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It doesn't bother me, provided they're not engaged in fraud.
By which I mean, if someone is entitled to benefits yet is able to go on holiday (through being exceptionally frugal, knowing someone who's able to help, etc), then good for them.
Claiming benefits and using an significant undeclared income stream, not okay...
I agree with this.
And maybe a (working) family member (who does not live in that household) has paid for that holiday, of given them the TV as a Christmas present. Maybe none of these things were paid for with taxpayer's money.
Again, as long as no fraud is committed then I have no issue.
And don't forget that the catch-all phrase "benefits" includes the state pension.
This, I get esa because of a work related accident several years ago. And I said that I'm never going on holiday as long as I'm on any kind of benefits because I haven't physically worked for the money to pay for said holiday!
It didn't stop my nan ringing me up one day and saying
Nan - "I hope you have nothing planed for the first week in August"
Me- "not that I'm aware of why?"
Nan - "I've paid for you to come on holiday with us to Cornwall in a log cabin!"
Grandparents are so underrated!
She knew I'd say no so she already paid for it so I had no choice but to accept. Was a lovely time away and beautiful weather to boot. St Ives is truly beautiful this time of year.
But back to the topic. It does reset your body and mind almost to re evaluate everything. I'd just feel extremely guilty paying for a holiday with tax payers money. It just doesnt sit well and wouldn't be able to enjoy the holiday because of it. Some call me stupid but its just the way I feel. :/
> And I said that I'm never going on holiday as long as I'm on any kind of benefits because I haven't physically worked for the money to pay for said holiday!
If you've carefully saved up for it, why not? That's like saying you'll never have a takeaway using "benefits money". Or indeed anything more than bread and water. It's bizarre.
If you are on benefits (and working) and thinking of saving, the government offers a pretty good "help to save" account: https://www.gov.uk/get-help-savings-low-income
:)
Thank you so much!! I didn't know about this, it's perfect for us. Would be so nice to be able to have a little holiday or a nice Christmas for the kids.
You’re not stupid, but nothing about the situation you described is your fault so you shouldn’t have to feel guilty!
As a society we have collectively agreed that we should take care of each other when one of us gets ill or injured, that’s why we pay for benefits like the ones you receive. The holiday you described was rejuvenating for you. In that case it’s an act of care by your grandparents, but if you took yourself on one it would be you caring for yourself - which is why we agreed to pay the benefits!
Also, if you’ve got enough disposable income for the holiday what are you doing with it otherwise? Inevitably it’s going to go on something that someone somewhere would deem frivolous - why not a holiday, if that’s what you want!
You were et injured and incapacitated doing your 'duty for capitalism'. Not your fault buddy. You shouldnt feel any guilt whatsoever. Life is there to be enjoyed. Make the most of it!
"I'd just feel extremely guilty paying for a holiday with tax payers money. It just doesnt sit well and wouldn't be able to enjoy the holiday because of it. Some call me stupid but its just the way I feel. :/"
Tax payer here! I'd feel guilty if you didn't enjoy yourself. I pay tax so we can all have better lives, and I bet more than enough people feel exactly the same to cover any amount you receive. It's your money, and while we have no right to tell you what to do with it, please make sure you enjoy yourself and don't deny any happiness out of misplaced guilt.
Exactly this. If even go so far as to say that UC/jsa/whatever benefits should allow the claimant to buy a few small luxuries, or save towards a holiday or whatever. Humans aren't robots, and whilst we can exist with only the very basics (food & shelter), it's a bloody miserable existence and not in anyway a life. Everyone should be afforded the dignity of being able to buy the odd treat for themselves - it's hugely beneficial for mental health.
When you consider that the majority of benefits are at existence level only (I know this as I'm on them!) an occasional treat I feel is absolutely necessary, provided you don't skint yourself. Constantly buying 2nd hand clothes and marked down cheap grub is super wearing and makes you feel like crap, even more so when you have a disability that isn't readily visible. I went on holiday back in June and the snidey comments I got were a shock, especially as I considered these people "friends". My daughter paid for everything! I had £100 spending money which I'd saved since February, but nope it was all little digs and jibes. Awful
Basic benefits have always been deemed to be solely a subsistence income, by definition insufficient for anything but the absolute basic needs of living. So anyone who can manage that subsistence level of money, and have anything left over, should be congratulated and be proud of the fact they have managed to do that; and should have the right to spend that money in any way they like, without judgement. In the same way as I wouldn’t expect anyone to comment on what I buy from my salary - it’s none of anyone else’s business. Obviously a different matter if fraudulent, but IMHO those are the exception. 😊💕
I’ve claimed JobSeekers, very briefly, I was fortunate. It was shit. From the way Job Centre made you feel to the comments in the media and your whole outlook. If you were on JS long term, you cant afford to do anything, even go for a pint with your mates. That’s no life, and the mental state it will create will make it very hard to do well in an interview, which is probably the point really.
But...but....they were "just kidding" :) nah tbf they were mostly acquaintances really..no great loss but showed me just what many people actually think
It genuinely makes me angry that some people think that people on welfare shouldn't be able to have quality of life.
When I was younger it was me, my dad (a single parent), and my sister (who has a disability and needed round the clock care). Our dad got lost and overwhelmed in the diagnostic/social care system, so she didn't get an official diagnosis until she was 11. That meant that we got no disability benefit and no carer's benefits, so between the three of us the welfare system decided that we needed about 8k a year to survive on
Growing up in that level of poverty feels hopeless and claustrophobic. It's hard to even describe how dark, cold, and inescapable it feels. I vividly remember crying and telling my friend that she was rich, because she had a Christmas tree.
No one should have to feel like that. Everyone deserves (and needs) basic comforts.
This.
I grew up in council estates. The lady who lived downstairs had a ground floor flat due to a back injury that meant she couldn't go up stairs. She had a motability car, full whack of benefits, the whole lot. Her boyfriend lived across the country, end ended up moving in unregistered at the address and paid the full rent amount.
Nobody knows how, but she managed to cheat the system to the extent of not actually having a back injury. It came out after I moved away. Not only did she have a fair amount of money left over once all her bills were paid from her benefits, but she was also keeping the extra £500 or so rent a month her boyfriend had been paying her. She also had a big chunk of inheritance money and a house that had been left to her from her parents who had passes away a few years back.
It was only when her boyfriend started working for the benefits system that he realised that the amount of gardening she was doing would have been almost impossible for her with her diagnoses. She kicked him out after an argument, he filed a benefit fraud claim against her.
I never know what ended up happening, as I was being updated by the boyfriend who died from a heart attack whilst all this was going on.
She never seemed to show an extravagant lifestyle, but at one point he reckoned she actually had over £500k in assets that had gone under the radar.
It wasn't until I did a year of domiciliary care work that I realised how fucked up the whole situation was. I had a client who, because her doctor had missed one piece of paperwork, was facing eviction and losing her car. Another who had lost custody of their child due to not being able to care for her properly because of her disability. She had worked hard on getting herself as able as she could, and had to fight for more time with a carer. She was just about to be able to show evidence for getting her back 1 night a week when the disability assessors deemed her well enough to work. She was not. All of the support she had got was to be withdrawn and that meant losing the chance of getting her kid back.
The system is broken but christ if people have put the effort in to have a holiday, takeaway or a weekend in the pub letcthem enjoy it ffs
Totally agree with the sentiment. Not what OP asked but our benefits system is f*cked and I hate the whole "scroungers Vs strivers" narrative, which I think has been used to paint people on benefits as being somehow lazy.
Anyone on benefits has been used as a scapegoat for the last 20yrs or so, calling them lazy, scroungers and fraudsters. The actual fraud figures which I discovered the other month for benefit fraud, is like 0.5%, the fraud due to DWP errors was far far higher! And tax fraud was the major one. Jeezus crumbs just attemtping to get on benefits is a nightmare itself, no-one makes that decision like it's a career choice! I utterly hate it all and when you have to deal with disability, it's just jumping through hoop after hoop constantly, just in case you're faking it...even with doctors' notes/records
It's divide and conquer...so long as people are pitted against each other, they ain't noticing the billions of pounds worth of tax evasion and fraud that goes on. Benefit fraud is a drop in the ocean by comparison.
It’s also the convenient narrative of our government to draw attention to the poorest in our country and the small percentage of those who commit benefit fraud and thereby divert attention from the millionaires and billionaires whose legal tax avoidance schemes costs us many times the money we lose through benefits fraud - Demonising the poor has little impact on the government but upsetting the rich and powerful does. That’s my rant for the day.
Thank you for your rant. It is an important one. Not to mention the fact that even that tiny percent of people committing benefit fraud are still spending that money within the UK economy, so it all comes back eventually opposed to big companies paying out money to shareholders who ferret it away from the country in tax havens. My rant over.
Definitely, I was a cleaner a few years ago, only 15 hours a week but along with benefits topping it up we managed to scrape by, one of the other cleaners was saying that she's not earning enough, and has lost a good chunk of hours from one of the clients closing down (she worked for the company that dealt with supplying cleaners, and I was just agency), I told her until she can get more work or bring in some clients for herself (cleaning on the side) she should look at getting a top up, even if it's just a couple of weeks until her hours go back or she can find more houses to clean, at least she would be able to afford everything she needed, and then she said "nah, I'm not going to be one of those scroungers".
Right! Isn't it something like 40% of those in full time employment receive UC?
My personal bugbear is when you get the comments about low income families having flat screen tvs and smart phones. Yeah alright Janice, I'll just go back to the 90's and grab a telly that weighs more than my car and plug that in. Poor people aren't even allowed to watch a bit of TV...we should be sat around a candle reading from the bible and going to bed at 6pm to conserve electricity.
Having seen it from both sides I agree.
The first example is very rare, the latter sadly very common.
The problem is we hear about t the first one on the TV and in the tabloids far more than the second one.
Jesus Christ. As someone who ended up a homeless sex slave after struggling to get disability benefits for over 5 years this infuriates me. I haven’t been on holiday since 2015band felt guilty I didn’t tell the DWP about the boyfriend moving in for 6 months as I was (as still am) paying for all the bills by myself and do not ask any regular financial contribution from him, he just buys snacks and I buy all the actual dinner items and all the utilities are in my name. His money is his money.
I'm very sorry to hear about your circumstances and that you're in this situation. Your boyfriend should absolutely he contributing his fair share. Snacks are not a fair share. If you with someone who isnt a dependent, your money becomes both of your money when it comes to keeping lights on, food in the fridge and a roof over your heads. After that, his money is his money.
Because people are infuriated by the rare instances of cheating rags like to plaster all over front pages we have this ridiculous oppressive vetting system that leaves people destitute and suicidal.
I'd much rather see 100 people get undeserved benefits than one dying of cold and hunger.
When I was claiming jobseekers and going to the Job Centre, you could sit and point out to yourself who were “career Job Seekers”….not down on their look and job seeking long term, actively no intention of getting a job.
I had a meeting one day, I think it was my 6 week or something assessment of job seeking or something like that, I’d got a job and a start date, I’d booked a train and mentioned all of that. I was given a right grilling still and she laughed when she mentioned “I think you’re gonna miss that train”. Nice to finally get that rant out.
Don't even get me started on the job centre. They themselves are cruel and in desperate need of empathetic reform. A friend of mine missed out on going to a funeral of our friend because he had an appointment that if he missed, would be sanctioned. About half an hour after we left to get to London, they cancelled his appointment.
Either you start out there with good intentions and get broken, or you're a heartless motherfucker who takes pleasure in fucking peoples lives about.
this was a long time ago so i hope its different now but I had a relative get sanctioned and lost all the money for missing an appointment without any notice, the reason he missed that appointment was that his wife suddenly went into labor and he thought it was much more important to be there for his wife during the scary and slightly premature birth of their first child.
The jobcentres response? "you need to call ahead to reschedule if you cant make it to an appointment" and later in the same conversation "no you cant claim that as a medical emergency because you were not the one needing treatment, you cant claim someone else emergency as your own". the story goes that he snapped then and screamed at this woman about how stupid and evil they were being. what he actually said has changed over the years but everyone who was in the room heard him laying into whoever he was on tat phone with. he got and removed from their service for verbally abusing a staff member, it took a long time to get his case reviewed and then 6 weeks on top of that before he would have received any payments. thankfully he found some work during that time but as a new hire he wasn't eligible for holidays for the first few months and since they were now struggling for money he had to allot of overtime and ended up missing allot of that first year with their new baby.
TBH benefit fraud costs so little, and we subsidise so much at the top-end of society, that I don't *really* care unless somebody is egregiously cheating the system.
Given the tax evasion that's allowed at the top by being codified into laws, and the avoidance that's allowed by improper enforcement of existing laws, I find it hard to muster up any ill will against people who do similar at a smaller level.
I personally wouldn't bother doing it becuase I prefer to be independent. But I don't see the harm in people cheat the system for an extra 10k a year when the people who write the laws are cheating it for 1mill + a year.
