it is getting ridiculous and I didn’t want to shout at my friends and family (the ones who also behave this way). Apologies for any typos in the very long post !

I know. I have PIP. But I am simply telling you what I have read on autism support sites (I do not have autism). The point is, without clear physical signs like legs that can not move, they are relying on what you tell them. And it depends whether they believe it or not.

PIP also gets rid of the lower rate that was for DLA. It only has the middle and higher rate. So it is harder to get.

But all other cuts affect the most severely disabled.

Ada I had psychiatrists reports, psychologists letters, and a whole load of evidence. I was told due to being "well dressed" and having an "academic background" I couldn't possibly suffer from my MH conditions.

So you got lucky, many of us don't

We need children. We need to avoid an ageing population. You need enough babies being born to ensure that they will be enough people paying taxes into the system to pay for the increasing number of pensioners in the future

I never get why people say this. It means an upside down pyramid. Totally unsustainable for the future, the economy will eventually implode.

Not really anywhere close to I'm alright jack. It's about whether you meet the eligibility criteria for that benefit surely?

If you need support for an element then you argue the case or get your advocate to argue it.

What I've found is people don't ask the assessor what their qualifications are either. I know I got lucky and had a medic with a special interest in my condition, but that could also have gone against me aswell. Also people I know just accepted the rejection letter, they didn't bother to appeal. It made no sense.

If you genuinely need it you should be able to get enough points to claim. You only need 8 points to get the low rate!

Yabu

People have been receiving tax credits for years and may factor them into decision making to have another baby or not. Or to take a job or not. They were actively encouraged to claim them. So it wouldn't be fair now for them to suddenly loose hundreds (potentially) a month just so some Tory voters can 'punish' the poor or feckless or undeserving.

The great thing about tax credits is they give more money to poorer people and help relieve child poverty. Yes they are not perfect but The alternate is punish children and increase poverty.

Thankfully most people didn't vote Tory nor wanted to punish benefit claimants, poor people , disabled people or immigrants. Thankfully most people are decent and care about others and not just themselves.

PTSD, GAD, ASD and ADHD if anyone's curious what the conditions you can apparently tell by someone's dress sense are

Ada I had a general nurse and an opthamologist on my appeal. They had no knowledge of mental health.

I used to think that too OP. But I had a mental break down and left work recently and shamefully have had to claim benefits. Totally made me realise how judgemental I was being, having not been in other people's situations and knowing nothing about why they need to claim, until I was in such a position myself. I have nothing but sympathy for people who are down on their luck and need to claim.

For mental health they're shocking. I really sympathise with you. I got written in my report 'showed no signs of anxiety, do not believe they have this condition' so essentially calling me a liar.

It's the inconsistency that's the bastards od it

Anyway...as I asked earlier. Why aren't pensioners being affected?

toomuch, I'm talking about many things, but largely the debt-based money system as a whole and how we all pay into it, essentially to finance the super-rich.

If anyone's interested, have a look here:

positivemoney.org/

But also I'm talking about wealthy land owners continually charging the rest of the population for the use of their generations-old land, and so on. As well as many of the examples already given.

Really, we (assuming you're not one of the top 1% of earners in the country) need to stop bickering amongst ourselves about this and see where all the money really goes.

Ada that's awful. I got asked really patronising questions like "do you have a Facebook?"

I wouldn't mind the criteria as much if they got a professional in the persons disability assessing them, not someone with no knowledge ticking a sheet basing it on stereotypes

I agree. But you can ask for a different assessor if the person doing your assessment isn't qualified in your conditions.

I've heard it's best to get a paramedic but not sure. Mine was a nurse.

And, to be perefctly blunt, we don't need the long term unemployed and unemployable to have lots of children.

You need a lesson in history, then come back and vilify those who are entitled to benefit, it isn't their fault.

Oh. Dear. Where to begin?

An inverted pyramid is what you get with an ageing population and not enough babies being born.

jellybeans

You are totally right and what pisses me off people like me and my family who will lose tc and be able to manage, don't feel entitled or moan.
How the hell can we when we read the threads above.
I personally feel sorry for the disabled, ill, unemployed, and the couples struggling to raise their dc whilst both working.
OP, the more I look at your thread the more of a gf you seem to be, I don't see people moaning who don't need the benefit.

Thing is that underemployment is a big problem. People who can't get enough hours not people who won't. Which begs the question if there aren't enough hours to go around is it better to have less or more people employed.
But once you take out all the pensions and the in work benefits then you're saving dribs and drabs on a small slice of benefits.

People keep saying the disabled are being adversely affected but as a disabled person and one who works I can't see where these cuts are happening.

Disabled people who need to use social care services have seen huge cuts to their support packages. Lots of people have had their mobility allowance (and therefore motability cars) removed because they can walk 20metres (even if they can only walk 20metres in pain and using walking aids).

Just two examples.

Ada I didn't know you could ask for someone different, I wish I'd done that

Christ. I have paid tax for 30 years. I have no kids and have received a total of £50 in benefits in my life. I don't begrudge a penny of it to the disabled, to the long-term unemployed, to parents with 8 kids, to alcoholics, drug addicts ex prisoners. Not one penny.

I begrudge the people at the top who have so much more than they need but still begrudge a decent standard of living to others because 'we can't afford it' then tell the people of the bottom they are just envious then harp on about working hard for their money, like the poor never do. Who would blame the poor and the powerless for poverty and inequality and pity the rich for having to pay tax on the extra riches they've accumulated since the financial crisis.

People seem to fall hook line and sinker for these Daily Mail stereotypes. Wtf is wrong with people! Who would want to make the working poor and disabled poorer and lives harder!

ChuffinAda - An advocate for the PIP interview?? You are joking? There is such a long waiting list for any help that I had to do it all myself, even though I was not really well enough physically to cope with the interview.
Or maybe you have a condition which happens to be one of the few that well funded charities behind it. Most of us do not.

Again the mobility side. I can walk 20meters but I can't do it consistently and for a sustained period of time so I got high marks for that. The assessor told me they can and have to make allowances for the sustainability of an activity.

Yeah I didn't know you could ask either but I had a very very good support worker from the CAB help me with my application. I wish more things like that were public knowledge!

An advocate can be a family member or friend it doesn't have to be a formal advocate.

Brilliant post, waffly.