Benefits v Defence Lord Robertson

[Wednesdayschild87]

Lord Robertson’s Speech… seriously does anyone care?? He’s laid out the fact that as a nation we can’t carry on like this… he said we can’t afford to keep throwing money at benefits whilst leaving our country defences I’m actually shocked no one has come out and spoken on this matter before. I’m incredulous.

marches in support of whoever were mentioned above -how much does the policing of these cost -they are every weekend

Foreigners not buying property in the UK also damages the balance of payments deficit. It was inward investment that helped offset the outflow of cash to buy imported goods and services, utilities, etc. Now that the "golden goose" has been killed by our over-taxing of foreigners, not only does the UK lose their cash, our credit rating, inflation, exchange rates etc also suffer due to the increase in balance of payments deficit.

The bonkers bit is people with qualifications and responsibilities earning the same as cleaners and shelf stackers.

Where is the incentive for people to train, take on more responsibilities improve their lot when really they aren't going to be any better off.

Removing expenses and lowering the salary would lead to a Parliament full of wealthy people, or people with a dozen second jobs.

Why shouldn’t MPs have expenses? Why should they pay for office equipment they need as part of their job? Or for their own staff? In fact how would an MP on an ordinary wage even pay for their own staff?

You clearly don’t have a single clue about an MPs workload or what they actually do.

I believe the NHS pension scheme (one of the biggest costs) is still a defined benefit scheme, as is the teachers, armed forces, police and fire service and some local government and civil service schemes. So still plenty of workers, even new starters, still on defined benefit schemes.

Why don't you add up the cumulative amounts of all true benefits? That will come to far more money given out to people who, in many cases, haven't paid a penny in to benefit from the hand outs. Once again (while pensions may form a large portion of the state benefit bill, they ARE NOT A BENEFIT.) Working people pay in all their working lives for a state pension. Currently the Uk pay out far less in state pensions than any other European country.

From what I have read employer contributions for public sector pensions are around the 25% to 30% mark, as opposed to just under 5% for private sector pensions. Historically public sector salaries were much lower than those in the private sector, but I thought that no longer the case?

As a aside, I think ending taxpayer subsidies for the House of Commons restaurants and bars should be a priority, it wouldn’t save much but it’s not appropriate when the economy is as bad as it is.

I'd increase the personal allowance massively, from 12570 to something around £20k. This would make working pay, people would keep more of what they earn. People complain about the unemployed but there is also an issue with underemployment - people working a few hours rather than full time. I believe if people get to keep more of what they earn, it would actually increase productivity.

Absolutely nobody should be getting benefits for ADHD or anxiety. Autism is massively over diagnosed and depression should be treated and time off work granted for a specific amount of time paid, but no benefits paid for it.

It is.. and it isn’t. As per my previous post, property price inflation has far outstripped wage inflation. Pensions are obviously proctected via the triple lock, which I’d alike to agree with pp should go, but actually, the state pension isn’t very much anyway. But that’s a digession.

The point I want to make is that plenty of an older generation are sitting on great wealth on paper, but it’s no use to them tied up in bricks & mortar. My mum is in the same boat, she can barely afford to keep the house going since DF died.

Idea alert could there be some sort of incentive to downsize and free up housing stock? I don’t really know what but perhaps something like stamp duty exemption/ lower rate if you buy somewhere smaller square footage?

Was an mp for 20 years before that, has doubtless seen many changes in welfare, so his views - if not accepted necessarily, because no one said that -could be given some thought.

That is a Reform policy. Or was. Totally unaffordable.

Anyone saying PIP is simple to get has never been through trying to claim it.
but once claimed, it’s another 3 years before more form filling?
what’s the other option though? Everyone who applies gets benefits on their say so?

I am sure it will be given some thought.

It should not be welfare versus warfare, there are other options available

Perhaps it could be removed for post 2016 pensioners? Leave it in place for the oldest whose basic pension is £50+ less per week. Around £2500 less per year and the gap widens every year. Many older women don't even have the basic, mine is around £110 per week. And we're dying off anyway. 👍

I do think Autism needs broken down to those who are High Functioning and those who are nonverbal and learning difficulties.

There's a line somewhere. Some are capable some aren't

People in full-time work shouldn't need benefits. - Agree, so whats the answer? Raising min wage?

There was someone on here the other day WFH on NMW, I can't think of any desk job without some level of responsibility that could possibly be justified as NMW
Really? Nothing? Admin work, customerservices letter writing, anything that can be done on a pc basically, that you can just get on with.

Of course they are a benefit. They're hardly a detriment are they? Maybe check the meaning of the word 'benefit'.

Not even unemployment benefit if they can't get a job? Would you prefer them to starve in the street? Realistically, some people are unemployable.

In the past we had lots of low-skilled jobs that low-capability people could do. Those jobs no longer exist, they are done either by machines, or by someone abroad.

Which leaves no room for low-capability people in the employment market.

Yes, this is a really good point.

But those houses weren't always worth millions were they? Your parents like many others probably worked long and hard to pay mortgages, while also paying tax and bringing up children. Why should they forfeit what they have worked for to support those too lazy to get off their arses?

It's not the welfare budget (the majority of which is made up of pensions by the way) v defence spending, it's defence spending v spending on absolutely anything else the government has to spend money on.

The Tories massively increased spending on welfare whilst simultaneously plunging families into poverty and did not spend enough on defence either and wasting billions on failed immigration projects, Brexit and Covid contracts while fucking things up so badly in education and hospitals and the whole country becoming completely run down while they were in office. They even wasted multiple millions on poor defence procurement.

So, here we are.

You want to train and arm illegal immigrants? Are you out fo your fucking mind?

Yes here we are but Labour in charge now.

Don't get me wrong I absolutely agree that people need to get off their arses and start working.

It is and I know it is a stereotype but too many people are having kids they can't afford to keep and now they have lifted the 2 child benefit cap.

Many of these people are uneducated unintelligent people who will earn the NMW who will get a top up anyway and usually won't be better off working.

I get why they choose to not work but actually it shouldn't be a choice. However factor in 'mental health: issues and you have free rein for people to elect to not work.

Also to add I am always shocked when adult children living at home don't work and start the sign on! The audacity of it.