Re: benifits
 

In the UK I'd say that it's not uncommon

In Leamington Spa after I sold my business someone suggested I sign on for job seekers allowance for a few months before we came here. That meant various visits to the DHS. I noticed that quite a few people going to sign on were parking quite flash new cars some distance away in quiet streets and then walking all the way to the office to sign on. Many of them I noticed had quite expensive phones and were very nicely dressed. It made me wonder how they could afford all this on job seekers allowance which turned out to be a pittance of about £6 for me! I'm not saying the were fiddling, but they didnt seem particularly badly off.

Re: benifits
 

I do live in the real world and and my husband have livedf on £150 a week (less than guaranteed Pension Credit for a couple).. You don't have anything to spare but you can manage (providing you don't have to find rent and council tax). We managed to eat and heat. The heating and power for our three-bedroom terrace house in the UK is £80 a month - less than £20 a week. That still leaves over £130 for everything else. And if we were on Pension Credit we would get over £200. a week.

I have some relations who have just gone onto PC. With their rent paid, they are better off than when they were working for minimum wage (they said this, I didn't).

Re: benifits
 

I know individual examples are just that, but I've got a pal who lives on a large housing estate in Hackney. It may be considered a rough place to live, but not to him, he was born there and brought up his children there and never wanted to move even after his wife died and the children moved away.

Out of the thousands of people who live on the estate, he is the only one who works and pays his own rent. The only one out of thousands.

His flat overlooks the car park and every time I visit I'm astounded by the large number of shiny BMWs parked there by people on the dole, or whatever.

Re: benifits
 

those who cream off the foreign aid living in the mansions that are never shown on TV.

Re: benifits
 

To put this into perspective it is claimed that 0.2% of claimants are found to be fraudulent.
Also for as long as I can remember governments have wheeled out the "benefit fraud" band wagon as a vote catcher. This is because it detracts from their inability to maintain an economy able to support full employment.
The real (organised) fraudsters are a part of the sub culture that sadly exists in our society and their lives revolve around crime.
My main concern is that people stop using "benefit fraud" to perpetuate a bigotry towards good decent people who, through no fault of theirs are at the bottom of society already and feel the injustice on a daily basis already without having the unjustifiable slur of being lazy no good for nothing scroungers and cheats.

Re: benifits
 

Hi all, thanks for the replies, I am not sure if I have learned much about disability benefits and help, probably because I didn’t put the question correctly, one thing that comes through is that anyone on the receiving end of benefits is looked down on.
Thanks again
Baz

Re: benifits
 

I think it's just very hard to give general advice as everyones personal circumstances will define the outcome for that individual.
Benefits will be available to you, which ones, not sure. Regarding disability, they have changed IB has been replaced with ESA and DLA is due to change in 2013 to PIP.
However the bottom line is that you will be entitled to the benefits you are legaly entitled to and untill you apply there is no sure wy of predicting those here.
There are dedicated welfare sites to search for more accurate info.

Re: benifits
 

Good post. Most of the Benefits claimants that I know are totally genuine. Some of them are on Benefits through sickness and/or disability (this does not necessarily maen that they do not work), although I do know some who are unemployed. My son's lodger has always worked until he was made redundant last year, and he has applied for loads of jobs, but no success yet. I know one or two people who are on top-up Benefits due to low incomes, but who do work.

I also know someone who claims Jobseekers' Allowance but does not declare the income from two lodgers (she told me this herself), and someone else who claims as a single parent despite having a live-in partner (her dad told me). But these are the only two I know about who are fraudulent claimants.

Re: benifits
 

well there will be loads living below the poverty line in the UK because going by the link below with housing cost taken care of.
It seems a very high poverty line to me.

Single person, no children £124
Couple with no children £214
Lone parent with two children (aged 5 and 14) £256
Couple with two children (aged 5 and 14) £348

Whereas Spain the poverty line for a couple with 2 kidies is 13332euros, with housing costs not taken into cosiderate.

So if the povertyline in Spain was at the same level there would be millions more under it.

We often have posters telling u show bad the income and levels are in the UK, but after being in Spain and seeing how bad it is for the unemployed, sick and disabled, I dont think anyone in the UK would ever moan again about the "pittance" they receive from the UK government.

They would count their lucks stars, believe me.

http://www.cpag.org.uk/povertyfacts/

Whereas in Spain the poverty line is

Re: benifits
 

I thought I answered your question in my post number 12.

Is ther any Benefit in particular you wanted to know about?

Re: benifits
 

Apart from those living at home and being subsidised by their parents, I can't imagine how any one can survive on JSA alone.

Re: benifits
 

Well to be fair, they don't just get JSA do they, if renting they get their rent and Council Tax paid too, and there's help with mortgages too after twelve weeks on the Benefit, but it's still not a huge amount to live on. We had to subsidise our son when he was unemployed.

