to truly believe that there are too many people making living on benefits a lifestyle choice?

[preparestobeflamed]

While I really do feel for people, who through no fault of their own, find themselves on benefits, struggling to bring up their children on a pittance, am I the only one who truly believes that for a large number of people, living on benefits is a lifestyle choice??

It may just be the people I know, but I have one friend who refuses to work - no children or partner, another friend who from leaving school decided she was going to have children, has had 2 children by unknown fathers so far, and all at the tax payers expense and is now planning her 3rd, to some unsuspecting man she hopes to meet on a night out, and another friend who is due her 4th baby anyday, by a man who pays her no child support whatsoever, even though he is a high earner working full time and who lives in the next town with his mum and dad. She believes he will move in one day, i think not and when he does stay with her, she makes it public knowledge that she is continuing to claim she is an unemployed single parent to continue getting all the benefits, even when he has stayed for months and all those mentioned have the opinion that they are entitled to live off of benefits for as long as they live.

They just feel so entitled it's untrue!!!!

I am beginning to believe that people who do not pay tax should not be entitled to vote, since why should these people who do not contribute a penny to the system, and possibly may never contribute a penny to the system, be able to have a say as to how the money the country generates is spent????

I also am of the belief that anybody who does not have dependents, is not elderly, sick or disabled should not receive any benefit unless it is contribution based benefit.

Am I really BU??

Am I the only one who gets so angry at these lazy people, who live off of their children for as long as they can, and in some cases, are swayed to have children because they do not want to work??

Still think child benefit should be stopped after the third child.
So shoot me.

I just wonder, why richer people often choose to have less children, and poor people often choose to have more children?

got to go out

she answered the question yet?

No

toja - it often works out less financially once you take into account loss of housing benefits, loss of council tax benefit, loss of free prescriptions, loss of free school lunches then increased cost of travel to work, childcare costs (yes you'll get some paid but not all of it). That's why being working poor is the "even more shit" option .

again, is that a fact or based on observing a few families?
Wonder if they do income / number of statistics figures.

number of statistics
number of children
Obviously was struggling to think of that last word so I provided two

Unfortunately some of my family on my mums side are on benefits but still work, that's what really cheeses me off.

but yes I agree there should be more help for the working poor - however that's nothing to do with those still claiming benefits - it's a separate issue entirely (the DM would just like us to think they're somehow inextricably linked).

You get a job - have to wait 4 weeks for your first pay check - meanwhile the benefits stop dead so you have no money coming in for 4 weeks

meant to add it's all cash in hand, so they are cheating the system, and their kids have lots that mine go without.

Toja - That isnt quite true. Rich people tend to have more children by percentage ie there are a lot more poor people than there are rich

twirly you do know that you can work while on benefits don't you - admittedly not many hours and not for much money before they starting deducting your JSA/IS - but it is legal to do it........(so long as you declare it obviously )

Can't you see that this 'choice' is no choice at all but resignation to a life that will never improve with no prospects for them or their children and very likely an old age filled with regret

So assuming these people do exist then that's something that needs addressing?

alwayslookingforanswers - well, probably benefits should not be stopped until the working-poor settles with some regular monthly income that is not below survival level (sounds idyllic, isn't it).

ahhh x posts with you twirly - still don't agree that child benefit should be stopped after 3rd child though

lol at "these people do exist"
I just mean there are enough people choosing to live life on benefits long term to be a problem.

but that's the thing Toja - if someone gets "stuck" in a minimum wage job they may well never be in a better position.

But the working poor issue is a totally different subject from benefits claimants which this thread is about so don't want to hi-jack the thread

claw3, OK maybe not rich but those middle class. Myself and many of my friends cannot afford to have their first/second child (we are all in early 30ies) while someone on benefits gets pregnant again and again.. maybe because they know that the government has and will to take care of them?

I think that our expectation of our children as a nation is so low that it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

so what can we do to fix that?
I was watching the x factor the other night, and almost cried when I heard people in their 40s saying "this is my last chance to make something of my life" - how are we in the situation where people have so few ambitions and chances?

Toja - I think there are more poverty stricken or people on a low income than there are middle class or rich people (i remember reading this somewhere, but im sure someone will correct me if in wrong) So the percentage still stands.

But i know what you mean, we often read about parents on benefits having kid, after kid and expecting the government to support them. But again i would think this is the minority of the 6 million, as oppose to the majority.

LadyStealth I think it's always been like that - it's only with the media such as it is today that it's more obvious to see.

oh god, the old 'middle class people cant afford to have children' thing while the poor squirt them out.

so what can be done about it?
Obviously education is one thing. Economy. Less academic pressure and more apprenticeship roles?
OK, I'll sort all that out this afternoon, while the rest of you come up with more suggestions