To hope that some people now understand that it's not somebody's fault they're poor?

[Moomin8]

All of a sudden loads of people have had to claim UC

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/24/britain-benefits-rishi-sunak-claimants-austerity?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

Torsten Bell, head of the Resolution Foundation, says people on £50,000 salaries have been anxiously asking him about benefits rates. They’re in for a shock, he says.” Funny, that: before this crisis, those doing alright were adamant that benefit rates were too high. Now, they’re worried it’s the opposite.

Self-employed benefits are based on profit, so inflated expenses will be an object of regret.

I think on this thread (and in real life), many people attribute their success completely to hard work and savvy rather than acknowledging their good luck.

I don't think it's going to create any empathy towards people who claim benefits at all- infact I think it's going to further the divide and surge an influx of 'Why should 'they' get anything when this was not my fault/choice- I should/would get more if......'

I think we keep hoping to see some positives in people's attitudes at this time, but when it comes down to it, we really just seem to be a bunch of self involved, over privileged, indulged, deluded fuckwits.

As you were....

There might be more understanding of what life is like for people who have to live on benefits, but tax cuts and benefit increases are going to be out of the window for the next 5 years at least while we try and recover from the economic costs of shutting the country down.

Tax rates are pretty likely to increase quite significantly to pay for the people who are left ill or disabled either as a result of the virus or due to delays in treatment because of hospital unavailability; to pay for people whose jobs haven't come back; probably put the NHS on a sounder footing and repay the costs of borrowing - all that is before any additional costs of Brexit.

The attitude on here stinks.

Some people chose not to have an education/to have a low paid job? Some people CANT do academic work; they chose ‘not to have an education’ because it is beyond them/they haven’t got the support they need to do it. Not everyone is academically able and not everyone is resilient. So they do the jobs that they can do.

Who is the stupid poster who said her mum chose a low paid job so that she could care for children??? Fgs! She chose a job which enabled her to look after her children! Unfortunately, it was low paid. And if that person juggling childcare and work is a single parent, they are usually fucked

If hard work was what it took to get rich, then rural African women would be the richest people on the planet

There's a far higher proportion of workshy scroungers in middle management and the public sector than there is in the average dole queue. Sadly, people feel the need to look down on others to justify their own position and to shore up the lie that the successful always get there on merit. Now it's proven beyond any shadow of doubt that the people we really need for society to be able to function are generally low-paid, I suppose the deputy market research managers working from home need something to focus their spite on to keep feeling important.

Also, anyone on £50k a year should have a decent savings cushion just in case. I'm sick of hearing excuses about why not because it's a lot of money wherever someone lives.

What does surprise me though are these businesses and self employed workers not having a contingency plan (I mean the self employed contractors)

There is something gratifying about those people who have fiddled their taxes for years (tradespeople who give a slight discount for cash) now not able to prove how much they earned.
Overall it's a shocker, but pot-COVID maybe the cash-in-hand economy will decrease, which is good news.

Plus, every single one of you on this thread NEED those people to do the low paid jobs; cleaners, shelf stackers etc. So why the hell, should they be low paid/living in poverty. Your logic is saying

1. people chose to live in poverty
2. we need people to live in poverty

Which is actually the basis of capitalism, so don’t know why I am surprised/angry. Just thought people might have stopped being so thick over the last month or so. Clearly wealth isn’t related to intelligence is it

@TheBusDriver who has a contingency plan for a global pandemic/lockdown??

@Imcneil003 I had that conversation yesterday! The 'off the books' lot facing a bit of karma....

Hopefully, all this added pressure will see an end to UC
It's already been shown to not be fit for purpose before hundreds of thousands of people had to try and mass claim down to this. The old system was far easier and quicker.
It's needs to be scrapped immediately.

There's a far higher proportion of workshy scroungers in middle management and the public sector than there is in the average dole queue

@Alltheprettyseahorses, this sums it up perfectly 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Financial security is about 1) your background/support 2) opportunity 3) luck

@Pentium85 surely the current situation shows just how screwed we would be if no-one 'chose' low paid jobs like domestic carer, supermarket worker, factory worker on a food production line, nursing home carer (some of who are moving in and self isolating with their residents), hospital cleaner, nursery worker, HCA?

Or indeed how screwed we'd be if everyone chased the high paid jobs and ignored massively underpaid for the skills and effort needed jobs like, well, nursing?

We have to recognise as a society our everyday lives function because of these roles.

Hopefully, all this added pressure will see an end to UC

Are there people who actually think that this fiasco is going to result in more generous benefits?

I worry that many have not really contemplated what is just around the corner.

@Eskarina1 Well said.

@blackswan88

How exactly am I horrible? Some people, note the word some, choose not to be in employment or choose a low paid job. I have at no point said everyone does, and I have stated that sometimes circumstances leave someone with no choice.

@squirrelsbizaar

Yes, I would say my brother did miss out on somethings, but nothing major. And no, single parent family so that was only income.

@eaglejulesk

How it is judgemental to say that some, again note the word some, people choose to go into unemployment or a lower paid job. Not applicable to everyone, but some do.

@Pixxie7

Do you not understand the word 'some'? Because that means not everyone, so clearly I'm aware it isn't always a choice

@dylaninthemovies1 @Eskarina1

Not sure whether you're agreeing or disagreeing?

@MarginalGain i can certainly see the current crisis bringing an end to UC - I just don't think there is any real prospect at all of it being replaced with anything more generous.

I think it’s very different. One thing to need the safety net in times of crisis like now and quite another to have been using it for some time as you don’t work do part time, have children you aren’t self supporting etc.

What if you are like me...worked hard at school, got great grades etc but suffer from severe mental health issues and as a result has struggled to hold down higher paid but higher pressure professional roles? I also find politics at work impossible.
I also struggle with getting promoted for the same reason so seem to be stuck on lower paid roles despite the fact that i work hard.

There will be a LOT of people regretting not joining a union

How exactly am I horrible? Some people, note the word some, choose not to be in employment or choose a low paid job

Choosing to become a nurse (with 50k of student debt) with your 2/3 A levels instead of going into business/accountancy/law/finance etc etc by your reckoning is bad thing to do.

You use the word "some" to imply that many people chose to be poor, the reality is that its a tiny minority and the amounts spent on benefits for these folk is very little compared to the monies lost to the country through tax avoidance and evasion.

So some people choose a job that is poorly paid, some people choose self employment/running a business with the possibility of making more money but with less security. We all make choices.

This is unpopular clearly but I agree with @Pentium85 and @Miajk. Obviously this doesn't apply to everyone but there are certainly some who make a choice.

It may be a minority but some people do definitely decide not to work or work in a low paid job in order to get benefits.

I have neighbours both aged 27 who have 4 children, the youngest is 2. She doesn't work and hasn't for 6 years. She has only worked 2 years in the 10 years she left school. He has worked 6 years in the 10 years since leaving school.

He works 5 hours 5 evenings a week as a delivery driver. A job lots of people do as a second job!

He is therefore home all day so nothing stopping her getting a job except she doesn't want to. She says that. He also says he has no interest or reason to work more hours.

They have 2 cars. Old cars admittedly but they run. They both smoke, they both have up to date mobile phones.

Oh and they also have 3 cats and 2 dogs!