MSE News: 'I'm on benefits but I'm no scrounger'

kathrynklear

zigzigzag wrote: »

let's allow both sides of the discussion a voice without writing-off people who simply happen to have a different view.

Would not dream of writing off anyone with a different point of view. Don't like labels of any kind.

However, there are a hell of a lot of myths promoted by the media... depending on which side of the debate they wish to promote.

hanlou007

I personally think that the benefit system would be great if it was used for what it should be.....helping people who really need it (whether made unemployed , disability etc)
What ruins it is the people who are claiming it that have never worked.......or those single mums who have just popped a baby out for more cash and a house !!
Too many women dont think about the true cost of a child before having one....and too many people claim disability who dont deserve it and say they cant work....just because you have a limp doesnt mean you cant sit in a call centre and answer a phone.

Lets get the benefit system back to helping genuine people and no-one would argue with that !!

the_opposite

I am in two minds about this whole benefits debate.

Rather than blame individuals for claiming benefits, shouldn't we direct our anger at our horrid government? Remember, anything in our country is the way it is because the goverment WANTS it to be that way. Regardless of what lies / spin they may spew out.

The benefits system is designed this way for a reason. I'm not sure what that reason is, but I'm sure it's meant to be this way.

So, imagine you are unlucky enough to not have any valuable work skills. Not everybody has the ability to learn a technical skill, become an IT expert, or acquire any valuable, sought-after 'job' skills. What kind of job are these people (of which there are many) likely to get? Unskilled manual labour is the answer. Most likely repetitive, mind numbing, soul destroying, suicide-inducing jobs in factories and the like for the minimum wage.

I've worked a few of these jobs in my time and it really is tantamount to slavery.

So, given the choice of having such a horrendous job or trying to claim as many benefits as possible, if I was in that situation, I know what I'd do.

But, then again...

I know people who, although they are perfectly fit, have never worked a single day in their lives. They simply live of the state. I find it incredible that a man aged 34 (an acquaintance) could have never worked a single day, yet manage to claim benefits throughout all this time.

Being a benefit scrounger (in such cases the term is very justified) also means you get free prescriptions, dentist, pension contributions...bla bla bla.

This makes me angry!

I was once made redundant. I signed on. It was then that I discovered that because I had been contributing to society, I would be penalised by NOT being given the 'freebies' that these lifetime scroungers get.

I still feel angry about it now.

An old job I had involved making deliveries in mainly council estates during the day. I was shocked at the amount of people sitting in their front gardens, drinking beer, relaxing, smoking etc. whilst I was working and paying tax!

I am sure there are more people who do this than the government would like to admit to.

Disabled people should not be tarred with the same brush though so I agree with what the article said.

So I guess what I'm saying is although this makes me and probably most working people angry, I for one do not blame those people for being scroungers. It is the government's fault for allowing people to live off the state perpetually.

To be honest, I really think this discussion is a waste of time anyway, since I firmly believe that this government has no intention of passing any benefit reforms. And if they did, they would penalise honest working people who find themselves unemployed, and the sick and disabled. These long term expert scroungers will remain in their free houses, pumping out children, making sure they claim the max possible benefit.

Reform = Honest people screwed over, dishonest people rewarded.

looby75

hanlou007 wrote: »

What ruins it is the people who are claiming it that have never worked.......or those single mums who have just popped a baby out for more cash and a house !!
Too many women dont think about the true cost of a child before having one...

you do realise that the majority of single parents work don't you, and that the average age of a single parent is 36.

There is a myth that if you get pg you get handed the keys to a house, that may have been the case in the past but it certainly isn't the reality now.

And as for women not thinking about the true cost of a child, what about men? Last time I looked it takes two people to make a baby.

piprod01

Assuming that the figures are accurate, and he's receiving around £12K; I don't think very many at all of the people supporting the £26K cap have any desire to drop his benefits, and even under the plans we there is a lot of room to increase them.

I have yet to see a family struggle on £26K, except those living in London. But I think in that situation you have to do the sensible thing that any family faces when they can't afford the rent, move elsewhere. Should you be supported if you can't by food or shelter? Of course. But should you be supported to buy whatever food you like of wherever you want? No.

