ONS stating UK in recession due to unemployment.

[Poppybob]

Read in news this morning, and thought was interesting as I agree that the UK can't sustain the amount of unemployment/people on benefits for much longer.

it's the working people who get no support and help from the govt.....nothing.....not a penny!!!

About 40% of universal credit claimants are working people.

Mines reviewed in June.

Exactly. People on LCWRA have not been reviewed for years.

I contributed for 45 years. Never bothered me about people on benefits. The vast majority need them.

What does bother me however, was paying tax and Ni to be given shit public services.

I have youngish working age family members who have literally not worked in around 3-4 years.....claiming mental health issues ?!?!?....for over 3 years!!!!!! And yes they have received treatment/help etc.

Claiming?
Don't you believe them OP?

Do you have any idea how difficult it i to get treatment/help/support with mental health issues now? I was on my knees before I managed to get any help for a family member.

Do you know how complex the system for claiming benefits is? Or how low the actual number of fraudulent claims are?

‘Economically inactive’ includes under state retirement age (67?) and retired even if self funding. I don’t call that economically inactive but the gov do. I’d be interested to know how many are not self funding but able to work? It’s pretty difficult to claim benefits and not be pushed to work I think?

It's odd isn't it. The early retired with private pensions pay tax on their pensions at the same rate as those in employment, they also pay fuel tax, road tax, VAT, stamp duty etc.

As others have said there's loads of people who are economically inactive but not claiming anything. I am mid fifties, half my group of friends of a similar age have retired and drawing good NHS pensions and civil service pensions and have no need to work. But these pensions obviously are paid from tax payers money also. I don't see how things can improve, people are living to 85-90 with increasing health problems and claiming both state and other pensions for years on end. We are unfortunately on a downwards spiral with not enough people paying taxes, too many relying on benefits etc.

It's not just young people. I work for a charity which helps over 50's and there seems to be huge numbers off long term sick for anxiety and depression, claiming disability benefits then partner gives up work to become their carer so neither of the couple working. I appreciate help can be hard to come by but people have often been in this situation for years and years and then get past a certain age and they know they are unlikely to work again with huge gaps in their CV and heading towards 60 so they just sort of give up. This is my experience anyway. Also seem to get a lot of couples where one is significantly older than the other so woman in late 50's/ early 60's inevitable ends up caring for older partner then partner dies and they can't re-enter the workforce or it's very difficult.

I agree with pp.
Where i worked in a bank at the start there were - women- on short days so 10-2 or term time only. And people with final salary pensions. Within a few years everybody was full time or part time full days and contribution pensions

Now working with those conditions meant
Fewer lower people stayed in the jobs. So moee stressful if you do stay constant training and always tsking responsibility

20%+ children are on fsm so havent got even 1 ft working parent

There will be lots of 50-60+ people who have retired early.

If we made jobs less stressful people would be fine working longer.

The rise in sen children means fewer will be able to work ft

Neither of my dc would have coped with ft nursery or before after school clubs.
Even now 11-9 i think working will be a struggle as its tricky just getting them ibto school.

Then you have public transport - slow expensive unreliable.
How can you rely on getting back from work to pick kids up.

If we fix the other ossues in the country

Maybe raise the tax free allowance to 16k?

Maybe if people wprk more their total benefits drop ie housing benefit too?

I will never work another "job" again and they can't make me. I have enough money for a good lifestyle and I have no interest in killing myself to make rich people richer. I'll volunteer and work doing what I want to do for me but I'm done being a cog in the machine.

Same here.

That's a great summary. I'd add, though, that a lot of people were shunted off unemployment benefits and into the economically inactive "bucket" to make the unemployment figures look better (we not long ago had the lowest ever unemployment, didn't we?)

I think it’s fair to point out that a number of early retired are also acting as carers for elderly parents, grandchildren etc and are propping up the economy that way.

But they’re not, no more than I’m propping up the economy by looking after my own kids. All caring is admirable but convincing ourselves the economy can run well if a quarter of the public adds ‘soft value’ rather than actual funds is part of the problem.

There are a huge number of under 35s on long term sickness benefits. This is a new phenomenon as you would expect this age group to be the healthiest in society. It’s extremely concerning.

Oh look, another benefit bashing thread. It's all the scroungers who are responsible for recession. Not government policy. Like the policies keeping people out of work, in poverty, unhealthy... and if it isn't them, it will be small boats, covid, the weather, or some other random "fact". Couldn't possibly be redundant economic policy and asset stripping by the rich.

Benefits are economic policy

If that person couldn't be working and paying taxes if their mum wasn't providing free childcare then the value in very tangible in terms of the person's labour and taxes.

But it’s not ‘free’ if it then makes the grandparent economically inactive?

@Naptrappedmummy i did say those who have retired early. So the children aren’t the reason they’re not working. Why shouldn’t normal working people be able to retire if they have the funds to do so, it’s not just the preserve of the mega rich. Family carers are saving the country a fortune, it’s hugely cheaper than paying for care. And no, not in any way comparable to a parent looking after their own child.

@Neriah I agree it's not the only reason but isn't is a contributing factor. There are lots of families where I live where it's generational. They know how to do the forms/ ask the right people to do them and manipulate the system .
My last house on an estate of Mixed properties I lived on a row of large families and maybe one in ten houses worked (at all) They moved from partner to partner, had more kids and then their kids had kids.
Where I live now half the road (long terrace) is inactive.
I have been in that boat but you have to think 'is this a lifestyle Choice?' I had three kids, two with major disabilities, I always worked and more as they get older. I got cancer (twice) I worked (just kept my hand in)
You have to for societies sake. You can't just opt out and not bother all well sticking your hand out.
And I blame the government and the super wealthy too.

I'm sure lots of these people have taken earlier retirement. My cousin and his wife both retired at 58 and since they don't get their state pension they will be in these figures. But since they support themselves with their own private pensions and savings I don't see it's an issue?

Or…she could be stating her opinion? But as it’s different to yours it’s not valid & you’ve turned it into something else🙄

Yes she's stating her opinions. And she is quite entitled to do so. But this:

I have youngish working age family members who have literally not worked in around 3-4 years.....claiming mental health issues ?!?!?....for over 3 years!!!!!!

... is classic benefit bashing stuff.