My friend who does not declare the income from the lodgers, when she told me this, I suggested that she gave up the JSA because as well as not declaring the income she isn't even looking for a job (there's a clue in the name of the Benefit , JobSEEKERS' Allowance), but she would not do this because she would lose the freebies such as free dental treatment. She could live on the lodgers' rents,she has no rent or mortgage herself, her house is paid for. So she choses to commit Benefit fraud.

Re: benifits
 

Fair comment but 2 wrongs don't make a right.
The appauling state of welfare help here does not enrich the lives of those in the UK, the comparison is unfair.

Re: benifits
 

And the lack of welfare help here does not enrich the lives of those in Spain either

I am just saying that if the recipients of welfare benefits in the UK saw what their counterparts get in Spain, they would realise that in comparison they arevery lucky.

And why is the comparison unfair.?

Re: benifits
 

Very few countries (possible none) give so much money to those who cannot financially support themselves as the UK. It leads to an interesting Q of how much you should give people who cannot support themselves.

Too much and it leads to culture of people not wanting to go to work as there is no point, they are better off on benefits

Not enough and people suffer unduly

I severely doubt there are people going hungry in the UK. People are fattest in the poorest areas for a start (just like they are in Spain). The challenge is giving opportunities to people who find themselves in such a position and then motivating them to want to improve their lives when there are only rubbish jobs about. I can only see this situation getting worse.

If it were up to me, I'd make people work for their benefits i.e. if they cant get a job then they can clean the streets or retrain at community colleges with free state nurseries to help with childcare. I dont like the idea of giving people what accounts to a lot of money for doing nothing, this creates a bad attitude and a culture of entitlement

Re: benifits
 

Good post.

Eye to eye me and you? , that must mean one or both of us is/are mellowing..:eek::eek:

Re: benifits
 

My son did voluntary work whilst he was unemployed, both at a Computer Training Company and for Christian Aid.

He had his Benefits stopped when he did the work for Christian Aid (over a Bank Holiday weekend) as they said he was not available for work.:eek:

I believe they encourage voluntary work now, quite rightly.

Re: benifits
 

a jobsworth now doubt, sticking to the rules to the letter.:thumbdown:

I think such work should be encouraged too because if, (big IF in some cases) a job oportunity comes along, I am sure the genuine jobseekers would take it.

But in the meantime everyone benefits from the voluntary work being done instead of sitting at home waiting for a job.

Re: benifits
 

My son was not able to get a paid job through either of the places he volunteered at BUT the Computer company gave him a reference for the job he DID get. :) They were able to talk about his workplace skills demonstrated in the voluntary work.

I too think it is better to volunteer than do nothing.

Re: benifits
 

I have to be honest, friend or no friend I would be on the phone straight away. The whole situation makes me very angry whether it be politicians or the council house tennant. I remember a next door neighbour I had, was forced to take a job he lasted half a day then came home and said let them work who want to. Unfortunately for him he said it to the wrong person who was so incensed he decked him. I knew him for a further three years but he never took another job just kept claiming for his wife and three kids.
Think of all the good that could be done if the cheats, scroungers and fiddlers were stopped.

Graham

Graham

Re: benifits
 

Although I totally agree with you in my head, in my heart I could not do it. :( I made it quite clear that I thought what she was doing was wrong and then left it to her conscience. At the moment she has no lodgers and has not had for several months ( but is thinking of getting some more).

She has worked, we worked together in our twenties but lost touch for about ten years.

Re: benifits
 

I suppose life eventually consists of claiming as many benefits as possible and paying the least tax. I don't believe you can achieve that without at least some compromises that may affect your conscience.

Of course you can lead a totally honest life, but you will get less than most of the neighbours in your street. And you won't get any more for reaching for your phone, unless they're paying bounties.

Re: benefits
 

Here's an article to cheer up anyone who has ever had to claim benefit, and some of the names made me sit up with surprise.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...conomic-growth

Re: benifits
 

[QUOTE=The Oddities;9651665]I have to be honest, friend or no friend I would be on the phone straight away. The whole situation makes me very angry whether it be politicians or the council house tennant. I remember a next door neighbour I had, was forced to take a job he lasted half a day then came home and said let them work who want to. Unfortunately for him he said it to the wrong person who was so incensed he decked him. I knew him for a further three years but he never took another job just kept claiming for his wife and three kids.
Think of all the good that could be done if the cheats, scroungers and fiddlers were stopped.

Graham

Graham[/QUOTE

Think of all the good that be done by politicians,bankers,business if there lies, corruption and greed could be stopped.
It's years of bad economic management has created such high unemployment and creates areas of social deprevation with little hope of a way out.
It's the system that is at fault, put the blame where it belongs.

Re: benifits
 

Well that makes three of us...you had better add me to that list too! :rofl:

Re: benefits
 

Benefit fraud is no different to other types of financial fraud.

