Why are people on benefits allowed to live in London?!

lostinrates

tomterm8 wrote: »

Am I right in saying most 'normal' people in London are on one benefit or another? It's not just the workshy... almost everyone on an average wage is on tax credits, housing benefit or etc, just in order to be able to live there.

well, DH and I never were. we have the required number of heads, sometimes weren't earning much and worked both PAYE and SE. So I guess that's normal?

ps I often agree with Gen, he's who I ask anything I don't understand here. And he's lovely.

tomterm8

olly300 wrote: »

No you are not.

Edited to say: People claim tax credits because they are there if they weren't they would manage as always

So what proportion of the london population get benefits?

lostinrates wrote: »

ps I often agree with Gen, he's who I ask anything I don't understand here. And he's lovely.

Ah, but you don't often agree with Gen and ninky at the same time

ghanagirl

People have their priorities wrong these days and expect holidays, eating out and take aways and other stuff as rights and not luxury's.
David starkey is bang on with his segment on tv last week.
What he says is right that some towns and places will never have employment for certain people again and they must move to find jobs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11500331

lightSwitch_3

The housing benefit system is a measure of the caring society that we live in. It is a generous safety net for those that need but unfortunately it is being abused to the nth degree by goverment and some of those using it.

All the people (about a dozen) I have met which are on LHA are from abroad. They have never contributed to this system and I doubt if some of them would ever want to. I totally turned against these people being on benefits when I heard them talking disparagingly about this country and its people. I was livid. How dare they come here looking for a better life off our backs, presumably because it is far better than their original homeland, then make insulting remarks.
They are having a laugh.
One technique they use is to get divorced, which lumps the mother and 3 kids onto the benefits system. The father then continues working or is himself claiming and given accommodation. They then rent one flat and pocket the rent as extra income and the father moves into the 3/4 bedroom house with his divorced-on-paper wife.

This is madness. We are paying for these idiots to live the life of riley whilst they stick their middle finger at us.

lostinrates

lightSwitch wrote: »

All the people (about a dozen) I have met which are on LHA are from abroad.

How on earth do you know what all other people you know are on or not? I can't believe everyone you know tells you what the details of their income is and whether or not they receive LHA or anything else....

fwiw I know a person who also is also a taker and are onLHA but is no more ''foreign'' than any one else. A sister of an acquaintance is also about to apply . Also British. As for the other people I know, I have an idea of some who are certainly excluded, and others about whom I have no idea what so ever.

olly300

tomterm8 wrote: »

So what proportion of the london population get benefits?

It's complicated by the fact that due to the system, everyone who has children gets child benefit, and due to Nu Labour, virtually everyone who has children can get child tax credits.

I know plenty of adults without children who get nothing from the state.

lightSwitch_3

lostinrates wrote: »

How on earth do you know what all other people you know are on or not? I can't believe everyone you know tells you what the details of their income is and whether or not they receive LHA or anything else....

fwiw I know a person who also is also a taker and are onLHA but is no more ''foreign'' than any one else. A sister of an acquaintance is also about to apply . Also British. As for the other people I know, I have an idea of some who are certainly excluded, and others about whom I have no idea what so ever.

I know because they tell me first hand what they are up to, or those that know them tell me what so and so did and how.
I know for a fact that some of them have no intention of working whilst the money and accommodation is so fantastic.
They have no intentions to work and yet they have prime central london flats at £500 - £700 PER FRIKING WEEK whilst our nurses struggle.

lostinrates

lightSwitch wrote: »

I know because they tell me first hand what they are up to, or those that know them tell me what so and so did and how.
I know for a fact that some of them have no intention of working whilst the money and accommodation is so fantastic.
They have no intentions to work and yet they have prime central london flats at £500 - £700 PER FRIKING WEEK whilst our nurses struggle.

You misunderstand me. I do not suggest these people have not told you they receive, but rather that everyone else you know has probably not been as forthcoming about what they do or don't receive...for example, I have never discussed the matter with my neighbours....its not something people routinely discuss...so people could be receiving stuff that you don't know about..or not...the point is...who knows!

lightSwitch_3

lostinrates wrote: »

You misunderstand me. I do not suggest these people have not told you they receive, but rather that everyone else you know has probably not been as forthcoming about what they do or don't receive...for example, I have never discussed the matter with my neighbours....its not something people routinely discuss...so people could be receiving stuff that you don't know about..or not...the point is...who knows!

Sorry I can't tell if you are agreeing, disagreeing or trying to make a diffferent point:)

ninky_2

tomterm8 wrote: »

Er... all we need is to get Generali to agree with ninky and LiR, and then the universe will end in a puff of red smoke.

Am I right in saying most 'normal' people in London are on one benefit or another? It's not just the workshy... almost everyone on an average wage is on tax credits, housing benefit or etc, just in order to be able to live there.

no you are wrong. unless we are abnormal. actually maybe we are abnormal. my OH earns slightly less than average salary and no benefits. i'm self employed so am not eligible for contributions benefits even in prior years when i've earned well below average salary and have had periods out of contract. various situations put people outside of benefits eligibility and they are situations that are possibly more highly represented in london - immigration status / self employed status.