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!

To get a mortgage a property must be structurally sound
It was
Not having internal doors is not a requirement
Not having a bathroom is not a requirement
Being an ex whore house is not an issue

Im assuming you’ve all at one time needed a mortgage ….

Nobody who is disabled or has a health condition would vote Reform unless they were out of their minds.

Virtual hug x

No-one should feel like this. Between this thread, and one I was on yesterday complaining about the coverage of the LA fires, I'm seriously concerned about the lack of humanity being encouraged in general society.

Nope. It would the same as it currently. If you want to get more money for the time - get a fucking job.

Yes, and despite having a specialist broker when I found a run down house in an area I loved, not having an indoor bathroom meant it wasn’t possible to get a mortgage, which I’m still annoyed about!

She has not declared the properties. Her Council Tax is paid. The system is unfair. It is anecdote, based on her partner, who told me. I am not attacking those who get benefits, but it is riling that she is. Maybe she is legitimately ill, with anxiety. But how can she get rental income from two inherited properties, and still receive benefits - unless they are undeclared.

Not working is incredibly boring and lonely. I can't imagine many of the people who "choose" this life are happy this way.

Yanbu. Benefits need to be cut and should be received in exchange for public service, so X amount of hours doing work for the local council, road sweeping, sign cleaning etc.

If that work is not attractive, claimants will decide to take another job. I agree with PP, at the moment its too easy to claim benefits and play xbox all day.

I’m pretty sure a house is unmortgageable without a functioning kitchen and bathroom. That’s why these wrecks almost always go to auction and developers buy them for a song.

I thought you were implying that the pp was lying about buying a "wreck" in the south as the cheapest property according to you was £200,000 for a studio flat.

No need to be rude.

These jobs do need doing, but councils are skint. Work experience then.

who has effectively never worked and has no qualifications to be employed with a 35k

Not all of us on benefits have never worked and are not qualified.

I disagree that people who are comfortable on benefits are rare.
I know several people on benefits who are comfortable and in many instances, better off than people who are working

Like I said the plumbing was on the ground floor, just no bathroom or toilet actually in existence at the time of purchase

Our Lender ‘Cheltenham and Gloucester ‘ I think had no issue and we didn’t have to shop around either. No one had an issue.

Ps Just noticed your dilemma re run down property. We have always bought run down properties, sometimes at Auction that we quickly convert to mortgaged and we have had ones with outside toilets still. Mortgage no problem. Never used a broker

Are you specifically relating to universal credit or do you think this should extend to those on disability benefits too? How would you make that work? Will reasonable adjustments be offered for disabilities?

Once your child reaches the age of 3 you are required to look for work. If you cannot show proof that you are spending 30 hours a week on this you will be sanctioned.

If your child is over 3 and you work less then 30 hours a week, you are required to prove you are looking and applying for more hours/another job.

We all do. That is why the argument that everything is fine falls apart. We all know people who brazenly exploit the system. It is so prevalent in society.

I also can’t believe people are getting 5.5k take home per month on benefits disabled or not. That’s crazy money.

Surely you know this is a gross simplification. What exactly would the incentive be to start a business - small businesses are the backbone of our economy - if there is no profit to be made? Talk about 6th form politics.
I am interested in your better business model though. Do share.

Several posters on this thread have said they do.

Nor can I. I think those posts should be taken with a (very large) pinch of salt.

I can be rude if I like, and believe me, I'm biting my tongue as it is due to the vile rhetoric all over this thread.

The PP with her "wreck" for 100000 bought it in 1999 and how they got a mortgage is apparently questionable, but that's outside my expertise as I've never been privileged enough to "need a mortgage" so I'm going by other posters comments.

But I can 100% guarantee that in 2025 in my affluent University town, there are no properties, wrecks or otherwise available for sale at 100000.

It's a deliberately provocative and designed to rile people up and pitch them against "benefit scroungers"

What it's not is government propaganda, that's a ridiculous suggestion.

and when the jobs have been completed then what excatly ? there are only so many humans needed for x positions in any given area, so then its taking workers out to villages ext but then travel costs, etc are need to be covered which is more expenses, for what society needs no one including companies want to pay a proper living wage

So let's get them working for half of that 30 hours, say 15 hours. Doing something socially useful. Better for the claimant and better for society. Win-win.