Fraud against the state results in the rest of the community paying either through their taxes or in a reduction of benefits/services provided by the state.
I also think it occurs on a much wider scale than people think from blue badge holders (you know who you are) upwards. My mother recently had a bad fall resulting in her obtaining benefits to enable her to pay for help at home etc.
It shall not be stopped until she informs them she doesn't need the help. How many on these benefits actually arrange to have them stopped when they do not need them?
That's one the reasons you see so many people walking around with walking sticks/other means of support that clearly don,t need them. Many are feigning their disability.
I just do not understand the attitude "if they can get away with it good luck to them"
It's anti-social.

Re: benifits
 

Go on then, we will......:D

Re: benefits
 

You can't disagree with such an excellent post, it says it all.

I have a neighbour who is super-honest, and is forever berating benefit cheats and I usually agree with him. On thing worries me, slightly.

He lives in Spain for nine months of every year and brings his foreign car with him for his stay in the sun. He doesn't have residencia, isn't on the padron and doesn't have a NIE number . . . .

I consider it none of my business.

Re: benefits
 

No one but no one is condoning benefit fraud and there is nothing more disgusting than disability fraud.
I just wish there were threads as long as this one debating the true crooks in society who create benefit fraudsters.
There should be the opportunity for everyone to earn a decent days pay for a decent days work and I leave it up to individuals conscience to decide who is responsible for creating that opportunity.
Personaly I feel that if business sources their work force from overseas slave labour in order to increase their own personal wealth they are far bigger crooks than the 0.2% benefit frauds.
I have nothing further to add to this debate.

Re: benefits
 

And if governments stopped screwing businesses so hard financially to make it necessary for them to reduce their costs in this way, things might be better

Re: benefits
 

From what I have seen the people who commit the most benefit fraud are not the people who have been affected by cheap labour overseas.

The most prolific fraudsters would not take a job under any circumstances.

The professional scrougers, the lads who have loads of kids to different women, would never consider taking a job, the women claim for the kids, but if the work they will have the CSA on theirback.

There were 2 guys on Jermey çKyle the other day, they both had their face tatooed all over, they have zero chance of finding a job. One of them has a few kiddies, it seems all well and good to have an individual style and look, but when people deliberatly shut themselves out of the job market, that sends out a message to me, that the last thing they want is a chance to support their family.

They have effectively chosen a life of dole, they feel freedom , play stations, face book, nintendo and long sleeps in the morning are more important than other considerations, ie being a man and earning a living.

And lets not forget the little scams on the side that crop up for them to fill the days.

I am not talking about the genuine people who find themselves in this situation, but the ones who have no intention of ever working or looking for work.

Re: benefits
 

And us as consumers, do we have a responsibilty?
Do we look at the label and say I am not buying this as it has been produced by "slave" labour.
How many of us buy British?
Where was your car made etc.?

Re: benefits
 

What makes you think "slave labour" doesn't exist in Britain, that name might not be used... but for many there it's still the same!

The industrial revolution was fueled by slave labour, poor country folks who had to move to towns to earn a living.
They were often paid in kind not money, and they had to spend their tokens in the shop that belonged to the factory owner.
If they were injured or became too ill to work they not only lost their job they lost their home too and ended up in the workhouse.

Meanwhile the bosses lived it up in their palatial mansions on the hill and never gave a thought to the hardship of the workers......

Not a lot has changed for the working classes of Britain! :(

Re: benefits
 

[QUOTE=megmet;9653018

Not a lot has changed for the working classes of Britain! :([/QUOTE]

Has it changed for you?

Re: benefits
 

The benefits system?
The NHS?
State Pensions?
Social housing
etc

Re: benefits
 

How many can Buy British ? firstly because the majority of posters here are living in Spain, so surely should be buying Spanish where possible.
But more importantly, what is there left of British manufacturing. ?? :frown:
Britain is nothing but a jumble of call centres, which are starting to fill up again as offshoring is starting to get a dirty word in the boardroom.
We don't make anything anymore, if we do its with imported parts.

Who are the "big" names in the UK high street ? - New Look, Zavvi, TKMaxx etc etc etc. All source vast majority of their products from the sweat shops of the Far East, ferried in by plane or container ship.
Supermarkets source more and more non-seasonal food all the year round at great expense to the environment. But they are feeling the pinch from the Lidl and Aldi stores from mainland Eu.

As to cars, well most come in through the purpose built terminal at Bristol in special ships.
Oh my car was made in West Midlands, and if I can afford it will be replaced by one from the same UK plant.

We have put many fine men (and women) on the scrapheap, throwing away all those years of apprenticeship, experience, and knowhow.

Re: benefits
 

Did I say I was working class?

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it shouldnt be necessary, one's class would be obvious to the observer before they even opened their mouth.

however, we all know that Meg is in a class all of her own..:D

The working class can kiss my a**e, I've got the foreman's job at last

Re: benefits
 

I obviously take the point about residency.

I do not totally agree about Uk manufacturing. We remain the 6th largest in the world.
We may have moved to higher end manufacturing as we cannot compete with many other countries, but we are still a sizeable manufacturing country.

My post just questioned the British attitude to buying it's own goods. I glad you buy Uk cars, so do I.

Re: benefits
 

Not quite sure how you meant that one Dom. :unsure: ;)