Benefit cuts will cost the economy.

[MistressoftheDarkSide]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/29/labours-benefit-cuts-will-cost-uk-economy-billions-charity-says

Interesting article which repeats what some of us have been saying about the likely consequences of the proposed measures, including increased pressure on services.

How do you know the financial details of these 5 or 6 people?

You’re absolutely right. You’re howling into the wind, though, if this thread is anything to go by.

Some people just refuse to accept that being disabled costs money, and impedes your ability to make money. No reforms will change that.

These people will get the money eventually, but it'll just be in increased costs to the NHS. Unless they die instead, which sometimes feels like the end goal.

The societal contract is rapidly breaking down.

This is what you need to fix.

You work hard, bring up decent kids, don't break the law and in return people have come to expect that they can live in an adequate house and their children, when they come of age, are able to move out, get work, find somewhere of their own to live. Expect a bit of healthcare when required, perhaps a bit of social care at the end of life.

But this has broken down.

What used to be dealt with within a family, older relatives, mental health illness, disabled youngsters, we all now expect the state to fund. And that expectation is bankrupting councils. Creating a workforce that pays tax and "sees" less and less each passing year for their efforts. (Pot holes, no police, littered streets). This is the breakdown of the contract.

People, as a whole, have stopped caring. Olders don't care about struggling children and parents don't care about singles and loneliness. It's dog eat dog and everyone for themselves.

And it seems like an impossible wound to heal.

It will revert to families being expected to look after their own with less and less state financial support. For a while. It will of course swing back again as everything does.

I’m just waiting to read some reference to “useless eaters”. The vehemence and the misinformation is terrifying.

I've always wondered this. I don't know the ins and outs of my close family's finances yet, many MNetters know exactly how much their neighbor's cat's bestfriend's gardener's cousin gets in PIP.

Agree.

They're probably bragging about it when they exercise their free goat whilst driving their state provided Lamborghini......🙄

I think some of the reasoning behind it is that means testing costs a fortune to implement, and that the money saved would go a long way towards financing UBI.

They regularly post on a FB group we have - wanting to know payment dates, whether things are being cut, whether they qualify for a larger house now they have an extra baby etc.

Do you think maybe they’re trolling?

No Lamborghinis but all housing and bills covered and seemingly a generous amount left to live on. More than many get working. I know you’ll all pretend this never happens, but like I said, I’m happy to show proof and maths if desired. I suspect you don’t want me to though.

I was just wondering why PP starved herself if she can't cook.

There is publicly available data on people who receive PiP.

i recently applied for and received PIP (I use a wheelchair following an accident, hope that’s ok with people).

the data is actually quite interesting. It’s available in excel format so you can play around with it yourself.

This is the link and then click through to stat explore.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-independence-payment-statistics

A lot of what people are posting is just not factually true if you look at the actual data. It’s a nice afternoon and I fancy spending it in the garden buggering about with data so I will post some follow ups later as I really do hate people who post hatred about disabled people.

Why would they be? Why would they, in a small community of people who know them, pretend they’re on benefits and get DLA, carers and PIP? Isn’t it just more likely they are in receipt of those things? Especially given the figures say we have the equivalent of the entire population of Scotland on disability benefits.

It will revert to families being expected to look after their own with less and less state financial support. For a while. It will of course swing back again as everything does

You really have no idea of the reality of the lives of disabled people and their carers. Millions of people are already doing this.

I am an unpaid carer for my DH. I get approx £66.70pw (after tax) from the government for this. All the caring is done by me. If I die first I dread to think what will happen to my DH as a couple of 20 minute visits from carers a day would not even begin to meet his needs.

@Kindersurprising you may have missed my post; can you enlighten the rest of us disabled folks on how we can also afford living costs without needing to claim benefits? 🙂

It's not that we expect the state to fund these things, the state offered to because they wanted a dual income economy meaning parents with less time for their children, and less time for (usually women) to help with elder care. We often get beaten with the stick that as women, we've hoist ourselves by our own petard by demanding equality. We wanted the choice, but didn't actually get it. There's a hugely sex based element to the economic shitshow on top of everything else.

Oh well it must be true then 😂😂😂😂🙄
After all we know everything on FB is true.

I am low paid. I know people with mental health issues not working on PIP who are better off than I am.

That still doesn't explain how you know their income.

Go one then. Show us their entitlement letters. That's the proof, isn't it,

@frozendaisy I am 62, everyone I know has been involved in caring for older parents and grandchildren. But they are also all working, so there is a limit.

Yes, there may be little difference between claiming and working full time IF you are claiming as a disabled person. If you are able to work, but choose not to, your benefits aren't close to the amount you've described. If you take into account the fact that the cost of having a disability can be hundreds/thousands a month for some people, they certainly aren't better off.

Plus, do you really want to be the person that feels like disabled people should be locked in cupboards and fed bread and water twice a day, so they aren't a drain on the state?

Well I wouldn’t, but some would. Some people will just cock a snook of they feel judged or surveilled.

For example, an out of work benefits income of £50k is not possible, even for a family with multiple disabilities, unless half of it is going on a high rent.

”Larger house” is another case in point. They’re just not readily available, and the waiting lists are extremely long, if it’s social housing. Priority goes to homeless families in hostels.

If they mean private rentals, they have to find a landlord prepared to rent to them without a job (huge hurdle) and then they’re probably going to get screwed for an excessive rent because the unscrupulous landlords know that the underclass is a cash cow. So that’s a minority. And what are they gaining? The right to live in a slightly larger house for a few years until the kids grow up? A house they’ll never own? It’s not a great wheeze, is it? Except for the landlords.

I think you’re being trolled.