Yes it's the DM, yes it's about a large family on benefits, but surely even if only half of it is true it's shocking!

[StrawberriesAndCherries]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265508/Peter-Davey-gets-42-000-benefits-year-drives-Mercedes.html

Are they wrong to get what they are entitled to?

42K a year though - I must be going wrong somewhere!!!

I expect they'd jump at it! It would buy some more nintendos, wiis, phones, maybe they could upgrade their sky package (can you go higher than £50 a month? - I don't know about these things). Oh and they could pack in a few holidays since they're complaining that the tax payer isn't giving them enough.

Then 6 months down the line they'd be hitting the Daily Mail again:

"Family demands that taxpayers fund sterilisation reversal. They feel entitled to 6 more kids" !!

The problem here is basically one of insurance: if you have a safety net, you create a "moral hazard". The trouble with limiting payouts based on a ceiling for the number of kids whom you'll fund is that this doesn't put the interests of the children first. The problem of not putting a ceiling on, and not having some equivalent of a co-payment / insurance premium is that there is no pain for the mother and father in using the benefits. Not sure what the answer is, and no insurer ever gets this completely right, and paying out for stolen cars is a lot less inherently contentious than paying out HB etc.

new piece in the Mail, by Amanda Platell

The baby they're expecting has EB too

Scroungers. Sickening that they play the "full-time carer" card, when the dad gave up his job 9 years ago but the little boy needing full-time care is only 3 and a half. Doubly sickening that they didn't consider contraception after having one EB-affected baby.

What's the solution though? Bonus benefit payments for baby-free years? Compulsory community work for long-term benefit claimants? Benefits in the form of vouchers not cash?

I don't begrudge anyone anything in terms of getting support to raise a family - however - I do take great offense at that attitude! 'If the government wants to give me money, I'm happy to take it. We get what we're entitled to. I don't put in anything because I don't pay taxes, but if I could work I would.' Now THAT's a disgusting statement if ever there was one related to benefits. What sorry parents and role models they are to their children.

Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265508/Peter-Davey-gets-42-000-benefits-year-drives-Mercede s.html#ixzz0lZiAaOO9