To think being on benefits might be better than working

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Is there anyway being on benefits is better than working? So much of day is spent worrying about work, working and dealing with office politics. I dislike work, and get no pleasure or satisfaction other than my pay. It’s got nothing to do with my job or team; I just dislike working.

I was thinking that being on benefits might not be as bad as people once thought. The main benefit would be not having to stress about working. With council tax, housing benefit and a hole host of other benefits, you could life a fairly decent life.

A return bus journey is £8 where I live. You have to work 30 mins just to cover your trip to and from work. You’ll work all month, live in a HMO and have nothing at the end of each month.

Is there any evidence of that? We'd need to be fairly confident that people forced to labour for well under the NMW with the human rights issues and exploitation risk of that would result in higher motivation and greater employability. Its also pretty expensive when you factor in the management, supervision and administrative costs. The idea that there may be people choosing not to work gets people so hot under the collar that they have a tendancy to put principle over practicality.

Yes it must be great fun not having to have your income scrutinized all the time and dwp knowing all your financial business, and having to attend the modern day jobcentre and be pressurized and spoken badly too.

You can volunteer and if your meant to be jobseeking that's a job in itself too.

It's not allowed to be a lifestyle choice today.
You are expected to look for work and can be sanctioned if you don't.

People should be fined for dropping litter in the first place.

What is the alternative? To keep giving money hand over fist to people who refuse to work because they just don't want to, as they can get by on receiving money generated from the hard work of others.

Having them do community service is no more being 'forced' to work than any other person in employment. It is an exchange. They can choose not to do it and they will have their benefits cut. In the same way you would lose your job if you chose not to do it.

Regarding human rights - I don't think sitting on your arse and getting money for doing so is or should be a right, it's a piss take. (illness and disability not included in this obviously)

There needs to be a deterrent to people choosing benefits as a lifestyle. Nobody would choose this if it wasn't so lucrative and came with actually having to do something useful.

If you are making someone litter pick (who has not committed a crime), then give them a job and pay them a proper wage.
What happens to the council workers who do this as a job? Lay them off and have them do it to get benefits instead?

One incentive is company's paying better and helping employees and not outsourcing jobs abroad because it's cheap labour ' eg manufacturing ' telecommunications etc

Don't be a tit OP

Yes, exactly.

I mean, they could actually do this. You're out of work and need money - go and get a government run litter picking job (or whatever - they could have some really good stuff going on!) instead of claiming benefits. People who actually needed a hand up could get a reference from it too.

To ensure people do not need to rely on benefits while maintaining near-full employment and preventing outsourcing, additional measures must address wages, cost of living, and social support systems. Here’s a more complete, step-by-step approach:

1. Strengthen Domestic Job Creation

Invest in Infrastructure – Government-funded projects (roads, energy, broadband) create direct employment and stimulate local economies.

Support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) – Provide tax breaks, low-interest loans, and grants to help businesses expand and hire locally.

Encourage Manufacturing & Local Production – Offer subsidies and tax benefits to companies that produce goods domestically.

1. Improve Workforce Skills & Training

Expand Vocational Training – Offer industry-specific technical training in trades, technology, and services.

Partner with Businesses for Apprenticeships – Encourage companies to train workers directly, ensuring job readiness.

Align Education with Market Demands – Reform schools and universities to prepare students for evolving job sectors.

1. Incentivize Companies to Keep Jobs Locally

Tax Incentives for Local Hiring – Reduce corporate taxes for businesses that maintain a high percentage of domestic employees.

Government Contracts for Domestic Firms – Require companies benefiting from government spending to hire locally.

R&D and Innovation Grants – Support companies investing in automation and AI while maintaining local jobs.

1. Enforce Laws to Prevent Job Outsourcing

Tariffs on Outsourced Goods & Services – Make it less profitable for companies to move jobs overseas.

Mandatory Transparency in Employment Practices – Require large firms to disclose outsourcing levels and penalize excessive job losses.

