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!

It’s shouldn’t always pay more if you are disabled and unable to work.

But if you’re genuine why would you be worried? Makes no sense. I’m disabled, my son is disabled. They’re more than welcome to come round and see- got nothing to hide!

She's not, hundreds of thousands of them, anxiety my backside.

What's that got to do with the case in point? Why do people think you can only question one thing at a time?

Being genuine doesn't mean they'll award you though

Yes, I am well aware for that, as commonly happens a lot of people lose their entitlement to ESA when they lose their entitlement to PIP as its an easy way to save money for a few months as they have less evidence of a need.

Hi, I haven't implied anything. My experience is of people who avail of their perceived entitlement whilst someone else with same condition doesn't.
If people are unable to work due to disability, I fully support them getting the support they need and deserve

Why not?

Why should the disabled have a lower standard of living than able bodied people?

I have watched it and a lot of the programme was nonsense. I also work in a jobcentre in a deprived area - those 26k apprenticeships do not exist here and what ones do exist are highly competitive - hundreds will apply. Retail jobs - dwindling due to self service tills and online shopping - offer 4-12 hour weekly contracts. Very few people coming through the door do not want to work. And if everyone moves area due to rent costs - those cheap areas become expensive to live in, people lose support networks, placing more pressure on infrastructure and we become transient and lonely communities as well. Honestly, that programme had so many holes in it. The new white paper sounds promising - it seeks to create opportunities - that is a start. Trust me - you would not want to swap positions - it’s barely existing.

A friend has a brain injury, he can’t walk, he can’t talk, he has very little movement so he can’t type or write. His latest PIP assessment led to an award of 0. He’s about to be made homeless as he is unable to pay his rent, good luck to the council finding temporary housing he can physically enter!

Buying a used car is false economy. Especially if older than five years. Buying one to start with is a minefield, when using garages selling second hand cars. Been there, done that. The only way I could afford is to lease a car. In the long term a lot more economical than buying a second hand car (which itself can cost a couple of thousand pounds). I know people who have 15 year old cars that run okay. I also know a lot of people who have ancient cars who are hit with expensive repairs when their MOT comes around.

It’s not that simple They sound like my ND daughter although she doesn’t go the pub. If she was forced to get a job she’d take her own life or end up in hospital costing the tax payer ££££. Having both autism and adhd is debilitating She has a support worker and spent most of her teens in and out of hospital. She has an EHCP,PIP and UC. She has made some progress but unfortunately there is a long wait for the therapy she needs. She will get there but it needs to be at her pace. She wants to work but it will need to be in something that suits her and her ND.

No. It's just not true that "most pensioners have paid in all their lives".

Most people take more out of the system than they contribute, so they're already a drain.

Added to that there are many, many former SAHMs currently receiving a state pension who've contributed little or nothing, given that until not that many years ago it was very, very common for women to never work again after having a child.

Depending on disability...taxis to hospital and all appointments, different food requirements, home adaptations, extra expense on adaptions on holiday, dentistry, opticians expenses, laundry bills, anything other than basic aids and adaptations, stuff being broken, more expensive home, travel, car insurance, private diagnoses, podiatry, speech and language therapy, physio therapy heating, reliance on public transport, extra nanny or babysitting costs because of childs disability, first aid training, sign language teaching, bedding, crash mats, CCTV etc etc.

He can appeal and if necessary go to tribunal. If he genuinely can’t physically talk or walk I’m very shocked he didn’t qualify and this will be overturned at tribunal I almost guarantee it. It must have been the way he filled in the forms or an error if he didn’t get PIP with that level of disability tbh

When I finished Uni with no money and so no deposit to rent I slept on the floors and sofas of people I knew and walked to work from Dalston to Knightsbridge ( that’s 7miles, maybe 6 with shortcuts on foot ) every day as I had no money for the tube either.
In terms of food, luckily quite a few people at work had birthdays that first month so at least I had cake.
I know you’re all hearing violins but this is what some of us have had to do with no choice.

I understand that entirely but there are individuals who can manipulate the system for their own gains. I know someone who sought advice on appropriate wording for claim to ensure max chance of success.
As always, there are genuine people in need and others that aren't

This without a doubt.
Ever since the inception of the minimum wage and the availability of taxpayer-funded benefits to top up low income levels, we've had this problem. There is little or no incentive for people to work.

The only beneficiaries of this policy are the rich getting richer. Everyone else stays at the bottom with little hope of improving their lot.

I'm able to do some kind of work, but where is it? Where's the employer who'll take on someone who needs to work from home, who can't drive to an office or to various locations for on-site work, who may suddenly have to stop working in the middle of the day, who will need brain surgery with a significant recovery period at some point in the not too distant future?

I don't think going down to Tesco and setting out my requirements will be particularly successful.

The cases you highlight are still a tiny proportion of the adult population. Most people work, that's a fact. The programme is designed to cause outrage, akin to the Daily Mail, and it certainly succeeded with the op.

This is another example of how the system is flawed and in desperate need of an overhaul. Disgraceful that this man is deemed undeserving of support when there are others on this thread sharing they get 3-5k for less. The current system is failing and I don't understand how anyone can argue the opposite.

I completely agree! The NHS and schools
might fare better if we weren’t spaffing money away on nuclear deterrents, the military, and extortionate contracts that were handed out to all the bezzie mates & family members of the tory government for 14 years too.

But that doesn’t invalidate the point about benefits, does it? Feels like whataboutism or simply changing the subject because you’re uncomfortable. Do you think benefits for any one family should add up to equivalent of a 100k a year take home salary?

At least three separate posters on this thread have claimed their family receive that much. (I’m still not
convinced it’s not bots/propaganda but I’m not sure).

It really is rife. I see it a lot in my job. I honestly think this will be the area they really crack down on.

Because lots of disabled people are turned down regardless of the severity of their disability. You must be aware of this.

All that is why I said an Aygo. Mine's on 139k now and has had one clutch and a water pump since new.

I wouldn't try and run a Mondeo. But you don't need a lease if you buy something appropriate for your budget.