'Would you work or claim benefit?' poll discussion

karenfielder

People with no dependants have to work as job seekers allowance is not a great deal of money - and rightly so, but having dependants means mealticket to unemployed- the more kids you have the more handouts you recieve. Also being on benefits entitles you to- no rent to pay, no community tax to pay, no prescription charges to pay, no dental bills to pay, free school meals and trips and subsidised vets bills for pets they can ill afford! So why would they go to work? And we call them the lazy, stupid unemployed!

wadkinman

I am 64 and i would work if i was better off, (other than the supermarket ,volunteering) i am just managing.
I cant compete with the young fellar from the eu who have to work for peanuts anytime day or night.
Looking back to the day before "that women" is the uk working man any better off today?

Andik1962_2

There are pros and cons, of course...

You go for the job with lower pay than your benefits but you can (evetually) get other tax credits etc - so trying to keep working to keep max service and develop your qualifications should give you a springboard to better opportunities.

...only problem, it doesn't often work that way.

If you just take the benefits (which you've been paying for anyway through your taxes and NI), you can go for further education and get some benefits to help. Maybe also start looking at a business opportunity. You have time to study and be supported by your family.

There are options with either scenario.

I have a Wife and Son; I would probably have to take the first option; partly because of self respect and responsibility to my family, but also because (having been unemployed and claiming benefit) I would rather do anything that have to go into a Jobcentre Plus office and face those ignorant SOB's who treat you like the dirt under their feet, especially those 20-something year old t**ts just out of college who tell you to "write your MP" if you don't like it! No wonder the furniture is bolted to the floor!

bbbanban

I have just been made redundant at the age of 49. This is the first time I have been unemployed and I cant get over the difference in my confidence! its awful so I would urge anyone to work even though it might be hard to take a drop in money the rewards are so much more if you have earned it.
I might just add that from what I have been able to claim in benefiets i cant imagine any job paying less!!! Maybe I just dont understand the system yet .

rama0927

This is quite a difficult one. I want to click "take the benefits" to make a point that rules need to be changed. But that wouldn't agree with my morals, I don't want to thieve from the state when I can be earning my own living, plus you have a better feeling earning your own money.

I don't see how some people can happily take the dole money, making the workers pay out with their taxes

Edit: If people are out of work through no fault of their own (e.g. company gone bust, downsizing) then thats fine, you've done some work so have built yourself a bit of buffer, and accepting dole money is fine while you find another job etc. I'm just talking about lazy people in my original post.

robhemmings

my wife and i have always worked hard and always paid into the 'system', but thanks to the recession, my wife's job was made redundant last year - she tried to find a new job, but despite numerous applications and interviews, she had no joy. she started to sign on for jobseekers pittance, where she was treated like a piece of filth, having to attend fortnightly patronising sessions, and still no sign of a job... ironically, in that time, we have fallen pregnant, after 6 years of trying for a family. whilst on the one hand, this is amazing news, on the other, the job center have well and truly shafted us! they have advised her that she is no longer entitled to job seekers allowance, and have also informed that she will not be entitled to any maternity allowance (which she would have been entitled to at her previous employer)... i am on a weak salary myself, and we were struggling whilst she was on jobseekers excuse for an allowance... the government have now basically f***ed us over!! the system stinks of corruption - it pays out benefits hand over fist to the 'imports' and the workshy, but then when people who have genuine need ask for help, they are shat on from a great height!! :mad:
i used to be proud to be british... i am now angry and embittered at this !!!! poor excuse for a country and government!

furthermore - the thing that REALLY irritated me, and really upset my wife, is that she would be lectured and spoken down to by moronic imbeciles at the job center with no people skills, no compassion, and no idea what it is like to be on the other side of that desk. these idiots should be kicked out and their jobs given to people with care and consideration... like my wife!

Nil illegitimo in desperandum carborundum!!

