Benefits changes from next year

osdset

Gentile wrote: »

Simple really, that way they can just do the bare minimum required to look for a job and spend a life on benefits with a council provided house and free cash to spend on Iphones and Sky. It is disgraceful that young guys in their twenties are actually living on benefits and are moaning that there are no jobs.

There is also the prevalent notion that they are better off on benefits than working which is based on anecdotals of their friends and family. Who would want to get laughed at in the pub for working their butt off and still have less cash than someone on benefits ?

I don't know anybody that is better off on benefits, anyone in that situation that has an i phone, or sky, or a 60" plazma is either working on the side, a good thief, or they are in hock to Brighthouse big time

Gentile

osdset wrote: »

I don't know anybody that is better off on benefits, anyone in that situation that has an i phone, or sky, or a 60" plazma is either working on the side, a good thief, or they are in hock to Brighthouse big time

Hmm.You havent been reading the threads in this forum then.;)

osdset

Gentile wrote: »

Hmm.You havent been reading the threads in this forum then.;)

I don't need to read the threads on here, I am a member of several forums that deal with welfare and benefits, and whilst I am not naive enough to emagine that every story is true, and that everyone that posts on these types of forums are 100% genuine claimant's, the sheer weight of posts from desperate people are a testament to the FACT that this governments agenda is doing more harm than good.

The one thing I don't do is believe the rubbish trotted out by papers like the Daily Mail, having said that, even the galloping majors that post readers comments on the Daily Mail are slating this odious government's policies.

Dunroamin

osdset wrote: »

I don't know anybody that is better off on benefits, anyone in that situation that has an i phone, or sky, or a 60" plazma is either working on the side, a good thief, or they are in hock to Brighthouse big time

You may not be well off on benefits but you can easily be better off than someone working in a low paid job.

dktreesea

Dunroamin wrote: »

But why would someone who genuinely wanted to work stay living somewhere with no jobs?

Lots of reasons. The main one is they usually can't afford to move somewhere else. Think about it. They are unemployed, in social housing. Maybe they have children in school. They have family nearby who can help out if necessary.

They also have quite low incomes. Say the person lives in Merthyr and decides to seek work in Cardiff. I don't believe it is likely they would get work. Cardiff has at least 10 people chasing every vacancy. Which employer is going to offer work to someone over an hour away by public transport when they have no shortage of locals to choose from?

So avoid that problem by moving to Cardiff? And live where? You have no money. You won't get a council flat because you're not habitually resident in Cardiff.

There would be so many single people in a place like Merthyr still living with their mum and dad because they can't even get a separate place to live. Too many families ahead of them on the waiting lists.

dodger1

osdset wrote: »

I don't know anybody that is better off on benefits, anyone in that situation that has an i phone, or sky, or a 60" plazma is either working on the side, a good thief, or they are in hock to Brighthouse big time

I was made redundant aged 60. I qualified for full pension credit, full LHA benefit and full council tax benefit, that was £14,072 tax free. My salary was £14,560 before tax so I was quite a bit better off on benefits.

dktreesea

dodger1 wrote: »

I was made redundant aged 60. I qualified for full pension credit, full LHA benefit and full council tax benefit, that was £14,072 tax free. My salary was £14,560 before tax so I was quite a bit better off on benefits.

Yes, but not many people are going to feel aggrieved about that. After all, you probably worked all or a good part of your adult life. You'ld probably still be working now were it not for your redundancy. And the fact that you are now not in the workforce presumably leaves a spot somewhere (not your old job because it is gone, but at a firm that you might have successfully applied for were it not for pension credit etc) for a younger person.

For every person in your situation there are dozens more who could work but choose to stay home and have children instead, - and get paid by other taxpayers for doing so. Or who work, but part time instead of full time so as not to reduce their benefits bounty.

dktreesea

osdset wrote: »

I don't know anybody that is better off on benefits, anyone in that situation that has an i phone, or sky, or a 60" plazma is either working on the side, a good thief, or they are in hock to Brighthouse big time

I know quite a few people on benefits who have no problem affording to run a car, let alone buying smaller items like a decent TV and mobile phone. I have a friend in her 30s who receives just over £28k a year from benefits, tax free. She has a partner, who works part time, 3 days a week, bringing in another £7,500 or so. They rent a fairly nice 4 bedroom house which they pay £7 a week for out of their non hb income, because it costs just over the LHA. She's expecting her 5th child. I was surprised, because I thought she didn't want anymore, but she says with UC coming in, she needs to have the child now to ensure the benefits she gets prior to it coming in will be protected.

Personally, I am glad they don't live in poverty. Their children wear converse shoes (so uncomfortable, can't say I understand the attraction) just like mine. Do I agree with the government's policy of reqarding people for having large families? Not really, but it is what it is. Only having to work 24 hours a week in a household to qualify for WTC? I don't agree with that either.

The government can't have it both ways, as in they want to have a generous welfare system, but they don't want anyone to take advantage of it.

Saetana

Quick suggestion for OP, and no I'm not having a go at you like some of the holier than thou types on here. I've been in work and out of work - what I have always found helps me get back into work is temp agencies, I sign up to do a few weeks packing, picking, whatever and then I have something recent on my CV. Its also easier to get a job when you already have one, and I have over 20 years of experience to back this up so the temping helps in that regard as its better than a constantly growing workless gap on your CV. I've also had several permanent jobs offered as a result of being a temporary employee.

As for some of you on here, you disgust me, having a go at someone who is genuinely trying to find work. Lets hope karma doesn't come along and bite you on the !!! shall we? The fact is it is extremely difficult to find permanent work at the moment - the only time I can recall that was worse was when I left school in the mid 80s (over 3 million people on the dole with a smaller population) and I ended up having to go on a Youth Training Scheme despite having sent out around 50 letters a week enquiring about jobs in addition to applying for existing vacancies. This was despite having an excellent CV, a separate covering letter for each job and pretty good exam results. However, once I was on the YTS scheme for a few months I found it easy to get a real permanent job, again reinforcing the fact that it is easier to get a job when you already have one.

Try and have a bit of compassion, the vast majority of people on JSA really do want to work - the people who I've known over the years on benefits with cars, Sky, fancy clothes etc are, shall we say, doing less than legal things to supplement their income.

Dunroamin

dktreesea wrote: »

There would be so many single people in a place like Merthyr still living with their mum and dad because they can't even get a separate place to live. Too many families ahead of them on the waiting lists.

Why on earth should young single people expect to be allocated social housing?

What would stop someone from moving into a house share in Cardiff an increase their chance of getting a job, even if it did mean saving for a while to get a deposit?

In addition, I don't agree that employers will necessarily choose someone living in the city over someone who commutes - most employers want to offer a job to the best candidate.