just stop all benefits.

System

Or we could open some kind of dignitas...at times i've contemplated it but i don't think they allow the mentally ill there would be so much less messier..

PaulF81

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

I have both an iPhone AND all sorts of private insurance. I'm also a 40% taxpayer, as is my wife, and we've never claimed a day of benefits in our life.

But I'm still glad the social safety nets that we have in this country exist, so that genuine claimants less fortunate than us can be cared for in their times of need.

We should certainly be better at preventing abuses of the system, but no need to throw out the baby with the bathwater there horsey.

But 9 out of ten of your countrymen are bleeding the uk dry. We need to charge Scottish higher rate taxpayers more to compensate for the90% claiming more than they pay in before you get your independence.

KevInChester

I think we've found a Daily Mail reader.

System

Why not just pay an automatic £140 pw to every single UK resident, regardless of age, disability, working, scrounging, and scrap all state benefits and pensions?

Close down the Dept of Employment, pensions, social security etc, and sell off all job centres etc.

Then those who want to earn more can do so, those who don't, or can't, or want to retire on £140 pw can do so.

Can anyone do the sums and work out whether there would be a net cost or gain?

worbikeman

The_White_Horse wrote: »

if not, they should be given a cereal bar.

the end.

I take it you never expect to become a 'they' ever. Can you also tell me who will win the Grand National next year?:D

The_White_Horse wrote: »

i am just asking. i have various policies in the event that i die, that i am ill, that I am injured, or that I lose my job

Fingers crossed that those companies pay up in those events, rather than refuse your claim for some obscure reason:D

Ellejmorgan

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

Why not just pay an automatic £140 pw to every single UK resident, regardless of age, disability, working, scrounging, and scrap all state benefits and pensions?

Close down the Dept of Employment, pensions, social security etc, and sell off all job centres etc.

Then those who want to earn more can do so, those who don't, or can't, or want to retire on £140 pw can do so.

Can anyone do the sums and work out whether there would be a net cost or gain?

So a basic JSA claimant gets the same as someone severely disabled, how is that right
You have many more outgoings when disabled versus someone who isn't, washing, bedding, transport, catering, childcare, carers, therapy.

lisyloo

I'm going to open another bottle of Bollinger

You have to open your own bolly?
Don't you have a butler?

antrobus

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

...Can anyone do the sums and work out whether there would be a net cost or gain?

It's a net cost.

There are about 5 million people (of working age) who are neither working nor in receipt of benefits.

This kind of idea crops up now and again. Google 'citizens income' for further info.

chewmylegoff

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

Why not just pay an automatic £140 pw to every single UK resident, regardless of age, disability, working, scrounging, and scrap all state benefits and pensions?

Close down the Dept of Employment, pensions, social security etc, and sell off all job centres etc.

Then those who want to earn more can do so, those who don't, or can't, or want to retire on £140 pw can do so.

Can anyone do the sums and work out whether there would be a net cost or gain?

it would cost £140 x 52 x 65,000,000 = £473 billion per annum.

in 2008/9 the total bill for the DWP was £135.7 billion, tax credits were £23.7 billion, child benefit was £11.21 billion, or £170 billion in total. i believe this figure has risen to something approaching £200 billion now.

so it doesn't look cheap, although you may have only meant paying the amount to adults, rather than to all UK residents which i took to mean including children, which would bring it down to about £400 billion (based on 15 million children).

you could make the payment taxable but that isn't going to reduce the total cost to below (or even close to, in my opinion) £300 billion.

if you divide £200 billion (current expenditure) by the adult population you get £4,000, or £77 per week, as a flat rate payment costing the same amount.


i have probably missed something fundamental though...

N1AK

The main thing you are missing is that Pensioners, benefit claimants etc are all already getting something so it isn't an additional £140 for everyone. Additionally for everyone getting this payment it would be an increase in income also increasing their tax and NI contributions.

Is it affordable? No even close but I actually do like the idea of a system based on this premise though it'll never happen by combining everything the complexity of the system drops and it would always pay to earn more money by working (even a little).