If you rely on state support , you should have a great quality of life, not the breadline

[confidenceboost]

Aibu? Can we have a healthy chat on this one:

I will set my position out so nobody can say I've drip fed. I would say I have quite socialist mindset to be honest although I have grown up very privileged due to my parents hard work
I am from the uk but moved around as a child coming back to England age 18 for uni

I have been always lucky enough not to need help from the government. I think some people probably do claim help and don't need it but mostly I would say the cases are very genuine

Here's where I don't know if I am different

I think you should be given a high , highest quality of life by the govt if you genuinely for whatever reason need it.
Why should you live on the breadline?
Why should you turn down your heating?
Why should you not get treatment or help that would improve your life ?

Is it degrading to give state benefit as a breadline type lifestyle? I say yes

I think I am not being unreasonable saying that benefits and state support should be increased as it is unfair to resign people to a poor quality of life due to them needing help?

Thank you

The way benefits is viewed needs to change, I do rely on UC top up as a single parent to two disabled children (zero input from their father in time or money) I do work part time because between their needs and hospital stays etc that’s all I can manage. I feel so so judged because I’m on benefits- everyone seems to think because you’re receiving help you “don’t want to work” and are lazy. When for SOME of us it’s genuinely not the case! My children will likely never work and need me to care for them for life, who’s also going to look after them when I die? We shouldn’t be living on the breadline because of these circumstances? And a MP can claim £50 for BREAKFAST? It’s so wrong in this country
yes people DO take the P but not all of us do and the minute benefits are mentioned people get their backs up because they believe the stereotype. In reality I’m a knackered single parent doing everything I can to better our life, and now with UC I can’t even save for nice things because they can have access to bank accounts and reduce my UC because I’ve saved x amount for a once in a lifetime trip for example which my kids do deserve? Why are they less deserving because we get government help? When I DO work?? It’s all wrong

Neither contributions based ESA or new style job seekers are means tested, so you can have savings and they are not affected. They are for people who have paid NI for the previous 2 years. They are time limited though.

UC though, is means tested, and tapers down when you have £6k to stopping altogether at £16k. If you have over £16k, then you don't need benefits. They are a safety net, and not there to protect money you have stashed away.

I don't believe anyone on benefits has a great quality of life. A single person with no kids, who is out of work, gets £100 to pay for everything.... but hopefully their situation is only temporary as this will be people who are looking for work. Although, people in the LCW group also get the same, and they are not fit for work right now but might be in the future. I know some people who have been in this group for years, and I have no idea how they manage to live on the amount they get.
People on the higher amount of benefits tend to be sick/disabled, or have disabled kids, and I do think benefits for them should be enough for the basics and extra on top.

A pension isn't contributing to society in any way though. You will be better off longer term too as UC stops at state pension age.

The thing i am taking from this thread is that those in receipt of pensions don't view the state pension as a benefit (even if they're drawing on it but are actually relatively wealthy via private pension schemes). Presumably they never had a problem paying nic for pensions because they knew they would one day benefit from it. But they do have a problem paying taxes for something they believe (hope) they will never need. Imagine the uproar though if, like most other UK benefits, the government decided to means test state pension.... and savings were classed as 'income'.

@Whatafustercluck they've paid into those private pension schemes too. And probably won't bother paying in as much if they're going to be penalised by having the state pension deducted because of it!

I've spent years paying in upwards of £350 a month NI plus another few hundred a month into a private pension. Why bother if it works against me to try to be responsible and make private provision as well as the state provision?

I think your being overly simplistic

Should society take care of our vulnerable members like disabled and their carers if they cannot work - yes. All their basic needs should be met like decent housing, heating and having enough to eat and a bit more

Unemployment should be viewed as temporary if a person is able to work. Unemployment benefits should be a stop gap.

I'm think rent control should be brought to allow affordable renting. Meet one basic need such as affordable housing then work up from there

There is a scheme to spend 140 million on housing for the homeless in the uk. It says they are being moved from another area. Forgot where I saw the article though.

We just can't afford to have this level of benefits paid out as country. It needs to be cut. Just like everything nobody wants to be the one who is impacted. The government need to be strong and push it through.

They won't though. It'll all end up watered down and be little more use than deckchair re-arranging on the Titanic. They don't have the balls to make any major changes (and probably don't have the competence either). We're just in a downhill spiral and have been for a few decades due to the politicians and senior civil servants being utterly inept. The longer we carry on, the worse it will become and the more extreme the answer when someone finally has the balls to tackle it. Whether it's immigration, the NHS, the care system, disability benefits, unemployment, general lawlessness, pensions, the economy etc - it's all one big downward spiral.

I am inclined to agree as long as truly vulnerable people, eg chronic sick/disabled, children and those with very little income are not impacted. I'm a pensioner, not on any benefit (apart from my state pension which we all get), so am OK but am happy for my bit of tax to contribute to the welfare of those who need it. Who knows, I might need it one day.

It has to be very carefully done and the government cannot win, whatever they decide.