To think too many people are happy to live off benefits forever?

[BritishQueue]

Okay, I know this is a touchy subject here on MN, but I need to ask, AIBU to think that too many people are just choosing to stay on universal credit rather than work?

Obviously, I’m not talking about people who genuinely can’t work - disabilities, carers, etc (even though a lot of those who claim to be unfit for work are perfectly capable, and I’ve seen “carers” for people who don’t actually need any care…). But I know multiple people who are completely able-bodied and yet have no intention of ever getting a job. They say things like “it’s not worth it” or “I’d be worse off working,” and honestly, I don’t get it. I work full-time, pay tax, and yet I see people getting rent paid, extra handouts, and still managing holidays and luxuries I can’t afford. Not to mention that a lot of women think the government should subsidise their SAHM lifestyle.

I just don’t understand how it’s fair? Surely benefits should be a safety net, not a lifestyle choice? AIBU?

Universal Credit is paid to people who are working but their earnings don't cover living costs. Housing Benefit is paid to people whose earnings don't cover their housing costs. So where does the money go to? In both cases, the ultimate winner is the employer or landlord, either running a business that would be unviable without the huge subsidy UC provides to it's underpaid employees or maxing rental income beyond affordable rates. These are the people pocketing your tax cash OP, not the claimants, they are simply the conduit for moving public money jnto private hands. If this fact can be obscured by people like you complaining their single parent neighbour spent a week at Butlins then so much the better.

I agree

Those that are not working at all, that can work should be working. 100%.

Thanks for your reply. So in Denmark does everybody pay for this insurance? What happens when the payments end if still out of work? Is there a benfit which then takes over?

Also spot on!

Yep, always used to be pesky lone mothers and their kids being admitted to the workhouse too, back in the day. Separated from each other and dying alone, the kids nursed by their young siblings. We had that until the 1930s. Those pesky lone mothers were known for the Workhouse Wail, crying out for their children.

They did it for a laugh, obviously. Blooming scroungers!

Try renting a family home, paying all bills and feeding and clothing kids on only one income. Not to mention caring for them when disabled and sick (while working) and supporting them to thrive and be educated. Then you’ll have your answer for why ‘it always seems to be single mothers’. Basic maths.

I’ve never claimed UC, but what a mean spirited OP. Heartened by a lot of the replies!

If you think these people are having a better life than you OP, why don't you do it too?.Quit your job for a lavish life on benefits. Enjoy luxurious free holidays and all the other perks of this amazing lifestyle. If you can't beat 'em, OP.......

We have an insurance scheme. It’s called National Insurance.

We don't have rent controls, so if wages increased, 2 things would happen! prices would go up and LLs would increase rents... leading to further movement of public funds to private hands..but of course many LLs either use the rent to pay mortgages or spend the money in their local economy.

We can see the huge amounts of moaning, even by businesses that make billions, over increased NMW and NI business rises, all promising less expansion and increased prices because of these both going up.

We need a massive increase in council housing BUT no one, let alone the wealthy, wish to pay for this and the Govt cannot borrow their way out anymore plus we wont grow our economy as well as could have, due to our closest friend and cousins actions!

We are in receipt of UC, SCP, CB, CA and CDP. I have 4DC and study part time. I am an unpaid carer to my youngest DC who is school aged.

Yes we are in receipt of many benefits but life isn't a bed of roses. Try living your life exhausted every day as a carer to a child with autism. It's hardly fun!

The benefits system doesn’t allow people to quit their job to claim benefits. They have this rule, as without it, they know some people would do it.

We literally live on a floating rock hurling around the sun, I think there's more to life than policing other people's money

You're around the 62nd person to start a thread on this. So yes, YABU.

Its not "other peoples money" its tax payers money.

We only have a certain amount of it, making sure it goes to the people who need it and not to people who do not, is sensible BUT also very difficult to do correctly.

You do know in this digital age of wonder, that money can be be literally created out of thin air? See bank bail outs. There's no scarcity of money for those who control it.

This is BS....

Countries that just print money, without things like economic growth, suffer inflation and high bond yields ie borrowing costs - see what happened when Truss lost the confidence of the 'markets and we still haven't recovered from that, our borrowing costs are around twice that of many of our competitors.

The bank bailouts, resulted in Govt borrowing going from 84% of debt to GDP to almost 100%.

But even if it’s the same money, if you’re able to support yourself why wouldn’t you be expected to?

Plus isn’t it harder to further your career and increase your income if you only work part time?

I understand the debate is you can work full time and make X dollars, or work part time and make X dollars, I’m just not clear on why the government should be paying for anyone to work part time?

Couldn’t that money be spent on other things like healthcare? Schools?

To an outsider it just seems like paying someone to work less isn’t the best use of government spending.

Gosh! OP stopped posting on the first page. I was happy to continue just reading the OP's posts seeing as the sort of discussion on this thread happens every other day on mumsnet.

OP, where are you? @BritishQueue

Bye then

She means she didn’t expect her relationship to crumble and her partner to run off with a younger woman

Just to make the conversation more specific .....

What about the headline in today's Times saying there are 987,000 young people people not in education , employment or training (NEETS); that's 12%.

Of them, 59% are unavailable for work, with 27% citing long term illness.

58% have never had a job.

By my calculation, over 200,000 cite illness.

Is there a knowledgable person, who can advise whether that's actually quite reasonable? ie Obviously there is a certain percentage unable to work through illness and is that number too high or just reasonable?

Ah. The page didn’t refresh - it’s been answered

😂

No, I meant it - your posts reek of rent-an-opinion right-wing bullshit and imo you don’t know what you are talking about. That’s not an attack on your personality 🙄 it’s an attack on how you’ve expressed yourself on here.

@ruethewhirl , no you mean I don’t agree with you so I’m wrong and actually I’m agreeing with this Labour government who are not right wing.