Maybe there are situations where a family need more than £26K to live that I can sympathise with. But I've not seen it, and looking at how Ross can survive on FAR less than the proposed cap, it's not unreasonable that we should raise a sceptical eyebrow about anyone claiming over 26 thousand pounds.

alexcross

I have just read the story and my heart goes out to the family.
I once wrote a short story called "social outcast" needless to say it was turned down by every single publisher I sent it to.
I am a single parent (not through choice I might add My hubby left for the woman he was having an affair with) My Son has ADHD (just one of his health problems) which in itself causes a bad reaction as many people (and I have had this said to my face) think is just an excuse for bad parenting! so having a son with ADHD and being a single mother of 2 makes me a bad person who can not control my kids.
Before my Husband walked out I was working, some days 16 hours a day. I had my own home and I knew my kids wanted for nothing. When he left I lost my home because he said he could not afford to pay the mortgage and on top of that he wiped out our joint account I was homeless and penniless with two small children.
I am now disabled myself and it is looking very likely that I will not be able to stay in the house I have loved for the last 6 years as I can barely get up and sown stairs. I became very independent when I was left with my children and the thought of needing help to even cook a meal kills me.
to everyone out there who has and will judge me. I have the two most brilliant kids in the world. they have never brought any trouble to my door (or anyone else's) they have manners and they both have aspirations for good jobs. (my daughter has applied for over 100 in the last 6 months with no replies at all) and they both make me proud every day having to do things kids their age would never even dream of.
the way this government is treating people on benefits is setting up society to treat us the same it is legal discrimination and its bad enough without the government making it ok

the_opposite

looby75 wrote: »

you do realise that the majority of single parents work don't you, and that the average age of a single parent is 36.

I was wondering where you get this information from?

Of course unplanned pregnancies happen, couples split up etc. so single mothers and single fathers are inevitable.

However, a single mother on the dole, who then proceeds to have another child, then another, then another....

That's a little more difficult to defend.

darbs75

I feel for this guy and his family (although his maths may be slightly out) sadly they have been tarred with the same brush as those that have never worked a day in their lives, have several children by several different fathers and manage to have big tv's PS3's kids in the best trainers, sky with all the packages etc etc etc.

I think that the system does need tightening up and dont begrudge anyone who is in need through no fault of their own what is fair

looby75

the_opposite wrote: »

I was wondering where you get this information from?

Of course unplanned pregnancies happen, couples split up etc. so single mothers and single fathers are inevitable.

However, a single mother on the dole, who then proceeds to have another child, then another, then another....

That's a little more difficult to defend.

http://www.gingerbread.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=365
(I got it wrong about the average age, it's actually higher)

Here are the facts about single parents

• Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of households with dependent children are single parent families (1), and there are 1.9 million single parents in Britain today. (2) This figure has remained consistent since the mid-1990’s
• Less than 2 per cent of single parents are teenagers (3)
• The median age of single parents is 37.5 (4)
• Just over half of single parents had their children within marriage – 51 per cent are separated from marriage, divorced or widowed (5)
• 57.2 per cent of single parents are in work, up 13 percentage points since 1997 (6)
• The employment rate for single parents varies depending on the age of their youngest child. Once their children are 12 or over, single parents’ employment rate is similar to, or higher than, the employment rate for mothers in couples (71 per cent of single parents whose child is 11-15 are in work) (7)

Butterfly_Brain

hanlou007 wrote: »

I personally think that the benefit system would be great if it was used for what it should be.....helping people who really need it (whether made unemployed , disability etc)
What ruins it is the people who are claiming it that have never worked.......or those single mums who have just popped a baby out for more cash and a house !!
Too many women dont think about the true cost of a child before having one....and too many people claim disability who dont deserve it and say they cant work....just because you have a limp doesnt mean you cant sit in a call centre and answer a phone.

Lets get the benefit system back to helping genuine people and no-one would argue with that !!

Do you not comprehend what you read :mad: .....If you are on crutches or in a wheelchair firms find any excuse ...usually of the Healh and Safety kind NOT to give you a job :mad: