Aibu to think that using financial penalties to punish people for not having money should be banned??

[Lanark2]

You know, banks who charge you more money when you don't have enough money, councils who fine people for sleeping rough, dvla fines for people who struggle to pay car tax and council tax fines for people who can't pay their council tax. Its completely mental.. Isn't it?

Don't forget that banks have recently had to repay a lot of the money they unjustly charged the poor. If you had a direct debit for £10 and there was £8.99 in your account, the bank would bounce the direct debit and charge you £35 for doing so, then charge you for being overdrawn... There was no justification for charging such a large amount and it simply made people's situation worse. WRT to people not being able to pay council tax, for example, allowing bailiffs to add on 'enforcement' fees they pulled out of their arses could hardly be said to help, either.

What a lot of you bucketheads don't seem to get is that many people in poverty are there for reasons which have nothing to do with their own behaviour. Zero-hours contracts, austerity, workfare and the gig economy are making things more and more unsustainable.

bucketheads

If you have to resort to name calling, you have definitely lost any argument you might have been having.

Not to mention the nasty judgmental streak you display.

And a lovely display of ignoring what some people have actually posted.

And yet the rich get richer...agree SolidGoldBrass, many people in poverty are there not because of any fecklessness on their part but because of zero hour contracts, austerity and the like.
Also, it can just take one negative life event like illness, a major household bill, a partner leaving or a sudden job loss for things to quickly spiral out of control.
How many people actually have a financial buffer for when that happens? If you look at some studies, most people of working age are something like two paydays away from financial hardship. That's not first world economics. Its squeezing people until the pips squeak. And there's something horribly Victorian about that.

I'm with sgb on this. There has been a distinct whiff of holier than though on this thread ignoring complex reasons why people get into financial problems.

Ourblanche decides to argue about the way we 'should' argue. Nice one!

What a lot of you bucketheads

How nice....

Its a topic that rightly or wrongly stirs up passion, indignation and in some cases...debate and discussion. Bring it on!

Not really, Lanark. I just prefer an honest debate. Not one based on misinformation, name calling and belligerence.

...hope that's satire..

Um...

Me? What issue? The issue that you are being a bit of a plank?

You are being illogical, and I suspect you know it!

In what way?

It is strange how for people for whom pound means the most, more are charged for the same 'midemeanor' than to wealthier people. Its odd

Sorry Lanark - I was just quoting an earlier ourblanches post to highlight the hypocrisy.

I agree with what you're saying.

Excellent post, SolidGoldBrass. There seems to be this idea that if only poor people bucked their ideas up they could be living in a smart semi, running two cars and having three holidays a year. If only they tried harder. This comes from people who know no better and have never struggled, and also from those who have but managed to create a better life for themselves - and if they can do it, everyone can. If only it were so easy. Disability, even a short term illness, can royally fuck things up for many years, if not permanently. Cuts to services and agencies designed to help those in most need haven't helped. The cost of living has risen while wages have stagnated.

For some people, there is no way out of poverty. As a country, we should be thoroughly ashamed that is so.

Hi Lanark, going off topic a bit but considering you say you only earn around 900 a month, I think you would be entitled to tax credits to top up your income, and possibly some housing benefit, and possibly some council tax reduction, as well as possibly some help with health costs (dentist charges etc). Have you done a benefits check for yourself? I don't think it sounds like you are accessing everything you're entitled to. Maybe this is something you could look into to help yourself through this rough patch. All the best, and ignore some of the people on this thread who clearly don't know what they're talking about.

YANBU.

I do wonder if fining 'crimes of poverty' is supposed to encourage people to work more in some weird right-wing way of thinking. Madness.

YANBU.

I do wonder if fining 'crimes of poverty' is supposed to encourage people to work more in some weird right-wing way of thinking. Madness.

Yeah Amarok

Cos if you havent got living proof that you have had sex without contraception its fine to just scrape by

YY Solid And tenants cant fine their landlords when the cowboy workmen ruin the tenants belongings.

The tenant gets told to claim on their contents insurance which will put their premiums up the following year.

And this is a social landlord.