Martin2005

Good to see that the unemployment problem in your area has been solved

Maybe those on benefits should have it tattooed on their foreheads, just to complete their humiliation

4u2nv2

thats is actuly a good idea scin head and a tatoo and then sent to labour camp to make the workers shoes. pmsl so funny

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Most of them can afford massive expensive tattoo's anyway.

As they say "If your telly look's too big for the room, then you must be on benefit's!"

jonc

Why is receiving vouchers instead of cash humiliating?

Mouser

Probably sell the vouchers anyway

Martin2005

Most of this thread is actually disgusting

Dingdongler

I'm surprised we haven't moved forward with a voucher system in this country. I don't want to see people starve because they have fallen on hard times, and I'm sure most people agree. It's important we have a safety net in a civilised country but it's just as important that the safety net is robustly defended against abuse.

Vouchers would be the perfect solution for this. I can't see why the use of vouchers would be insulting.

Chip

Why do you say that, from what I hear everyday it seems it is generally in keeping with most peoples views on this matter.

Oldun

The majority on this thread seem to assume that those on benefits are scroungers.

You work for a living and pay your taxes etc, if you then lose your job and can't get another one you won't go on benefits then? Will you sell your house to make ends meet or will you go on benefits to try and maintain your current standards?

We know that scroungers are out there, but don't tar all benefit claimants with the same brush, there are people on benefits that want to work but can't get a job.

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

But it is unlikely that those people will get anywhere near £500 per week in benefits as the system will screw them dry first. Those who are most affected by the cap are those who have continued to in-breed as a means to bettering their lifestyle and have become master scroungers - they don't care for anyone but themselves, the have no morals or pride and the word 'work' is enough to make their ongoing back problem to reoccur

I am all for those deserving of support getting it because most of them will have contributed to society previously - it is the professional oxygen thieves that annoy me.

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Why?

Why should normal working people earn less than someone on benefits?

I agree some people are on benefits through no fault of their own but as most people know we have a culture of 2nd or 3rd generation benefit claimants who don't give a f*ck about those who work for a living and actively seek the state handouts, they are even of the mind that they have a right to it!

Contribute and then you can get some back.

hodgy0_2

a very high proportion of benefits are paid to people actually in work!!

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Benefits, being supported by the rest of society in their hour of need isnt meant to bolster self confidence or enhance ones social standing, it is meant to avoid people dying on the steeet like used to happen, to keep people housed, to keep people fed and healthy, i.e. for basic human needs.

The system has crept in scope and it now fosters long term dependency and enables those with the inclination to milk the system, long gone is the bloke who lost his job, simply grateful to be able to put bread on the table, we now have people getting fat, drunk and drungged at our expense, they breed secure in the knowledge someone else will provide the basics and perhaps a little bit of crime or casual work will provide the extras.

Benefits should not be able to be spent on anything that isnt essential for human life, when you are relying on other members of society dont expect them to want to provide stuff they probably in a lot of circumstances have to limit or do without themselves.

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Correct but they are working and not sat at home with a trophy dog, tribal tattoo's, vest, Basball cap, 5 kid's, draining can's of booze, whilst watching a 60" Sony 3D *****ng TV with Sky f*cking everything+.

BOOM!

That's better.

Dingdongler

Martin, what do you find disgusting? I agree that we must be careful not to label everybody on benefits as 'scroungers'. Hodgy has reminded us all that many benefits go to those who are actually working, and I hope we all agree that we don't want to live in a country where people starve to death.

There HAS to be a safety net for the most vulnerable in society, but why do you feel the administration of this safety net cannot be challenged and reformed?

Martin2005

I'm not arguing with the cap, I think it makes good sense.

What I find distasteful is that this subject is yet again being hijacked by people who genuinely seem to enjoy other misery.

I have no doubt that there are people who see benefits as a choice rather than a necessity, I would argue that they are a significant minority though. Therefore I feel it is totally wrong to accuse anyone on benefits as being somehow complicit, as already stated on NUMEROUS OCCASIONS most people of benefits are also working!

Martin2005

See above

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Ms Teather is such a hypocrite to spout the sh*te she has.

"The Lib Dem faced calls for her sacking as children's minister in February after she missed a key vote on the reforms which she had publicly questioned."

She's probably never bent a manicured nail all her life, gets over £50k+ expenses and tell's us what other people should receive. All she is doing is getting her face back in the picture and trying to raise her now depleted image.

She was on the Board of a School that you had to be voted into (very inclusive that one), undermined Charles Kennedy when he was leader, and May 2010 she spouted about not increasing tuition fee's then voted for the increase to £9k a few months later!

