Nobody is allowed to choose not to work. Fed up of hearing this expression.

[girlfriend44]

I keep hearing people say people who choose not to work. Target them.
Nobody is allowed to choose not to work. I wonder if some people actually know what they are talking about?

Nobody is allowed to just lounge around and not look for work.

Able bodied people on UC who don't have a paid job are harassed all the time.
They will probably be attending interviews at the jobcentre once a week, where they have to provide evidence they are jobsearching 35 hours a week.

They can be sanctioned over any little thing.
They have to attend any courses they are sent on, even if they are useless courses. Non attendance will end in a sanction.

The staff can arrange interviews on their behalf if the employer has a tie up with the jobcentre which some do.
If it's deemed you didn't try hard enough at the interview, the employer can discuss this with the staff,and you'll be hauled up and sanctioned for not trying.

Those who think people choose not to work please be educated.
It's a hostile environment for anyone out of work.
Not every able bodied person can find employment.
Your not just allowed to sit at home and choose not to work though.

You'll have a claimant commitment and you have to provide evidence of jobsearching. 35 hours too.

I think alot of people who comment don't really know. Everyone is under pressure.
The days of just signing on once a fortnight and not having to.prove your doing everything you can have long gone.

Probably worth highlighting that most people who earn under I believe it’s around £30k ish are actually a net negative in society IE they take more from the state than they put in, anyway.

No. No. I'm not ok. I've just found out the bit of PIP money that's keeping me alive is berudged by everyfuckingbody, I'm going to lose half of it and some cunts think I should die because some other people tell lies.

Also, I'm terminally ill and could drop dead in a literal heartbeat. I'd also class that as not okay.

I also don't feel okay after months of the news media, 95% of politicians and most of Mumsnet trying to paint me as a lying fucking scrounger who deserves to starve to death rotting in agony.

How do you suppose you'd feel? Full of life, fit and fabulous?

Sorry a quick google says it’s £41k a year. If you earn less than this you’re a net negative IE you contribute way less than you take out (for example NHS schooling etc etc etc)

Well if you’re terminally ill you won’t be losing anything will you under the terminally ill rules.

Also just get off MN if it’s making you unwell. No offence but if you are genuinely that unwell I doubt you’d be hanging around here making yourself even more unwell. Just log off.

People do choose not to work, I personally know several. You're in a bubble.

I wonder if you drink a lot, smoke and drive a petrol car a lot that changes, I wonder if you pay more in taxes that way.

Perhaps! (Not sure if that was asking me personally as I do none of those things haha).

I don't know her, but I'm going with a no, she's not ok. I think it's pretty evident from her post that she's not ok. (I'm assuming she's female, apologies if I'm wrong).

It sounds like her quality of life is severely impacted by her health issues, and it's possible that she may be affected by Labour's welfare cuts (I'm guessing here), so it's possible that life is about to get harder.

And then she reads a thread where someone suggests that because of her health issues, she should be answerable to a bunch of people that go to the pub after work. I mean it's clearly a ridiculous suggestion, but in ops shoes, it would probably get my back up too.

So for now I'll stick with no, she's probably not ok.

I’d be reporting them if they’re claiming.

but is MN a place for someone that unwell and fragile? Seems tortuous to me. I hope they can log off and find some peace.

I think some people on Mumsnet live in such rarified circles that they can't even comprehend that those people exist.

I know a number of people who literally choose to not work and claim benefits. They openly, happily tell me this. Do the bare minimum.

Sorry @LifeIsBadEnoughAlreadyWithoutThis , cross posted.

But fucking hell, some people don't seem to have heard the word empathy, do they? First a stupid question and then they follow up by telling you to reduce your already limited activities?

I'm hoping they just aren't a morning person, and they aren't always like this...

Yes it is.

HTH

Just because you don’t say it out loud doesn’t make it true.

I am very sorry for the position you find yourself in but no one has said that the genuinely ill should not receive benefits. This is a thread about people choosing not to work which is not the category you are in. If something could be done about the people taking money who don't need it more could be given to those who do need it. I think for the sake of your mental health you should maybe hide this thread.

exactly this

Choose not to work. Just don’t make me have to choose to support you.

Anger isn't a mental health issue when there's a genuine reason.

And her voice is important and deserves to be heard.

She can decide for herself when she's done contributing, and whether or not she wants to hide the thread.

You are naive in your thinking. Ok, in pure semantic terms, and in theory, you are 'right'.
However, plenty play the system and get away with it. Until these bastards are caught and deported to very small Atlantic island with no creature comforts, the system will pick on the low-hanging fruit

It's a fine balance. You can be better off I household income but lose other benefits.

Tipping over the threshold for free school meals, losing council tax reduction, and not getting cheaper water tariff for example.

Getting an extra £100 a month could lose Free School Meals for however many children, £25 in water rates and £100 or more for Council Tax.

Edited to add: plus the 15% cost of childcare you might need to pay. And travel costs/parking. So earning £100 a month more can definitely have a negative effect.

Why not scrap all benefits and taxes.

That way an individual pays for the service they need whether that be education or medical or housing. Would this be fair and equal?

You are totally and utterly missing the point. If you are ill you need PIP and no one is arguing about that.

The point is there are lots of people taking the piss and that’s why the government is looking at this. It has to! Taking inflation out of the question the disability benefits bill is forecast to rise from £25bn (pre COVID) to £75bn in 2030. £50bn extra to fund! That’s a staggering amount of money!

People are angry at those taking the piss with PIP. You should be really angry with them too. THEY are the reason the government is having to look at your benefits again. It’s their fault!

Of course she can, she can also speak for herself.

I too would be angry and raging towards people who believe benefits for genuinely ill people should be cut or the people doing the cutting.

Raging against people who do not believe this is unproductive and potentially damaging to a persons mental health.