Tie Tax Benefits to Domestic Employment – Businesses receiving tax incentives must keep a minimum workforce domestically.

Restructure Trade Agreements – Prioritize fair trade policies that protect domestic workers and prevent undercutting by cheap foreign labor.

1. Ensure Wages & Working Conditions Support Financial Independence

Raise Minimum Wage in Line with Living Costs – Ensure that full-time workers earn enough to live without government assistance.

Expand Workers' Rights & Benefits – Strengthen labor laws to provide fair wages, job security, and healthcare.

Promote Stronger Union Representation – Support collective bargaining to maintain fair wages and working conditions.

1. Reduce Cost of Living to Make Wages More Sustainable

Increase Affordable Housing – Expand public and private investment in affordable housing projects.

Control Energy & Utility Costs – Regulate energy prices and encourage local production of essential utilities.

Improve Public Transport – Reduce commuting costs to help lower-income workers access job opportunities.

Reform Healthcare Costs – Lower medical expenses through price controls or expanded public healthcare options.

1. Strengthen Social Mobility & Long-Term Employment Stability

Encourage Entrepreneurship & Self-Employment – Provide grants, training, and legal support for startups and freelancers.

Expand Family-Friendly Workplace Policies – Ensure parental leave, childcare support, and flexible working options to keep more people employed.

Address Automation & Job Displacement – Create transition programs for workers in industries vulnerable to AI and automation.

1. Reform the Benefits System to Encourage Employment

Make Work More Financially Attractive than Benefits – Ensure wages and working conditions make employment the better option.

Create Temporary Benefits with Employment Pathways – Offer support that includes job training and work placements.

Introduce Universal Basic Services – Instead of cash benefits, invest in public goods like free education, transport, and healthcare to reduce reliance on welfare.

1. Monitor & Adapt Economic Policies

Regularly Assess Employment Data – Ensure policies remain effective and adjust as needed.

Adapt Regulations Based on Market Trends – Be flexible in responding to shifts in job demand and global trade.

Final Thought:

By combining strong job creation, wage protection, cost-of-living control, and workforce development, people can maintain financial independence without needing government benefits.

It should be an actual job though, with a proper wage, and pension, sick pay, annual leave etc.

Woohoo! Go Chat GPT!

I worked as a street sweeper. It was not the worst paid job. The pay was £12.70 when minimum wage was 10.42. Council job so decent pension and what not. I used to drive around emptying public bins, special collections bin deliveries and litterpicking. It’s cold and wet quite often and those dog poo bins are 🤢 I took a pay cut and shimmied behind a computer. I’m not sure what the people who actually do these jobs are supposed to do if benefits claimants start doing them.

You have said so many words and not yet expressed a single original thought.

Yes, exactly. And using that job as a punitive measure too. Being on benefits is not a crime.
The council guy in my town that empties the bins in the centre drives a tiny little lorry that is allowed on paths etc. I like scaled down versions of things, and it always makes me smile.

Absolutely not! I work in the review section of Universal Credit and the bloody hoops people have to go through to get their money, even when they're working! Not to mention the invasiveness that is required. People have to explain themselves all the time, it's awful!

I grew up on rough council estate and no one worked, everyone was on benefits. Everyone stole, bought stolen goods, forged car tax discs (back when they were a thing) and pretty much everyone had some sort of long term 'illness' or disability that meant they couldn't work but of course it didn't stop them doing cash in hand jobs either. I grew up watching all this (and was disgusted by it then) and the reality is that for some people, living on benefits is a choice. For some people, it's like living the life of riley.

Also holidays, hobbies and savings? Owning your own home? You must be joking. I work full time in a fairly decent job and I'm just about making ends meet. To think I could be doing this for another 40 odd years killing myself and there probably won't even be a retirement age when it's my turn. It's a joke.

@Beekeepingmum you wanted answers that proves the whole system needs changing' and its correct point by point' you want everyone to do there part' that explains how everyone can.

