ITV, now, 9pm - 7 Days on the Breadline

fc123

saver_sam wrote: »

I couldn't believe the state of one of the houses. The number of black sacks thrown down the stairs with dirty clothes in them by Mel B. How on earth can a family let it get like that and probably afford to buy so many clothes if most of them are just lying around?!

And like others lack of sheets! OMG what are they thinking. Not very expensive even from somewhere like Asda. Just one a week would do from the money coming in or is that daft.

And Mel B I think was wrong disappearing off to the gym. I'm a single mum (like another poster not thru choice oh had affair), rarely get anytime to myself away from the home - she was not really living like a single parent in a way by being able to naff off out at a whim and leave them in the care of the chaparone.

And yes journalists are only interested in those that can't/won't cope. I was approached after completing a survey that the CSA had 'forgotten' my case for nearly a year and because it got sorted eventually and quite quickly once they 'unforgot' the case and I was doing ok, done a college course, keeping my head above water, I felt I wasn't good material. Not down trotten enough maybe but I have pride in myself, my home, my children - one wants to be a vet so I am already encouraging her even though she is only 7. I'm also trying to look for a part-time job - I could just sit on benefits for the next five years until my youngest is 7 but I dunno it doesn't feel right, I know I will receive more than I currently do on benefits and will teach (imo) my children its OK to not bother because I don't have to which is wrong. Infact in some way the state don't really help themselves as when you go for the IS sign on they do say you can just stay that way (on IS) until your youngest is 7 - no encouragement to better yourself or your situation by working or even studying in the meantime.

It's possible Mel B's Mum of six is depressed and that is the reason for her inactivity in the house.

If she was wealthy, she could afford a nanny and a housekeeper to do the child rearing bits that she can't manage.

Tyrone, the stay in bed teen wasn't quite right for a teen lad..should be fizzing with energy at that age....was he depressed too? Seemed serious to me as he wouldn't even get up to collect his benefit which was strange.

Shakethedisease

Raise the tax threshold to something like 15k pa pp with zero tax + NI could work but now there are Tax Credits so, probably, the only thing that would work would be the ''welfare for all '' type of scheme paying every citizen an allowance of £100 pw pp to cover all housing/living costs. Add £30 pw per child to age 16.

That sounds pretty good to me. However, many would consider it a step too far towards socialism I suppose. Still, they do it with Child Benefit...

I've seen all ends of the spectrum. A teenage mum at 16, a husband that walked out when I was 22, I was 8 months pregnant with my second. All that time the people I mixed with and lived next door to where kind of like the people in the programme. Sure there were drug dealers and 'bad elements' around.. but mostly it was just ordinary people trying their best. Most would give their last penny (or fag ) if you were in need of it.. gossiped like mad behind your back of course, but they certainly rallied round me when my loser ex-husband ran off.

A lot of them had lost their jobs when first the steel works, the big car plant and then the carpet works closed down in quick succession. Many of them never worked again. I know of course, because my extended family was badly hit when all four of my uncles, all with young children, lost theirs.

Anyway, I've had *gasp* another three children since then. I'm no chavvy scum. Yes that IS five WH. I got out too, but my real opportunities came along only when the internet did.. and a man who's stuck by me no matter what life's thrown at us.

And for the record ? All eleven of my cousins and all brought up on benefits due to the job losses ( uncles ) are all working, happy, and productive people. I don't think any one of them would dream of making living on benefits a 'lifestyle choice' since they've seen for themselves, first hand, how crap it is.

Oh I've went all waffly, ok no more wine for me.

saver_sam

fc123 wrote: »

It's possible Mel B's Mum of six is depressed and that is the reason for her inactivity in the house.

If she was wealthy, she could afford a nanny and a housekeeper to do the child rearing bits that she can't manage.

Tyrone, the stay in bed teen wasn't quite right for a teen lad..should be fizzing with energy at that age....was he depressed too? Seemed serious to me as he wouldn't even get up to collect his benefit which was strange.

Yes depression could be a factor. I felt like carp for ages after my ex left but still managed to clean the house, do the washing but that's me. It affects people in different ways and they don't tell us the whole story as to how they've ended up as they have. Might get a better picture of why things are as they are if we did.

The other boy from the working family with the rugby player was not overly bothered about getting his benefits either. Your're right its very strange - free money and they don't collect it!

Pobby

fc123 wrote: »

Oooh what you studying Pobby? Just being nosey


From personal experience, I would say it is impossible to live the high life longterm (10 years + ) solely on benefits....you need a little something on the side to top it up. Have met quite a few, esp in my line of work a decade back (second hand clothing).

I do have a heavy anecdotal though........I don't think I have written it before.

SIL managed to get herself a HA New Build as part of a new development.

Her mate, single mum of 4 also got one except dad (who lived with her and worked F/T but didn't officially exist) bought one of the private houses off plan with his brother at the same time. I think this was back in 2001. Anyway, the blokes got to sell the house after it was finished and netted 36k in hand due to HPI. Honest, you couldn't make it up.

I remember the gossip at school about it.

Best way to see it is £££ going back into the economy....and all the ducking and diving can be very stressful too. And yes, I have heard that said too a long time ago but in a different situation.

You are very welcome to be nosey. I am studying a national certificate in computer repair and build and when qualified will roll it out to mainly older people. Going to call it "The Silver Surfer ", lol. It need only to be part time and I will charge well below the market rate, pick and choose jobs. I have an interest in security so may try an extra qualification. Tbh, right now my sales agency is being run almost all the time from home so could in fact carry on doing that as well.

