just stop all benefits.

ILW

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

ILW - look there is no way that I (and the rest of the British public) are going to live like they do in third world countries - no mud hut for me, or scavenging for food, or fetching water from a pump - so indeed we do justifiably feel we have a right not to live in that way. If third world countries come up to our standard of living, then that's to be applauded and encouraged.

So I don't really, for once, understand your point.

I do agree, however, that we have become lazy and complacent, though, and that, surely is the point the Prime Minister was making in his speech. We need to develop some energy as a group, in order to become competitive and build up the Country.

At some point there is a possibility that the great Brotish public may have no choice. Most Greeks thought they could go on living beyond their means forever.

In a world of finite resources some balancing will probably happen. This may very well involve a fall in standards for some whilst others are better off.

Catden_2

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 and the same for my wife. clearly the policies cost money and many people don't want to pay for them, choosing to have Sky or an iphone instead. Well, that is their look out.

I have never been able to get life insurance, do you think I would be covered for Critical illness cover etc.?

**sparkles**

extreme view horse but i agree things need to change

definately needs more stringent assesments on those 'unfit' to work and i think benefits should be paid via a cash card that cannot be used to buy drugs, cigarettes and alcohol. a small amount of cash could be given for this (to quell the 'its our human rights' argument)

something also needs to be done about the youths that leave education and immediately sign on - perhaps bring back national service to install some work ethic?

i also think if someone continually turns down jobs offered to them then their benefits should be reduced.

overall, benefits need to remain for those who genuinely need them, but they should not be a lifestyle choice

[Deleted User]

The_White_Horse wrote: »

that should be it. from Jan 1st, stop ALL benefits.

then, set up offices staffed by doctors, and people can queue up for handouts. If the doctors think they can last another few days, they should be told to go.

if not, they should be given a cereal bar.

the end.

hopefully by the time you need any help the box of cereal bars will be empty:mad:

Ellejmorgan

**sparkles** wrote: »

extreme view horse but i agree things need to change

definately needs more stringent assesments on those 'unfit' to work and i think benefits should be paid via a cash card that cannot be used to buy drugs, cigarettes and alcohol. a small amount of cash could be given for this (to quell the 'its our human rights' argument)

something also needs to be done about the youths that leave education and immediately sign on - perhaps bring back national service to install some work ethic?

i also think if someone continually turns down jobs offered to them then their benefits should be reduced.

overall, benefits need to remain for those who genuinely need them, but they should not be a lifestyle choice

They are stringent, haven't you heard people are being refused esa and told they are fit, then dying when they clearly were ill..

You could have a major heart problem and still be passed as fit, Atos don't even check your heart...
They sit and click check boxes, and you could have a complex condition and end up seeing anybody..
40% of all assessments are successful at tribunal, that's a high rate..
Obviously you haven't attended an asessment, I have 3 of them in 3 years and all times deemed unfit..

People need to get this idea out of their heads that because someone is on benefits they waste their money on phones, sky, drinking, fags etc..



I have a mobile, it's free, I get 250 mins per month and for 2 years I pay nothing, infact I'm £30 better off for the deal...

I don't drink or smoke, every spare penny I get goes on the kids or the car, people really need to stop generalising, we are no more likely to waste money than those who work...

**sparkles**

i wasnt generalising

i said benefits should be paid on a cash card to stop it being spent on fags booze and drugs. as u dont spend urs on this then that wouldnt be a problem for you

i know fine well not everyone wastes the money, but many people do and their children suffer because of it

i dont see why anyone would be against this idea unless they were one of these selfish people

as for the assessments, no i havent sat in on one. however i know of many people who have never worked and claim disability yet sit all day in the pub, play football at the weekends and otherwise lead a normal life - paid for by the working population

Forever

**sparkles** wrote: »

i wasnt generalising

i said benefits should be paid on a cash card to stop it being spent on fags booze and drugs. as u dont spend urs on this then that wouldnt be a problem for you

i know fine well not everyone wastes the money, but many people do and their children suffer because of it

i dont see why anyone would be against this idea unless they were one of these selfish people

as for the assessments, no i havent sat in on one. however i know of many people who have never worked and claim disability yet sit all day in the pub, play football at the weekends and otherwise lead a normal life - paid for by the working population

Unfortunately, the media like the Daily Wail will sometimes focus on one individual fraudulent case and make it seem like fraud is rife everywhere. And it isn't. They are extreme cases and not put into context of the vast majority of people these days who genuinely need benefits because they have fallen on hard times.

