Unemployed obese people - start losing weight or lose your benefits

[LOAM]

What about the smokers, druggies and drunks?

Will they target teenage pregnancies too?

Target everyone to be honest, may as well slap the OAP's in there as well. Muslims, has has anyone said the M word yet ?

 

[craptakular]

Doesn't this breach peoples basic human rights?

 

[alexakasloth]

theres a weatherspoons right next to mine, wish I could say it was funny but it's just tragic

A police station and courts next to mine, fitting for some of the people who hang around the area, unfortunate for those trying to do better.

 

[Destination]

how about we dangle there benefits on a stick in front of them, solves two problems in one humorous way

Get a small child to follow them around playing a tuba for each step they make.

 

[dowie]

I'm not saying this implementation is good or is going to work... but I agree with the general principle that if you're relying on the rest of us to fund your existence on this planet then you should be incentivised to not abuse your body and increase the chances that you'll be reliant on the rest of us to fund your medical treatment. Penalising claimants for getting overweight, smoking etc... wouldn't be unreasonable IMO. How you go about implementing it is another matter - arguably the penalty for smoking is already in place for everyone via higher taxation. I don't see an issue with ensuring someone exercises in addition to ensuring they're applying for jobs in return for their job seeker's allowance.

 

[Destination]

Doesn't this breach peoples basic human rights?

Possibly, but when they will dock 75% of people getting the winter fuel allowance by the time any of us retire, I doubt fat fellow should keep getting paid to keep his weight up to levels which make him unemployable, and the depressive series of illness that comes with weight girth and inability to work or do anything,
Some sort of step needs to be taken. I am unsure how to start the program moving, I would assume something at educational level, but anything at that level seems to be damned to failure in the UK.

 

[cu3ed]

Ive had a few injuries going to the gym and powerlifting, had to go on the NHS a few times.

 

[Glaucus]

Possibly, but when they will dock 75% of people getting the winter fuel allowance by the time any of us retire, I doubt fat fellow should keep getting paid to keep his weight up to levels which make him unemployable, and the depressive series of illness that comes with weight girth and inability to work or do anything,
Some sort of step needs to be taken. I am unsure how to start the program moving, I would assume something at educational level, but anything at that level seems to be damned to failure in the UK.

They aren't unemployable. Their weight has little and in most cases no bearing on their employability. And of course they don't get more benefits to buy more food with, they get same benefits as anyone else.

 

[Pestilence]

Excellent, its been about 8 weeks since the last time this thread happened, about time it was rehashed again.

Can I suggest next week we try to squeeze in a thread about an aeroplane on a treadmill trying to take off.

Carry on.

+1

 

[jamesaltria]

Agree with this thread so much. They should get out and do something about themselves and not sit at home eating themselves into a coma of depression

 

[Muffin`]

It's a brilliant idea, giving benefit claimants actual targets to get themselves sorted physically and mentally is exactly what most of them need to boost their physique and confidence for a better life experience and a job, for some.

If your doctor is telling you to get some exercise, they're not doing it for ***** and giggles, there's a genuine reason for it. If you don't exercise you're going to cost us (the tax payer) money, so why shouldn't it cost you some money if you can't be bothered?

Too much 'me, me me' in this country, no doubt the main focus of this is 'BENEFITS TO BE CUT FOR FATTIES' which is incorrect, it's the possibility of having benefits cut for those who make no effort which is exactly what we need, across the board.

 

[One]

Being on the dole actually made me gain weight, the moment I got a job I started losing weight again.

Being on the dole is a soul destroying, I didn't want to be on it any longer than I needed. Anyone that is actually willing to stay on it in a permanent manner as opposed to actually searching for job, imo, can stay on it as they're not the sort of person that belongs in the work place alongside civilised people anyway.

 

[unwashed potato!]

This is a dangerous proposal, it could force people to panic and try to lose weight as quickly as possible: making themselves sick, taking unhealthy diet pills, or just simply refusing to eat. Age, and other conflicting medical conditions could complicate this further.

If the government wants to take responsibility for the health of the nation, then it should also take responsibility for the potential ill-health and/or death this proposal could cause.

what an utterly ridiculous post!

 

[craptakular]

Why don't the Government simply ban all bad foods, alcohol, takeaways and smokes?