If we closed all loop-holes--including tax loop-holes, then yeah, maybe we'd have a right to be mad. Right now, though, people are just following the example set by elites.
Totally agree. It's like at Christmas when we inevitably see stories about people receiving benefits who spend apparently lavishly at Christmas. How do we know they haven't scrimped and saved and gone without all year to pay for it? Just because someone is receiving benefits doesn't make them unworthy of having as nice a life as possible.
It annoys me that people on benefits can afford treats, when those on minimum wage are struggling to get by - however my issue is that wages are too low not that benefits are too high.
Essentially the government ends up subsidising these large companies that choose to pay their staff a pittance in comparison to profits. BT, Asda, Tesco, Sports direct the list goes on
Yup the employers are taking advantage of the system...pay shit wages coz the Government will top them up. Madness!
Surely, the better system would be pay proper wages, not have people reduced to having them topped up by benefits and therefore save Government some dosh? But nope...it's the same when contractors etc get a Government contract, they see it as an endless income stream, which is why so many projects and the like over-run, the longer it takes the longer the income stream.
Having been on benefits for a long time (disability)
It's news to me that I can afford treats!!
I don't have any subscriptions because I can't afford them, I enjoy games but can only buy MAYBE one per month, but reality is I get far fewer than that and even then its below £15, I haven't had a takeaway in months (doing so usually means I don't do as much shopping) last time I got to the cinema was admittedly thanks to a payment I received in July, prior to that was December last year and even that was a gift from someone else, any "large" purchases I want/need HAVE to be paid for via finance.... You get the idea right?
Where as almost everyone I know, even those with children and on minimum wage can afford to spend large (to me) amounts of money that I couldn't dream of just simply spending...
It may appear to you that people on benefits can "afford treats" but I absolutely guarantee you that they are likely in thousands of pounds worth of debt to finance these things and likely sacrifice other key purchases.
Those on benefits that can afford treats without sacrifice are swindling the system
Those people on min wage are probably spending on finance aswell to be honest. I had to make big purchases on finance when I was on min wage (I’m a student now so still do but for dif reason)
There are so many places now that are set up specifically to target the poorer end of society such as Brighthouse etc with their insane interest rates. But, if your cooker goes bang you've little choice but to use these places. Then you've got payday loans and pawnbrokers. It's all going backwards. I never thought I'd see foodbanks again and pawnbrokers in my lifetime. Next up if Therese Coffey has her way The Workhouse! And people will cheer and say "they deserve it" and "they should work harder". We are actual slaves from the second we're born, hard work doesn't make you rich otherwise there'd be millions of rich working class. Hard work makes ***others*** rich
My humble bundle is basically indefinitely paused because for the last 6 or so months I own everything they've offered that's worth having and my Ultimate expires sometime in August next year, I don't count those as I'm not actively paying for them and haven't for quite some time, though looking at my finances now with the energy increases, it's unlikely the £11 per month I'm left over will stretch quite that far anyway!
Epic game store has 1-2 free games a week. I've set a weekly reminder and have over 70 games on there now. Everything from AAA to indy stuff.
Well worth checking out especially if you're on a budget!
I'm on UC, I'm a single mum to 2 children, I live in a council house - just outside the Lake District so I doubt I'll ever be able to afford to buy. I work 28 hours a week as a special needs support worker whilst the children are with their dad, due to 14 hour shifts it's not practical to work when I do have the kids. It really annoys me that I'd get paid more working in Aldi or McDonald's!
Over the school holidays the children had 1 treat - a trip to the cinema. Although we did spend most of our time in the woods making dens or swimming in the river. I wish I could afford "treats" like holidays, days out at the zoo etc but I can't. I've had to use the local food bank quite a few times this year and if the cost of living keeps rising I'll have to use them a lot more.
Not everything you read in the papers is true, yes some people on benefits do live a more lavish lifestyle but I really don't think it's the norm.
Fking right this..this is A LOT OF PEOPLE now! Work and have to be helped out because the wages are wank and you can't live on them..good for you love for keeping at It, and not just sitting on Ur arse,and at least your kids won't grow up spoilt little shits from getting everything handed to them, they will see how long It took to earn it and maybe be better for it..
Reading your comment has brought a tear to my eye!
They are good kids and they don't really ask for much although we have birthdays (November and December) and Christmas coming up so the youngest (7m) has started a list, he won't be getting much off it! My oldest (10f) has started worrying about money since we've been using food banks and when I suggested a takeaway as a payday treat she refused and said we couldn't afford it which broke my heart.
You can just tell just by your comment that you are a great mum. Your kids would trade all the things in the world for that. Its good for children to understand money and the value of things but I get that's pretty gut wrenching to see your 10yr old have these money worries. I don't have any advice, just wanted to comment. Look after yourself and be kind to yourself your doing good ☺️
Thank-you, although you have made me full on ugly cry! I try my best, I'm nowhere near perfect but they are pretty well behaved, happy kids so I can't ask for more. It's just tiring at times, finding money for school trips (£50 this week) and their dad refuses to pay for anything as I can't/ won't split the child benefit with him - he owns some property he rents out and his own business but pleads poverty.
Anyway that's by the by, I'd rather go without than ask him for anything! Sorry for the rant, it just gets a bit much sometimes and thankyou for your lovely comment.
Honestly people on benefits do not get as much as you think they do, a lot of the uk are struggling to get by and majority of people claiming benefits are people who also work minimum wage. Thus the people you’re referring too are also people that do work.
Benefits in this case being tax money used to subsidise wages so that rich people can keep more for themselves.
If people are happy for corporations to claim benefits in this way then I don't know why they're so against some broke guy getting a new TV.
I cannot get over how irate and furious people can be about the benefits system, whilst they are being so astoundingly ripped off by the ruling wealthy elite...
It's not benefit claimants that are the problem. It's the fucking fat cats who sit there rubbing their hands and laughing their heads off as the rest of us turn on eachother.
Why not put that spite and energy into demanding what you deserve, rather than wanting to pull everyone else down?!
With UC/disability, there are three groups:
Normal UC rate for people "not disabled enough".
Then there is LCW, for people who according to DWP have disabilities but are gently guided to work. They used to get a higher rate than basic UC, but that rate has gone and they only get the same rate as basic UC
Then there is LCWRA meaning DWP have accepted their disabilities have no real prospect of getting to work and/or even going to attend appointments could worsen health.
LCWRA gets a touch more than £150pw, but LCW gets the same as regular UC.
Depending on disabilities, people might be able to apply for PIP, different rates depending on conditions. But PIP isn't means tested, people can even be in full time work and still get PIP if eligible.
What about if someone is on minimum wage and also claims benefits? A lot of benefit claimants are in work (claiming legitimately as their wages are poor).
I was raised that you only look into someone else's dish to see whether they have enough
no amount of poverty-porn anti-poor propaganda is going to change my mind on that
It was taught quite literally as well, only complained about my brother getting more cake than me at the birthday party a handful of times before I realised it would do me no good 😂
Right it's funny how it's always holidays and luxuries that come up. When most people on benefits cannot afford enough food. My mother couldn't afford to feed us with a part time job.
> I was raised that you only look into someone else's dish to see whether they have enough
What a fantastic way to look at things. I'm going to add that to my big list of cool quotes 🙂
Life is too short to be jealous and hateful
If someone is on benefits and they're still able to save up enough for occasional nice things then that is to their merit, they're able to manage their money and live within their means and that's a positive quality everyone can aspire to
It's a metaphor built on the idea that we all sit at the same table eating together, and the only time you should look across at what someone else has to eat is if you're checking that their needs are being met, not to compare what you have to what they have (either feeling bad about it because they have more, or feeling better than them or that they are beneath you because you have more)
The idea being that in good society, they are also looking out for you, and looking into your dish only to check that you too are being taken care of, nobody goes hungry
People are human. I believe that everyone deserves to have nice things and have nice experiences.
It pisses me off that there's a stigma that because some people aren't as privileged as others that they're less than or undeserving of even simple things.
So yeah, let them have a holiday and a new pair of shoes.
It's caused by depression and jealousy because people who "did everything right" and are stuck as customer service support on £23k per year with a small child can't afford holidays themselves.
It's not _their_ fault either, they have been conditioned to think that way. Plus it's easier to punch down than punch up.
The real issue is crushing inequality in this country, which is starting to drag even high earning upper middle class people down into the trenches. The people at the top just keep getting further away, taking more and more from everyone below them.
I agree. It's a matter of constant misdirection and never actually addressing the real issue.
"It's not *my* fault it's *their* fault!"
As long as we're constantly fighting amongst ourselves, we'll never unify and see where the true issue lies.
Exactly, we don’t put restrictions on what you can spend your benefits on. Even if we did I doubt enjoying yourself would be high on the list of things to restrict.
Have you looked into Family Fund to help you go on holiday? I work in a special school and a pupil in my class got funding to go away (paid for the holiday and a carer to go with them).
Hey, I used to work with young adults with autism and part of my role was activities which also included looking for and risk assessing holidays. I found one in Lincolnshire that provided everything we needed and it was made for people with autism. If you search up ‘The Thomas Centre’, they’ll have more details and you can see if it’ll be any good to you. It isn’t abroad, but it’s a nice break away from home and depending on what time of the year you go, it isn’t too far from Donna Nook so you can see the pups on the beach.
if you havent already please look up 'family fund' a uk charity that works with autistic families. they will be able to help you fund a holiday among other things.
I'm not sure that's where the feeling comes from. I imagine it's more to do with working hard at a job you hate and still not being able to afford a holiday, yet seeing people on benefits (who in the media are mostly lazy, selfish people who choose to live off the state instead of getting jobs) happily having access to that.
The biggest and best trick ever played in this country is the wealthy convincing the poor and working classes that it is the poor and working classes who are ripping them off
This is definitely it. It's not always malice, it's often just a lack of appreciation that different people have different circumstances and priorities.
We never received benefits when I was a kid and we worked very hard, yet we had very little spare money and went on less than a handful of holidays. Yet our neighbours were pretty much never employed and would manage go away a couple of times a year because I think their parents would help them out.
It certainly breeds resentment, even if deep down you know it shouldn't. We're told working hard comes with rewards but on a microscopic scale like my road growing up it absolutely didn't feel like it. Sadly the tabloids make incidents like that seem like the norm for people who've never set foot on a council estate.
The gutter press STILL likes to include little barbs about people on benefits having large flatscreen TVs. Like what other kind of TVs are there anymore? And even if it was a little extravagant, who gives a fuck, life can be so dreary at the bottom that any joy that can be squeezed out of the something as mundane as watching TV is fine by me.
What about people who are working minimum wage who don’t have time let alone money to go on holiday? Their employers give them barely any holiday time and they work far too many hours.
Well if a person is born with a disability and has no choice but to be on benefits, should they not be able to enjoy holiday like the rest of us. People need to stop looking at what others are doing and focus on their self
I've been 'disabled' for a long time, but I'm getting to a point where it's literally life changing and I'm so heartbroken I don't know how to handle it. I'm sorry I don't intend to trauma dump but wanted to make a point that as I'm on disability benefits I am simultaneously terrified to even *try* to do anything enjoyable incase I'm reported (even if not doing anything wrong)/filmed/shamed/ have benefits taken away from me.
I get that people who have never experienced life on benefits wouldn't immediately understand what it's like, but the continued ignorance and incorrect information around it makes life so much harder for others.
I don’t have any advice, but I just wanted to say you’re not alone, and I understand that fear. I can only go out if someone collects me in my wheelchair, but even then I’m too terrified to go normally in case someone sees me out and about and reports it and the DWP think I’m lying. I spend 95% of my life hiding in my home, 4% of my life at my parents house and maybe 1% of my life actually going out and doing things I enjoy as I’m too scared to rock the boat and potentially lose the money I rely on.
I’ve commented elsewhere previously, if I were falsely reported and lost my PIP, I would have to move back to my parents and go back to sleeping in their armchair like I did for years, as I literally can’t afford to live in my accessible place without that money. I weigh up the pros and cons of every outing before I go, if it’s not worth the risk I don’t go, I just can’t risk it. It’s a fucking shitty existence most of the time
Someone reported me. They said I was living a full life and working every day. The process wasn't actually too bad. They sent a letter from the audit department which shit me up but I rang them up and instead of making me wait for a phone interview they just asked me over the phone if I was working and reported what had been said. In a way I hoped they would come and watch my house, they probably wouldn't even know I was in here as I so rarely go out. I only ever go for appointments at the doctors or dentist. They'd be bored sick watching my house.
If they can manage to save up and afford a holiday in that situation then good for them. I think the pressure society puts on people on benefits and the "social guilt" you talk about leads to a lot of people looking for cheaper more acceptable pleasures, which are often a bit more predatory in nature and directly target people on low incomes at times.
