The benefits system is horrendously complicated. universal credit makes it somewhat better compardd to the current system, but it is still not at all clear and simple. a more cynical man than me might think it is done that way to both create jobs in administration and discourage people from claiming.
Bedroom tax
- Thread starter Danthus
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The benefits system is horrendously complicated. universal credit makes it somewhat better compardd to the current system, but it is still not at all clear and simple. a more cynical man than me might think it is done that way to both create jobs in administration and discourage people from claiming.
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You can't simplify complex matters, people are not cattle, universal credits are, will be a disaster to the enormous expense of the tax payer and poorest most vulnerable people in our society. Thousands upon thousands will be much worse off under IDS's brutal welfare reforms. Stop misinforming forum members.
You can simplify basic needs, but that is not what you want, as we have already established. It is not the job of the state to equalise people regardless of their choices.
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After you.
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There was a single part time working woman near me who moved out because she had a two bedroomed house and had to pay the new bedroom tax....
Guess who has the house now?... a single non working female parent..
Soldato
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Are you trying to worry me intentionally? What proof have we got that it's going to be that bad? We could be subject to just quarterly reviews from what I've read, nothing really seems concrete yet.
It is his way, we have no proof, he has no proof, and he does have a chip on his shoulder.
The eventual idea is to encourage people towards self sufficient lifestyles where possible. I don't agree with the whole process, but it is better than the current situation where an increase in wages can see you lose 95p in every pound earnt.
I like this post.
Well said and remarkably realisitic and sensible which isn't something you see too often in here.
Only bad point, none of them will make life easier, I think the generation of 20 somethings now have it more difficult than our parents ever did, I think our own children will have it more difficult again. I think the "golden" age has passed us by when there was still a surviving modicum of social responsibility and decency alongside capitalism. Now it is pure capitalism hell bent on profit and those not on the crest suffer, and this is coming from someone like me who is pro-capitalist
What we lack is the social decency and guidance that always played a part in any policy, not sure how this will ever be recaptured though as better technology which should be making life easier, cheaper and better is harnessed for profit and not for the betterment of most which is a sad, sad thing 
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people ain't still crying over this are they?
reduction in benefit is not a tax.
reduction in benefit is not a tax.
Soldato
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yer save us all some money.
Hold me!
I like this post.
Well said and remarkably realistic and sensible which isn't something you see too often in here.
Only bad point, none of them will make life easier, I think the generation of 20 somethings now have it more difficult than our parents ever did, I think our own children will have it more difficult again. I think the "golden" age has passed us by when there was still a surviving modicum of social responsibility and decency alongside capitalism. Now it is pure capitalism hell bent on profit and those not on the crest suffer, and this is coming from someone like me who is pro-capitalist
You mention 20 somethings but even those who are 18/19 now seem to still be in cloud cuckoo land at how difficult things will become. I think though, there is still plenty of opportunity, and this is someone from that generation. Deferred gratification and an awful lot of grafting will go a long way I feel.
Do you have information on exactly how frequent these "checkups" will be? Or are you jumping to conclusions?
Problem is though people are not brought up to take hard work and defer gratifcation (a generalisation I know) In the main with your reality TV this and ming **** show that and just generally the way the government seems content to accept responsibility for everything and apologise on everyones behalf without making anyone take any responsibilty, society is not set up for self reliability (again a generalisation)
I'm late twenties and from how I was brought up life is much more difficult with a large part of salaries being taken up by simple essentials never mind anytihng else and I am well paid. There is plenty of opportunity if you want it but to do well by yourself you need to really sacrifidce any personal life or at least put work a firm first. Has it always been like this? Yes, but get a good salary 20-30 years ago and your partner could not work to look after the family and you could retire at a sensible age. These days you bust it all and will still retire ready to fall into your grave whilst having sacrificed it all for the "honour."
I may sound somewhat jaded but I just find it sad how everything is now work, work, work and that's to get a vaguely decent standard of living. Throughout it all the good things in life are taxed to the hlit and the things people enjoy are made more difficult to enjoy. I just find it sad the direction we are going and I can only see it getting worse. To an extent I can see why people "give up" and think **** it and just live off benefits and have an easy life.
Well some of it does depend on how you were brought up, with a family to support you, you can take shortcuts such as living with them for several years to get your feet on the ground. It's certainly doable I feel if you minimise outgoings and maximise incomes and invest in unearned income e.g properties to boost your income and give you a more comfortable retirement. I was lucky in that my family assisted me with buying a car, and teaching me the lessons early. As a result I have a better financial situation than most and yet won't pee it away on drink as my peers do. Hate to talk about myself but it's disturbing how few people seem to think they have work to earn, in many ways I didn't but I appreciate that I'm lucky and if I didn't have it I wouldn't expect others to give it to me.
I've had to work the hard way to get where I am and I am happy with where I am and we (me, partner and the baby) have a good standard of living I just find that the prices of everytihng are depressing and only getting worse whilst salaries (unless you get a promotion) do not move in lockstep with pricerises making people worse off year after year after year.
We have good savings and disposable income but for all that I have done to get where I am and the work I put in I just find the rewards relatively paltry.
Technology prices are declining, food & energy prices are the big squeeze but assuming you have the space you can grow some food yourself. Obviously I'm not looking after a little one (yet
) but I think the best way forward now is self-sustainability as much as possible, get those energy and food bills right down. Of course I'm perhaps overly optimistic but still, there's ways and means I think.
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I like this post.
Well said and remarkably realisitic and sensible which isn't something you see too often in here.
Only bad point, none of them will make life easier, I think the generation of 20 somethings now have it more difficult than our parents ever did, I think our own children will have it more difficult again. I think the "golden" age has passed us by when there was still a surviving modicum of social responsibility and decency alongside capitalism. Now it is pure capitalism hell bent on profit and those not on the crest suffer, and this is coming from someone like me who is pro-capitalist
Agree totally,
It's gay I'm 25 and I face this ********...
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Bronnie Ware, an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care recorded and blogged the regrets people had on their death bed, one of the top regrets was,
"I wish I hadn't worked so hard."
"This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence."
Biggest regret from every male patient, seriously, pride will take all of us to our death beds carrying the same regret, we can deny it now all we want but it'll happen.
"I wish I hadn't worked so hard."
"This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence."
Biggest regret from every male patient, seriously, pride will take all of us to our death beds carrying the same regret, we can deny it now all we want but it'll happen.
Lol at the people bemoaning how 'hard' their lives are and/or becoming in one of the wealthiest most privileged societies in the world...
Just spare one thought upon the situations of the millions of others working in abject poverty to sustain our way of life and realise how good we have it.
Just spare one thought upon the situations of the millions of others working in abject poverty to sustain our way of life and realise how good we have it.
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Lol @ people like you who scream and whine and moan about the hard lot of people elsewhere in the world whilst living a good life themselves. Why don't you live in the most basic accommodation you can find, living off the most basic food stuffs and give every spare penny you have to the poor. It even give it all up and go over there and help them?
Oh no wait you won't, because you are a hypocrite on a soapbox who feels better about himself by trying to out down others. Gives a few quid to charity and whines on the Internet and thinks it gives him the right to judge others. Hypocrite.
At least the rest of us are honest and can admit we put ourselves first and don't live in a judgemental la la land like yourself. If I was rich and my family was well looked, my friends were well looked after and we had no chance of suffering then I would happily spend most spare money on charity and helping others out. But I won't do this at the expense of myself and my family. But at least I am honest enough (and most others on here) to admit it unlike you.
You are welcome to come back and judge when you start acting on what you preach. One more time... Hypocrite.