I got caught shoplifting

[RoseBiscuitll]

I really didn't know what topic to choose for this

I'm mortified, I got caught shoplifting in boots today, I was stealing baby milk and a facial moisturiser. I'm so ashamed of myself. It was in the city center aswell. They didn't call police but they took my details, took a picture and told me I can't return to the store again

Will this picture and my details go around to the other shops near by or will it just go to the other boots shops.

I can't believe I was stupid enough to do this! I'm so embarrassed and also feel really guiltily!

There IS enough money to cover needs though.

Like many companies they use legal loopholes to shift and keep their money in places beyond the UK law so they avoid paying tax on the money they've earned. Many big companies do it which is why they don't have their finance offices here a lot of the time. Boots is known to be one of the worst, it used to be reported on more before the conservatives got in but they wanted to quieten down the reporting on it to make the population celebrate and idolise billionaires instead of being rightly outraged.

Yeah there might be enough to cover food and bills. But what about if you need a new coat, new clothes, new bedding. What do you do then? Yeah it’s cheap enough to buy, but if there’s no money left and no means of saving what actually is the alternative. People are skint, people are desperate.

And this is why benefits should only be relied upon in the short term for survival so other expenses that come along shouldn't be to much of an issue as its designed to be shortlived not a lifestyle choice. Coats and clothes can be bought 2nd hand

So people who are disabled or ill should be surviving until they magically become able or well?
The idea that those who can’t work or live off benefits and low income only deserve second hand crap with little to no luxuries is horrible.

The conversation surrounded benefits shouldn’t be to pit everyone against the poor, the majority of people in this country don’t earn a reasonable wage. Instead of being angry that those on UC be angry at the governments who’ve caused all this mess.

Disability benefits are a lot more generous then basic benefits im on pip and lcwra I'm definitely not scrimping to get by

Obsequious - fawning over OP, trying to excuse theft by saying that benefits aren't enough, and trying to use disabled people to make the argument.

Don't see you picking up OP for their terrible SPAG though.

But again though it comes down to where is this money going to come from? Who is going to pay for it?

The only way to increase UC is to raise the tax everybody working pays. As you say, the majority of people in this country don’t earn a reasonable wage, so do you really think any of those people who work 40 hours a week and still have no money are going to want to lose 40% of their income on tax to fund a higher paying UC system? No.

The money has to come from somewhere, there isn’t a magic money tree. I personally agree morally that there should be more available to those who physically cannot work, but would I be happy to lose 40% of my pay, pay I work very hard for, to fund that? Honestly, no. Nobody wants to give away 40%+ of their income in tax to fund the system, likely because as you say lots of those tax payers aren’t earning a huge amount as it is, and so UC can only be what it is.

If Boots is minimising tax, it's doing so legally, so not really comparable with theft, which is actually illegal.

You're lucky to get PIP. It's a hugely intimidating, complicated process and a very large number of genuine claims are turned down for no reason.

No doubt you support the bullying of disabled people in this way, but PIP is not a magic solution for many people.

The LCWRA element of UC is hardly a fortune.

Have you always struggled with a lack of imagination beyond your own circumstances?

Yes, but the pribedlege brought about by super wealth enables the tax avoidance, if OP could afford an armed bodyguard for example she could look the whole of Boots without consequence, which is essentially what companies like this are doing to the economy..

ODFO with conflating people who can work but don't, with those who cannot work, it's tiresome.

I think we all agree that those who CANNOT work because of disabilities (and, let's face it, lots of people with disabilities DO work) should be supported, but those who CAN work should be supported for a short period. They shouldn't be able to choose to not work because they don't want to, and expect to live the same lifestyle as someone who can work and does.

Whilst in receipt of such benefits I hope you don’t ever buy yourself anything new and live only off chickpeas, veg soup and pasta. Given that’s your attitude to OP’s struggles :)

I'm unsurprised you mistake kindness and compassion for arse licking.

They aren't enough. If they are, why do food banks exist? If they are, why is poverty rife? If they are, why are people telling you they're struggling with their money?

Disabled people are on benefits too, so that is relevant.