SomethingWitty_2

robhemmings wrote: »

my wife and i have always worked hard and always paid into the 'system', but thanks to the recession, my wife's job was made redundant last year - she tried to find a new job, but despite numerous applications and interviews, she had no joy. she started to sign on for jobseekers pittance, where she was treated like a piece of filth, having to attend fortnightly patronising sessions, and still no sign of a job... ironically, in that time, we have fallen pregnant, after 6 years of trying for a family. whilst on the one hand, this is amazing news, on the other, the job center have well and truly shafted us! they have advised her that she is no longer entitled to job seekers allowance, and have also informed that she will not be entitled to any maternity allowance (which she would have been entitled to at her previous employer)... i am on a weak salary myself, and we were struggling whilst she was on jobseekers excuse for an allowance... the government have now basically f***ed us over!! the system stinks of corruption - it pays out benefits hand over fist to the 'imports' and the workshy, but then when people who have genuine need ask for help, they are shat on from a great height!! :mad:
i used to be proud to be british... i am now angry and embittered at this !!!! poor excuse for a country and government!

furthermore - the thing that REALLY irritated me, and really upset my wife, is that she would be lectured and spoken down to by moronic imbeciles at the job center with no people skills, no compassion, and no idea what it is like to be on the other side of that desk. these idiots should be kicked out and their jobs given to people with care and consideration... like my wife!

Nil illegitimo in desperandum carborundum!!

i sympathise with your situation and I agree that there are serious problems with the system.

Where i take serious issue with you is with this

the system stinks of corruption - it pays out benefits hand over fist to the 'imports' and the workshy, but then when people who have genuine need ask for help, they are shat on from a great height!! :mad:

It is the same system for "the workshy" and "imports" as you describe them. It is, I admit, a poor system. I agree, often the training courses are poor. But, there is a lot of help out there, from people like citizens advice, entitledto, these very boards, etc to help. Cold comfort I know but please bear this in mind before lobbing allegations that claimants are all "workshy" or before using dubious, nasty and unpleasant language such as "imports".

Oh, and I'm not impressed by your latin. Nor should the DWP be.

Thse system stinks yes, but it is a lot better than many countries have, by a long long way. I could start a whole new debate about why it is not as good as it could be but don't get me started. Take the bull by the horns, get whatever advice you can and see what you can do. Write to your MP, look at the sources of advice mentioned above, but please, please, whatever you do don't accuse "imports" as you call them (whatever it is you mean) of getting an easy ride. Being in a difficult situation is absolutely no excuse to make an ill informed, prejudiced, and ultimately baseles judgment as this.

earthmother

It used to be that if you were/fell pregnant while on JSA, it was paid to a point, and then you could claim IB in place of MA - is this not the case with the new ESA?

fabbman

MORPH3US wrote: »

Would depend on how much worse off I would be working than on benefits...

A year ago I was completely of the opinion that you should always work hard and earn a living, having been brought up that way.

The last year has really made me see whats wrong with this country, but more than that, how the government aren't bothered about doing anything to put things right.

So now i'm only looking out for myself and my family and screw everyone else. Maybe if "the stupid hard working majority" all did the same then the government would have to do something to stop people scrounging off the state as a lifestyle choice.

Here, here.........The reason we have the imigration issues are all down the masses of people wanting to jump on the 'Gravy Train'! go figure....

jojo1978_3

I have dependant children and chose to work.
This is because i have been bought up to work hard and not claim off the state. I started work in January again after 2 years off looking after my now 2 year old. I only took a job on working as a playworker during school lunchtimes, but its a foot in the door...a start for me! In order to do this i have put my daughter into childcare, after paying fees i come out with about 75p an hour.
The manager of the nursery tried to convince me that i would be eligible for the 2 year old pilot where my daughter could have childcare free for 3 hours, but because we don't claim any benefits or support i'm not eligible. This is all mmy opinion, so i don't want to offend anyone, but what wazzes me off is that those that have been accepted on the pilot, don;t actually work, they drop their kids off then go home. ( i know this as i was offered temp and supply work at the nursery too, so see it 1st hand)
So basically the government is funding people to NOT go back to work, why shouldn't i be allowed to have free childcare for WANTING to do the right thing.