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Original poster

I think this benefit family need to take a long hard look at themselves

277 replies

HungryHelga · 01/02/2012 18:21

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16812185

£20 a week in the pub

£15 a week for Sky

£32 a week on mobile phones.

A large pouch of tobacco AND 200 fags, plus 24 cans of lager.

£30,284.80 a year in benefits

And this family thinks they are hard done by?

Ridiculous. The benefits system in this country is totally out of control.

OP posts:
noddyholder · 01/02/2012 20:12

There are definitely those who take the piss but tbh it is better to leave things in tact for those who really are in need rather than harshly blanket cut benefits in the hope of catching this minority out. I very much think that in comparison to the figures bandied about wrt to large scale tax evasion etc and banking salaries/bonuses it is worth letting the minority get away with it to protect those who really are vulnerable and in need.

diabolo · 01/02/2012 20:17

yellow I know it is a "stereotype* that people without a clue quote often, without knowing anyone in that situation.

There is a Polish girl at my school, who always has headlice. Her mother claims she can't afford to treat them, the parents don't work. She plays Bingo at the local Leisure Park every afternoon. It is hard not to be cynical when facing that every day.

noddyholder · 01/02/2012 20:19

That is not a benefits thing though. That is bad parenting and neglect which I have seen in some of my wealthiest friends/colleagues

usualsuspect · 01/02/2012 20:22

I know parents on benefits that are excellent parents , you don't read about them in the DM though do you?

Doesn't really fit the agenda does it?

diabolo · 01/02/2012 20:25

noddy absolutely. Neglect and abuse happen everywhere on the social scale.

But where I work, a large proportion of the parents are out of work and the majority of "bad" parenting we see comes from them.

And I visit the same shop every morning on my way in to work that those parents shop at. So I can see what they are buying. And it really is that old cliche of fags, booze and scratchcards.

I'm no Tory troll. I wish I was, because maybe I would sleep easier on a night, instead of worrying so much about some of the poor kids I know.

samstown · 01/02/2012 20:27

Hmm at 'benefit family'

I totally understand that not everyone on benefits is a 'scrounger' and think that there is an element of the government keeping the plebs fighting amongst themselves. However, can you not see why someone on a low income would be cross at something like this. There are thousands of working people who can only dream of having sky tv simply because they cannot afford it. The reason that people 'care' about what people on benefits spend their money on, is because they have to go without things that people on benefits can afford because they get money given to them. Mobile phones, sky tv, these are not neccesities, they are luxuries.

And yes, people who work and receive CB can choose what to spend it on because they are putting something back into the coffers. Why is it that if you disagree with someone who isnt working getting more than someone who is working their arse off 50 hours a week, you are a hysterical 'frother' who wants all people on benefits to wear a yellow star and be gassed in a concentration camp?

(Disclaimer, am obviously excluding people who are disabled, carers etc from this - however, are we really to believe that this guy couldnt get any job for 11 years? Why would he - he brings in more for his family bynot working).

ouryve · 01/02/2012 20:40

bumbley - after this amount of time, his IT skills are going to be way out of date. He needs to either update his skills or retrain completely or get off his arse and apply for something else. His attitude is pretty arrogant, to be honest.

NatureAbhorsAHoover · 01/02/2012 21:09

Godwin's Law

Oh, Please. The vast majority of early repliers said "ooh how dare you diss this family... do you want them all killed TO DEATH etc you big fat meanie.

And you talk about Godwin's Law. Bloody hypocrites.

carernotasaint · 01/02/2012 21:26

And the link is from the bbc.
Blimey they really want to make sure that the Government doesnt abolish their TV licence dont they?!!!!!!!

silverbay · 01/02/2012 21:32

O god why do we all have to adopt this veneer of compulsory tolerance??

this family are a fucking disgrace.

but MN all bleat that it's nobody elses business. It is MY business, because I am fucking PAYING for it, and I am so tired, all the time, I work full time and I am exhausted, I am so very very tired that I could cry all the time, and I don't see my kids and I can't clean my house and this bastard gets to sit on his arse for eleven years and I'm supposed to say that's ok because we are all meant to be so fucking tolerant and understanding good god I just want to weep

I

give

up

i

just

fucking

give

up

catgirl1976 · 01/02/2012 21:44

I just don't get why people are bothered. What this family spend their money on does not impact on my life in the slightest so why would I care what they do?

The argument about my tax.pays for it is just banal. My tax.pays for a lot worse and so.does yours so if the issue is the poor spending of tax I thin we could focus this outrage and some far more important examples.

