To think the cost of living payment should have been paid differently?

[muddlinthroughit]

Would like to think 99% of people have used it as it's meant, to help with food, fuel etc

However, on my socials today I have seen 1 person spend it on nails and 2 tattoos, and another on a PS5....

Not sure that's what it's meant for?

We have put ours aside for food and power and to help with Xmas

So what did you mean? As that’s what you inferred?

No but I don’t think anyone should be entitled to help if they’re not willing to help themselves. There’s very little reward in being a ‘responsible’ citizen now, which is a shame (I’m not talking about the majority of people who claim UC who work bloody hard in poorly paid jobs). Life isn’t free - nobody is owed a lifestyle, just a life.

So if the person who fritters the money finds they can't feed their kids, then they should be denied the payment because they were not sensible? Who suffers there? The kids. Tough though eh? Cos mum went to a nail bar and got McDs for tea.

UC and the CoL payments are not a reward for being responsible. It sounds as if you think it should be.

But surely this scheme is aimed at reaching the most vulnerable - benefit claimants, disabled, elderly. Someone on a reasonable enough wage to not get top ups generally isn't vulnerable and arguably they are doing it better than a pensioner living o na basic pension with no means to earn extra but they're 86.

Which is why it should come in the form of a voucher that can be spent on food, utilities etc. Then they wouldn’t be able to waste it would they?

Ah, now it is all coming out.
You think the poor are too stupid to be trusted with money to spend as they wish.

Yes, that’s exactly what I said, word for work 🙄

Lets say we go and give the dad more cash to spend as he likes. Why do you think second time round he would spend it on his hungry kids? He didn’t spend it on them the first time.

It would be much better to spend the public money on universal free school dinners etc than handing a deadbeat dad a few hundred quid to treat himself to a PS5.

Will we get a choice of places to buy food from?

OK Cuppa so how does this work?

There's £326 available but you need to submit three months of bank statements and receipts for anything spent on cash. Theyre then looked at and as long as its not frivolous spending, and you're have less than £100 in the bank with no pending payments in the next three weeks you qualify? If there's a MacDonalds or an Entertainer etc on there they reduce the £326 accordingly. If its Asda or ShoeZone recipes to prove its necessities. If its Tesco recipes to prove there's no chocolate, treats etc. If so, deducted accordingly.

Does that work for you?

Perhaps if they have kids they could go to a special shelter for tea where the only feed the kids whilst the parents sit on the side supervising and learning their lesson?

Maybe they've gone shopping

@SleepingStandingUp no that would be patronising. I just think it would’ve been better to give a voucher that can be spent on food, toiletries, utilities etc. Rather than cash to line the pockets of PlayStation and cigarette companies.

Yanbu, benefits are too generous

God no, you'll spend it all on chocolate and pizza. You can have a milk voucher, a potato voucher, a carrot voucher, an apple voucher etc.

Chocolate and pizza are food. The kids would be fed albeit maybe not nutritiously 🤷🏼‍♀️ It’s more edible than a games console anyway.

Phew! As long as I can spend them anywhere - Marks and Spencers is my current butter provider (cheaper than Aldi!).

The corner shop had better take my coca cola vouchers for when I have a hypo...

Go claim them then.

Don’t bother with coke, so few carbs - I have lucozade for mine, or orange juice 😊

Oh and you don't think giving food vouchers to the majority of claimants who don't waste their money on the basis that a couple of people do isn't patronising? Not to mention humiliating

Shouted across the sho pa's everyone stares "Sandra, are we taking these vouchers now? No not the Xmas Card, these ones they give the poor families"

Get to the til "Sorry love, we've stopped taking those, Cash only"

Get to the til with the kids "Sorry you can't buy chocolate with these, you need to put it back if you've not no money. Essential foods only"

And as if someone couldn't sell those vouchers for cash if they so wanted. Or do you need to provide 3 pieces of ID which rules out all those with no passport or driving license.

You want butter, get a job or one that pays better. Margerine for you my love!!

No, it would just be a prepayment card with contactless or similar. Nobody would even know 🤷🏼‍♀️ You can’t avoid every single unpleasant feeling or emotion in life. My budget for DD’s Christmas presents this year is £30, there will be a lot of walking round shops adding things up and putting stuff back.

OP, I've only read your first post but honestly - you're hoiking your bosom at what you think other people are spending their cost of living payments on. Why are you using yours for Christmas? Totally unnecessary. I mean.. if it's for food and fuel, why are you wasting this money on frivolity?

I can't think that you meant this thread in any way other than a judgemental pile on for a Friday. I hope you get your arse handed to you.

Mind your own business and keep your swivelly eyes on your own money, not other people's.

It isn’t ‘other people’s’ though it’s public spending. We are all entitled to comment on it if we wish.

Maybe the dad bought a PS5 for the kids after a tough time. Maybe they lost their mum?

Reminds of when people were screaming about killing grannies whenever someone brought craft supplies during lockdown.. even though some could have been using crafts to help with their mental health.

Free school dinners wont help single childless people on UC.

I’m willing to bet it wasn’t for that reason.

No you can't, but setting up a system that is basically working to humiliate people for not being good enough is easily avoided. And why is this money specifically for food anyway? Why do you get to decide that is what it's for? It's a cost of living payment. Maybe I want to put it on my electricity? Maybe the washing machine broke - now I've got to to use your card for food and put £20 a week away from my food bill until I can afford £300 for a new one. Because you've decided that's what everyone should spend it on.

As it is, the first one just got absorbed into life because I'd had a glitch with my tax credits. The disability one will be withdrawn. The Nov one will be withdrawn separately to save in case we have a calamity. You have zero grounds to tell me that's wrong and yet by insisting I should have food vouchers that's what you're doing