It`s funny looking back. I never, ever thought about getting hand outs for my disability. It has been really hard at times but boy, had I had given up I would never had travelled the Western hemisphere paid for by the company I worked for in the 70`s and 80`s, driven nice company cars and met loads of people.

I nearly gave into it 10 years ago. Pleased I didn`t. However it is a constant battle and I have to live with that. Got to keep trying.

The_White_Horse

Mistymaid wrote: »

No, I'm afraid it is you that is the scum.

You are an ignorant, vile mouthed/minded, bigot, who has such a narrow train of thought you couldn't slide a hair between it.

As I said before, this programme is made for a fool like you, it gives you something to whine about, to blame, allows you to feel good about yourself.

These people aren't inherently lazy - misguided, lacking in hope, yes - even lacking self-respect and discipline, but then what the hell do you expect when the remainder of debt-laden (but 'nice') morons like yourself, keep spouting such ridiculous nonsense.

Our society, and by that I mean all of it, is in the mess it's in because it thought it could have it all and it can't. It's lost direction, become segmented and has no goal. You are no better than the people in the programme, what are you going to do if you lose your job, or one of your kids goes on drugs, kill them and yourself?

And by the way, I can quote, from personal experience, many cases of 'scum' like this, pulling themselves out of the sludge when they are given a helping hand (and I don't mean money)
One of them, in his 20's and illiterate ('nice' schools letting kids leave without being able to put pen to paper) got a little shove in the right direction. That bloke went out on his own and taught himself to read and write (with help from a lovely lady in a library) then he got a job, at the same place which had turned him down before because he couldn't fill in the application form, then he saved up and took his driving test - passed first time.

A better man than you could ever be.

is that supposed to be a joke. if so, its very funny.

Smiley_Mum

The_White_Horse wrote: »

how many middle class people do you know, with a nice house, etc etc that have 6 kids? Not many. and if they do, they pay for them. most normal households will have 1 or 2 kids. a few will have 3 or 4.

However, if you look at the majority of families with more than 5 kids, i bet they are all working class/dole class/ chav class.


There are a family of 8, including the parents who attend the same school as my children. They are a church going family, the father works, the mum stays home and looks after the children. They are taught at home as well as at school, they spend a lot of time doing things together as a family and appreciating what they have. They are a very pleasant family and very respectful.

I recall another time my mother (she runs a guesthouse) had a family of 10 with another on the way, including the parents on holiday for the weekend. The father worked and the mam stayed at home. They were a religous family, Jehovah's Witnesses as I remember rightly. All the children were extremely respectful, the older ones helped the little ones and they all did as they were told, no back chat. They were very well mannered and it was a joy to see. You wouldn't have known they were in the house at all, they were all so quiet.

Sorry about going off thread.

LeedsBS

austin healey was in it did you know its also the name of a car too lolol

timmmers

Pobby wrote: »

Funny that, well not funny at all. That OAP, soon. in a few years, to become one myself has contributed loads to this society. I am very fortunate that we will not be relying on the pittance doled out by the government and I am very thankful for that but call it benefit bashing or whatever you care, I know of a number of people who take the option of a life style choice of having kids, it`s a deliberate act, and getting state hand outs. yes and before anyone flames me this experience is in my extended family.

I think that this and other governments are cynical when it comes to OAPs. For example, they calculate interest on anything above the allowable £6,000 in savings at just over 10% per annum.

Thank the Lord I am at the moment healthy and I am studying toward a national certificate, outside of my industry, which I hope will allow me to run a part time business. The idea of sitting around watching day time time TV horrifies me. I rarely want to watch the rubbish in the evenings.

This is the problem...these kids don't have the kind of role model that you would be.
All they see is the same or worse than them...nothing inspiring or motivationg.
No wonder they end up feral.

There is another TV show "The family" ..and this one is featuring an Asian family...what's the betting that their kids ARE motivated and generally respectful ?

t

kabayiri

Before anyone else lays into TWH you have to understand how things are perceived to be by middle income Britain.

- they feel they shoulder the bulk of the tax burden, and to some extent this is true
- they see/hear of showcase benefit lifestyles which don't fit into their value judgements
- they have seen a significant increase in the welfare budget over the last decade, yet the headlines don't really show a significant societal change
- they realise that they are going to be squeezed even harder over the coming years

Is it any wonder there is an undercurrent of anger out there? Whether it is justified is a different matter.

pipkin71

ruggedtoast wrote: »

Also in the exam board I had to spend a joyous week going through Key Skills papers. I was just noting down numbers but had a look at the papers themselves. There was such a massive disparate gulf between the kids in schools from well to do areas and private schools, and those in down at heel State.

It was quite surreal looking at one schools key skills papers for 7 year olds called Rupert, Olly and Tabitha, and theyre all writing eloquently with informed knowledge, and then the identical set of papers with identically aged kids but called 'Kylie, Shaznay etc" and they can barely spell their own names.

Some of the game little !!!!!!s had a good go at answering the questions but had clearly never even been taught the syllabus. What hope do they have?

Some good comments ruggedtoast.

We live in an inner city, and the education my girls were receiving from their school was very poor. More annoying was seeing how poor it was compared to the school my friend's child attended in a 'richer' area, despite the eldest children being in the same year.

Why should my children have been presented with a second rate education due to where they lived?

I made the decision to remove them and teach them at home, but other children still attend the school and they will be at a disadvantage due to the level of education the school produces.

Very poor indeed!