The Benefits Cap : is it working ? BBC 1 , anyone watching ?

[HalfShellHero]

I'm preparing to feel quite depressed by it all,

Clearly she has not paid the shortfall in the rent leading to eviction... I've been in that position myself and have gone without luxuries to ensure I have a roof over mine and DCs head

I am on benefits myself but I just don't understand the mentality of people like these who are able to work but don't. I'm disabled and I have a disabled child, but sadly the extent of my disabilities mean that I'd end up in hospital/in a grave if I pushed myself to work every day. But I'd give anything not to be stuck at home with the drudgery of full time care all the time. I have to claim benefits not out of choice but because I'm simply not able to work (which at least is recognised by the DWP and I get enhanced rate PIP and support rate ESA so I'm not affected by the cap). We have a strict budget and aren't wasteful with things like smoking or drinking (I don't do either).

I think some of the pp comments about people with ME or fibro not working were unfair - you have no idea how much their condition affects them, just because some people are able to work it could just be that they have milder conditions. If they are able to claim benefits and aren't being pressured to seek work (i.e. getting support group ESA) then their condition will be severe, it's impossible to get if they think you could work.

Thanks Helena I am proud of how far I've come these last 2 years. I do really see how people struggle to find employment though - I am very lucky to have found a job I can fit around the DC with flexible hours.
Ironically I claim FAR more in benefits now though as my childcare bill is £200/week.

I've been watching this programme and figured that there would be a thread here and sure enough...

I am uncomfortable with the examples shown, none are typical surely? The woman with the 7 children, how offensively did she talk to her social worker? No sympathy for her, but plenty for her offspring.

The grandmother, surely it has been explained to her that this massive annual sum of money £29,000 is for her grandchildrens' living expenses, which includes rent/light/heat/food/other expenses?

As for the scouser trying to justify spending £40 on booze and fags. That's like something off DM, for heavens sake.

Where do the tv company get these people? Are they real? Where are all the real people who are struggling?

Super it's good to hear that there are some companies doing this already..

Liverpudlian (Steve) update was just he still may lose home (going to apply for more emergency benefit), still looking for work. He was walking with family with hoodie up so you maybe didn't recognise him.

Thinking about this cap they are setting up the most vulnerable to fail and lose their homes by capping the benefits via hb.

All council properties and anyone who has struggled financially will get rent paid directly to the landlord. So to many it's not 'real' money so they won't see the difference each week in benefit payment. If it was stopped from cash money they might possibly be a few more incentivesed to work. And fewer losing their homes.

Sorry reply to superfly. Not done a reply before so it didn't work!

The woman with the 7 children, how offensively did she talk to her social worker? No sympathy for her, but plenty for her offspring.

Not read full thread, but in the end I had a bit of sympathy for this woman, She has learning difficulties of her own surely? She just seemed to have no grasp on anything. I felt like she needed to be in some kind of care.

I was hoping for some quality journalism but instead I felt as though the same old stereotypes were trotted out.

The only issue the show highlighted was affordable care for primary aged children especially out of normal working hours.

I think woman spoke horribly to her sw and not trying to defend her but I thought it sounded like he swore at her too (thought may have been hard not to)

I blame the system for allowing people to coast along for years having children and taking no financial responsibility for their care. Expecting the magic money tree (ie other folks taxes) to pay for it all. I didn't feel very sorry for any of them except the Father who at least wanted to provide for his children and anybody could see that it was difficult for him to do shift work and so on.

Littlebitmore, the problem with ME and Fibro is that they are a vicious cycle. Like depression, once you're at the bottom it's very hard to climb back out. I have been physically signed off before by my GP as I have been unfit to work, but refusing to allow myself to not work, as I was worried about never getting back out. Like any illness, it does affect you in different ways. However, it's making choices if you have an illness which limits your income, which includes not having more children at that point tbh.

I found it difficult to watch and emotionally confusing. One minute I was feeling so sorry for most of them that I could cry, the next I was angry that they wouldn't do more to help themselves and their children.

I think some people need to get over the idea that they don't have to work, childcare is how you take care of your children, unless you're born with a huge pot of money. But on the other hand, I see how easily people can become trapped in a very negative life and that is heartbreaking.

YY Poundup And the problems with HAs and repairs which was quickly glossed over.

And i think quality journalism left the building with Panorama and the BBC a long time ago.

I prefer Channel 4 news.

SuperFlyHigh, that is why the cuts are happening and yes, I pay enough tax as it is

I agree Helena. Housing is not a privilege, it's so much more important that a pension pot. I am utterly astounded that the BBC had an excellent chance to really highlight the problems and get people talking, instead they majorly flopped.

So many of the stories were missing the back stories. It made it difficult to work out the actual barriers to people getting off benefits/securing a job.

littlebit the one woman I know with fibro certainly manages to go out taking ecstasy, to festivals etc whilst with 3 kids (eldest a teen) - if she can manage all that then sorry she's fine.

The ME woman not saying "all" are like her but did you see her DH?! Great work example there for a start for her!

I knew a working class young man, badly damaged his finger (fairly large compensation payout) he's now working I think as a gas fitter but that's because his parents (he has a stepdad too) wouldn't allow him not to work and he has a DP and young DD now anyway.

I was disappointed with the families they showed. What an anger raising bunch they were.

Seven children - four live with her

Me - shit loads of children

Single dad - can't find childcare - chinny reckon

Gran - ffs is she getting 29/49k in cash

They picked the completely wrong families to evoke sympathy. I wonder why that was.

Pound Re. my last gas safety check letter from the HA wasnt even signed. No signature at the bottom at all.

It was a rubbish programme. Everyone on it, including the politicians and think tank people came out of it looking really bad apart from the Child Poverty Action Group woman who was internally rolling her eyes at most of what was being said. Hard to see the point of it really. We all know there are feckless scroungers out there who have no intention of working - Marie and Sarah (and Bruce I suspect, although he was a more sympathetic character) are using their children as an excuse and Kim and Scouser were just laughable tbh. As for Granny - words fail me. Of course kinship carers should be exempt but seriously - what is she doing with the £29 grand? Four kids - more than £600 per month each on activities and holidays?

I'd have liked more from the CPAG woman about what are undoubtedly the more complex and wider determinants. As she rightly said, whatever you might think about the parents, the children need help.

Really disappointed in the families they chose to show. Even Bruce used his kids as an excuse. Surely they were old enough to be left on a Saturday whilst he worked. As for the rest of them it was just embarrassing to watch. Particularly the attitude of the Liverpool family. The mum with seven kids seemed obvious to real life and how it applied to her. Really sad for all the children involved.

It's difficult isn't?
I can understand cutting the amount of money the parents/carers receive, but that leads to a worse quality of life for the children.
Should the children suffer for the sins of the parents?

What it's plain to see is that scummy parents have scummy kids, and they all end up costing society a lot of money. Maybe it's better to give them more money which will save money in the long run? Who knows? It's an unenviable job to be a politician

I haven't watched it but from reading these comments it sounds like the propaganda usually aired on channel five. I think I will give it a miss.