Ok, you may believe the vast majority of people on benefits are too stupid to spend their money wisely, but how realistic is that belief?

They shouldn't...expect to live the same lifestyle as someone who can work and does.

There's no danger of that happening with the pitiful amount they have to live on so you can chill your bean with that concern.

Pip is a hard benefit to get especially top rate and the dwp are vile human beings who blatantly lie I agree with you on that and anyone who has gone through the pip process will agree with you on that. And I 100% agree the process for pip should be changed as it is horrific. I was very lucky and got high rate. Lcwra was a lot easier. You really do need back up when applying for pip get letters of all your consultants, carers, care Co's, cpn who ever is involved in your life on a regular/daily basis use them to help with forms, phone calls, letters it makes such a difference. Let the professionals do the fighting for you.

It should not be a fight to be able to have enough money to live on.

Besides, PIP is supposed to be for the cost of your disability. UC is supposed to be enough to live on without PIP.

But it isn't and many disabled people have to go to bed hungry at night.

I know this because I am one of them. I am not in the least bit profligate but I can't magic money out of thin air. Three years ago, things were more manageable in terms of bills and food costs. These days, I have also stood in the supermarket and been tempted to take something. When you are feeling faint with hunger, these thoughts run through your mind. I haven't done it; I went to bed hungry instead, which you'll be glad to hear.

I have an incurable disease. I can't work. There's no point in starving me as a form of motivation.

Unfortunately you do have to fight for pip otherwise evertime anyone stubbed their toe they'd be on it. If you genuinely can't work for medical reasons and your struggling to manage financially then you need to be speaking to your consultants and whatever services you are under to do this for you if your not giving them the full story they can't help you. Most disabled people are working or are on pip or both

if your not giving them the full story they can't help you

Do I seem like someone who typically struggles to clarify themselves?

I'd love to see my consultant! 🤣 Unfortunately I have to wait until my next appointment to do this, like everyone else. Not that much happens to resolve what can be resolved with the state of the NHS.

It's cute that you think he will be able to place a telephone call to the magic money people and arrange for me to stop being poor. What a fanciful world you live in! Do you wake up to the theme tune of The Magic Roundabout every morning or just today?

Do you only have one consultant. Do you not have a care team set up who looks after your needs on a daily basis. You can email or call your consultants secretary at anytime. Just to add I'm under 9 consultants covering 3 trusts their all contactable at any time

A care team!! 🤣🤣🤣

Now I'm convinced you're completely off your rocker. Of course I don't have a team of professionals managing my every need. How amusing that you think this would be happening.

Yes, I can contact the secretary. What is it you want me to say? Can you pass on a message to the consultant and tell him that UC isn't enough to live on and ask him to do something about it? Oh, and while you're at it, I'd like a cure to my incurable disease, please.

He's a doctor, not a magician.

Yes a care team welcome to the world of disability. Where people actually need regular daily care and not seeing a consultant every 6 months. You say I'm applying for pip and I need your help can you write a letter can they ring you etc. 2 of my consultants, my gp and my cpn all rang the dwp for me, 4 others wrote letters, this is part of the job of medical professionals their use to dealing with the dwp it's not out of the ordinary

I don't need you to welcome me to it. This has been my life for some years now.

It must be lovely for you to convince yourself that anyone who is disabled and struggling for money is doing so through their own carelessness, but you're very much mistaken.

I'm sure your consultants have an open surgery and welcome you round any time for a cup of tea and a natter. Which planet is that on again?

And again - PIP is for the extra costs associated with your disability. It is not supposed to be for basic essentials.

You do realise pip Is based on daily living so if your not receiving daily care and are able to go to the supermarket and things your probably not entitled to it anyway being disabled doesn't automatically make you entitled to pip and unable to work. It's bizarre that the mention of daily care and a care team and having a good open relationship with consultants who iv been under for decades is so strange to you this is very normal for anyone with chronic illnesses as it becomes their life.

If you genuinely believe that every single person in the country who is on benefits is receiving enough to cover the basics, you're living in cloud cuckoo land.