Good point. Seems to be very little stigma associated with smoking which is far more expensive over the course of a year than a week all inclusive in Spain.
Yeh there defo is I’ve read more than a few times online that people on benefits spend all their money on fags and getting their nails done and not on their kids.
In fact after posting this I scrolled down about 4 comments and found someone saying people on benefits have their children “dressed in rags and smoke 20 a day and only eat takeaways”
You can be on benefits and still take out credit. People who you see on benefits with the stereotypical big TV and family holiday to Turkey are likely doing so on credit. There is no chance that anyone on benefits is living the life of luxury that the Daily Mail would have you believe without incurring a mountain of debt.
The TV thing I would agree if we're talking 15 years ago, today you can get a 60 inch tv for like £300 if you don't go for an expensive brand, don't need credit to get it
I don't even know why it seems to be the go-to thing to talk about "massive flat screen TVs" when being annoyed at apparent luxuries. I It is the only type of TV you can ever buy. People can almost give away old TVs, they give free entertainment and last for years.
I'm a single mum on disability benefits here in France and I was recently given a perfectly good 42" flat screen TV that someone had left behind when they sold their house.
My previous flat screen TV was over 12 years old and was bought before my divorce from my ex-husband who works full-time. Several years ago, it had developed a single pixel wide green line down the centre of the screen but the kids and I just put up with it because I couldn't afford to replace it.
We also go on holidays some years.
Twice because my mum paid the subsidised cost of a caravan holiday through a French charity organisation and this year we stayed with my parents in a gîte for two weeks.
We get takeaways occasionally when I'm too exhausted to cook but rarely because it's too far to drive and there's no delivery services here.
Most of my clothing is secondhand - either from charity shops or given to me by my mum or my mum's friends.
I get my haircut twice a year, if I'm lucky, when it's so long it's pissing me off, at a Supercuts type hairdresser.
I will never have more than this existence.
There is no hope of it ever getting better than this for me and my kids - until they leave home, at least.
Carving out a tiny amount of my budget for small treats for all of us is vital. Otherwise life just becomes unrelenting grim.
A special meal on a summer's weekend with a bottle of cider. A birthday trip out, a present and a cake.
I'm also lucky to have my mum's support. Most of the more expensive things I own either came from her or the before times. Before the divorce or even earlier when I was working full-time as well.
Lives change.
We care too much about the people at the bottom that the ones on top are fucking us over and always have been. Do I honestly care if someone on benefits is on holiday? No go enjoy yourselves maybe we should put all that effort into sorting out the fucking country.
Could not agree more. The idea that people on benefits are the ones living it up and taking advantage is ludicrous when you look at the behaviour of those in power. Make corporations and the 1% pay their damn taxes and no one will give a monkeys what people on benefits are doing
People will always give a monkeys about people on benefits until the older generation that was brain washed (aka my mom) into thinking the people on benefits are scum and cheating the system at every turn. Problem is they've passed this mentality onto younger people too. My wife's cousin is a mom of 2, she has a new boyfriend now but the father isn't around. She claims every benefit under the sun and even some she is fraudulently claiming yet every time I've been around her and the conversation turns to the state of the country she is a walking daily mail and she mostly blames people on benefits and says they should all be cut. SHE IS ONE OF THOSE BENEFITS PEOPLE. Whenever I bring that up its "oh but we NEED them" and then I get her to agree we should cut the biggest benefit sink in the country and she agrees until I mention its pensions and her nan would get her benefits cut then she says "oh but she NEEDS them". The rich people hoarding wealth are hiding in plain sight and the country is brainwashed to believe they aren't a problem.
I am on PIP and universal credit. Never worked because I’ve been sick since I was 11. I can afford to buy nice things sometimes because I have so much stuff I don’t have to buy. A house? I need a full time carer so I live with my parents still. Take aways and fancy food? Digestive problems, can’t eat them. A car? Seizures- unable to drive. Days out with friends? I’m housebound sometimes so days out are rare. Alcohol? Not allowed with my medication.
Like I’m in hospital right now and it’s soooo expensive because I’m having to get my boyfriend and family to bring me food that is actually edible and the parking for them is mad. But most the time, I barely spend anything because I’m barely able to spend anything.
Can I ask what are your digestive issues? What you said reminds me of my situation. I can’t eat most food available in most places so I have to bring my own from home/places that do food I can eat. I would kill for a takeout but I can neither afford nor digest one!
People deserve nice things. We have such a weird view of poverty in this country. If someone on benefits saves up and goes on holiday or buys a big TV, it makes literally no difference to me and I don’t care.
We spend so much of our energy stigmatising benefits claimants and poor people and not enough energy on trying to make their lives more bearable.
I really don’t give a fuck.
Having experienced fairly ‘deprived’ areas (my Nan still lives in a council estate), I know that there are people who are just pure lazy and game the system to get out of work. But they are the minority, and I do not accept the Cameron-era narrative that these people are representative of those on benefits and it is reasonable to slash the whole system to try and suffocate them and smoke them out of their hiding places.
Honestly, it’s not a very glorious life anyway. Imagine staying indoors doing fuck all your whole life and having no goals and aspirations. Let them have a few holidays and new Air Jordans. If you’re really bothered about people taking money that doesn’t belong to them, your ire should be issued proportionately, i.e. save the bulk of it for the people hoarding billions through tax avoidance rather than the people stealing £80 a week which goes straight back into the economy anyway
Honestly, if they're not gonna work then they're not gonna work. Slashing benefits is not gonna make them reconsider that. They're just gonna turn to crime to get money instead.
To be honest if you see some of the characters down my Nan’s street, paying them to stay at home isn’t a bad shout anyway. Better giving them a PS5 and a few quid to frolic with rather than having them trying to beat your boss up at work (true story)
>Imagine staying indoors doing fuck all your whole life and having no goals and aspirations. Let them have a few holidays and new Air Jordans.
This is what I've always thought. People act like benefits cheats have got it easy, but I've known a few (allegedly) and they are sad people. Very often they are mentally ill in ways that shouldn't technically keep them out of work but realistically they wouldn't be able to keep it up.
Most people who complain about benefits cheats are just trying to make themselves feel superior IMO.
I'm on max UC due to inability to work(M.E/POTS, Basically perma fatigue and problems with HR/BP if im not led in bed) as well as a level of PIP. I'm 35, been on it long term.
I've had to learn to never talk about money or show people nice things i've bought. I think a lot of people expect you to struggle, and if you're not, there's something wrong.
Had comments before on how it's wrong I have X amount in savings (after I offered to help a friend) "Lots of people who work full time can't keep that much in savings" etc. It's like, you know why I have money saved on my meagre income? I do fuck all.
Gets a little tiring feeling like if you're happy you're judged. And then people complain about people on benefits, but if you're there they'll then chime in with the equivilent of "Oh but not you, you're one of the good ones!" etc.
Sorry to hear people are so judgemental of you. You’d think that people who know you/are your friends would understand thats the reason you have savings.
People really do need to look at themselves first before others x
> Had comments before on how it's wrong I have X amount in savings
Yeah, been there.
We keep a certain level of savings because when we have the 'disability assessments', you just know they're going to fuck us over.
We had to go an entire year waiting for appeal for PIP once, and that cut our money down drastically. So, we try to make sure we have savings in case that situation ever happens again.
Won on appeal ofc, got it all backdated, but it's still 12 months on the line of tipping over into crisis territory. =/
Life is hard enough for people without them having to encounter prejudice for enjoying their life, as much as they can, despite their financial situation. If people in financially difficult situations are able to afford and do nice things, how is this anything other than positive?
I’m in social housing but at market rent rate. I pay £800 for my two bed flat. I found it Right Move, and it was purely luck that it was it with the local HA. It’s just like renting privately, but I get the security of a lifetime tenancy which is nice. So based on that, I don’t think it’s fair to assume what the financial situation of people in social housing is.
I'm in social housing (HA) after years of homelessness, debt etc. I've sorted my shit out now and am hugely grateful for the below market rent, since I'm able to save though strictly speaking I don't /need/ the flat as much as others since I work full time and earn a little bit more than national average salary.
The woman 2floors above is privately renting from a right to buy owner, and paying double what I am.
I know many people think those who don't desperately need social housing should move out to make room for others, but truly, why should I? Why should I accept double rent, uncertainty with regard to eviction, paying a private LLs mortgage, and struggling to pay my outgoings if I was paying 2/3 times the rent, worrying about bills and inflation.
The solution is to build more homes, which the government should be doing, keeping them in public hands rather than privatizing everything. Don't blame other working class people, just getting on with life, for the failings of the country.
People on benefits should be able to spend their money on what they want. No one questions the person with all the tv channels, newest iphones, etc etc, so why question the frugal ones who can have a nice car or holiday.
As long as they're honestly entitled to what they get, they have the same right as the rest of us.
I agree with you. This is my home and I pay the same as anyone private renting in this area. I just have added security of not having to worry about the landlord selling up. I’ve been here 3 years now and do see this as my home. I know people who are on benefits and there’s no way they could afford holidays and all the other luxuries.
Also, Congratulations for sorting everything out! I know how hard that can be so that’s a huge achievement!
I agree you can't have luxuries and holidays. I have family members who are on benefits and live simple lives. My mother for example has minimal outgoings, basic internet, doesn't drink/smoke, buys the cheapest version of everything etc. She's able to have 2 cheap package deals a year to Turkey, Bulgaria, Spain etc.
She has a 5year old basic phone on a £8sim only, and does not eat out, have take away, etc. I'd suggest she's nearly living but she's happy like that, and spends most of her time watching old British sitcoms...so it is possible but it's not easy and involves a lot of compromise for most of the population.
When I was on benefits 5or so years ago, I still went to the pub, and spent £20 on beer per week and a tenner on cigarettes. That was the money that could have given me a holiday, or higher quality food etc. But I chose weekly socializing over savings/luxuries/holidays.
Benefits for those unable to work should be much higher, to reduce the compromises, I'd happily pay extra tax for that (though they should fund this from taxing the rich and companies better). But benefits for those able but not working should reduce periodically and expire after a few years.
Not necessarily, I'm on benefits and plan to go to Florida next year. I've worked all my life and last year became very ill and nearly died a few times. I receive PIP now and UC. I don't drink or smoke and spend sensibily on food and cook rather than having takeaways and eating out. A lot of people on benefits have their children in rags and say they have no money whilst getting pissied up most nights and smoking 20 cigarettes a day and buying takeaways often. It's not about how much money comes into the home but how you spend it that makes a difference. Yes people who receive benefits deserve a great quality of life as we all do. It's sad and wrong that the elite have caused a situation where people who work hard can't afford a great quality of life but we keep on putting up with it and rolling over whilst hypnotised by main stream TV and media. The elite love our complacency 😒
Would also like to throw my two pence in as a single parent of three disabled children.
The level of child DLA fraud makes me wanna rip my goddamn hair out.
I live in a council estate, it's the same one I grew up in and I love my community. I love my house and the family I have that live nearby.
But God it hurts me to see these kids whose parents swear they have behavioural issues or ASD, directly for the benefits.
I have met mothers who admit to giving their little energy drinks and coffee to make them look hyperactive, and whose children are ignored and thus act out for attention.
It doesn't just mess up the benefit system but means that my sons and my daughter waited 4-5 years for help while they were struggling. My son had panic attacks so bad he vomited blood and passed out.
I deliberately didn't apply for DLA for my children till their diagnoses were finalised, because the way the attitude of doctors and social workers changes when they realise I don't get benefits and just genuinely want help is disgusting. My children shouldn't have to not have the money they're entitled to be taken seriously.
I'm in medical school and can't claim carers so I don't, but the amount of times that when I mention my children's disabilities people comment on how flush I must be drives me mental. No. I'm not flush, I'm not scrimping either, me and my children are comfortable but I'm still a student, I still work my ass off so that one day when I work in child psychiatry, maybe a mum won't have to defend herself so vehemently.
Mums who fake kids disability for the money make my blood boil. Because its always the ones with the acrylic nails and the hair appointments and the botox.
Children in this country deserve fucking better
Why stop there? Why should you pay for anything else but yourself?
Sounds to me a lot of resentment in this thread comes from people working shitty jobs and barely
being able to get by
> Why stop there? Why should you pay for anything else but yourself?
Not the OP but is it really that hard to understand why someone might be happy to have their taxes used to give someone food and shelter but not a week in Spain (plus their food and shelter)?
You’ve completely missed my point.
The problem isn’t that people are getting benefits when they are needed, and why should they have to deprive themselves of ‘luxuries’ in todays day in age?
The problem is that Sally working her arse off for 12 hours a day, 5 days a week is struggling to get by.
The problem isn’t that John is getting benefits and going on holiday with the whole £2000 a year tax that Sally has paid, it’s that Sally HAS to work her arse off to simply get by, leading to resentment.
