To be agreeing with new conservative benefits proposal re alcohol etc

[Tigerthebreadroll]

They will cut benefits for people that haven't paid into the system and been unemployed for over 6 months (don't quote me on that number ) by 30 % and it will be given on a prepaid type card. Meaning it won't be accepted by betting shops, for alcohol or cigarettes. I feel that's right . Why should tax payers money be spent on funding cigarettes etc but I have no problem with funding the basics like food etc.
Thoughts?
Basically you will claim full benefits if you've worked and paid into the system. Should reduce generational unemployment hopefully

No. They're adults. If they want to buy fags and booze instead of food, that's up to them.

They had 14 years in power during which the benefits bill rose to its highest, so in 14 years they couldn’t do any of these things?

However labour who just came back in are at fault?

It’s worrying that in 14 years they weren’t able to do much, however now they have the talking points.

And why is that?

However if you look at the stats not just listening to the daily mail. The benefits bill increased the most under the Tories…why did you not all complain then? Even immigration was at its highest under conservatives…but alas…facts don’t mean much these days

People will just sell on their prepaid cards at a discount to get cash. Especially if they have an addiction.

Very true.

There was a roaring trade in the school dinner vouchers during Covid. Half price so they could still buy booze.

All the traders in our market take cards. They wouldn't survive if they didn't.

Crime will just go up again.

More muggings, more minor burglaries, more car breakings. £15 for 50 grams of tobacco in a dodgy shop (£5 if you don't care what you're smoking...). That's easy enough to 'find' for many.

And I've known a lot of alcoholics on disability for their alcoholism - it'll just be funded by that instead.

Well, I’m not unemployed, but I sussed out, within a minute, a workaround that will be used. Both for shopping and the ‘no cash draw out’ 🙄

Might be a great idea, but it won’t work, and will end up the fraud rife farce that milk tokens used to be.

The ‘not paid in, you don’t get out’ idea might work though. 🤷‍♀️. I think they were saying a person had to have paid in for 5 years - regardless of nationality.

But, the chances of the Tories alone getting a large enough majority to force this through the Commons is very slim. They would need to be in coalition with Reform/Restore. 😉

This.

I roll my eyes so hard I nearly sprain them when the Tories offer up their latest whizzy idea.

You were in power for 14 years. Much of it with large majorities. Badenoch personally was a senior government minister.

If it's a good, workable idea, why didn't you do it then?

A pre-paid card? The logistics and practicalities of that are just too awful to contemplate.
Added to that, there are a small number of people who are so addicted to booze and tobacco that they will sell almost anything that will raise ready cash, at far less than its actual value, to raise money to buy it. My ex was one of them. Within six months of cards like this being rolled out there will be a secondary market with addicts exchanging goods they are allowed to purchase for booze… at a loss.

For the people that are able to work and have no intention in doing so yes pre paid cards and reduced benefits are, imo essential, to reduce the social bill

So long as those that cannot work are not adversely impacted.

Why not stop paying people to sit on their arses and make them do community work like litter picking, weeding etc. Make them sing for their supper

What about the people who are struggling to make ends meet already and don't spend on alcohol or cigarettes? You are going to cut their support by 30% too?
What about the NEETs who haven't been able to get a foot on the working ladder yet?

Knock on costs to the NHS far outweigh any tax gains.

You’d end up having to have it like an id card where only the pictured person can use it but again that doesn’t stop Lacey from buying food for Steve and him them buying her a bottle of Voddy and he then gets the food.

Addicts gonna addict.

Nice idea though.

Seems such a shame that those who want to beat and abuse the system are always the ones who will find a work around when Johnny who just can’t get any further than interview would also be hit hard. Hmm.

Ditto Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick.

Reform is fond of proclaiming: "The government could easily solve XYZ. It's only not solving it because it chooses not want to."

So, you didn't solve this problem when you were the government because... ?

They will just pop out kids or claim a bad back.

And smoking reduces life expectancy, so fewer years of paying smokers' pensions. It's a win-win!

I think the benefits system needs a radical overhaul but I don’t think this is the answer.

Even if it means not feeding their children?

Your son isn't the type of person they'd be targeting. This is aimed at people who CAN work but choose not to. It would have to be very carefully managed though. For instance, a person in your situation may be able bodied and capable of having a job, but perhaps it's not possible due to your child's extensive care needs. You shouldn't be penalised for that.

I do wonder how this would be sustainable too, with AI and other tech advances creating job losses.

Also looking at Reform and picking up ideas from them. Strange how Kemi wasn't talking about all this pre election loss.

I thought people wanted the policy that cut off the smoking age.

That would only work in a perfect world where people on benefits just need some budgeting acumen explained to them.
It ignores the fact that alcohol and booze would still get prioritise - there's academic researched papers written on why people with shit lives focus on short term pleasures. And cycles of neglect to overcome. It sounds good but the ones who'd pay for it are the children.