Overall that's the strategy to get the jobs available and get the job done'

Lastly why in your view do you agree with the proposal as it gives you the results you wanted ?

life on benefits is really not what the media cracks it up to be. Figuring out how to survive on the tiny amount you get to live on becomes a full time job in itself. Walking to and from food banks with food you’d not choose to eat, walking round Aldi with a calculator, skipping meals, no social life, no fun, selling your stuff to pay priority bills, possibly getting into debt. Going to the job centre every week with proof of all the jobs you’ve applied for, and potentially having to do courses or unpaid work in areas you’re not interested in. Plus if you chose to leave a job voluntarily, I’m pretty sure there’d be sanctions. Benefits do not amount to anything close to what you need to live comfortably.
You’d be better off focusing on finding a career you’d enjoy more. Even if that meant taking a pay cut, it would still afford you a better lifestyle than living on benefits.

Virtually no one expresses original thoughts. Pretty much everything has been thought of before. Just like those who say be need to part people on benefits with an Xbox to keep them entertained and not causing problems. If we can only post things no one has posted before the forum would be very limited.

I'm actually pleased that other people thing the same as me.

You're blaming the individual rather than the system. The system currently relies on people who do underpaid work.to function..if people were paid proportionately to what they give to society you'd have caters and teachers on 6 figure salaries and people doing things like market research on minimum wage. Pay and the amount of tax you pay never reflects what you actually give.

If OP just resigned from their job for no reason, they wouldn’t be entitled to any benefits for 26 weeks. Not even housing or council tax benefit.

I think it's better than working if you have children and are single but once those children become adults, you're stuck. They won't magically leave the house but the money will stop.

Hope this helps

Recalculated UK Salaries Based on Economic Value

1. Healthcare & Social Care

Current Average: Nurses (£35K), Social Care Workers (£22K), Carers (£18K-£22K)

Gov’t Savings: Hospital admission reduction (£30K per nurse), A&E relief (£2B annually), Mental health support (~£10K per patient)

Recalculated Salary: Nurses (£60K-£70K), Social Care Workers (£40K), Carers (£35K)

1. Education

Current Average: Teachers (£30K-£40K), Teaching Assistants (£18K-£22K), Lecturers (£45K-£55K)

Gov’t Savings: Preventing dropouts (£60K per student), Crime reduction (£18B saved in policing/prisons)

Recalculated Salary: Teachers (£60K-£80K), Teaching Assistants (£40K), Lecturers (£70K+)

1. Emergency Services

Current Average: Police (£30K-£45K), Firefighters (£28K-£38K), Paramedics (£35K-£45K)

Gov’t Savings: Crime prevention (£18B annually), Fire damage prevention (£200K per case), NHS burden reduction

Recalculated Salary: Police (£60K-£80K), Firefighters (£50K-£70K), Paramedics (£55K-£75K)

1. Public Transport & Logistics

Current Average: Bus Drivers (£25K-£32K), Train Conductors (£30K), Postal Workers (£22K-£28K)

Gov’t Savings: Congestion reduction (£10B annually), NHS savings (fewer accidents, healthier commuters)

Recalculated Salary: Bus Drivers (£45K-£50K), Train Conductors (£50K+), Postal Workers (£40K)

1. Retail, Hospitality & Service Industry

Current Average: Retail (£18K-£25K), Cleaners (£16K-£22K), Hospitality (£18K-£28K)

Gov’t Savings: Lower in-work poverty (£87B in benefits saved), Less reliance on food banks/housing aid

Recalculated Salary: Retail (£35K-£40K), Cleaners (£35K), Hospitality (£40K-£50K)

1. Admin & Support Roles

Current Average: Receptionists (£18K-£25K), Office Admin (£22K-£30K)

Gov’t Savings: More efficient services save billions in tax waste and productivity losses

Recalculated Salary: Receptionists (£40K), Office Admin (£45K)

If wages matched their true economic contribution, most public/service roles would see 50-100% salary increases, reducing reliance on government support and boosting productivity.