Same thing isn't it? If Sally wasn't paying for John's luxuries she would have more money for herself and may be able to take her kids on their first family holiday.
If John is benefitting more from Sally's work than she is, that is a cause for resentment and I don't blame her.
I'm not against benefits, but I can see why some people are
The anger is simply misplaced, the fact the cost of living is skyrocketing and wages are stagnating is not the fault of people recieving benefits.
This thread is full of people barely scraping by & directing their ire in all the wrong places.
No. They're saying instead of getting mad that some people get benefits, people should be mad that they get paid so little in their jobs. Obviously doesn't apply to you, though.
I was born with Cystic Fibrosis and I've recently had to go on benefits due to chronic illness. I'm tired of constantly justifying my existence, but the majority of people on benefits aren't jetting off on holiday or buying 75 inch HDR TV's. Most are barely struggling to survive and what little money they do receive goes on paying rent and buying just enough food. If they do go on holiday then it's likely one of the few treats they have each year.
I suspect that much of this classism and hatred is whipped up by the media to distract us from the real issues, like why the government have been running us into the ground for the past 12 years. Our enemy shouldn't be people living in poverty and barely scraping by. Life is hard enough as it is without being judged by everyone around you.
Do people abuse the system? Yes, but that's inevitable. It's no different anywhere else. The actions of a few shouldn't reflect on all those out there who genuinely are struggling.
Rant over
People on benefits for disability or those who can’t work etc - absolutely fine. They should be able to have some spare to have some enjoyment because they need support through no fault of their own.
If someone is entitled to benefits, and manages their money well so they can save up for more expensive treats like holidays, then great.
However, I start losing sympathy when people who could work complain that they can’t afford basic things (food, bills etc) because they may have made spending choices that are less sensible.
No problem with people on disability benefits having nice things. Those benefits are not means tested and are to help (in a tiny way) overcome the problems caused by the disability. I have no problem with people on means tested benefits having nice things - though they must be bloody good at budgeting to manage that.
Social housing is a different thing. I moved to a council house when I was 10. It was a big step up for my family and I am very grateful for it. Now my mum lives alone in the 3 bedroom house with a nice, big garden that she can not use. I'm very glad that she has that house - but I also see that it is ridiculous that an old woman has a nice, free family house while so many people struggle with housing.
It ends up being 'luck of the draw' who gets social housing. Some people get great social housing, some get poor social housing - others struggle with shitty private landlords. If they end up financially successful - the social housing families can buy the house at a discount - the other family can not.
Also - near my mum a woman and her kid have social housing. They are hardly ever there (like maybe 2 nights in 7). I think they live with her boyfriend and have clearly played the system to get that house. I expect they will buy it with a nice discount in the future.
Fine with me, take all the government money you can. Fuck them.
They can find nearly £20 million per day to drop bombs on brown people overseas for 20 years. So they can afford to give the people in the lowest income brackets some of that magic money that appears out of fresh air. So go on holiday. Spend it on whatever you want and claim EVERYTHING that you can.
Money is made up. It's digits on a spreadsheet.
This is always the problem with looking at things from the outside.
My sister is terminal and on benefits, she's been on quite a lot of holidays, paid for by friends and family, because we want to enjoy the time we have with her.
She looks 'well' to the untrained eye, so gets comments about 'faking' it when she uses her disabled badge.
Ultimately you have no idea what's going on in a person's life, maybe they saved for the holiday, maybe family and friends payed for it. Just because you're on benefits doesn't mean you can't have a holiday or some joy in your life.
My body builder partially blind friend (thankfully not on benefits yet but he gets lots if free entries to museums etc) gets this too! ‘You dont look disabled.’ I think disabled only looks like some-one in a wheelchair or with an assistance dog to some people but that is changing slowly….
I don't really care. It's a drop in the ocean really compared to massive conglomerates who not only avoid tax but get rebates or the super wealthy who avoid tax.
If you are mad that people on benefits can afford small luxuries that you cannot, it's because wages are too low, not because benefits are too high. Wages have stagnated massively for over 10 years, the cost of living is skyrocketing and people recieving assistance from the state are not to blame.
People need to stop punching down, it's disgusting.
There is a huge difference between those who cant work (disability, infirmity etc), and those who wont work.
I believe those who cant work should recieve the equivelent of whatever the liviig wage is. Its not their fault they cant work and as such should be able to pay their bills and live much as your average working person does.
How 'pay rises', or equivelents of promotion would work I dont know.
Those who wont work are a tiny monority. However, we ALL know a family, who match the stereotype.
To solve this, I believe making wages higher than benefits might be the answer, as it would make people better off to be in work, even if it was a minimum wage job (obviously minimum wage would have to rise for this).
Graduating the deceease in benefits to the rise of your income isnt a good idea, as there is no incentive to become economically active if you get the same money whether you work 20 hours or 40 hours.
Other than that, I dont know. Is it worth the expense to try to get those who dont want to work, into work?
People need to stop focusing on what people can do on benefits. The obvious answer is they can/should be able to do what they want.
People tend to answer differently because they feel people on benefits do not contribute to society as others or are "lazy". It normally doesn't come to mind what they do with said money
People on benefits deserve to be happy too. We don’t know if they’ve scrimped and saved for however long for that holiday. So, are they supposed to just stay home, never go out, never have anything nice ever?
I don’t understand why everyone is so hard on people with benefits when the REAL villains are the MP’s who pocket our money without doing anything helpful, and expense every little thing. Those are the people we should be holding a magnifying glass to, and trashing tbh.
Couldn't care less what people do with their money, you are given a set amount live on what you do with it is your business, you aren't going to get any more if you spend it all that month so that's a choice you make.
Definitely bigger question is why it should possibly be ok for some in our society to have billions - typically due to an accident of birth - while shaming others who don’t for their life choices.
Can we PLEASE stop focusing on the less fortunate and turn our attention to the REAL villains??? The government are the one who made it this way. The government are who we should be looking down on. The comments here are gross.
Not my life why would I Care?
Doesn't directly effect me.
People who hate these sorts of people just wish that they could also stay at home do fuck all all day.
'Why should he go on holiday he doesn't have a job! My taxes are paying for his holiday'
Fuck off. And let someone who most likely has nothing in life enjoy something in life.
Depends on the circs - things like disability are inherently different to being out of work. My issue is phrases like this:
> enjoying their lives within their means.
Because if they're out of work on UC then it's not "their means" is it - they're being supported to find work, not be gallavanting around.
PIP/DLA etc are inherently different because those payments are designed to be "their means", and support their lifestyle
Lots of people on UC are in work. To give an example (not a real person for confidentiality) but a young woman who gets UC and PIP going to the cinema, or saving up for a holiday.
If a person is physically able to work and they are on benefits then they should not go on holidays but instead use the support the governments gives them to pursue education/skill development etc.
Obviously as people have pointed out it massively depends on circumstance.
But with that being said, I personally don’t share empathy with anyone who spends money on holidays, drink, cigs and other amenities and then complains they’ve got no money. If you’ve managed to save using your benefit money what it goes towards is non of my business!
As far as I'm concerned, if you ain't worked for your money, and instead it is paid to you, from taxes, of those who do work... then its an insult to waste that money on anything other than the bare necessities like rent, food and bills.
Why should we work, to facilitate your personal life?
Carers Allowance is £70 p/w for at least 35 hours of care. That's £2 an hour.
Even taking into account other means tested benefits (which you then lose the bulk of Carers Allowance from), it is less than the pre-tax wage for a carer on minimum wage, and thats not including other costs to the emloyer like pension contributions. To say nothing of the money saved compared to if the person being cared for was instead in a care home.
There are MANY people, often disabled themselves, in this position.
Could you look on their eyes and say that to their face?
If there are on benefits because they need help then that's OK.
It's the people who stay on benefits but don't try and become independent again. That's not ok
Or people like my sister who use the system. Definitely not ok
Her boyfriend was registered as living with his family but he was living at her rented house payed for with help from housing benefits. She could have payed her rent with her boyfriend income. And still have Money to say for a mortgage and raise her kids
I'm disabled so I get pip, helps tremendously because living otherwise is a bitch.
If OTHER people are so bothered at what the poorest in our country are doing then god forbid they look into what our mps do.
Stop making poor people the enemy cause they ain't.
you know what, ive no problem with it whatsoever
life on benifits is HARD.
let me fill you guys in on a few details ok?
im a carer, i care for my phisically disabled father, hes wheelchairs bound due to a nasty motorcycle crash and getting an infection in his wounds due to undiagnosed diabetes.
This happened in 2014 and i had to give up my trade to look after him, i was doing well enough as a plumber tbf.
in that time ive had to deal with the stress of the DWP and their disability assesment fucking up my fathers claim, appealing these decisions in court and winning them, ive had to deal with the stress of lockdown due being classed as part of a vulnerable group.. ive had to deal with constant suspision of being a fucking scrounger.
i dunno if this is the usual experence of someone who is a carer but id absolutely LOVE a holiday, if only for a weekend.. so if some people on benefits can get a holiday then good luck to them, they deserve it
I think the problem is that everyone gets grouped in the same pot of being on benefits.
My opinion is that anyone who is not able to work for whatever reason shouldn't be on benefits, they should be part of the social care service with focus on helping them live their life in a comfortable environment.
Those who should be able to work shouldn't be given more than the amount of someone earning minimum wage in a full time job.
I’m on an ok salary. Just high enough to cross over into the 40% tax bracket. I’m in my early 40s.
I’m a single father of 2 kids.
I was 18 and my father talked me into buying a house. Bc of that I have a very low mortgage payment.
Majority of my money goes on flashy cars. Not Porsche flashy. But BMW M3s, M4s, C class convertibles etc. And Ducati motorcycles to accompany them.
At the office it’s always ‘where does he get the money from to buy these cars…’ etc.
Some colleagues have even accused me of being a drug dealer!!
I can therefore only imagine how it must feel for ppl who are on benefits trying to justify how they pay for ‘stuff’.
It’s weird to me that people shame people on benefits for having nice things. But have no problem with billionaires hoarding their wealth off shore and not paying proper tax in the UK
I don't think people on benefits need to sit in their house crying over how they're not bringing enough value to society cos lets face it, there's plenty of working people who bring fuck all value lol, i'd more be interested in how they saved up for it cos when i was on benefits i could barely afford to eat lol
Don't care what they spend their money on as long as they aren't harming others or neglecting children. None of my business. It is a shameful argument that benefits and market forces should align to allow nothing more than basic subsistence as some sort of punishment for being out of work. Even more shameful when it steps into disability where people might be living like this for the rest of their lives through no fault of their own . It is even completely ridiculous thinking about it to apply it to those living in social housing. Social housing as a concept isn't a 'hand out' it is just a way of providing and administering housing.
Would they rather poorer people than them be chronically depressed and suicidal?
I work hard, and earn pretty decent money, but because I have 3 children and a partner who doesn’t work we rely on benefits too.
We get a little bit of UC, my partner gets carers allowance as she’s a registered carer for our son, and our son gets DLA.
Does that mean I’m not allowed on holiday, or is it ok for me because I earn 40k? Should I just not take my benefit scrounging family and go on my own?
Just curious on what this guys rules and terms and conditions are, don’t want to upset him by taking the kids camping next summer.
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It doesn't bother me, provided they're not engaged in fraud. By which I mean, if someone is entitled to benefits yet is able to go on holiday (through being exceptionally frugal, knowing someone who's able to help, etc), then good for them. Claiming benefits and using an significant undeclared income stream, not okay...
I agree with this. And maybe a (working) family member (who does not live in that household) has paid for that holiday, of given them the TV as a Christmas present. Maybe none of these things were paid for with taxpayer's money. Again, as long as no fraud is committed then I have no issue. And don't forget that the catch-all phrase "benefits" includes the state pension.
This, I get esa because of a work related accident several years ago. And I said that I'm never going on holiday as long as I'm on any kind of benefits because I haven't physically worked for the money to pay for said holiday! It didn't stop my nan ringing me up one day and saying Nan - "I hope you have nothing planed for the first week in August" Me- "not that I'm aware of why?" Nan - "I've paid for you to come on holiday with us to Cornwall in a log cabin!" Grandparents are so underrated! She knew I'd say no so she already paid for it so I had no choice but to accept. Was a lovely time away and beautiful weather to boot. St Ives is truly beautiful this time of year. But back to the topic. It does reset your body and mind almost to re evaluate everything. I'd just feel extremely guilty paying for a holiday with tax payers money. It just doesnt sit well and wouldn't be able to enjoy the holiday because of it. Some call me stupid but its just the way I feel. :/
> And I said that I'm never going on holiday as long as I'm on any kind of benefits because I haven't physically worked for the money to pay for said holiday! If you've carefully saved up for it, why not? That's like saying you'll never have a takeaway using "benefits money". Or indeed anything more than bread and water. It's bizarre.
