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!

what is it you suggest she does with her disabled children? put them in care?

I mean you must realise that childcare for disabled children isn't easy to come by. And that even when children are in school (and finding a suitable place can be difficult leaving children at home for prolonged periods), schools can demand that you attend to deal with whatever problem the child may be exhibiting, or even only offer partial days of education leaving fitting in work complex or impossible. Let's not beat about the bush, if she decides to put her children in care, that's going to cost the state and the tax payer many thousands more every month and the OP is currently given in benefits.

thank god people like you exist, eh? to come along and point out to her the difficulties she will face further down the line when the benefits stop. Does it occur to you that her children's disabilities might be such that they are never able to live independently?

Quick question : did you once run the country for 49 days?

a living wage, companies want cheap labour to make a profit, well why not have a better business model instead

No I don't mind you asking! My husband is unable to provide childcare as he had a stroke last year - prior to this he was working full time - this is the cost of breakfast and after school club 4 days per week and childminder full time (with 30 hours free childcare)

We would need to flood the market with rental property, landlords have been selling up not buying up
Supply and demand

Don't envy people on benefits, even if they have them illegally
Yes, we are all aware of young couples with kids , two healthy young adults and kids, all sitting all day long and watching telly. The majority don't have enough money for holiday, so their kids just roam the streets and get pregnant early also. We are not animals and we are not called to such a life. They have the home and food paid off, but that is all. Lack of motivation leads to character ruin and all kinds of moral degradation which will come with extremely nasty eternal consequences

What on earth are you on about?
It isn’t a ‘gotcha’ no, whatever that means.
It’s a comment on people like you that bemoan others receiving help from the state and not taking ‘personal responsibility’ whilst failing to acknowledge that you are exactly the same, having received an immense benefit at the cost of the taxpayer that has, undoubtedly, enriched your life immeasurably.

Which won’t happen. The government came in for a bashing that still hasn’t died down over cutting the winter fuel allowance. Can you imagine the furore if they cut PIP support ? I think what’s likely to happen is that the eligibility criteria are likely to be tightened, and possibly a new, lower rate of daily living/mobility, as with DLA - this would cut the amount spent in the long term on those who have low level or short term conditions.

They also need to look at DWP mandatory reconsideration and tribunal procedures. They’ve come in for fierce criticism for the number of claimants having to turn to expensive tribunal just to get a fair decision. And most of them win. So the focus should be on saving money by forcing DWP to carry out a proper review at the MR stage instead of allowing cases to go forward to tribunal which cost the tax payer a fortune, and which the DWP have little chance of winning. It adds to the disability benefits bill in the most unfair way,

But she doesn’t need someone to help her get dressed or washed and she to,d me she had said that on her form because she told me to say the same for my dc and get pip! She’s quite capable of telling her GP that she needs this help. 🤷‍♀️. Doesn’t mean she does need the help.

make single mothers share one bed flats with another single mother

Fucking hell.

See, my take on this is that by staying on benefits she’s making a sensible decision to ensure the financial stability and welfare of her child. She’d be irresponsible to take a poorly paid job, possibly without guaranteed hours, when she can be guaranteed an income and spend time with her son. It’s the obvious choice and probably one i’d make in her position (and i say that as someone who has worked for my entire adult life). I’m not saying it’s the ideal situation but that’s the fault of the system, not the individual.

> Why isn’t the Government allowing it at the expense of everything else !

They are

How do you prove one from the other though?

And the problem is other things increase to keep up. 🤷‍♀️. We certainly do have a low wage economic compared to say the usa or Canada but stuff here also costs less. Rent is less, food is less, clothes are less, meals out are less.

Ok well if you’re right and the PIP eligibility criteria is tightened and a new lower rate of daily living/mobility is introduced, this is cutting PIP support, is it not?

That doesn’t sound mortgageable to me. Did you pay cash for it?

Or perhaps @Beekeepingmum ( as I remember those days and that scene on The Full Monty)
Regular Attendance at a ‘centre’ for training, advice, CV support, job applications etc to get a job would be supportive to those out of work.

It's a bias documentary to pave the way for disability benefit cuts. Wake up

Of course it occurs to me. I am in exactly the same position myself and my DD will never be able to live independently. I am fully aware of the impossibility of finding before and after school care for a disabled child and the effects this has on being able to work.

I was simply pointing out that a relatively comfortable life on benefits may be possible when your children are under 18 but that once they turn 18 the situation is very different.

I live every day worrying about my DD's future and I think your suggestion that I would want disabled children put into care is offensive.

I wasn't criticising the PP, merely pointing out the reality of the situation. As there are so many people on here who seem to think that a life benefits when you have disabled children is so easy I was just emphasising that this is not the case.

You have made a lot of (incorrect) assumptions.

Sums it up perfectly

Yes we got a mortgage.
It was structurally sound despite severe damp on the ground ( front half below street level ) floor. In fact when we removed the panelling on that level there was water streaming down the walls
Oh I forgot
The kitchen was on a balcony that had been enclosed.

Thank you for stating the obvious. My children are toddlers so I have a long time before any of this stops. I’m also more than capable of going back to work in the future, it all depends on my children’s needs and they’ll be able to claim PIP by then anyway

Very unusual to be able to gain a mortgage on a property based on the description you gave.

and picking up litter and graffiti removal. In other words, no more money for nothing.

This. Successive governments have devalued work and allowed wages to stagnate while facilitating house price increases and protecting inherited wealth, unearned income etc. People are working full time and relying on benefits to eat, stay warm and line the pockets of their landlords. The government is desperate for people to work but treats workers like mugs.