The Benefits System

leveller2911

kabayiri wrote: »

Benefits in poorer regions of the country should be enhanced at the cost of benefit recipients in the richer S.E / London / Home Counties.

What makes you think all of the SE is richer than up t North?. There are parts of Kent and Sussex that poorer than many in the NE and NW. Like you said "One size doesn't fit all"...;)

kabayiri

The idea that unemployed people do nothing else is unfounded.

The Black economy is thriving in some parts of the country. I know people who do work for cash in hand, yet still claim benefits.

I guess they are showing entrepreneurial spirit, as Hallmark suggests, but is it the sort we need?

jamespir

DirtyDick wrote: »

I actually think that could work on a larger scale.

Still receive JSA etc., but one days where no interviews they have to report, frex, to a park to do tidying, from 9am to 5pm. No need on a supervisor (another claimant?) to check up on their work, as that could prove too expensive, but merely their continued presence on site during working hours and a general check on their task progress at the end of the day (e.g. by a park keeper upon locking up - has the flower bed been weeded, have the dead leaves been swept adequately?). Others could do any other manual labour for the community; given the squeeze on council funds, provides an additional source of labour.


It'd get people out of a rut and the taxpayer would have the feeling that jobless people were doing something constructive. Even give them a day to go job hunting.

so could they not provide them with a job doing that normally

kabayiri

leveller2911 wrote: »

kabayiri wrote: »

Benefits in poorer regions of the country should be enhanced at the cost of benefit recipients in the richer S.E / London / Home Counties.

What makes you think all of the SE is richer than up t North?. There are parts of Kent and Sussex that poorer than many in the NE and NW. Like you said "One size doesn't fit all"...;)

For a start, people 'down south' can afford to spell the whole word "the" and not have to abbreviate to "t'"

I agree, it's a generalisation.

But we have a big big problem in this country.

Sure, there may be jobs, but the jobs are often not where the people are. We have not found ways of revitalising regions which have lost their core industries.

If we are forced to rely on London powerhouse for a good few years yet, why not find ways of freeing up vital housing stock?

A house in London containing a family supported by the state (long term) is a waste of good stock.

pqrdef

hallmark wrote: »

Or are you just a boring troll?

Well I'm sorry if the real world is more boring than your fantasy. But the black economy undermines those who try to run legitimate businesses. The ones that have insurance and conform to standards and pay their VAT and business rates and trade-waste dumping charges etc etc.

pqrdef

Going4TheDream wrote: »

The point of regulation for the purpose of this topic perhaps is a mute one?

Point is, it's very difficult to start a proper business without money up front.

Going4TheDream

leveller2911 wrote: »

Everyone and anyone can fall on hard times and its right for the State to help.Say we all left school at 16 and retired at 67 then thats 51 year of hopefully full employment.I believe we should have a limit on the number of years someone can receive beneits before retirement.

IMO its not unfair to receieve around 10 years of benefits during that time.I'm basing this on the fact that we have for some decades had boom then bust so if the good times last say 10 year and bad times 3-4 years then thats around 2 years of benefits for every 10 year.I admit I haven't sat down and seriously worked out the figures because TBH I don't think I know enough about the topic.

I am a firm believer in people not receiving any benefits until they have paid into the system but I would make exceptions for the genuinely disabled. There are far to many people who can come up with a million and 1 reasons why they can't/won't work and they need to be forced into work or rejected from the system.If they don't wish to be a member of Society then they should not expect Society to look after them.

I would also give people a higher State Pension if they have worked hard all of their lives and paid full NI contributions.

Will sit back and wait to be shot down in flames.............Being self employed is tough and most people couldn't handle running their own business but I respect all those that genuinely give it a go but I don't mean those who open an online shop on E-bay just to get round the benefits entitlement rules.

I agree and this is slightly off topic but I saw this today in the Mail (ok groan) but it appears that Europe now wants us to give benefits to all EU people who come here without hesitation as the rules we currently have apparently break their Human rights if we dont. It would seem to have upset many countries in Europe too who could be next ...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2043932/Revolt-EU-benefits-diktat-12-nations-join-UK-fight-curb-welfare-tourism-free-all.html

heathcote123

pqrdef wrote: »

We forget that the basic problem here is a surplus of labour. .

I don't think the many recent eastern european immigrants see it that way, and fair play to them.

The core problem is that we give the option of not working & to those with low prospects it's only natural they take up that offer. If my options were working for minimum wage or to stay at home and watch telly for much the same amount, I'd probably be watching jerry springer right now.

darkpool

hallmark wrote: »

You really don't need money to setup a business. I know a guy who makes a living & I mean a good living, not a crap one, assembling furniture for people (i.e. Ikea stuff). he wasn't anything special at DIY beforehand but once you've assembled a few things you soon learn how most of them work. His startup costs were a screwdriver. My best friend's wife wanted to earn money so she started doing people's nails. With the money she earnt from that she went on courses to do other stuff like massage & various treatments. Then she used some of the money she was making to buy a spray tan rig. Now she is raking it in & actually earns more than her husband & all from the comfort of her house, her customers come to her

so what about all those people making jet fighters for BAE? 3000 of them are getting made redundant and you think they should start assembling IKEA cupboards? Or they should buy a bucket and start a window cleaning round?

Are you a taxi driver? I normally find people that talk as much garbish as you are taxi drivers.

jamespir

hallmark wrote: »

I agree local & govt politicians should get paid less. Actually I'm amazed the coalition didn't immediately announce a massive pay cut for MPs, they can certainly afford it & it would have been good PR. An opportunity missed.

Regarding the private sector it's easy to say they should get paid less but impossible to implement. People & companies can simply choose to go elsewhere, that's not a myth. If Osborne is not careful we may lose HSBC & Standard Life, both of whom are making noises about relocating.




You really don't need money to setup a business. I know a guy who makes a living & I mean a good living, not a crap one, assembling furniture for people (i.e. Ikea stuff). he wasn't anything special at DIY beforehand but once you've assembled a few things you soon learn how most of them work. His startup costs were a screwdriver. My best friend's wife wanted to earn money so she started doing people's nails. With the money she earnt from that she went on courses to do other stuff like massage & various treatments. Then she used some of the money she was making to buy a spray tan rig. Now she is raking it in & actually earns more than her husband & all from the comfort of her house, her customers come to her.

There are a million ways to make money out there if people actually made an effort.

ok so youve been working for bae then for 30 years of your life you lose your job do you think the first thing on your mind is to make furniture or do you think they would have the know how of how to set up a business

im in the process of setting up a social enterprise and its not easy and takes time

so where is the ,money gonna come from in between times