To think the UK is in terminal decline

[ThisOchreBiscuit]

Jobs Civil service to cut thousands of jobs

Nothing positive is happening in this country. It’s just cuts, cuts and tax increases but these arent doing anything to scratch the surface.

The whole country is being propelled up by a massive Ponzi scheme: house prices and immigration. House prices make all home owners feel richer and immigration makes the GDP figures look better.

I suppose I shouldn’t complain as I am a child of immigrants. My parents came here in the 70s from India. They were virtually penniless but they have now been retired for 15 years, earning a state pension from 65 and still getting their final salary pension. They own their home in London and have thousands in savings. They were able to achieve this whilst working in low skilled factory jobs.

Now, professionals with university degrees would struggle to achieve their life style.

I think we are heading to a social mobility and quality of life that is closer to India and than the traditional western view, with wealth in the hands of a small number of landlords.

A has just purchased a completely nice family home near me for £500k and added a back and loft extension and turned it into a 6 bed HMO charging £800 per room.

They will make a 15% return on their £250k investment.

I'm not sure I agree totally. I am optimistic enough to believe that broadly speaking, us humans are benevolent and kind, and there will always be an inclination to help those who genuinely need it. What will change, I am sure, is defining who actually needs benefits. It seems to me there is a raft of stuff that many see as a "mental health issue" which, traditionally, has been part of the ups and of life. IMO, being sad isn't a mental health issue, neither is loneliness, (some) anxiety .... to name s few. Albeit somewhat old fashioned, I can't help thinking there is a need to "step up to the plate" and get on with life, rather than expecting life to come to you.

Dont expect free childcare from grandparents then, They will still be working You cant have it both ways.

I think Gary is right. The problem is we have a system which concentrates more and more wealth in the hands of fewer and fewer people.

How on earth were we hoodwinked into blaming immigrants? All the immigrants I know are working and are very efficient and competent. At my workplace, they keep getting promoted. Also some sectors wouldn’t cope without immigrant workers. I’m thinking particularly of the NHS, care, agriculture, construction and manufacturing.

Many ppl living in social housing and getting top up benefits are working

23% of people living in social housing are pensioners
Some of the former were bringing you your shit during the lockdowns.
Some of the latter will be providing free childcare so that parents can work.

It really astounds me that people are happy to leave their kids to be looked after by the very demographic that they obviously despise. They cant think much of their kids either if they are happy to have them looked after by someone they are full of resentment for

this country is certainly going to pot if people rely on gb news for their info

UK could save a fortune in immigration and benefit costs if the unemployed were required to work if they expected monetary payment.

No doubt the 600 men living on Wethersfield air base will be sending in their CVs soon.

I looked after my own dc and had family support

my dds aren’t so fortunate but they need 2 incomes.

I think mass immigration has made housing more expensive for this generation in the first place

Dont expect free childcare from grandparents then, They will still be working You cant have it both ways.

lol, have you seen the birth rates! People aren't having dc!

And it's not my belief that the age should keep rising it's what economists say. Something can be true without you having to agree with it.

I don't support assisted dying, but sadly, I fear it will be introduced through economic necessity, dressed up as respecting people's autonomy

And then expanded more widely, as happened with abortion. Legislation only allows termination in very limited circumstances www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1967/87/section/1 In practice, it's become the woman's right to choose. This may be a good thing and I know that no one goes down this route lightly. But the legislation is not rigorously applied

If / when they start "assisted dying" older people in poor health, then the economy will improve. It terrifies me, frankly

If state pension is amalgamated with private pension you won't need a fixed retirement age. It will be up to a person to take it when they have sufficient funds. I.e taking personal responsibility for their own financial situation.

Wages need to rise and wages vs house prices need to be more in line as people don't have enough left over to save for a decent retirement.

I don't support assisted dying, but sadly, I fear it will be introduced through economic necessity, dressed up as respecting people's autonomy

I agree

Im 51 Im childfree by choice. In the 1990s i could see where things were going. Women being told we could have it all Not all of us fell for it. Some of us could see that having it all really meant DOING it all and acted accordingly

@Crapola25 you wrote 10,000 francs a month! That's a lot of unemployment benefit

Where I come from (small town, EU country) the unemployed are gathered at 7 am on the road, given brooms and gloves, and told to clear up the leaves/the snow from the pavement.You don't show up - you are crossed out from the list (the unemployment benefit, free access to health services, etc.)

I doubt we’d do the same but I’d say litter rather than leaves and snow. We have way too much and it’s depressing to see.

For the first time in my almost 60 years of life, I was on a very busy street and unwanted, the thought popped into my mind that we humans are vermin. I'm not using that word as an insult, but as a description. We are breeding unchecked and consuming and destroying everything. That's how it seems to me.

Isnt that also used as punishment for minor crimes here (UK ) though The danger is "well ive done the punishment so now im going to commit the crime"

And would this include parents or just the child free unemployed

Idk whether I’d be for it I haven’t given it much thought. I’m sure there are downsides as you say.

I do wish the litter issue was resolved even if another way.

If we continue pandering to the super rich and letting in the backwards third world in the millions then yes, the current government are trying to turn it around but it's now the equivalent of backpeddling a swanboat that's hurtling towards the edge of a huge waterfall

letting in the backwards third world in the millions

😂'the backwards third world' - who exactly is that?

'in their millions'? Where's the source for that?

I'm pretty sure that "workfare" was tried as a substitute for welfare. Only for "employment-ready" people, of course. It was not successful. The same issues that make it difficult for some people to hold a job. Absenteeism, lateness, long breaks, all kinds of reasons for getting time off.. medical appointment, job search/interview, family problems. As far as I remember, the program was abandoned after a few months.

And why would employers pay a wage when they could get someone for free

But they made choices, to work part time and retire young. If they had made different choices there could be some inheritance for you. Not saying they were wrong but that's the outcome.