Hardly true her current mantra .

hodgy0_2

so in a way, a better question would be to ask why we are buiding a society/economy where we seemingly have to give benefits to people in work so that they can afford a pretty basic lifestyle

this is only going to get worse with rising energy and food costs taking an ever higher proportion of peoples income

we will soon be in an age of wage poverty

interesting (and slightly worrying if you are near the bottom of the **** pile - but working)

CREWJ

£26k per year is equivalent to £35k per year before tax. that's not a small amount to take home for not doing anything.

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

They don't want them to earn too much in case they loose they child benefits

stevie boy

pmsl

billythekid

Dont give me this "most people on benefits need the money etc etc".
Round here, thats total, total bollocks. They only "need" it because they cant be bothered to go and work for min wage.

The most expensive house on our estate (£360k new) has a lady living in it, with 4 kids. She does not work, she is on "benefits". Her "husband" is "not living there" but his car (a 12 plate merc!!!) is parked outside every night.. hmm.

To start with, the word benefits should be banned. A benefit is to receive an advantage or gain. It should be called state support. Also, giving "income" statements should be banned. The Govt calls benefits "income". Its not. Income is money earned from a job. Call it support money or something.

How can you advantage someone for not working.

Back to my example above... husband works, and by the looks of it I would say he is middle management. In this area, thats £30k - £40k ish. Perhaps a lot more.

Thats enough to support 4 kids, but times will be tough I admit. So, wifey go and get a part time job, bring in an extra £10k a year eh. Now things are not as hard. The kids are all of school age.

Or, you can go down to the "benefits" office, fill a few forms in, tell a few little white lies and bob is your uncle, 5 bed detached house on a nice estate.

The problem is, the problem! Its now so big its not possible to cure it without really starting over.

A couple of good friends of mine dont work, they are in their late 20s, fit, healthy etc. They both used to work. Now they dont work, they are claiming for a house and such like. They now have 2 kids. They have a car, go on holiday etc. Not much has changed, just they dont go to work. They moved from their nice 3 bed semi which they rented into a smaller 2 bed whcih is paid for - and they moan about it being small.

Crazy, crazy world we live in.

Dingdongler

Come on Hodgy, I was expecting a bit more from you!

I can't remember it exactly but like the one about 1000 righteous tax payers spunking all over the benefit cheat while her children watched

That was the Scoobynet quote of the year for me, frickin genius

( Disclaimer; Hodgy was being ironic in that statement and I understood his irony. Neither Hodgy or I condone benefit cheats being spunked over in the presence of minors)

Dingdongler

Why do you think it is a minority?

BIG FUD

iTrader: (84)

I say if you have paid in you should get out its that simple walking into england never paid into this sytem they should get nothing.

Should only be aloud into here if you have a bank account with money to live on for min 2 years and a job title.

If you have paid into the country from day one i think you should have what you deserve and spend it on what you like.

Let me put it this way u give man A £72 a week to sit at home take it away and he goes out stealing and get's sent to prison now man A is costing you and i £82 a day for the next how many years.

dpb

Hear hear.

Martin2005

At the risk of endlessly repeating myself.... BECAUSE THE MAJORITY ARE WORKING

Why do you think the opposite?

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I don't think the majority of people posting on this thread see things that way. The topic of this thread was about capping benefits to £500, something that will only apply to certain people. I, for one, am not going to argue with the fact that benefits are claimed by people in work, but that claim will for the most part be child benefit (family allowance as I knew it) and that as it stands is universal to all those with children. However, unless someone had tens and tens of kids, they wouldn't be getting anywhere near any £500 a week.

People have a problem with those claiming for everything going, with no intention of ever going out to work, some of whom may never have paid a penny in through actual earnings. I don't know where you live and what you see around you, but I know what I do, and the above is not uncommon.

I'm not privvy to all the facts and figures, and I wouldn't argue against the fact that a huge chunk of benefits are paid to people in work (in which case, is it really a benefit, or just effectively tax back?), but there is a significant amount going out to people that choose not to work/know how to play the system and that is not fair or right. I can't say how big the problem is, but it's a problem non the less, that needs to be addressed.

I would never wish to see people suffer, but for those that do see benefits as a way of life and a way to get out of ever having to work like the majority of people, the system needs to change to put an end to that. Whether that be caps or vouchers etc. There is a huge difference between someone falling on hard times and someone abusing a system that was supposed to be a helping hand in times of need.

SRSport

There is a problem with lack of jobs at the moment so why dont the council/government force the claimants to work for their benefits? Go round litter picking, cleaning off graffiti, charity shop work etc etc. Still pay them what they would get but give the country back something as well. This will also maintain or develop a working mentality that is often lost when claiming out of work habits are developed and make them more employable in the process. Everyone else can enjoy lower council tax rates as a result.