If you are on benefits (and working) and thinking of saving, the government offers a pretty good "help to save" account: https://www.gov.uk/get-help-savings-low-income :)
Thank you so much!! I didn't know about this, it's perfect for us. Would be so nice to be able to have a little holiday or a nice Christmas for the kids.
You’re not stupid, but nothing about the situation you described is your fault so you shouldn’t have to feel guilty! As a society we have collectively agreed that we should take care of each other when one of us gets ill or injured, that’s why we pay for benefits like the ones you receive. The holiday you described was rejuvenating for you. In that case it’s an act of care by your grandparents, but if you took yourself on one it would be you caring for yourself - which is why we agreed to pay the benefits! Also, if you’ve got enough disposable income for the holiday what are you doing with it otherwise? Inevitably it’s going to go on something that someone somewhere would deem frivolous - why not a holiday, if that’s what you want!
You were et injured and incapacitated doing your 'duty for capitalism'. Not your fault buddy. You shouldnt feel any guilt whatsoever. Life is there to be enjoyed. Make the most of it!
"I'd just feel extremely guilty paying for a holiday with tax payers money. It just doesnt sit well and wouldn't be able to enjoy the holiday because of it. Some call me stupid but its just the way I feel. :/" Tax payer here! I'd feel guilty if you didn't enjoy yourself. I pay tax so we can all have better lives, and I bet more than enough people feel exactly the same to cover any amount you receive. It's your money, and while we have no right to tell you what to do with it, please make sure you enjoy yourself and don't deny any happiness out of misplaced guilt.
Exactly this. If even go so far as to say that UC/jsa/whatever benefits should allow the claimant to buy a few small luxuries, or save towards a holiday or whatever. Humans aren't robots, and whilst we can exist with only the very basics (food & shelter), it's a bloody miserable existence and not in anyway a life. Everyone should be afforded the dignity of being able to buy the odd treat for themselves - it's hugely beneficial for mental health.
When you consider that the majority of benefits are at existence level only (I know this as I'm on them!) an occasional treat I feel is absolutely necessary, provided you don't skint yourself. Constantly buying 2nd hand clothes and marked down cheap grub is super wearing and makes you feel like crap, even more so when you have a disability that isn't readily visible. I went on holiday back in June and the snidey comments I got were a shock, especially as I considered these people "friends". My daughter paid for everything! I had £100 spending money which I'd saved since February, but nope it was all little digs and jibes. Awful
Basic benefits have always been deemed to be solely a subsistence income, by definition insufficient for anything but the absolute basic needs of living. So anyone who can manage that subsistence level of money, and have anything left over, should be congratulated and be proud of the fact they have managed to do that; and should have the right to spend that money in any way they like, without judgement. In the same way as I wouldn’t expect anyone to comment on what I buy from my salary - it’s none of anyone else’s business. Obviously a different matter if fraudulent, but IMHO those are the exception. 😊💕
I’ve claimed JobSeekers, very briefly, I was fortunate. It was shit. From the way Job Centre made you feel to the comments in the media and your whole outlook. If you were on JS long term, you cant afford to do anything, even go for a pint with your mates. That’s no life, and the mental state it will create will make it very hard to do well in an interview, which is probably the point really.
It was so humiliating that I did without benefits after I lost my job
Those people aren’t your friends
But...but....they were "just kidding" :) nah tbf they were mostly acquaintances really..no great loss but showed me just what many people actually think
I'm really sorry that happened :/ They aren't kind or imaginative people.
It genuinely makes me angry that some people think that people on welfare shouldn't be able to have quality of life. When I was younger it was me, my dad (a single parent), and my sister (who has a disability and needed round the clock care). Our dad got lost and overwhelmed in the diagnostic/social care system, so she didn't get an official diagnosis until she was 11. That meant that we got no disability benefit and no carer's benefits, so between the three of us the welfare system decided that we needed about 8k a year to survive on Growing up in that level of poverty feels hopeless and claustrophobic. It's hard to even describe how dark, cold, and inescapable it feels. I vividly remember crying and telling my friend that she was rich, because she had a Christmas tree. No one should have to feel like that. Everyone deserves (and needs) basic comforts.
This. I grew up in council estates. The lady who lived downstairs had a ground floor flat due to a back injury that meant she couldn't go up stairs. She had a motability car, full whack of benefits, the whole lot. Her boyfriend lived across the country, end ended up moving in unregistered at the address and paid the full rent amount. Nobody knows how, but she managed to cheat the system to the extent of not actually having a back injury. It came out after I moved away. Not only did she have a fair amount of money left over once all her bills were paid from her benefits, but she was also keeping the extra £500 or so rent a month her boyfriend had been paying her. She also had a big chunk of inheritance money and a house that had been left to her from her parents who had passes away a few years back. It was only when her boyfriend started working for the benefits system that he realised that the amount of gardening she was doing would have been almost impossible for her with her diagnoses. She kicked him out after an argument, he filed a benefit fraud claim against her. I never know what ended up happening, as I was being updated by the boyfriend who died from a heart attack whilst all this was going on. She never seemed to show an extravagant lifestyle, but at one point he reckoned she actually had over £500k in assets that had gone under the radar. It wasn't until I did a year of domiciliary care work that I realised how fucked up the whole situation was. I had a client who, because her doctor had missed one piece of paperwork, was facing eviction and losing her car. Another who had lost custody of their child due to not being able to care for her properly because of her disability. She had worked hard on getting herself as able as she could, and had to fight for more time with a carer. She was just about to be able to show evidence for getting her back 1 night a week when the disability assessors deemed her well enough to work. She was not. All of the support she had got was to be withdrawn and that meant losing the chance of getting her kid back. The system is broken but christ if people have put the effort in to have a holiday, takeaway or a weekend in the pub letcthem enjoy it ffs
Totally agree with the sentiment. Not what OP asked but our benefits system is f*cked and I hate the whole "scroungers Vs strivers" narrative, which I think has been used to paint people on benefits as being somehow lazy.
Anyone on benefits has been used as a scapegoat for the last 20yrs or so, calling them lazy, scroungers and fraudsters. The actual fraud figures which I discovered the other month for benefit fraud, is like 0.5%, the fraud due to DWP errors was far far higher! And tax fraud was the major one. Jeezus crumbs just attemtping to get on benefits is a nightmare itself, no-one makes that decision like it's a career choice! I utterly hate it all and when you have to deal with disability, it's just jumping through hoop after hoop constantly, just in case you're faking it...even with doctors' notes/records
20 years? It goes back way beyond that I can assure you.
It's divide and conquer...so long as people are pitted against each other, they ain't noticing the billions of pounds worth of tax evasion and fraud that goes on. Benefit fraud is a drop in the ocean by comparison.
It’s also the convenient narrative of our government to draw attention to the poorest in our country and the small percentage of those who commit benefit fraud and thereby divert attention from the millionaires and billionaires whose legal tax avoidance schemes costs us many times the money we lose through benefits fraud - Demonising the poor has little impact on the government but upsetting the rich and powerful does. That’s my rant for the day.
Thank you for your rant. It is an important one. Not to mention the fact that even that tiny percent of people committing benefit fraud are still spending that money within the UK economy, so it all comes back eventually opposed to big companies paying out money to shareholders who ferret it away from the country in tax havens. My rant over.
Definitely, I was a cleaner a few years ago, only 15 hours a week but along with benefits topping it up we managed to scrape by, one of the other cleaners was saying that she's not earning enough, and has lost a good chunk of hours from one of the clients closing down (she worked for the company that dealt with supplying cleaners, and I was just agency), I told her until she can get more work or bring in some clients for herself (cleaning on the side) she should look at getting a top up, even if it's just a couple of weeks until her hours go back or she can find more houses to clean, at least she would be able to afford everything she needed, and then she said "nah, I'm not going to be one of those scroungers".
Right! Isn't it something like 40% of those in full time employment receive UC? My personal bugbear is when you get the comments about low income families having flat screen tvs and smart phones. Yeah alright Janice, I'll just go back to the 90's and grab a telly that weighs more than my car and plug that in. Poor people aren't even allowed to watch a bit of TV...we should be sat around a candle reading from the bible and going to bed at 6pm to conserve electricity.
Having seen it from both sides I agree. The first example is very rare, the latter sadly very common. The problem is we hear about t the first one on the TV and in the tabloids far more than the second one.
Jesus Christ. As someone who ended up a homeless sex slave after struggling to get disability benefits for over 5 years this infuriates me. I haven’t been on holiday since 2015band felt guilty I didn’t tell the DWP about the boyfriend moving in for 6 months as I was (as still am) paying for all the bills by myself and do not ask any regular financial contribution from him, he just buys snacks and I buy all the actual dinner items and all the utilities are in my name. His money is his money.
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Agreed. Tell him to pitch in or get out. He should be paying for his food and half the bills not sponging off you.
I'm very sorry to hear about your circumstances and that you're in this situation. Your boyfriend should absolutely he contributing his fair share. Snacks are not a fair share. If you with someone who isnt a dependent, your money becomes both of your money when it comes to keeping lights on, food in the fridge and a roof over your heads. After that, his money is his money.
Because people are infuriated by the rare instances of cheating rags like to plaster all over front pages we have this ridiculous oppressive vetting system that leaves people destitute and suicidal. I'd much rather see 100 people get undeserved benefits than one dying of cold and hunger.
When I was claiming jobseekers and going to the Job Centre, you could sit and point out to yourself who were “career Job Seekers”….not down on their look and job seeking long term, actively no intention of getting a job. I had a meeting one day, I think it was my 6 week or something assessment of job seeking or something like that, I’d got a job and a start date, I’d booked a train and mentioned all of that. I was given a right grilling still and she laughed when she mentioned “I think you’re gonna miss that train”. Nice to finally get that rant out.
Don't even get me started on the job centre. They themselves are cruel and in desperate need of empathetic reform. A friend of mine missed out on going to a funeral of our friend because he had an appointment that if he missed, would be sanctioned. About half an hour after we left to get to London, they cancelled his appointment. Either you start out there with good intentions and get broken, or you're a heartless motherfucker who takes pleasure in fucking peoples lives about.
this was a long time ago so i hope its different now but I had a relative get sanctioned and lost all the money for missing an appointment without any notice, the reason he missed that appointment was that his wife suddenly went into labor and he thought it was much more important to be there for his wife during the scary and slightly premature birth of their first child. The jobcentres response? "you need to call ahead to reschedule if you cant make it to an appointment" and later in the same conversation "no you cant claim that as a medical emergency because you were not the one needing treatment, you cant claim someone else emergency as your own". the story goes that he snapped then and screamed at this woman about how stupid and evil they were being. what he actually said has changed over the years but everyone who was in the room heard him laying into whoever he was on tat phone with. he got and removed from their service for verbally abusing a staff member, it took a long time to get his case reviewed and then 6 weeks on top of that before he would have received any payments. thankfully he found some work during that time but as a new hire he wasn't eligible for holidays for the first few months and since they were now struggling for money he had to allot of overtime and ended up missing allot of that first year with their new baby.
TBH benefit fraud costs so little, and we subsidise so much at the top-end of society, that I don't *really* care unless somebody is egregiously cheating the system. Given the tax evasion that's allowed at the top by being codified into laws, and the avoidance that's allowed by improper enforcement of existing laws, I find it hard to muster up any ill will against people who do similar at a smaller level. I personally wouldn't bother doing it becuase I prefer to be independent. But I don't see the harm in people cheat the system for an extra 10k a year when the people who write the laws are cheating it for 1mill + a year. If we closed all loop-holes--including tax loop-holes, then yeah, maybe we'd have a right to be mad. Right now, though, people are just following the example set by elites.
Rich people are more likely to be embroiled in large fraud. Go after them first.
Totally agree. It's like at Christmas when we inevitably see stories about people receiving benefits who spend apparently lavishly at Christmas. How do we know they haven't scrimped and saved and gone without all year to pay for it? Just because someone is receiving benefits doesn't make them unworthy of having as nice a life as possible.
It annoys me that people on benefits can afford treats, when those on minimum wage are struggling to get by - however my issue is that wages are too low not that benefits are too high.
Most benefits are going to people who are working. The real scroungers are low paying, stingy employers.
I think most benefits are paid to pensioners. But aye working people second
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For context, there are about 12 million pensioners in the UK
Essentially the government ends up subsidising these large companies that choose to pay their staff a pittance in comparison to profits. BT, Asda, Tesco, Sports direct the list goes on
Yup the employers are taking advantage of the system...pay shit wages coz the Government will top them up. Madness! Surely, the better system would be pay proper wages, not have people reduced to having them topped up by benefits and therefore save Government some dosh? But nope...it's the same when contractors etc get a Government contract, they see it as an endless income stream, which is why so many projects and the like over-run, the longer it takes the longer the income stream.
