List The Benefits You Receive. Can the state afford them?

vivatifosi

PasturesNew wrote: »

Have you ever been to a small, country library?
Or a remote town library?

I was doing an OU course, needed a book. Ordered it from the library (which costs money), the book never came before the course was over. For example.

Maybe yours is good, so you're looking at it through rose-tinted glasses. But most libraries are !!!!!!.

Sometimes I work in a tiny library that serves a really small area. Its about the size of my living room. It's all about getting it to work the way you need it to. You can't do anything about the opening hours, but pretty much everything else is possible.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

vivatifosi wrote: »

I consider it my personal mission to change your mind on this.

Heaven help me.

For an ordinary, computer literate, reasonably intelligent person, libraries are largely obsolete.

You can search for just about anything online and find it quicker than in a library. You can buy books online, either paper of electronic versions. You can do research online. etc.

For specialist, rare or expensive books, I see the point.

For a central access point for the technologically illiterate, I see the point.

For the very poor or very old, I see the point.

But I don't think libraries serve the purpose they used to do.

neverdespairgirl

Direct benefits claimed:

Child Benefit (one child, £20 a week)
No CTC, WTC, LHA, etc.

Indirect benefits:

As for all of us, police, army, fire service, roads, rubbish collection, libraries, etc

Education system - very little. I was privately educated from 4 to 17. I went to university as the last of the "free years", so got that for my undergrad. No subsisdy for post-grad and Bar School. My son is at a private primary school

NHS - born in an NHS hospital, gave birth to my son in one. Otherwise, the normal care for essentially healthy people - jabs, checkups, odd chest infection / ear infection (minor GP stuff) and contraception. My son gets free prescriptions, but fortunately rarely needs them. I had free presciptions when pregnant, and for a year (?) afterwards.

We have BUPA coverage, but an NHS GP. Private dentistry / eye care.

We pay council tax (£1,700 - odd), VAT, fuel tax (not much, we don't drive a lot), income tax & NI on two fairly good incomes.

My parents, as they've both just turned 60, get free travel, free prescriptions, winter fuel allowance, and a host of other pointless hand-outs (as my Dad's still working, and they don't need any of the above).

mandi

You see , and I know I will be slated , but post this thread in DT , and see what the response is .. I dare you

robpw2

bendix wrote: »

Utterly ridiculous argument. education when, as a minor, you can't make personal choices about how you are educated (and which are more than covered by our taxes)

/QUOTE]
yes you can have you heard of private school.

LilacPixie

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

For an ordinary, computer literate, reasonably intelligent person, libraries are largely obsolete.

not so sure about that. I'm certainly computer literate and reasonably intelligent ( well I hope I am) but I think libraries still have a place in modern society as a whole. Kids spend far too much time on computers as it is.

Both my kids have enjoyed the baby rhymne time/story time classes run by a local library and both visit the library once a week to choose another book all be it with my dad.

How does the free bus pass thing work.? Does everyone over 60 automatically get send one and then the bus company somehow claims money per usage or does the government pay a one off fee per pass? My dad is over 60 and TBH I don't think he has been on a bus since about 1974 so even if 'entitlent' to one it would be useless. Is there cost implications to that?

ninky_2

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

And how do you justify them?

As for me.....

I don't get Benefits or Tax Credits of any kind. I have never claimed a day of unemployment or any other state subsidy in my life. I was even privately educated as a child.

this has got to be the most ridiculous claim to moral high ground i've ever seen on these boards.....:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Bangkok-Dave

I'm same as Hamish.
Not a single benefit for me. Paid more tax than most as well.

I'd like to be that all bulls are roughly in same boat. The stronger class.

ninky_2

bendix wrote: »

Never had any benefits, except a student grant from 1982-85. Never used NHS. Never will on both accounts. Not intending to draw down state pension - don't want it, don't need it.

oh come on bendix. you grew up in a council house. family on benefits. free state education. childhood inoculations.

if it wasn't for the welfare state you would have been lucky to have been born or survived through childhood. if you did it would most likely have been an oliver twist style existence of picking pockets with the artful dodger.

it's good to be proud of self sufficiency in adulthood but why deny the chance you have been given of a decent life / future by the welfare state to others being born now?

lemonjelly

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Now try to play the ball, not the man.

Oh really?

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

And how do you justify them?

Typical double standards.

The majority of your posts include insults and/or personal attacks.