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?

Well it's your lucky evening 😂

I need a wee. That's how engaged I am now.

That’s not evidence.

Benefit bashing is very ugly.

I just don't get how people know such much detail about others lives. How do you know who is paying for stuff that you observe? It just baffles me.

yes there are some men who are obviously not fit from the outset to be fathers. The children’s father was middle class from a very family oriented upbringing and used to talk badly of men that have done exactly what he chose to do. Everyone was shocked by how he walked away.

Stop judging everyone.

If you’re sharing costs and bills with him, then you are helping him to survive. If he had to pay the whole electric bill or the whole amount of rent he’d be on the streets no doubt.

Plenty of other countries you could live in if you don't like it. Although I doubt you have a clue what the life of most of these 'coasting along' people is actually like.

You exposed your true colours early on OP.

i work nearly full time and get a UC top up. I could increase my hours so I don’t get any UC at all but then my children and my mental health would suffer.

If the CMS was fit for purpose and my ex contributed towards his children then maybe I wouldn’t have to claim government help at all.

Hope that keeps you awake at night 👍

Wow. I did think we just had a different view point but now I realise you’re just an arsehole.

Most of the shit dads weren't shit. Until they were.

Ime, the people working in housing just assume you're on benefits or underemployed.

My "evidence" of this is my own experience when I mentioned to my housing association rep that I would be home next week for a repair due to redundancy. She was very keen to help by offering me a place on one of their excellent courses run for people "just like me", such as Digital Skills Level 2 and functional skills English.

Don't get me wrong, I think it is great that they run these courses, but they're not really aimed at people "just like me" as she assumed. I offered to volunteer my time since I have an A-levels in English Language and English Lit, and am currently employed as a third-line IT support engineer and halfway through my second year of a Cyber Security degree.

Yes women, get those psychic powers going because absolutely every woman should know if their once competent male partner is suddenly going to regress into a man-child, cheater or abuser once your own children come along…

No she can't, just thought she would stir the pot. Sad.

I lost my job and had to go on benefits for a short time.

I was expected to do so much work for it and I genuinely struggled to find work that would fit with the nursery and public transport.

They made me volunteer for 40 hours a week and I had to foot the childcare bill myself (single parent).
I could only afford to go for a few days and then ran out of money and couldn’t get there, so my money was stopped.

Fortunately, I got one of the jobs that I’d been interviewed for before (which they were aware of) but I had no money from benefits and obviously didn’t get paid from my job for weeks so I had to use my credit card and wrack up debt because they refused to reinstate my money.

There are of course some people that take the piss but being on benefits is very difficult and you can’t judge someone unless you understand through lived experience.

The people that refuse to get jobs are usually the ones falsely claiming disability but these have a medical exemption and are very difficult to prove as fraudulent (many actual disabled people struggle to get any help because of people like this).

I live in a very poor area and actually know very few people who have been on benefits long term.

He's 28, he hasn't lived with me for over 10 years

Bore off

You can do this. I spent a stint on reception dealing with the job admin. It was hilarious. People hanging up on you when you offered them an interview. People not turning up for interviews. People not calling back when you left a message about interview. It was insane. I had lists of c. a hundred people per role to call a day and it would be a success if one person actually responded! Let alone turned up for the interview. So I do believe it’s a systemic issue. We only live in a town of 100,000. Not like it’s London.

OP , you are either bitter , stupid or just very sad. I wondered if you were a journalist at first but your posts aren't that articulate or well written. Shame on you.

Well, in which case none of my previous comment would apply to you would it? Can you read or is that a boring skill that passed you by ?

I won't indulge your little fantasies about enabling children.

I suspect yours are rocket scientists?

On a tablet being ignored?

Goodness me.

This is so true. Try hiring someone for a part time retail position, the amount CVs we received that were hopeless was shocking. It was a real eye opener for me. To be honest there are lots of able bodied people who don't have a chance in hell of finding a job. They basically have no choice but to stay on benefits.

I have a grandchild from him, requires quite a bit of upkeep - I still don't enable though.
Like I said, can't afford to.

How old is Stacey? @Staceysmum2025

Of course she hasn't because it doesn't happen. Ever. There isn't a single person in this country choosing to live off UC when they are capable of working. Not a single person.

I certainly wouldn’t berate those that can’t get hired , it’s a competitive world and I can see how some people are out of work for a long time, everyone knows you’re less employable when you’re unemployed and we have to realistic. Would you employ someone who’d been unsuccessfully applying for job after job for 2 years or longer? There are some people who will always get picked, maybe for there personality and those that don’t, those are the people that can’t understand or tolerate the unemployed or less employable at the end of the day employers are just people who are just choosing who they like best out of a bunch of people and the popular ones will always get the job.

Well, the vast majority of the welfare bill is spent on state pensions, so you're not wrong about them being unproductive. I'm not entirely sure what we could ask 90-year-old Bob with dementia to do for work though?