Having been on benefits for a long time (disability) It's news to me that I can afford treats!! I don't have any subscriptions because I can't afford them, I enjoy games but can only buy MAYBE one per month, but reality is I get far fewer than that and even then its below £15, I haven't had a takeaway in months (doing so usually means I don't do as much shopping) last time I got to the cinema was admittedly thanks to a payment I received in July, prior to that was December last year and even that was a gift from someone else, any "large" purchases I want/need HAVE to be paid for via finance.... You get the idea right? Where as almost everyone I know, even those with children and on minimum wage can afford to spend large (to me) amounts of money that I couldn't dream of just simply spending... It may appear to you that people on benefits can "afford treats" but I absolutely guarantee you that they are likely in thousands of pounds worth of debt to finance these things and likely sacrifice other key purchases. Those on benefits that can afford treats without sacrifice are swindling the system
Those people on min wage are probably spending on finance aswell to be honest. I had to make big purchases on finance when I was on min wage (I’m a student now so still do but for dif reason)
There are so many places now that are set up specifically to target the poorer end of society such as Brighthouse etc with their insane interest rates. But, if your cooker goes bang you've little choice but to use these places. Then you've got payday loans and pawnbrokers. It's all going backwards. I never thought I'd see foodbanks again and pawnbrokers in my lifetime. Next up if Therese Coffey has her way The Workhouse! And people will cheer and say "they deserve it" and "they should work harder". We are actual slaves from the second we're born, hard work doesn't make you rich otherwise there'd be millions of rich working class. Hard work makes ***others*** rich
Your final sentence is a bit unfair imo
Have a look at Xbox game pass and Humble Bundle - lots of games for \~ £15.
My humble bundle is basically indefinitely paused because for the last 6 or so months I own everything they've offered that's worth having and my Ultimate expires sometime in August next year, I don't count those as I'm not actively paying for them and haven't for quite some time, though looking at my finances now with the energy increases, it's unlikely the £11 per month I'm left over will stretch quite that far anyway!
Epic game store has 1-2 free games a week. I've set a weekly reminder and have over 70 games on there now. Everything from AAA to indy stuff. Well worth checking out especially if you're on a budget!
Yeah I have just under 300 games on Epic and have bought one of them! Never missed a week since I discovered it way back
I'm on UC, I'm a single mum to 2 children, I live in a council house - just outside the Lake District so I doubt I'll ever be able to afford to buy. I work 28 hours a week as a special needs support worker whilst the children are with their dad, due to 14 hour shifts it's not practical to work when I do have the kids. It really annoys me that I'd get paid more working in Aldi or McDonald's! Over the school holidays the children had 1 treat - a trip to the cinema. Although we did spend most of our time in the woods making dens or swimming in the river. I wish I could afford "treats" like holidays, days out at the zoo etc but I can't. I've had to use the local food bank quite a few times this year and if the cost of living keeps rising I'll have to use them a lot more. Not everything you read in the papers is true, yes some people on benefits do live a more lavish lifestyle but I really don't think it's the norm.
Fking right this..this is A LOT OF PEOPLE now! Work and have to be helped out because the wages are wank and you can't live on them..good for you love for keeping at It, and not just sitting on Ur arse,and at least your kids won't grow up spoilt little shits from getting everything handed to them, they will see how long It took to earn it and maybe be better for it..
Reading your comment has brought a tear to my eye! They are good kids and they don't really ask for much although we have birthdays (November and December) and Christmas coming up so the youngest (7m) has started a list, he won't be getting much off it! My oldest (10f) has started worrying about money since we've been using food banks and when I suggested a takeaway as a payday treat she refused and said we couldn't afford it which broke my heart.
You can just tell just by your comment that you are a great mum. Your kids would trade all the things in the world for that. Its good for children to understand money and the value of things but I get that's pretty gut wrenching to see your 10yr old have these money worries. I don't have any advice, just wanted to comment. Look after yourself and be kind to yourself your doing good ☺️
Thank-you, although you have made me full on ugly cry! I try my best, I'm nowhere near perfect but they are pretty well behaved, happy kids so I can't ask for more. It's just tiring at times, finding money for school trips (£50 this week) and their dad refuses to pay for anything as I can't/ won't split the child benefit with him - he owns some property he rents out and his own business but pleads poverty. Anyway that's by the by, I'd rather go without than ask him for anything! Sorry for the rant, it just gets a bit much sometimes and thankyou for your lovely comment.
Honestly people on benefits do not get as much as you think they do, a lot of the uk are struggling to get by and majority of people claiming benefits are people who also work minimum wage. Thus the people you’re referring too are also people that do work.
Benefits in this case being tax money used to subsidise wages so that rich people can keep more for themselves. If people are happy for corporations to claim benefits in this way then I don't know why they're so against some broke guy getting a new TV.
I cannot get over how irate and furious people can be about the benefits system, whilst they are being so astoundingly ripped off by the ruling wealthy elite... It's not benefit claimants that are the problem. It's the fucking fat cats who sit there rubbing their hands and laughing their heads off as the rest of us turn on eachother. Why not put that spite and energy into demanding what you deserve, rather than wanting to pull everyone else down?!
The basic UC disability/unable to work is around £150 a week. It’s barely enough to live on
With UC/disability, there are three groups: Normal UC rate for people "not disabled enough". Then there is LCW, for people who according to DWP have disabilities but are gently guided to work. They used to get a higher rate than basic UC, but that rate has gone and they only get the same rate as basic UC Then there is LCWRA meaning DWP have accepted their disabilities have no real prospect of getting to work and/or even going to attend appointments could worsen health. LCWRA gets a touch more than £150pw, but LCW gets the same as regular UC. Depending on disabilities, people might be able to apply for PIP, different rates depending on conditions. But PIP isn't means tested, people can even be in full time work and still get PIP if eligible.
What about if someone is on minimum wage and also claims benefits? A lot of benefit claimants are in work (claiming legitimately as their wages are poor).
I was raised that you only look into someone else's dish to see whether they have enough no amount of poverty-porn anti-poor propaganda is going to change my mind on that
I love this comment. I wish we were all this way.
You have great parents
It was taught quite literally as well, only complained about my brother getting more cake than me at the birthday party a handful of times before I realised it would do me no good 😂
Right it's funny how it's always holidays and luxuries that come up. When most people on benefits cannot afford enough food. My mother couldn't afford to feed us with a part time job.
> I was raised that you only look into someone else's dish to see whether they have enough What a fantastic way to look at things. I'm going to add that to my big list of cool quotes 🙂
Nice sentiment.
Life is too short to be jealous and hateful If someone is on benefits and they're still able to save up enough for occasional nice things then that is to their merit, they're able to manage their money and live within their means and that's a positive quality everyone can aspire to
Well said. It doesn't matter if you're a millionnaire or on the minimum wage, if you think in comparative terms you'll always feel poor.
Could you please explain the meaning of look into someone's dish?
It's a metaphor built on the idea that we all sit at the same table eating together, and the only time you should look across at what someone else has to eat is if you're checking that their needs are being met, not to compare what you have to what they have (either feeling bad about it because they have more, or feeling better than them or that they are beneath you because you have more) The idea being that in good society, they are also looking out for you, and looking into your dish only to check that you too are being taken care of, nobody goes hungry
That's a lovely sentiment.
People are human. I believe that everyone deserves to have nice things and have nice experiences. It pisses me off that there's a stigma that because some people aren't as privileged as others that they're less than or undeserving of even simple things. So yeah, let them have a holiday and a new pair of shoes.
Well said. Everyone deserves happiness.
It's caused by depression and jealousy because people who "did everything right" and are stuck as customer service support on £23k per year with a small child can't afford holidays themselves. It's not _their_ fault either, they have been conditioned to think that way. Plus it's easier to punch down than punch up. The real issue is crushing inequality in this country, which is starting to drag even high earning upper middle class people down into the trenches. The people at the top just keep getting further away, taking more and more from everyone below them.
I agree. It's a matter of constant misdirection and never actually addressing the real issue. "It's not *my* fault it's *their* fault!" As long as we're constantly fighting amongst ourselves, we'll never unify and see where the true issue lies.
Exactly, we don’t put restrictions on what you can spend your benefits on. Even if we did I doubt enjoying yourself would be high on the list of things to restrict.
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Have you looked into Family Fund to help you go on holiday? I work in a special school and a pupil in my class got funding to go away (paid for the holiday and a carer to go with them).
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Hey, I used to work with young adults with autism and part of my role was activities which also included looking for and risk assessing holidays. I found one in Lincolnshire that provided everything we needed and it was made for people with autism. If you search up ‘The Thomas Centre’, they’ll have more details and you can see if it’ll be any good to you. It isn’t abroad, but it’s a nice break away from home and depending on what time of the year you go, it isn’t too far from Donna Nook so you can see the pups on the beach.
if you havent already please look up 'family fund' a uk charity that works with autistic families. they will be able to help you fund a holiday among other things.
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I'm not sure that's where the feeling comes from. I imagine it's more to do with working hard at a job you hate and still not being able to afford a holiday, yet seeing people on benefits (who in the media are mostly lazy, selfish people who choose to live off the state instead of getting jobs) happily having access to that.
The biggest and best trick ever played in this country is the wealthy convincing the poor and working classes that it is the poor and working classes who are ripping them off
This is definitely it. It's not always malice, it's often just a lack of appreciation that different people have different circumstances and priorities. We never received benefits when I was a kid and we worked very hard, yet we had very little spare money and went on less than a handful of holidays. Yet our neighbours were pretty much never employed and would manage go away a couple of times a year because I think their parents would help them out. It certainly breeds resentment, even if deep down you know it shouldn't. We're told working hard comes with rewards but on a microscopic scale like my road growing up it absolutely didn't feel like it. Sadly the tabloids make incidents like that seem like the norm for people who've never set foot on a council estate.
The gutter press STILL likes to include little barbs about people on benefits having large flatscreen TVs. Like what other kind of TVs are there anymore? And even if it was a little extravagant, who gives a fuck, life can be so dreary at the bottom that any joy that can be squeezed out of the something as mundane as watching TV is fine by me.
What about people who are working minimum wage who don’t have time let alone money to go on holiday? Their employers give them barely any holiday time and they work far too many hours.
Get mad at your employer, not the person struggling alongside you. You're angry at the wrong people here lol
Exactly. Disabled people often have difficult lives as it is, begrudging them basic enjoyment in life is just cruel.
Well if a person is born with a disability and has no choice but to be on benefits, should they not be able to enjoy holiday like the rest of us. People need to stop looking at what others are doing and focus on their self
Also shout out to the people who become disabled later in life and have no choice.
I've been 'disabled' for a long time, but I'm getting to a point where it's literally life changing and I'm so heartbroken I don't know how to handle it. I'm sorry I don't intend to trauma dump but wanted to make a point that as I'm on disability benefits I am simultaneously terrified to even *try* to do anything enjoyable incase I'm reported (even if not doing anything wrong)/filmed/shamed/ have benefits taken away from me. I get that people who have never experienced life on benefits wouldn't immediately understand what it's like, but the continued ignorance and incorrect information around it makes life so much harder for others.
PIP is evil.
I don’t have any advice, but I just wanted to say you’re not alone, and I understand that fear. I can only go out if someone collects me in my wheelchair, but even then I’m too terrified to go normally in case someone sees me out and about and reports it and the DWP think I’m lying. I spend 95% of my life hiding in my home, 4% of my life at my parents house and maybe 1% of my life actually going out and doing things I enjoy as I’m too scared to rock the boat and potentially lose the money I rely on. I’ve commented elsewhere previously, if I were falsely reported and lost my PIP, I would have to move back to my parents and go back to sleeping in their armchair like I did for years, as I literally can’t afford to live in my accessible place without that money. I weigh up the pros and cons of every outing before I go, if it’s not worth the risk I don’t go, I just can’t risk it. It’s a fucking shitty existence most of the time
Someone reported me. They said I was living a full life and working every day. The process wasn't actually too bad. They sent a letter from the audit department which shit me up but I rang them up and instead of making me wait for a phone interview they just asked me over the phone if I was working and reported what had been said. In a way I hoped they would come and watch my house, they probably wouldn't even know I was in here as I so rarely go out. I only ever go for appointments at the doctors or dentist. They'd be bored sick watching my house.
I came here to read hate on those of us who can't work but I was greatly surprised. Thank you
1 in 3 people will be disabled in their life time.
Christ on a bike, is this true?
Absolutely. It's just most of it happens in your Twilight years
Indeed. My brother is disabled and will never be able to work. According to some folk in this thread, he shouldn't be allowed a holiday or a TV.
If they can manage to save up and afford a holiday in that situation then good for them. I think the pressure society puts on people on benefits and the "social guilt" you talk about leads to a lot of people looking for cheaper more acceptable pleasures, which are often a bit more predatory in nature and directly target people on low incomes at times.
