Let's help Duncan Smith - how would YOU improve the benefits system?

LizEstelle

Here's another benefit worth scrapping - let's do away with the benefit of excessive noise production. Anyone who wishes or any enterprise wishing to be antisocial in this way within a residential area should pay for the privilege. Why should I, whose hobbies and lifestyle do not adversely affect my neighbourhood, have to put up with the racket from the local noise merchants of various kinds? This benefit should be withdrawn.

Graham_Devon

You liking this thread liz?

LizEstelle

Here's another benefit worth scrapping - let's do away with the benefit of free use of mobile phones in public, enclosed places. With the use of smart technology, it should now be possible to increase as appropriate the call rate paid by people who have no consideration for others. They have got away with their antisocial attitude for far too long and the 'fine' can be transferred to HM Treasury by the service providers.

LizEstelle

Graham_Devon wrote: »

You liking this thread liz?

Absolutely. Just thought I'd take it in a direction the right-wing ranters hadn't thought of...

Graham_Devon

LizEstelle wrote: »

Absolutely. Just thought I'd take it in a direction the right-wing ranters hadn't thought of...

Well I'm turning into quite the liberal lately. Sadly.

However, theres hope for me yet (I think....hope), as I can still see that we live as a society, and that means dealing with some stuff we don't neccesarily agree with.

LizEstelle

Here's another benefit worth scrapping - let's do away with the tax free status of the huge and growing industry of bottled water delivery, mainly in cities. This totally insane, polluting and unnecessary addition to the congestion on our streets needs sorting. Someone needs to tell the hooray henries that TAP WATER IS FINE. If they refuse to listen, let's see them pay the rest of us for the privilege.

PasturesNew

Fishcake_Random wrote: »

Perhaps a system where you earn "credits" while your working. Benifits are there to support you during a rough period not something for you to live on, therefore the more you have worked previously the more help you can get.
No idea how you would implement it but it would reward all those people who have worked hard most their lives and fallen on hard times be rewarded for their efforts, while the lazy would receive nothing/tiny amounts.
Again not sure how this would work but I would like to see a system that rewards the industrious.

That's how they do it in the States and it works ... except those with a Golden Ticket don't get the benefits stopped when the money runs out, only single people end up on the streets, penniless.

I have a friend who is 2-3 weeks away from this happening .... difficult to know when as he's being cagey about it and I know he's worried/depressed about it so don't want to be nosey and pin him down to specifics ... but I know it's a ticking time-bomb.

PasturesNew

I worked out the other night that, in my town, if I were over 25, single, living alone in a 1-bed flat, earning £15k/year for a 45 hours/week job ... I'd be 'earning' the same as if I were working a 30 hour job for £10k, because the WTC and LHA top ups I'd get would cover that additional £5k.

So, I'd be working 1/3rd less hours, having more time to myself, less stress.... and, to be honest, there aren't that many jobs in this town that would pay as high as £15k. The average/median pay for a full-time female in my town is just £16,500 ... meaning most are on less really.

leveller2911

LizEstelle wrote: »

Absolutely. Just thought I'd take it in a direction the right-wing ranters hadn't thought of...

Still sounding very bitter n twisted since "Your" team lost Liz.....

Time will heal but in the mean time why not just give the coalition a chance.After all Your team had 13 yrs to f*ck up at least give them a year or so.............

LizEstelle

Here's another benefit worth scrapping - let's do away with the benefit of second/holiday home ownership in areas where young people are being priced out. Many rural/seaside areas are becoming all but ghost towns and holiday lets, with no hope of affordable housing for those actually born there. This benefit should either be withdrawn completely or a levy applied in terms of double or triple council tax to subsidise the building of affordable, local, rented accommodation.