If this man spends his benefit on wholesome cheap food or sky tv, it makes not one upstate of difference to my life or anyone's else's.

I just don't get why people care

NatureAbhorsAHoover · 01/02/2012 21:48

silverbay I think most of us feel the same as you, we just don't have the energy to keep rebutting the flying monkeys righteous indignation of the Defenders of the Poor.

Honestly, they're just rabid, and would never approve of any cut to any benefit, ever. And they can't see the problem with that.... Sad

noddyholder · 01/02/2012 22:22

There are plenty of people sitting on their arsed all day avoiding paying tax. Most people do not think likemyou and tbh if they cut the benefits for people like him your life would not change at all because the shit this country is is is huge and the benefits bill in relation to that is quite small ( this surprised me too btw) I think the number of people likethe man in that report is so low but it does suit the govt to churn them out as examples when they are making cuts because they are easy to hate.

noddyholder · 01/02/2012 22:22

iPad typos sorry balanced on knee in bed!

suburbophobe · 01/02/2012 22:28

Yea, it's totally screwed up.

Ponders · 01/02/2012 22:42

Haven't read whole thread but was stunned by

Entertainment £20
I go out once a week, on a Friday night. I meet up with my mates in the pub and have three or four pints

£20 for "3 or 4 pints"? I don't think so Hmm

anyway why can't his mates come to his house & drink some of his 24 cans of lager? or go to each others' houses in rotation & take their own cans of lager?

also the mobile phones at £32 a week? There are good SIM-only deals for £15 a month; if all 7 had that it would save £8 a week.

There's a third of their benefits cut covered, & nobody needs to miss out on anything (except brewery & mobile phone company profits)

WetAugust · 01/02/2012 23:30

If the BBC family is true then it is truly shocking.

It just mirrors the hard figures that some MN regulars have recently stated that they too receive in benefits.

The amounts are just far too high to be a safety net - which is what benefits were historically intended to provide.

This family has absolutely no incentive to work. It's luxuries are all provided for it.

I do believe that there needs to be a cap on benefits for families without disabled members. There needs to be a distinct differential between a lifestyle choice of benefits and those who work on low wages.

But the cap seems to be a bit of a blunt instrument - if you're lucky enough to have low rent social housing you'll have more disposable income than a similar family also living on benefits but paying a market rate to a private landlord.

It amazes me that we've only just woken up to the huge sums that are being dispensed in benefits.

ChickenLickn · 02/02/2012 00:35

This is a combined family of step parents, each has brought their children from their previous family together.

THERE ARE 8 PEOPLE IN THIS HOUSE

They must have the cheapest housing for miles - £76 a week rent! You wouldn't get a shoebox for that price here.

No wonder there are no jobs in the area, I don't suppose there is much call for educational software writers on a social housing estate in north Wales.

The housing benefit cap would cause them to lose £82 a week. Severe hardship, and the result will be that the family will break up and live in two houses, perhaps they will be lucky and live next door to each other. This will double the housing benefit bill.

WetAugust · 02/02/2012 00:39

Utter rubbish!

carernotasaint · 02/02/2012 00:46

Chicken Licken is NOT talking rubbish. Their rent is cheap. My rent is 78 pounds a week and this is a ONE bedroom FLAT.

WetAugust · 02/02/2012 00:51

I'm not disputing their rent is cheap - of course it is.

It's just the preposterous scenario that as a result of 'hardship' (i.e. being deprived of sufficient disposable income for their lager, fags, Sky and mobile phones) they'd end up doubling their housing bill.

Absolute bollocks.

ilovebabytv · 02/02/2012 01:08

Just saying Hmm

ComposHat · 02/02/2012 01:09

Whether this family spends their money wisely or in a way people approve of is irrelevant. The fact they have been picked as representative of benefit claimants is telling of the beeb's the subtext of this article us that this is what ALL families on benefits are like, beer swilling sky viewing layabouts.

Funny how they don't highlight the unemployed desperate for a job and on their uppers financially, but then that wouldn't help perpetuate the lazy stereotype.

WetAugust · 02/02/2012 01:13

So what's the answer then Compo? Throw even more money at them?

I'll put a couple more hours overtime in tomorrow so with my increased taxes they can up their lager consumption.

ChickenLickn · 02/02/2012 02:17

Occasionally they buy a multipack of beer. This is the cheapest form of beer. it does not say they buy this every week.

This is deliberate strirring by the BBC, who are supposed to be impartial. It should be renamed the BBConservatives!

Lets all take money from the poorest so that the rich can run away with their taxes and our public services too, while we're all distracted.