So depressed about the representation of benifit claiments in the media

[Fred Bassett]

What gets me is it not scroungeing when people or there perrants have paid into the system all there lives its realy your money or hower money there given us back

 

Why should anybody be entitled to something just because their parents paid "into the system"? How does that give you a free ride? If somebody has worked and paid their national insurance/taxes or if they are unable to, for reasons of disability, then they should be entitled to receive welfare. If they haven't and they are perfectly able to work, why should they receive welfare without giving something back in return? By that I mean an honest attempt to get paid work and stand on their own two feet. What's wrong with that?

[Fred Bassett]

I am moving this to the Bear Garden. This forum is for people who need advice, not a pity party.

 

Well put.

[filrobbo]

Yes agreed but when you do need help you shouldent have to fight the system to get some help

[citizenB]

This is a serious issue Bigissue is depressed about been put down for been unemployedI was only trying to keep their spirits up.

 

It is very kind of you to try and cheer BigIssue up. I cant imagine what it is like to have family and friends believe that you are milking the system.

 

Sadly this appears to be happening quite a lot at the moment and even those with visible disabilities are being targeted.

 

For the foreseeable future, this is going to continue - BigIssue needs to find something else to focus on rather than sinking further into depression.

 

 

..this Bear Garden, do we get in at a reduced rate for being unemployed?

 

Absolutely, only two milk bottle tops are required.. usual rates 6 !!!

[Fred Bassett]

Yes agreed but when you do need help you shouldent have to fight the system to get some help

 

True, but nor should it be taken as read. There have to be checks and balances to make sure that claimants are genuine, something that appears to have been missing in the past.

[Nystagmite]

True, but nor should it be taken as read. There have to be checks and balances to make sure that claimants are genuine, something that appears to have been missing in the past.

 

There have always been checks for DLA and sickness benefits. It's not a case of "I can't work, please can I have some benefits?" I've had to fight to get the benefits I need and I know many who have had to fight too.

[rds60h]

Until you have been it the situation of having to claim benefits you will just not believe the way you can be treated.

I worked for almost 40 years paying my dues prior to my health problems and had never been out of work for more than a few days, but I have had to fight for every single penny that I have applied for since being on benefits !!

In my opinion if you have been working for several years and are then unfortunate enough to have to claim benefits, then you are an easy target for DWP because they know you have a work ethic and so can be bullied into returning to work irrespective of what type of work or indeed irrespective of what form of illness or disability you may be suffering from. DWP know they will get nowhere with the real scroungers and appear to leave them alone.

The real problem isn't the benefits system it is the fact that the ordinary working man is not paid a proper living wage and is paid a pittance to make even more money for those who have money.

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer and then the rich tell the poor look at that benefit claimant doing nothing and being paid from the taxes you have paid and the poor then get angry at the even poorer and want them to have even less. And the rich rub their hand and smile and decide to tell the poor worker he cannot afford to pay him so much.

[osdset]

DWP know they will get nowhere with the real scroungers and appear to leave them alone.

 

Not strictly true, why waste resources chasing a tiny percentage of welfare claimants when there is more cash to be saved by hounding the overwhelming majority which are genuine claimants?

 

The real problem isn't the benefits system it is the fact that the ordinary working man is not paid a proper living wage and is paid a pittance to make even more money for those who have money.

 

Can't argue with that point.

[filrobbo]

to true

[Nystagmite]

Can someone explain what the point of the following is:

You work, you earn a low wage and need benefits to allow you pay your rent, etc. So, why are you taxed on your income and then given benefits? It would make more sense if you were given a higher tax allowance instead of being taxed and then being given that money back in the form of benefits.

 

Didn't we have it before where you were given allowances for having a child, etc, instead of just being taxed and then being given that allowance back in the form of benefits?

[tezza1234]

Can someone explain what the point of the following is:

You work, you earn a low wage and need benefits to allow you pay your rent, etc. So, why are you taxed on your income and then given benefits? It would make more sense if you were given a higher tax allowance instead of being taxed and then being given that money back in the form of benefits.

 

Didn't we have it before where you were given allowances for having a child, etc, instead of just being taxed and then being given that allowance back in the form of benefits?

 

Isnt this why the personal tax threshold has been raised to 9500 or whatever it is now. Anything over that they need to tax otherwise the tax sheet would look even more dire.

Why do you think they introduced the 'you must stay in education until you are 18' it makes the jobless figures look better, there are hundreds of thousands if not millions of 16-18 year old out of work and not in any form of education, but there not on the official jobless sheet.

[Nystagmite]

Why do you think they introduced the 'you must stay in education until you are 18' it makes the jobless figures look better, there are hundreds of thousands if not millions of 16-18 year old out of work and not in any form of education, but there not on the official jobless sheet.

 

Yet, it's unfair to force someone to be in some form of education. They're just to going to cause trouble for those who want to learn.

[tezza1234]

Ohh yeah but 1.8 million out of work sounds a dam site better than 3.5 million lol

[filrobbo]

What gets me company's are making millions and they pay there worker poor wages so we have to claim tax credits to make up a living wage it's wrong thay should be made to give everyone a proper living wage then we don't have to claim tax credits or help with c/tax or help with rent

[Nystagmite]

Agreed. I also have a problem with companies offering "work experience" with no pay. Yet, these companies are making millions.

[Lawrence McGinty]

I find that they main thing that seems to anger them and others about my not working is that they work in jobs they hate and resent the fact that I don't have to (currently) and there anger does seem to vary depending on what they have been exposed to on the TV or in the paper.

 

I just feel sad and depressed about the whole thing.

 

Incorrect assumption.

 

I can get angry not because of what I see on TV or in the paper but because of what I see in real life.

 

Having calculated eveything regarding my financial situation with work, as opposed to being on benefits, I am better off in work to the tune of about £20.

 

Essentially, I work for £20 a week for 48 hours hard graft, 5am start as opposed to doing nowt.

 

I do it because I am a worker, I cannot just lounge about.

 

Why on earth shouldn't this anger me?

[locutus]

I do a large commute to work, and I end up about even financially as when I was on benefits.

 

Look to the future though, on benefits you cannot get a promotion, and when applying for better paid / higher skilled work in the future, who has the more chance? Yourself with proven experience or someone on benefits?

 

Keep your chins up all. Those in work keep pushing forward, those out of work keep looking for work and those who cannot work keep fighting for the support you need.

[Nystagmite]

The problem is low wages and not benefits supposedly being too high - for most people, they're not that high.