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!

Flip it and I'd say benefits too high.....

Why can't people be made to do something in reciept of benefits, like litter pick, wash windows, general jobs that need doing, and if they do t do it - no money.

well, they are doing a job then and surely should be paid

She's a millionnaire isn't she? Will she pay the childcare fees for these single mothers? And deal with all the hygiene issues and extra illnesses from over-crowding?

Everyone I know in this situation firmly believes they are unable to work.

Maybe they know more about their illness/disability than you do?

There are more unemployed than vacancies according to the government stats. They had 800k vacancies and 1.3k unemployed.

But I dont think those in receipt of the disability elements of universal credit are unemployed. They are deemed not fit to work.

Exactly. If you have to work, you should get a wage, not the £70 a week unemployment benefit.

Forcing people to do menial work for bare subsistence is uncomfortably close to forced labour.

do you work with your local jobs centre to funnel you applicants?

i remember many decades ago when i was out of work trying to use the jobs centres search system and there were so many fake roles or comission only sales roles. None of the advisors had direct access to those in charge of hiring for these roles or an inkling on actually getting you in contact with anyone

it was so infuriating, the actual support with CVs or interview prep or connecting with hiring managers at relevant jobs was non existent

Actually attempts HAVE been made over the years to tackle the issue. The problem is that trying to tighten up the rules to ensure that only genuine claimants get paid, simply results in more genuine claimants being denied whatever benefit and those who are playing the system/lying etc. etc. still find ways to get round the new rules.

If that were the case, areas where people are on benefits would be thriving with all that extra money being spent everywhere?

Have you been to an area with many people on benefits?

Which is why I think the benefits system needs to be restructured.

You are right in that it’s about morals that people are raised with and exposed to. To me claiming benefits was seen as beyond the pale even if entitled to it. Looking for a council property is something I would never do. I recall when my brother was sick and unable to do his manual labour job anymore (genuinely sick he was in recovery from pretty invasive surgery snd treatment for a brain treatment) he did not want to claim any sickness benefits. It was so ingrained in him that benefits were for lazy people!

Nothing like a bit of empathy, is there?!

What? People who actually study and work hard to increase their earning potential? Might be some tax dodgers, but mostly the people at the top, lawyers, doctors, etc, are not dodging tax.

But in order to have this mindset, you need to have been raised by people who have this mindset, or at least had lots of people around you who shared it!

I believe this now, but my family still do not. For plenty of people it's - why should I work when I can get almost the same money for not working? Not everyone is raised with good work ethics demonstrated.

Let’s just bring back workhouses.
That will show the plebs!

These are specifically sickness benefits.

Can’t believe people have managed to forget the Tories’ workfare after 15 years. Surely people remember Tesco etc laying off people so they could take on the unemployed for free. A move which didn’t do a great deal for the economy.

England is far too soft and the system does need an overhaul.

You shouldn't be 'better off' on benefits than working - if I was better off not working, why would I want to work?

I appreciate its not a one size fits all and genuine people do need assistance but there are always going to be the ones that play the system.

Some benefits should also be means tested.

Also, you shouldn't be able to arrive in the country and immediately claim benefits. I've lived overseas twice and guess what, I'm not entitled to any benefits in said country. So why is England the soft touch?

@Locutus2000 but would that not incentivise it. I mean surely people will never work if it's never challenged and just allowed to continue

Who's going to employ someone who's been on the sick for 10 years anyway?

Also, the government itself pushed people onto 'the sick' years ago, particularly older men whose jobs disappeared and there was little to no chance of them finding another job.

Well it’s not “forced”.

It’s labour in exchange for work which the vast
majority of us do everyday.

Well most people earning £35k will also have to pay these rents so this is a moot point.

I can see why people do it, but I couldn't do it myself - I don't want taxpayers to support me if I can support myself, even if wages are lower than benefits. But if people see others doing it, and perhaps members of their own family, it becomes normalised in their eyes.

It shouldn't be possible to choose a life on benefits - only those who genuinely can't work should receive them. The system needs a complete overhaul so that there isn't an incentive to live off the state.

The documentary compares full time jobs with sickness benefits. This seems intentionally disingenuous.

Did the apprenticeship result in a qualification and a career path or was it a way for the company to pay a new starter less?

My son is an apprentice on much less than £26k but once he’s qualified he will make £30k+ and be on £100k+ after 10 years. Luckily he can live with me at minimal cost to him and pursue this path plus he’s young enough not to have responsibilities like a family to support.

Politicians design the tax/benefit system so that tax payers are supplementing low people’s wages. Full time workers would prefer it if their full time wage meant that they could afford housing and bills without government assistance but politicians need donors and ties with rich people who want to minimise their wage bill and that’s why we have the system that we do.