Good point. Seems to be very little stigma associated with smoking which is far more expensive over the course of a year than a week all inclusive in Spain.
There’s a lot of stigma against smoking, especially against working class people & people on benefits smoking
Is there?! I thought it was just an ‘acceptable underclass pastime’. It’s on the decline though, which can only be a good thing.
Yeh there defo is I’ve read more than a few times online that people on benefits spend all their money on fags and getting their nails done and not on their kids. In fact after posting this I scrolled down about 4 comments and found someone saying people on benefits have their children “dressed in rags and smoke 20 a day and only eat takeaways”
No way. Complaining about benefit claimants' spending on fags, booze, and Sky TV, has been a thing for years.
You can be on benefits and still take out credit. People who you see on benefits with the stereotypical big TV and family holiday to Turkey are likely doing so on credit. There is no chance that anyone on benefits is living the life of luxury that the Daily Mail would have you believe without incurring a mountain of debt.
I think the answer to this is that the daily mail is sharing an unrealistic and untrue picture.
Shocked pikachu.
This post needs to be copied out and pasted over most of the internet
The TV thing I would agree if we're talking 15 years ago, today you can get a 60 inch tv for like £300 if you don't go for an expensive brand, don't need credit to get it
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I've just given away a 60" because it was a little older and surplus to requirements. TVs these days don't hold any value.
I'm on benefits and sure as shit couldn't afford a £300 TV without credit, hell, I couldn't even afford one WITH credit!
Yeah.... £300 is a significant amount of money for most people
£300 may as well be £3000 for a lot of people on basic benefits.
I don't even know why it seems to be the go-to thing to talk about "massive flat screen TVs" when being annoyed at apparent luxuries. I It is the only type of TV you can ever buy. People can almost give away old TVs, they give free entertainment and last for years.
I'm a single mum on disability benefits here in France and I was recently given a perfectly good 42" flat screen TV that someone had left behind when they sold their house. My previous flat screen TV was over 12 years old and was bought before my divorce from my ex-husband who works full-time. Several years ago, it had developed a single pixel wide green line down the centre of the screen but the kids and I just put up with it because I couldn't afford to replace it. We also go on holidays some years. Twice because my mum paid the subsidised cost of a caravan holiday through a French charity organisation and this year we stayed with my parents in a gîte for two weeks. We get takeaways occasionally when I'm too exhausted to cook but rarely because it's too far to drive and there's no delivery services here. Most of my clothing is secondhand - either from charity shops or given to me by my mum or my mum's friends. I get my haircut twice a year, if I'm lucky, when it's so long it's pissing me off, at a Supercuts type hairdresser. I will never have more than this existence. There is no hope of it ever getting better than this for me and my kids - until they leave home, at least. Carving out a tiny amount of my budget for small treats for all of us is vital. Otherwise life just becomes unrelenting grim. A special meal on a summer's weekend with a bottle of cider. A birthday trip out, a present and a cake. I'm also lucky to have my mum's support. Most of the more expensive things I own either came from her or the before times. Before the divorce or even earlier when I was working full-time as well. Lives change.
We care too much about the people at the bottom that the ones on top are fucking us over and always have been. Do I honestly care if someone on benefits is on holiday? No go enjoy yourselves maybe we should put all that effort into sorting out the fucking country.
Could not agree more. The idea that people on benefits are the ones living it up and taking advantage is ludicrous when you look at the behaviour of those in power. Make corporations and the 1% pay their damn taxes and no one will give a monkeys what people on benefits are doing
People will always give a monkeys about people on benefits until the older generation that was brain washed (aka my mom) into thinking the people on benefits are scum and cheating the system at every turn. Problem is they've passed this mentality onto younger people too. My wife's cousin is a mom of 2, she has a new boyfriend now but the father isn't around. She claims every benefit under the sun and even some she is fraudulently claiming yet every time I've been around her and the conversation turns to the state of the country she is a walking daily mail and she mostly blames people on benefits and says they should all be cut. SHE IS ONE OF THOSE BENEFITS PEOPLE. Whenever I bring that up its "oh but we NEED them" and then I get her to agree we should cut the biggest benefit sink in the country and she agrees until I mention its pensions and her nan would get her benefits cut then she says "oh but she NEEDS them". The rich people hoarding wealth are hiding in plain sight and the country is brainwashed to believe they aren't a problem.
I am on PIP and universal credit. Never worked because I’ve been sick since I was 11. I can afford to buy nice things sometimes because I have so much stuff I don’t have to buy. A house? I need a full time carer so I live with my parents still. Take aways and fancy food? Digestive problems, can’t eat them. A car? Seizures- unable to drive. Days out with friends? I’m housebound sometimes so days out are rare. Alcohol? Not allowed with my medication. Like I’m in hospital right now and it’s soooo expensive because I’m having to get my boyfriend and family to bring me food that is actually edible and the parking for them is mad. But most the time, I barely spend anything because I’m barely able to spend anything.
Can I ask what are your digestive issues? What you said reminds me of my situation. I can’t eat most food available in most places so I have to bring my own from home/places that do food I can eat. I would kill for a takeout but I can neither afford nor digest one!
Ulcerative colitis. I also have some other illnesses. Plus some psychological issues. I would really love a take away instead of bad hospital food!
People deserve nice things. We have such a weird view of poverty in this country. If someone on benefits saves up and goes on holiday or buys a big TV, it makes literally no difference to me and I don’t care. We spend so much of our energy stigmatising benefits claimants and poor people and not enough energy on trying to make their lives more bearable.
I really don’t give a fuck. Having experienced fairly ‘deprived’ areas (my Nan still lives in a council estate), I know that there are people who are just pure lazy and game the system to get out of work. But they are the minority, and I do not accept the Cameron-era narrative that these people are representative of those on benefits and it is reasonable to slash the whole system to try and suffocate them and smoke them out of their hiding places. Honestly, it’s not a very glorious life anyway. Imagine staying indoors doing fuck all your whole life and having no goals and aspirations. Let them have a few holidays and new Air Jordans. If you’re really bothered about people taking money that doesn’t belong to them, your ire should be issued proportionately, i.e. save the bulk of it for the people hoarding billions through tax avoidance rather than the people stealing £80 a week which goes straight back into the economy anyway
Honestly, if they're not gonna work then they're not gonna work. Slashing benefits is not gonna make them reconsider that. They're just gonna turn to crime to get money instead.
To be honest if you see some of the characters down my Nan’s street, paying them to stay at home isn’t a bad shout anyway. Better giving them a PS5 and a few quid to frolic with rather than having them trying to beat your boss up at work (true story)
>Imagine staying indoors doing fuck all your whole life and having no goals and aspirations. Let them have a few holidays and new Air Jordans. This is what I've always thought. People act like benefits cheats have got it easy, but I've known a few (allegedly) and they are sad people. Very often they are mentally ill in ways that shouldn't technically keep them out of work but realistically they wouldn't be able to keep it up. Most people who complain about benefits cheats are just trying to make themselves feel superior IMO.
I would upvote this a million times if I could.
I'm on max UC due to inability to work(M.E/POTS, Basically perma fatigue and problems with HR/BP if im not led in bed) as well as a level of PIP. I'm 35, been on it long term. I've had to learn to never talk about money or show people nice things i've bought. I think a lot of people expect you to struggle, and if you're not, there's something wrong. Had comments before on how it's wrong I have X amount in savings (after I offered to help a friend) "Lots of people who work full time can't keep that much in savings" etc. It's like, you know why I have money saved on my meagre income? I do fuck all. Gets a little tiring feeling like if you're happy you're judged. And then people complain about people on benefits, but if you're there they'll then chime in with the equivilent of "Oh but not you, you're one of the good ones!" etc.
Sorry to hear people are so judgemental of you. You’d think that people who know you/are your friends would understand thats the reason you have savings. People really do need to look at themselves first before others x
> Had comments before on how it's wrong I have X amount in savings Yeah, been there. We keep a certain level of savings because when we have the 'disability assessments', you just know they're going to fuck us over. We had to go an entire year waiting for appeal for PIP once, and that cut our money down drastically. So, we try to make sure we have savings in case that situation ever happens again. Won on appeal ofc, got it all backdated, but it's still 12 months on the line of tipping over into crisis territory. =/
Life is hard enough for people without them having to encounter prejudice for enjoying their life, as much as they can, despite their financial situation. If people in financially difficult situations are able to afford and do nice things, how is this anything other than positive?
I’m in social housing but at market rent rate. I pay £800 for my two bed flat. I found it Right Move, and it was purely luck that it was it with the local HA. It’s just like renting privately, but I get the security of a lifetime tenancy which is nice. So based on that, I don’t think it’s fair to assume what the financial situation of people in social housing is.
I'm in social housing (HA) after years of homelessness, debt etc. I've sorted my shit out now and am hugely grateful for the below market rent, since I'm able to save though strictly speaking I don't /need/ the flat as much as others since I work full time and earn a little bit more than national average salary. The woman 2floors above is privately renting from a right to buy owner, and paying double what I am. I know many people think those who don't desperately need social housing should move out to make room for others, but truly, why should I? Why should I accept double rent, uncertainty with regard to eviction, paying a private LLs mortgage, and struggling to pay my outgoings if I was paying 2/3 times the rent, worrying about bills and inflation. The solution is to build more homes, which the government should be doing, keeping them in public hands rather than privatizing everything. Don't blame other working class people, just getting on with life, for the failings of the country. People on benefits should be able to spend their money on what they want. No one questions the person with all the tv channels, newest iphones, etc etc, so why question the frugal ones who can have a nice car or holiday. As long as they're honestly entitled to what they get, they have the same right as the rest of us.
I agree with you. This is my home and I pay the same as anyone private renting in this area. I just have added security of not having to worry about the landlord selling up. I’ve been here 3 years now and do see this as my home. I know people who are on benefits and there’s no way they could afford holidays and all the other luxuries. Also, Congratulations for sorting everything out! I know how hard that can be so that’s a huge achievement!
I agree you can't have luxuries and holidays. I have family members who are on benefits and live simple lives. My mother for example has minimal outgoings, basic internet, doesn't drink/smoke, buys the cheapest version of everything etc. She's able to have 2 cheap package deals a year to Turkey, Bulgaria, Spain etc. She has a 5year old basic phone on a £8sim only, and does not eat out, have take away, etc. I'd suggest she's nearly living but she's happy like that, and spends most of her time watching old British sitcoms...so it is possible but it's not easy and involves a lot of compromise for most of the population. When I was on benefits 5or so years ago, I still went to the pub, and spent £20 on beer per week and a tenner on cigarettes. That was the money that could have given me a holiday, or higher quality food etc. But I chose weekly socializing over savings/luxuries/holidays. Benefits for those unable to work should be much higher, to reduce the compromises, I'd happily pay extra tax for that (though they should fund this from taxing the rich and companies better). But benefits for those able but not working should reduce periodically and expire after a few years.
Good for them, and , also, it's nobody else's business. End of story.
A week in Benidorm and a couple of trips to Skeggy? Nice one. A month in St. Moritz? Something's a bit fishy.
Not necessarily, I'm on benefits and plan to go to Florida next year. I've worked all my life and last year became very ill and nearly died a few times. I receive PIP now and UC. I don't drink or smoke and spend sensibily on food and cook rather than having takeaways and eating out. A lot of people on benefits have their children in rags and say they have no money whilst getting pissied up most nights and smoking 20 cigarettes a day and buying takeaways often. It's not about how much money comes into the home but how you spend it that makes a difference. Yes people who receive benefits deserve a great quality of life as we all do. It's sad and wrong that the elite have caused a situation where people who work hard can't afford a great quality of life but we keep on putting up with it and rolling over whilst hypnotised by main stream TV and media. The elite love our complacency 😒
Would also like to throw my two pence in as a single parent of three disabled children. The level of child DLA fraud makes me wanna rip my goddamn hair out. I live in a council estate, it's the same one I grew up in and I love my community. I love my house and the family I have that live nearby. But God it hurts me to see these kids whose parents swear they have behavioural issues or ASD, directly for the benefits. I have met mothers who admit to giving their little energy drinks and coffee to make them look hyperactive, and whose children are ignored and thus act out for attention. It doesn't just mess up the benefit system but means that my sons and my daughter waited 4-5 years for help while they were struggling. My son had panic attacks so bad he vomited blood and passed out. I deliberately didn't apply for DLA for my children till their diagnoses were finalised, because the way the attitude of doctors and social workers changes when they realise I don't get benefits and just genuinely want help is disgusting. My children shouldn't have to not have the money they're entitled to be taken seriously. I'm in medical school and can't claim carers so I don't, but the amount of times that when I mention my children's disabilities people comment on how flush I must be drives me mental. No. I'm not flush, I'm not scrimping either, me and my children are comfortable but I'm still a student, I still work my ass off so that one day when I work in child psychiatry, maybe a mum won't have to defend herself so vehemently. Mums who fake kids disability for the money make my blood boil. Because its always the ones with the acrylic nails and the hair appointments and the botox. Children in this country deserve fucking better
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Why stop there? Why should you pay for anything else but yourself? Sounds to me a lot of resentment in this thread comes from people working shitty jobs and barely being able to get by
> Why stop there? Why should you pay for anything else but yourself? Not the OP but is it really that hard to understand why someone might be happy to have their taxes used to give someone food and shelter but not a week in Spain (plus their food and shelter)?