The fraud and error rate for benefits is 2% in the UK. That's right 2%. It's tiny. A channel 4 investigation has shown that the majority of this is even covered by the DWP making errors and not actual fraud committed by people too.

Statistics of fraud and error rates are here: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/index.php?page=fraud_error

Even people who are terminally ill now have to attend the job centre on a regular basis, apply for jobs and if told to, have to attend mandatory work placements.

Some of these people may have even paid into the systems for many years before needing to claim anything. Just like the pensioners when they claim their benefit in the form of the state pension.

The unemployment benefit for a single person is 71 pounds per week to cover food, heating, electricity, clothing etc. That's it. I don't think anyone could live a life of Riley on that amount...

If you are under 25, it's even less and even worse, the government is about to remove right to housing benefits too.

This is all happening in the background of a prolonged recession with weakening employment rights and there are far less jobs than people.

Then there are the low wages combined with the high prices of housing. This means that people on low wages now have to claim benefits in order to keep a roof over their heads.

Yet we pay out billions in foreign aid and nobody says a word. At least with benefits, the money is spent in the economy but with foreign aid, once it's gone, it's gone forever.

But still, nobody seems to care about that.

The_White_Horse

the simply truth is benefits are way too high. people on benefits should not be able to afford nice clothes, holidays, run cars, have sky, broadband, cigarettes etc.

they should have the most BASIC essentials to live on. and no more. it is a SAFETY net and no more.

The end.

Ellejmorgan

**sparkles** wrote: »

i wasnt generalising

i said benefits should be paid on a cash card to stop it being spent on fags booze and drugs. as u dont spend urs on this then that wouldnt be a problem for you

i know fine well not everyone wastes the money, but many people do and their children suffer because of it

i dont see why anyone would be against this idea unless they were one of these selfish people

as for the assessments, no i havent sat in on one. however i know of many people who have never worked and claim disability yet sit all day in the pub, play football at the weekends and otherwise lead a normal life - paid for by the working population

Actually I do agree with you on this, I think that more evidence should be relyed upon from the medical proffessionals, they don't though..

I recently applied for DLA, took them 4 days to refuse, they didn't ask for anything further, and if I wish to provide evidence I have to pay for doctors letters etc..

I do agree there are those swinging the lead, there are those that know how to get around the system, I wish I knew how to, I'm sick of being honest, doesn't seem to get me anywhere..

I've seen it myself in the pubs as I've been passing so I do know what you mean, unfortunatly some innocent ones are getting the brunt of it.
An assessment is hard, at my last one I had my ankle reflexes tested as I have no reflexes in my right leg or foot, I was made to kneel on a chair by this male doctor, highly embarrassing for a 34 year old woman..

Forever

The_White_Horse wrote: »

the simply truth is benefits are way too high. people on benefits should not be able to afford nice clothes, holidays, run cars, have sky, broadband, cigarettes etc.

they should have the most BASIC essentials to live on. and no more. it is a SAFETY net and no more.

The end.

But were they working before hand and bought themselves odds and ends and then got made redundant or became too ill to work and then had to apply for benefits? Or did they receive some of these due to Christmas/birthday presents etc?

And btw, here are the rates for benefits if you are unemployed. And note that they are not alot!

Under 25 £56.25
Over 25 £71.00
Couples, civil partnerships £111.45

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_200090.html

You must think that these people can grow money on trees if you think they can buy all the things that you seem to think they can.