Cutting the Welfare Bill

homelessskilledworker

Interesting thread.
I have a few issues with the welfare state as it is today, the idea of a system that picks you up when you fall down is wonderfull. And then when you are dusted down and fixed you are then encouraged to get out there again and fend for yourself, who in their right mind could be against that.

The problem today is that it is a lifestyle choice for far too many people, there are women who in an era of good quality and available free contraception are having countless babies, i really do see it as a form of stealing from the state, I don't want to support these women, where is my right to choose.

I am also a supporter of honest moral capitalism and free trade, and this is where I think supporters of a property crash of the type that visit sites such as this have a huge problem.
I am more than happy to compete with the next man or woman on the UK work floor, if he/she does better than me and because of that is able to get a better house then I say good luck to them and I deserve to live in more sub standard housing.

But the problem we have today is that I am earning more than most, I pay for my housing every month out of my pocket, and have done for the last 20 odd years. What I cannot compete with though is people who just give up and are then handed £1500 a month free housing in the form of HB.

I am a big supporter of the new welfare ceiling that is coming, but it is still far too much. And I would halve HB payments overnight by 50%.

StevieJ

Mrs_Bones wrote: »

No doubt I'll be proved wrong but I'll differ from general consensus and say one of the biggest spends is Tax Credits of what ever form. I think they were one of the worst things invented. Now nearly everyone seems to be on them in some way, including people who on the face of it take home a very large wage.

The thought was correct, the action not so They were trying to encourage people into work who would actually be worse off working, I think a big size 9 would have done the job more effectively. The end result has been the financing of certain scummy and not so scummy businesses who have taken advantage, ' 'the wage is not good but don't worry the social (me and you) will make it up'

drwho2011

State Pension: 70bn + 8bn in Pension Credit
Tax Credits: 35bn
Housing Benefit: 22bn
DLA: 12bn
Child Benefit: 12bn
Incapacity Benefit & ESA: 8bn
Income Support: 8bn
Attendance Allowance: 5.5bn
Council Tax Benefit: 5bn
JSA: 4.8bn (approx 800m is paid as contributions based JSA)
Winter Fuel Payment: 2.2bn

There's another 10bn unaccounted for but its mostly small amounts.

Total: 202bn

*figures are rounded but should be relatively accurate.

Masomnia

StevieJ wrote: »

The thought was correct, the action not so They were trying to encourage people into work who would actually be worse off working, I think a big size 9 would have done the job more effectively. The end result has been the financing of certain scummy and not so scummy businesses who have taken advantage, ' 'the wage is not good but don't worry the social (me and you) will make it up'

That's what I don't like about the system as it is, it subsidises businesses more than anything else. Same goes for housing benefit going into landlords' pockets.

drwho2011

DavidMorganGuru wrote: »

How will it work for pensioners though?

They want to raise pension age until after you die.

That's the problem with Ponzi schemes

homelessskilledworker

Just watching the politics show now, they are hoping to cap welfare benefits to £500 a week. In working terms that works out at a job with a salary of £35k a year, there are countries out there that must think us crazy.

I_luv_cats

StevieJ wrote: »

The thought was correct, the action not so They were trying to encourage people into work who would actually be worse off working, I think a big size 9 would have done the job more effectively. The end result has been the financing of certain scummy and not so scummy businesses who have taken advantage, ' 'the wage is not good but don't worry the social (me and you) will make it up'

But how many people are topping up their paltry dole by some cash-in-hand work?? This takes dodgy businesses too!!! (avoiding tax/NI/Holiday pay etc.)

homelessskilledworker

I_luv_cats wrote: »

But how many people are topping up their paltry dole by some cash-in-hand work?? This takes dodgy businesses too!!! (avoiding tax/NI/Holiday pay etc.)

I know of a ventilation firm who for well over 10 years now has been employing nothing but people claiming welfare, the daily rate is £100 cash, and yes it is hard graft.
I am happy to admit that I have grassed him up several times now for numerous reasons, safety also being one of them.

It is pointless though, like immigration, crime and drug dealing(another of his sidelines) nothing in this country is ever dealt with.

misskool

drwho2011 wrote: »

State Pension: 70bn + 8bn in Pension Credit
Tax Credits: 35bn
Housing Benefit: 22bn
DLA: 12bn
Child Benefit: 12bn
Incapacity Benefit & ESA: 8bn
Income Support: 8bn
Attendance Allowance: 5.5bn
Council Tax Benefit: 5bn
JSA: 4.8bn (approx 800m is paid as contributions based JSA)
Winter Fuel Payment: 2.2bn

There's another 10bn unaccounted for but its mostly small amounts.

Total: 202bn

*figures are rounded but should be relatively accurate.

If the state pension is already the biggest spend now, that is surely a timebomb waiting to explode/implode?

Many people are not paying into any sort of pension and expect the government to fund their retirement. Pension pots are in massive deficits and we have unions striking against pension cuts, thereby increasing the pension bills.

And older people vote so the government isnt really going to cut that anytime soon is it?

julieq

homelessskilledworker wrote: »

I know of a ventilation firm who for well over 10 years now has been employing nothing but people claiming welfare, the daily rate is £100 cash, and yes it is hard graft.
I am happy to admit that I have grassed him up several times now for numerous reasons, safety also being one of them.

It is pointless though, like immigration, crime and drug dealing(another of his sidelines) nothing in this country is ever dealt with.

Police are all in the station taking backhanders from foreigners, innit. You NEVER SEE A BOBBY ON THE BEAT. Back in my day, they'd have given these Lithuanian drug dealing cash in hand ventilation firms a damn good clip round the ear, but it's all HUMAN RIGHTS now. And everyone is claiming more benefits than the decent honest working person with a poor grasp of English and atrocious anger management issues who spends all day on the internet complaining about how unfair life is can possibly earn. It's DISGUSTING.