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?

She's not poor. Mortgage is fully paid off. Mums money pays for fun stuff. Wages and UC pay the bills.

It's just easier on a zero hours contract to get lots of time off.

I actually agree. I have a UC top up with a disabled child on top of my wages. It helps me manage not working quite full time. I also live in a HA home. From the day I became a lone parent I worked my arse off to build my skills and qualifications and got myself a suitable job for my family which pays well above NMW. The top up is purely to facilitate not working school holidays.

My neighbours, also in a HA home have two adults in their late 40s who don't work, never have worked. Three sons who are 17, 19 and 21. All three finished school without qualifications. All refuse to get jobs. They are all capable of running riot and getting in trouble. They've been taught not to ever bother working and that is how their lives are destined too. It's a shame.

Mortgage is paid off now.
As I said originally she has a well paying job as off about 6 months ago. She is well qualified and there was no need for her to be on UC for a couple of years. Pure lifestyle choice.

Benefits people?

Whatevs 🙄

There needs to a major crackdown on benefits in the next few years and those swinging the lead need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And their right to claim benefits should be forfeited thereafter.

This is about someone on benefits having a relative pay for their holidays. Some people are saying it is wrong and that it is cheating the system. No one has explained how it is cheating yet. Probably because it isn't.

If someone is on benefits and a relative buys them all their food, pays their rent/mortgage, a car, pays all their bills, takes them on expensive nights out, and everything else, is that cheating the system?

Someone doing that every month and someone paying for a 1 off holiday aren't the same thing though.

If they are claiming the housing element and someone else is paying their rent, then yes that is cheating the system.
Everything else, no. DWP don't care what the rest of your money is spent on.

It is morally wrong to have other people paying taxes to pay your rent and then have relatives paying for your holiday.

Why?
Gifts are allowed. My mum is paying for a holiday for me next month. What am I doing wrong? I can't afford to go away otherwise. It is a gift that she can afford to give me, and I am very grateful.

The five week wait is counterproductive. It would put me off trying out a job in case the job didn't work out and then I had no money for five weeks. If the washing machine broke in the five weeks I wouldn't want to have to get a loan from a loan shark.

Holidays funded by parents of
adult children, treats from latest beau. Only 50 years ago those people in your life would be bankrolling you and not the taxpayer.
The system introduced quick win voting strategies that were all stuck with now at the detriment of adequate public services.
State pension benefits included.

I am middle aged. My parents are not bank rolling me. They only did when I lived with them. I haven't lived with them for over 20 years. Why would they be paying for my bills?
My partner doesn't earn a great amount and we don't live together. Why would he be bankrolling me?
When I claimed UC, they did not ask about my parents or relationship. I claim as a single person.

It’s certainly true to say that lots of people on benefits are being ‘paid’ an amount of money far in excess of what they are capable of earning through work.

That’s a different matter, as for this particular group, there’s apparently no incentive to work.

May be a different story when their children become adults and they no longer have the same entitlement.

personally hate the word ‘benefits.’ suggests you’ve done something to deserve them. Like my workplace pension, which will be a benefit of 40 years work!

The people getting more in benefits than they would working are usually disabled or have disabled children.
The amount of UC someone gets who is capable of work, yet is not working, is very small. The figures on are the Gov website.

I think some on here aren't interested in the figures. They get in the way of their narrative. 😒

The intention behind this thread is degrading.
this is one of those situations where people can never know what it’s like (to be unable to work) unless they’re in that situation themselves.
Everyone has barriers and disabilities are common but people who can’t work are in exceptional circumstances. If they even want to be alive after what they have been through then they are entitled to another chance and some money to sustain them.

On a thread full of ridiculous comments, that one has to take the biscuit.

(a) There needs to a major crackdown on benefits in the next few years and those swinging the lead need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Whatever view you take of people on benefits, it is actually not against the law to "swing the lead". So what exactly do you intend to prosecute them for?
(b) And their right to claim benefits should be forfeited thereafter. The fastest route to an even higher crime rate. I presume you will also be taking all their dependants into care since it actually would be illegal to starve them to death. Have you any idea what that will cost?

You really haven't thought this through, have you?

Surely swinging the lead on benefits means illegally claiming, or claiming when you don’t need to, which most certainly can be prosecuted.

No it doesn't. To swing the lead was considered an easy job (it comes from the description of a lazy sailor) and eventually became a term meaning one who is either avoiding hard work or taking and easy option. Neither of those things are illegal. Fraud is something entirely different. And actually "claiming when you don’t need to" is also not illegal unless it involves fraud, which is not at all necessarily the case. If someone is commiting fraud and there is evidence that they have done so (so intent is also required, rather than error) then by all means I would agree that they should be prosecuted. And where found guilty I also think that repayment should be compulsory, even if that means taking deductions for the rest of their lives. I have no time for crooks. But prove they are a crook first - unlike most of the people here who "know someone who knows someone, who knows someone else, who is probably claiming benefits and how dare they have a nice car or a holiday..." I have no doubt that some people lie and commit fraud - but they should be properly dealt with not convicted in a MN kangaroo court who don't even have evidence that the people exist!

Yes, some benefits claimants undoubtedly lie. So do some MN posters.

Sorry I really don’t see the difference between someone illegally claiming and someone “claiming when they don’t need to”. Your explanation makes no sense to me at all (but please don’t try and explain further to me, I am capable of making my own mind up).

Some people do, it happens, possibly due to lack of confidence, childhood neglect, addiction, some are unemployable and others know the system and budget to live like this.

They might swap payments, jobseeker to single parent, then incapacity benefit, state pension.

It isn't a very nice life though, no luxuries, no holidays, Christmas and birthday events can throw you for months.

It is not a life that many would want.

The guilt of your children missing out, especially when SM is highlighting the good life.

I don't know about OP'S friends who take regular holidays, most non working families on benefits are on a very tight budget.

Single parent benefit? We have a special benefit we can claim?

No wonder I didn't get my free goat, I'm only claiming bog standard UC. I bet the goat is a special single-parent benefit.

How does one apply please? I need to know soon. The grass needs cutting. I need my goat.