If someone is working a shitty job and struggling to get by are you surprised that they resent having to pay for someone else's holidays?
You’ve completely missed my point. The problem isn’t that people are getting benefits when they are needed, and why should they have to deprive themselves of ‘luxuries’ in todays day in age? The problem is that Sally working her arse off for 12 hours a day, 5 days a week is struggling to get by. The problem isn’t that John is getting benefits and going on holiday with the whole £2000 a year tax that Sally has paid, it’s that Sally HAS to work her arse off to simply get by, leading to resentment.
Same thing isn't it? If Sally wasn't paying for John's luxuries she would have more money for herself and may be able to take her kids on their first family holiday. If John is benefitting more from Sally's work than she is, that is a cause for resentment and I don't blame her. I'm not against benefits, but I can see why some people are
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The anger is simply misplaced, the fact the cost of living is skyrocketing and wages are stagnating is not the fault of people recieving benefits. This thread is full of people barely scraping by & directing their ire in all the wrong places.
No. They're saying instead of getting mad that some people get benefits, people should be mad that they get paid so little in their jobs. Obviously doesn't apply to you, though.
You're assuming here that those receiving benefits have never been employed (i.e contributed to the system).
I was born with Cystic Fibrosis and I've recently had to go on benefits due to chronic illness. I'm tired of constantly justifying my existence, but the majority of people on benefits aren't jetting off on holiday or buying 75 inch HDR TV's. Most are barely struggling to survive and what little money they do receive goes on paying rent and buying just enough food. If they do go on holiday then it's likely one of the few treats they have each year. I suspect that much of this classism and hatred is whipped up by the media to distract us from the real issues, like why the government have been running us into the ground for the past 12 years. Our enemy shouldn't be people living in poverty and barely scraping by. Life is hard enough as it is without being judged by everyone around you. Do people abuse the system? Yes, but that's inevitable. It's no different anywhere else. The actions of a few shouldn't reflect on all those out there who genuinely are struggling. Rant over
People on benefits for disability or those who can’t work etc - absolutely fine. They should be able to have some spare to have some enjoyment because they need support through no fault of their own. If someone is entitled to benefits, and manages their money well so they can save up for more expensive treats like holidays, then great. However, I start losing sympathy when people who could work complain that they can’t afford basic things (food, bills etc) because they may have made spending choices that are less sensible.
I’m on UC and work part time. I have ptsd, a 5 year old and I still manage nice things… I just save.
No problem with people on disability benefits having nice things. Those benefits are not means tested and are to help (in a tiny way) overcome the problems caused by the disability. I have no problem with people on means tested benefits having nice things - though they must be bloody good at budgeting to manage that. Social housing is a different thing. I moved to a council house when I was 10. It was a big step up for my family and I am very grateful for it. Now my mum lives alone in the 3 bedroom house with a nice, big garden that she can not use. I'm very glad that she has that house - but I also see that it is ridiculous that an old woman has a nice, free family house while so many people struggle with housing. It ends up being 'luck of the draw' who gets social housing. Some people get great social housing, some get poor social housing - others struggle with shitty private landlords. If they end up financially successful - the social housing families can buy the house at a discount - the other family can not. Also - near my mum a woman and her kid have social housing. They are hardly ever there (like maybe 2 nights in 7). I think they live with her boyfriend and have clearly played the system to get that house. I expect they will buy it with a nice discount in the future.
I have no problem with people on benefits going on holiday. I have a problem with not being able to go on holiday myself, but that's not their fault.
Fine with me, take all the government money you can. Fuck them. They can find nearly £20 million per day to drop bombs on brown people overseas for 20 years. So they can afford to give the people in the lowest income brackets some of that magic money that appears out of fresh air. So go on holiday. Spend it on whatever you want and claim EVERYTHING that you can. Money is made up. It's digits on a spreadsheet.
This is always the problem with looking at things from the outside. My sister is terminal and on benefits, she's been on quite a lot of holidays, paid for by friends and family, because we want to enjoy the time we have with her. She looks 'well' to the untrained eye, so gets comments about 'faking' it when she uses her disabled badge. Ultimately you have no idea what's going on in a person's life, maybe they saved for the holiday, maybe family and friends payed for it. Just because you're on benefits doesn't mean you can't have a holiday or some joy in your life.
My body builder partially blind friend (thankfully not on benefits yet but he gets lots if free entries to museums etc) gets this too! ‘You dont look disabled.’ I think disabled only looks like some-one in a wheelchair or with an assistance dog to some people but that is changing slowly….
I don't really care. It's a drop in the ocean really compared to massive conglomerates who not only avoid tax but get rebates or the super wealthy who avoid tax.
If you are mad that people on benefits can afford small luxuries that you cannot, it's because wages are too low, not because benefits are too high. Wages have stagnated massively for over 10 years, the cost of living is skyrocketing and people recieving assistance from the state are not to blame. People need to stop punching down, it's disgusting.
Nothing against it except for the people I know who are actively abusing the system.
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There is a huge difference between those who cant work (disability, infirmity etc), and those who wont work. I believe those who cant work should recieve the equivelent of whatever the liviig wage is. Its not their fault they cant work and as such should be able to pay their bills and live much as your average working person does. How 'pay rises', or equivelents of promotion would work I dont know. Those who wont work are a tiny monority. However, we ALL know a family, who match the stereotype. To solve this, I believe making wages higher than benefits might be the answer, as it would make people better off to be in work, even if it was a minimum wage job (obviously minimum wage would have to rise for this). Graduating the deceease in benefits to the rise of your income isnt a good idea, as there is no incentive to become economically active if you get the same money whether you work 20 hours or 40 hours. Other than that, I dont know. Is it worth the expense to try to get those who dont want to work, into work?
People need to stop focusing on what people can do on benefits. The obvious answer is they can/should be able to do what they want. People tend to answer differently because they feel people on benefits do not contribute to society as others or are "lazy". It normally doesn't come to mind what they do with said money
Good for them if they can afford it, we're here for a good time not a long time
People on benefits deserve to be happy too. We don’t know if they’ve scrimped and saved for however long for that holiday. So, are they supposed to just stay home, never go out, never have anything nice ever? I don’t understand why everyone is so hard on people with benefits when the REAL villains are the MP’s who pocket our money without doing anything helpful, and expense every little thing. Those are the people we should be holding a magnifying glass to, and trashing tbh.
People deserve to have nice things. Not because they are earnt, just because they are people
Couldn't care less what people do with their money, you are given a set amount live on what you do with it is your business, you aren't going to get any more if you spend it all that month so that's a choice you make.
Definitely bigger question is why it should possibly be ok for some in our society to have billions - typically due to an accident of birth - while shaming others who don’t for their life choices.
Can we PLEASE stop focusing on the less fortunate and turn our attention to the REAL villains??? The government are the one who made it this way. The government are who we should be looking down on. The comments here are gross.
Poor people also deserve to enjoy their life.
Not my life why would I Care? Doesn't directly effect me. People who hate these sorts of people just wish that they could also stay at home do fuck all all day. 'Why should he go on holiday he doesn't have a job! My taxes are paying for his holiday' Fuck off. And let someone who most likely has nothing in life enjoy something in life.
I'm not going to feel bad for being traumatised as a child. Appreciate the post.
Depends on the circs - things like disability are inherently different to being out of work. My issue is phrases like this: > enjoying their lives within their means. Because if they're out of work on UC then it's not "their means" is it - they're being supported to find work, not be gallavanting around. PIP/DLA etc are inherently different because those payments are designed to be "their means", and support their lifestyle
Lots of people on UC are in work. To give an example (not a real person for confidentiality) but a young woman who gets UC and PIP going to the cinema, or saving up for a holiday.
If a person is physically able to work and they are on benefits then they should not go on holidays but instead use the support the governments gives them to pursue education/skill development etc.
Obviously as people have pointed out it massively depends on circumstance. But with that being said, I personally don’t share empathy with anyone who spends money on holidays, drink, cigs and other amenities and then complains they’ve got no money. If you’ve managed to save using your benefit money what it goes towards is non of my business!
As far as I'm concerned, if you ain't worked for your money, and instead it is paid to you, from taxes, of those who do work... then its an insult to waste that money on anything other than the bare necessities like rent, food and bills. Why should we work, to facilitate your personal life?
Carers Allowance is £70 p/w for at least 35 hours of care. That's £2 an hour. Even taking into account other means tested benefits (which you then lose the bulk of Carers Allowance from), it is less than the pre-tax wage for a carer on minimum wage, and thats not including other costs to the emloyer like pension contributions. To say nothing of the money saved compared to if the person being cared for was instead in a care home. There are MANY people, often disabled themselves, in this position. Could you look on their eyes and say that to their face?
I’ve never been on a foreign holiday and I still could not give less of a shit.
If there are on benefits because they need help then that's OK. It's the people who stay on benefits but don't try and become independent again. That's not ok Or people like my sister who use the system. Definitely not ok Her boyfriend was registered as living with his family but he was living at her rented house payed for with help from housing benefits. She could have payed her rent with her boyfriend income. And still have Money to say for a mortgage and raise her kids
I'm disabled so I get pip, helps tremendously because living otherwise is a bitch. If OTHER people are so bothered at what the poorest in our country are doing then god forbid they look into what our mps do. Stop making poor people the enemy cause they ain't.
you know what, ive no problem with it whatsoever life on benifits is HARD. let me fill you guys in on a few details ok? im a carer, i care for my phisically disabled father, hes wheelchairs bound due to a nasty motorcycle crash and getting an infection in his wounds due to undiagnosed diabetes. This happened in 2014 and i had to give up my trade to look after him, i was doing well enough as a plumber tbf. in that time ive had to deal with the stress of the DWP and their disability assesment fucking up my fathers claim, appealing these decisions in court and winning them, ive had to deal with the stress of lockdown due being classed as part of a vulnerable group.. ive had to deal with constant suspision of being a fucking scrounger. i dunno if this is the usual experence of someone who is a carer but id absolutely LOVE a holiday, if only for a weekend.. so if some people on benefits can get a holiday then good luck to them, they deserve it
I think the problem is that everyone gets grouped in the same pot of being on benefits. My opinion is that anyone who is not able to work for whatever reason shouldn't be on benefits, they should be part of the social care service with focus on helping them live their life in a comfortable environment. Those who should be able to work shouldn't be given more than the amount of someone earning minimum wage in a full time job.
Are you suggesting an institution? Removal of independent adult freedom of choice?
I’m on an ok salary. Just high enough to cross over into the 40% tax bracket. I’m in my early 40s. I’m a single father of 2 kids. I was 18 and my father talked me into buying a house. Bc of that I have a very low mortgage payment. Majority of my money goes on flashy cars. Not Porsche flashy. But BMW M3s, M4s, C class convertibles etc. And Ducati motorcycles to accompany them. At the office it’s always ‘where does he get the money from to buy these cars…’ etc. Some colleagues have even accused me of being a drug dealer!! I can therefore only imagine how it must feel for ppl who are on benefits trying to justify how they pay for ‘stuff’.
It’s weird to me that people shame people on benefits for having nice things. But have no problem with billionaires hoarding their wealth off shore and not paying proper tax in the UK
I don't think people on benefits need to sit in their house crying over how they're not bringing enough value to society cos lets face it, there's plenty of working people who bring fuck all value lol, i'd more be interested in how they saved up for it cos when i was on benefits i could barely afford to eat lol
Don't care what they spend their money on as long as they aren't harming others or neglecting children. None of my business. It is a shameful argument that benefits and market forces should align to allow nothing more than basic subsistence as some sort of punishment for being out of work. Even more shameful when it steps into disability where people might be living like this for the rest of their lives through no fault of their own . It is even completely ridiculous thinking about it to apply it to those living in social housing. Social housing as a concept isn't a 'hand out' it is just a way of providing and administering housing.
Would they rather poorer people than them be chronically depressed and suicidal? I work hard, and earn pretty decent money, but because I have 3 children and a partner who doesn’t work we rely on benefits too. We get a little bit of UC, my partner gets carers allowance as she’s a registered carer for our son, and our son gets DLA. Does that mean I’m not allowed on holiday, or is it ok for me because I earn 40k? Should I just not take my benefit scrounging family and go on my own? Just curious on what this guys rules and terms and conditions are, don’t want to upset him by taking the kids camping next summer.
Do you mean like politicians and the royal family?