 

[unwashed potato!]

Why don't the Government simply ban all bad foods, alcohol, takeaways and smokes?

because they're smart. can you take 1 minute to think why banning takeaways is pants on head retarded? if not then is it really worth us attempting to explain it to you?

 

[Fran]

Healthy food is cheap. It's just that a lot of fat people are too lazy to cook from scratch or don't know what to buy unless it comes in a microwaveable tray.

I don't think a lot of people know how to cook or are intimidated by the process, I've seen lots of shoppers filling their basket with pizzas instead of basic foodstuffs.

It isn't easy getting certain types of food, cheap fruit is pretty rare, you have to shop late at night to get anything.

 

[craptakular]

Why is it so?

Ban bad things at the source, saves bills for NHS, Police, courts, prison, and DOWP costs.

 

[malfunkshun]

Why is it so?

Ban bad things at the source, saves bills for NHS, Police, courts, prison, and DOWP costs.

They tax it instead, they should add VAT to the obviously unhealthy foods such as pizza, pies and so on, even if it were only to use the income to subsidise fresh fruit and veg prices a bit.

 

[Conscript]

Agree with this thread so much. They should get out and do something about themselves and not sit at home eating themselves into a coma of depression

Yeah, threatening to take their benefits away will definitely not increase that cycle of depression. Oh, wait...

It's a brilliant idea, giving benefit claimants actual targets to get themselves sorted physically and mentally is exactly what most of them need to boost their physique and confidence for a better life experience and a job, for some.

What business is it of the governments if someone is fat? Why should they intervene, or start meddling with the welfare state to encourage people to change their lifestyle if they don't wish?

What about benefit claimants who do have targets, are motivated, are actively seeking employment, but just happen to be overweight? How is it fair to penalise them? Where do you draw the line?

What about claimants who are in low paid work but claim, for instance, for housing benefit and happen to be overweight? Do you demand they do exercise on top of working in order that their benefits aren't cut?

If your doctor is telling you to get some exercise, they're not doing it for ***** and giggles, there's a genuine reason for it. If you don't exercise you're going to cost us (the tax payer) money, so why shouldn't it cost you some money if you can't be bothered?

That's not necessarily true, is it?

I'm overweight. Technically, according to my BMI, I'm obese. I'm not overly happy about it, I am exercising and eating better, but I'm not putting any extra strain on the system. If I lost my job tomorrow, should I have benefits I'm entitled to restricted because the government deems my BMI too high and the level of exercise I do too little? Why?

Why have you made this leap that every fat person on benefits = a strain on the system because of their weight?

Too much 'me, me me' in this country, no doubt the main focus of this is 'BENEFITS TO BE CUT FOR FATTIES' which is incorrect, it's the possibility of having benefits cut for those who make no effort which is exactly what we need, across the board.

See my first point. Who cares how much effort they are putting into losing weight? What relevance does it have to their job seeking? At what point does the government say "you are now fat; do some exercise or lose your benefits". Is it when your BMI hits a predefined level? Is it because your a bit chubby?

This whole idea is ill thought through and unworkable. There are too many mitigating circumstances to take into account, both practical and emotional.

Some people are overweight through genuine eating disorders. They are sick and need help, not threatening with benefit reduction. What about sufferers of bulimia or anorexia? Also recognised eating disorders, sick people - should they be forced to eat more or risk having their benefits cut?

 

[unwashed potato!]

Why is it so?

Ban bad things at the source, saves bills for NHS, Police, courts, prison, and DOWP costs.

how are takeaways bad? one a year is that bad for you? one a month? with regular exercise what's the issue? smoking one pack of ciggys with your best friends whilst enjoying an alcoholic drink only for xmas what's wrong with that? it's pretty obvious how stupid it would be to ban anything that when taken too much gives bad effects as you'd have to ban pretty much everything there is in the world as eventually having too much of the same thing constantly will have bad effects, heck i'm sure eating just sweetcorn for an extended period of time will really mess up your insides.

what the government are THINKING about THINKING of doing is making it so if people on benefits are then diagnosed as overweight unhealthy etc then they have to do some sort of exercise.

why be stupid and then say oh the government should ban everything unhealthy i do not know.