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Original poster

£25,000 benefits cap

466 replies

Xenia · 05/10/2010 06:48

Average family has £26,000 to live on including housing. So from 2013 the most benefits available for one family will be £26,000 including housing benefit. Sounds like a sensible plan. Well done George Osborne. How did we ever get to a contrary position in the first place?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11463435

OP posts:
Abip · 07/10/2010 14:11

For the record. I am not against those who have been made reduntant and trying. Its those who have sat on the arse and played the system. Why cant they do on the spot checks ?

SanctiMoanyArse · 07/10/2010 14:14

Well you sound a lot like us (I am a carer with 4 kids, 2 disabled, and doing an MA part time in evening class; dh is ft student and runs how own business as well)

So I do understand your POV

And I think there should be a lot of work done on this chocie benefits thing because it stinks for the rest of us.

But I think becuase of this it is exceptionally important to remember that these in no way comprise all (or even most) benefit claimants, and that it's httting those playing games that matters.

Abip · 07/10/2010 14:36

Spot on. They should be ensuring claimaints of incapacity are incapacitated. And that those on income support cannot physically work. And that those on jobseekers are jobseeking and going to interviews. Thats my beef. The minority claim benefits and see it as pay, I actually dated a man that stated ' It pays me more than a job so why should I work?' This infuriated me! It is NOT pay it is a benefit in a time of need (needless to say I dumped him) For many it should be a short term financial help whilst they sort their situation. So I get peeved. I can't even claim ALG (like ema for adults) Its only £30 a week and I am bettering myself to get paid more and in turn pay more tax !

sarah293 · 07/10/2010 14:58

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Abip · 07/10/2010 15:08

I do understand thankyou very perfectly. As I stated I have been in all of the situations here so have a very good idea. At the end of the day, there are SOME that dont bother to work and continue to have children and expect the state to pay for them. Why should we ? I never expected anyone to pay for me so I expect the same. I got a coil fitted as I already had two children and struggled and did not even contemplate having any more children. And again as I stated before SOME PEOPLE. There are always exceptions. Some families have disabilities within the household so I feel for them.
Why be having 12 children if you cant afford them? Maybe then they wont have the flat screen telly's Ps3 and wii's I see in SOME homes which I do not have and many others do not have.

sarah293 · 07/10/2010 15:11

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Kaloki · 07/10/2010 15:11

Do they have a swimming pool too Abip?

On another note, do people honestly believe that those who receive benefits;

  • have never worked before
  • never have children before receiving benefits
  • don't currently work in a low paid job
?

Why are these things so hard to grasp?

Kaloki · 07/10/2010 15:12

Off topic - Riven is it definite that he's lost the job then? :(

sarah293 · 07/10/2010 15:16

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Kaloki · 07/10/2010 15:17

Shit, sorry to hear about that Riven :( Maybe if you are lucky the boss will be let go instead?

sarah293 · 07/10/2010 15:18

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Abip · 07/10/2010 15:31

Sorry to hear that Riven. I think you are misunderstanding me. Like I have said before its only some of these claimants, and it is a very large number not a small minority. I lived on a council estate before i moved in with my partner. Large majority of them could work but did not. I actually know this because I have spoken to them. An alarming amount of homes on the estate had both parents at home claiming. No they did not have a flipping swimming pool ! But when you are struggling - whether it be Rivens situation, my situation or anyone else it makes you bitter when you see these scroungers with all the latest gear which us mortals cannot afford. The problem of the benefit scroungers that choose benefits over work without reasonable cause is a very big problem. If the government tackled the problem. REALLY tackled it with actually going out the the home, which I know your going to say costs money but will save money, then maybe the deficit would not be so big. There is work for a worker. If you really need a job even if its shit with shit money then there is no excuse.

usualsuspect · 07/10/2010 16:09

I live on a council estate and the majority work ,stop with the council estate bashing it pisses me off big time

Abip · 07/10/2010 16:22

Your on a lucky one then cause the one I was on did not. I can comment when I lived on a council estate and only moved off their 10 months ago. There are a few who worked and good on them. I cannot comment on your estate I dont live there. Just stating there are many that could work and dont bother and lap up the handouts because its too easy and its more money than a job. So all the ones who dont need to suffer now will.

Hammy02 · 07/10/2010 16:22

So much of what the coalition are doing, should have been done a long time ago. For too long, people have assumed that the taxpayer will foot the bill if they have kids they can't afford. I don't think people who have fallen on bad times should be penalised, the message is that people should not have kids when they are not in a position to afford them-with their OWN money, not relying on ANY form of hand-out.

sarah293 · 07/10/2010 16:29

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usualsuspect · 07/10/2010 16:31

No I'm not lucky Abip ...I just don't believe all the shite the Tories want me to believe about benefit scroungers ..unlike you

sarah293 · 07/10/2010 16:32

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sarah293 · 07/10/2010 16:34

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Hammy02 · 07/10/2010 16:37

So usualsuspect, we don't have a problem in this country with benefit scroungers?? Highest teen pregnancy in Europe, generations of thousands of families that have never worked? The whole ethos of benefits needs to shift massively.

sarah293 · 07/10/2010 16:39

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MaMoTTaT · 07/10/2010 16:41

"not relying on ANY form of hand-out."

does tat include tax credits - I hope not - otherwise we're going to have an enormous dip in the birth rate, now obviously we don't want the population rising too quickly - but a negative birth rate isn't great for a country either.

I'm interested to know how yoi'll work out who has fallen on hard times and who is just a scrounger. You can't really use the have "You" worked question

I've only worked for 1 1/2yrs in the UK - I'm 31. Am now on benefits. and have been for 2yrs for varous reasons.

Was I scrounging before that?? No I was a SAHM with a working partner. I'm sure there are plenty of other LP's who were SAHM's with a working partner before ending up on their own..........

usualsuspect · 07/10/2010 16:42

Yes we do have a problem in this country ..but to lay all the blame at the door of the benefit scroungers is frankly ridiculous and is what this government would like us all to believe, and my god so many of you fall for it

Kaloki · 07/10/2010 16:44

"generations of thousands of families that have never worked?"

Thousands? Do you have figures to back that up?

sarah293 · 07/10/2010 16:44

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