Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole

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Did anyone watch this?

They didn't call them foster children so I thought they were hers and that she hadn't got fosters. If those are all foster children then you are right YourMa

The programme is designed to create outrage amongst the pearl-clutching Daily Mail types. It's never going to be as it seems. I was pretty disappointed at the young couple trying for a baby before they had jobs and the supposed attitudes of some of the others but it's clever editing. They've probably skipped the bits where they've spoken positively about finding work. I have a couple of friends on benefits, it ain't no picnic.

Can't wait to see what they have to say about the immigrants next week How dare they come over here and work hard in all the jobs nobody else will take and pay tax!! What is the country coming to. Tut!!

I know someone who used to work in a council advisory office in Hull. They said on some estates there is a healthy work ethic, but on others there is a climate of living on benefits. It is almost as though they never really grow up, because the council do repairs, the Government give them money etc., like parents. I am 100% sure that isn't confined to Hull though.

A lot of them won't have anyone showing them how to grow up or give them the incentive to, larry. They just repeat the pattern shown to them by the people around them.

Yes, merciful.

Agree with Larry. I have worked in benefits for almost 20 years and the culture portrayed on these tv shows has (in my experience) grown throughout that time. This is something that both angers and saddens me equally. A general apathy seems to be passing from generation to generation.
However, I do also meet many people who do not want to be on benefits and do whatever they can to improve their chances of obtaining work. It would be nice to see these people shown more on tv but I guess
Sadly though, for some they will be financially worse off in work than on benefits, so there is no real incentive to gain employment.
I am not sure what the solution is but we do need too find one.

"but I guess that would not be as interesting"
Duh!!!

many will be worse off if they work as will lose their benefits like council tax and housing benefit, so they think why should we try to find work

have said before, but i think they should scrap jsa after being on it for 6mths and make people find a job - in many areas there are jobs, but that they pay nmw of £6ish which tbh not many people can afford to live off and therefore dont want to work

and up nmw to something like £8ph and up wtc for those who work to make up the shortfall

the childless couple were looking for work, but hadnt found any, obv now she is preg, she wont be able to find work easily - but well done to her for losing 6stone - but why did they get moved to a nice 2 bedroom flat before she was preg

i also think a lot of the problems are that people are in a 2 bed place (like that old man) and pay the bedroom tax - but therearent any 1 bed places

they need to build more 1 bed flats - whenever see new builds being built they always seem to be 2/3/4 bed, not one beds

i do think you shouldnt have more then 2 kids if on benefit (unlike father of 4 who had never worked)

foster lady, i assumed she was mum of all 4, that she fostered but didnt have any kids at that time - and again well done to her for getting iceland driver job

Hate sruff like this my husband was out of work last year only for one month and was applying for job after job after job all day in between that he was going to interviews and doing more than me around the home as I was working.

I know of teachers who have lost their jobs during cuts and done the same as my dh applying for any and every job they can. I guarantee there are more people in that situation than claming benefits and acting like nobs.

But I suppose if the tv's and newspapers showed this the government wouldn't be able to criminalise people on benefits to half the country who fall for it hook line and sinker.

It's been interesting to read this thread as I currently live in hull & unfortunately my DH lost his job in March just to add to our problems were expecting a very much planned, loved baby in 3 weeks, which will be our 3rd DC. Our DS has ADHD too. We are on of them couples "sat" on benifits. We not sat pretty, we don't get full rent paid, we don't get full council tax paid, we don't get extra money because of DS disability & we defiantly don't have any of the luxuries seen on tv.

My DH applies for jobs daily, he often helps older friends/elderly neighbours- for free. I help at school when I can. My children have to "earn" any treats or rewards that are limited to sweets, days at the park or £1 DVDs.

I couldn't believe what I was watching the benefit show in horror at how bad hull was portrayed & how bad people are made to look that receive benefits. We're not all scum bags

Oops I feel daft now. Ok yep she should be out working then. (And not trying to weeze out of that Iceland job as I now realise she was trying to do. :o )

Coffee don't sweat it, they'll be back to picking on Manchester, South East London or Birmingham before you know it. Surely Glasgow or Belfast need a turn now? :o

Blondeshavemorefun I have it on good authority that Hull City Council are trying to provide more one bed units, but if they want people to downsize it takes time, and meanwhile there are a lot of homeless people who want one beds.

LarrytheCucumber when going to a open day at a large new-build development near me in which there was social housing,part rent part buy and private homes all mixed in together (we were looking for S.housing for my DD) the developers proudly told us there will be hardly any 1 bed 'apartments' available because they didn't want 'young,lone male occupancy because that may cause 'problems' so 1 bed flats/apartments are obviously being 'phased out' discreetly in some areas.
Next weeks programme seems to have the same large Roma gypsy family (quote) that I've seen in another programme on sky (could it have been shown before??) The man leaves his large family in Romania and states 'I will get £40,000 in U.K. and then come home and build a better house here (Romania) it also said that he will get paid benefits for his children THERE even though he is the only one HERE . As has already been stated though it seems to be that this programme is just an excuse to benefits bash! On my previous comment re;Dad of disabled DS who gets £450 a week...I was under the impression that only 1 of his children lived at home with him...my apologies if I'm wrong.

It happens everywhere, I used to work in a job that had me in daily contact with people on benefits. The work shy were a minority and IME were categorised as such (by some) when they often had other issues such as mental health or self esteem problems (and in an even smaller minority, dependency issues.) When we were recruiting I told each person who had told me they were looking work and in around 90% of cases they took an application form.

Yes, there are some chancers out there but they are in the minority. I've been in a position to have had to collect full info on people's finances and most of these families are on the breadline. In fact, I was very unsuccessful in my job (sales and loans with high interest) because I actively persuaded people to try local
Charities and household good recycling projects because I couldn't bear to get them into debt.

There is far too much judging of a whole group with only a minority of 'offenders.'

larry maybe they need to build houses for shares, ie rent a bedroom and share a living room/kitchen/bathroom - bit like students, maybe older generation would like that,as means they get company if they want but not in a home?

Looked at more items from Hull Daily Mail. Some of the participants are saying that they were told things to say and that some bits were staged, and most of them feel let down by the programme. No surprises there then.

anybody gonna be watching at 9pm

I'm watching, wow at that guy with the skateboard. He's so lucky to be alive!!

ive seen these people before on another programme

I am just open mouthed at this programme tonight, talk about finding the most selfish Roma possible and winding up the public.

The Roma do get a bad press, they're not all like that. DP spitting feathers over the 40k guy who stole food but still reckons its like a UKIP promotional campaign. Its all very cleverly edited in these programmes.

The clan leader aiding people like 40k guy needs to be found and deporting ffs!

It's very very goady but who would really want to live their life. It's very grim benefits or not.

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2689100/Romanian-father-reveals-plan-make-40-000-benefits-says-steal-rest-doesnt-work-out.html

I notice the article doesn't mention his 15 year old pregnant daughter and her husband living with him now.