Dispatches- Britain’s Benefit scandal

[Sunnywalker]

Anybody watched this? It’s made me so angry. Some highlights include a company that can’t recruit an apprentice on 26k because sickness benefits would amount to 24k so it wouldn’t be worth it. 500,000, 25-34 years old on long term sick, a woman who has never had a FT job and claims 35k in benefits, this lady would like to work but says will never achieve the same income if she worked.

This country is bankrupt, public services crumbling! What is going on? Why isn’t there an overhaul!

A friend has a severe brain injury and lives in an assisted living facility, what job do you suggest for someone who can’t walk, speak or type?

No, you offered sympathy to a woman whose child had very visible disabilities for struggling to claim PIP. No problem there. But then said: "And I know people who are seemingly without any obvious disability ( and I appreciate that not all disability is visible) claiming PIP. It seems that there are people who know how to play the system." You implied that people with invisible disabilities were somehow less worthy than those with visible disabilities for support. Why did you do that? Also how do you do know they're not disabled? You say you "appreciate not all disabilities are visible" but do you? Because, honestly, it doesn't sound like it.

If a cleaner (often thought of as the lowest job anyone can do) was paid more than basic benefits, enough to run a single home and a reasonable holiday every year, there would be zero incentive to be on benefits.

People shouldn't make assumptions. Many cleaners are self employed and charge anywhere up to £50 per hour for deep cleans. Some delivery drivers are surprisingly well paid too, making anywhere up to £450 on a good day with bonuses.

£5,500 per month !! Wow 😮 f hell .. the system is broken

It is relevant though. The claim that people 'can just get a job' clearly doesn't apply in many cases.

The amount was obviously too low. Could you live on £400 a month? What are people supposed to do eat fresh air?

Hate all the talk about how it’s a show of moral character. I have relied on PIP for almost a decade as I’m disabled. I dislocate all my joints regularly and live in pain, walk with a walking stick etc. I also WORK. I work 2 days a week as a teacher. I’d love to be full time but I would end up hospitalised. They recently significantly cut my benefits and now I am in a really shitty position financially and I don’t know how I will survive. Some of us have a good moral character but we’re unlucky enough to be born disabled.

The mother gets carers allowance for looking after the dad and the dad gets carers allowance for looking after the mother

That's insane.

The last of the tax credit claimants will be migrated to UC this year. And tax credits were generous with little oversight whereas UC, despite what they say, usually pays less and comes with commitments. The only people who can just about afford to live on benefits will be those in rented housing with children under 3, or with disabilities. It’s really not an easy life despite what the media would have you believe. There is also a lot of working cash in hand while claiming so the figures are skewed.

I agree that the real problem is the cost of living and that wages haven’t kept up. Cost of childcare is extortionate.

And probably untrue.

And this is why more and more family members are refusing to care for elderly reletives. Because of attitudes like this. I wont be caring for my elderly mother. Ive already contacted SS. Im not going to run myself fucking ragged only to be looked down on by people like you.

You’re taking the posters quote out of context. As has been said repeatedly on here, people such as your friend are not the ones being discussed here. Obviously people with a severe brain injury are not being told they should work.

Why has she not worked?

I think benefits play an important role in society. I do believe in a progressive society there should be a from of support when people are unable to work. A close family member had a devasting medical episode and went from earning 70k+ to relying on benefits overnight. We should take care of these members of our community.

On the other hand I absolutely do know of people who abuse the system and there are flaws in the system that mean people who are capable of work are taking advantage. And of course to people who are working do resent that. And it is a fair complaint.

Complaining about the obvious flaws in the system does not mean that people are opposed to all people on benefits or the concept of benefits.

I agree, but that doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye to others abusing the system. The two are not mutually exclusive.

The idea that someone on a low wage would even consider leasing a car aside, many people on low wages run a car as it is the only way they can get around. It's far cheaper for me to drive to work than to take public transport. I could take the bus which would be cheaper but coming home again I would have to walk the last 4 miles. Public transport is dire and expensive in this country and £393.45/month will not go far whether you have a car or not.

Because it's not based on diagnosis and everyone is affected differently?

Apparently, the biggest age group affected is 18-24. Is it any wonder this age group is suffering when CAHMS is on its knees, with a 6-month-plus waiting list for support for most areas, Sure Start, who would have helped at the early stages, is gone, and you have virtually no chance of getting a face to face GP appoint or any other support outside of CAHMS until you turn 18?

We need a serious overhaul and massive investment in mental health services if we ever want to get these people back into work.

Yet when my mum had to leave work and care for my dad after he had a heart attack and stroke (one day after he retired), they didn't get a single penny as they had worked and saved all their lives!

I am sure the tv show was right-wing propaganda. However whenever there is a thread like this on Mumsnet, there are always posters that say things like “oh, DH and I get £5,500 a month in benefits”. Are these right-wing propaganda bots? Or is it real?? It actually makes me feel sick.

I kill myself every week at a stressful corporate job for just over £3,000 a month (70k after tax/student loan/pension). Working all hours of day and night around kids. My husband works all hours of day and night in a minimum-wage caring role. If these kinds of benefits are real, I actually do feel really sick about it.

As for all the comments saying “well most of that money goes on housing benefits and people don’t get to see it”. Er, yeah and? Most working people’s salaries go on their mortgage payments or extortionate rents. How is that any different?

I wish I could get to the bottom of whether these £5,000k a month type figures that Mumsnet users post are actually real?

There is a massive difference between being able to work full time, and refereeing for a few hours a week, can you not see that? Your post is full of the usual rubbish tbh.

If the wheelchair is prescribed via the enablement’s centre
get a letter from your doctor confirming the wheelchair is prescribed via the EC for yours mothers mobility
But if your mum is terminally ill she should get it

I’ve filled out several PIP forms for friends and family over the years and advised them on what to get / what letters they need and they have all been awarded the highest rates

what many people forget is it’s not the actual illness but how the illness affects your ability to do every day stuff

It's actually being called a good role model - both my father and my husband's father ran their own businesses, working all hours to provide us with a reasonable standard of living. It can, and should be done. Thanks to their example both me and my husband worked - not always easy, juggling holiday clubs etc. But my daughter has had the benefit of our example and giving her boys a positive example, as well as paying tax to enable these people to take it easy. If everyone went down your route, this is what leaves the generations welfare dependent. I despair at this attitude. I hope the government do tighten up the system so it's not open to flagrant abuse.

He currently is as he scored 0 at his last PIP renewal.

I work 24 hours a week, have a partner too unwell to work and disabled DC and with my wages combined with my UC it is above this

Savings do not affect your entitlement to Carer's Allowance.