Can I ask your views on people who claim benefits long term...?

Question

And also ask how old you are?

Answer 1

I am 62.

I have no problem with people who genuinely need the support of our benefits system. Some people are genuinely unable to work for a variety of reasons and, as civilised people, we should be prepared to help them out. We support overseas countries to the tune of many billions of pounds a year - why should we not support those of our own people who are having hard times?

I also believe that the system we operate is too wide open to abuse, and know several people who are capable of working, but who have chosen not to do. Whatever loopholes there are that allow them to do that should, in my worthless opinion, be blocked. I would not, personally, go so far as reporting false claimants to the authorities, but would not blame anybody else who did.

edit: I include "unemployed", "between jobs" and "temporarily out of work" as quite valid reasons for receiving support from the state. It's the "won't workers" that should be stopped from getting benefits.

Answer 2

I agree with Pirate P and I'm 26.

Answer 3

Career claimants would soon stop if they were forced to act as public toilet/street cleaners in return for their money. They should be put to work for the good of the community that pays tax to support the lazy swines.

Answer 4

I have long term Schizophrenia, probably for the rest of my life, so I claim benefits from Veterans Affairs and SSDI long term.  Working full time increases my symptoms beyond a manageable level; I know because I have tried working FT twice and working PT once.  My views are that only people who have long term disabilities should claim benefits long term.  I'm around 40 years old.

Answer 5

some people are disabled and cant work their life sucks far worse than yours, live it up. its nothing to be jealous of.  

Answer 6

Every case is different.  Yes, I know a few families who are 2nd or 3rd generation non-working benefit claimers and they need a great kick up the backside.  Some people who are disabled feel the need and are able to work - most of these do have good family support and money behind them to make this possible.

With mental illness, you can be OK one day and the next day find it difficult to put one foot in front of the other or, as someone with ME has told me, for every good day you go through 2 or 3 bad days to make up for it.  I have a neice with ME which came on 4 years ago.  Before that she was very sports minded and incredibly healthy now, one day of going out with her mates will mean that the next day she will find it hard to walk round the house without falling over.  She could not even do the journey to work, let alone manage a full day - hopefully sometime in the future, she might improve.  

Some single parents are able to work - again, if they have a support network behind them but many do not.  There is no one to have a child when it is ill (childminders will not accept sick children and many family members are also working and cannot take the kid.  I know of single parents who have lost jobs because their child has come down with an illness and they have not been able to find care).  

If you are single with no illness then there is no reason in theory to be on benefit especially if you live in a city/large town.  For those living in areas without adequate public transport and either don't or can't afford to drive, their options are limited.  Moving is not an option because no money = unable to move!

It is impossible to judge a whole section of society.  Try living their lives and see if you could manage.  Yes, there are alot of lazy bums out there but propaganda by the likes of Daily Mail and the Sun mean everyone gets tarred with the same brush!

Answer 7

Depends what Benefits you mean. People who claim JSA for years and years and years could probably work harder at looking for a job or just plain cant be bothered to. In my experience people who have been on JSA for a very long time and are looking for a job are being very picky. Ive also come across people who just don't want to work. They will go to courses they are forced to attend or whatever but they wont look for a job and if they are got an interview they either don't attend or they don't even try.

Some people can be claiming Income support or tax credits for a long time but you can also recieve them when you are working to top up your earnings so that's not being lazy or wrong at all.

Some people have children or disabilities, etc so they need help for a little while. It depends on the individual case because some people just are lazy and don't want to work and some want to get into work and some cant.

I am 20

Answer 8

Not sure how this goes in the current events category and not sure what you're talking about.

"claim benefits" means what?

What is there to have views on? If people need benefits long term, they need benefits long term, what is there to have a view on?

Maybe you could clarify your question...

Answer 9

if they are genuine i have no problem at  all.

however i know of at least 8! people who are signed off on long term

sickness due to "mental problems". they vary in age from 18 to

50, and all seem capable of going to the pub playing the fruit machine.

they think they are clever, apparently telling doctor things like -

one day i am ok and the next day i can't get out of bed!.

some still live at home with parents and are in their 30s. spend all

money or drink etc. i am really fed up with it.

i am 55, and on line cos had shoulder op and off work on company

sick pay.

Answer 10

i am 43 and have a problem with people who refuse to get off their butt and lift a finger to do anything with their lives

don't get me wrong - there are people who are ill and cant work, there are those who are currently between jobs but are still looking and there are those who although they claim benefit will do voluntary work in the community and those who have preschool children and have been deserted by their partners

where i live (an ex mining community since the 80s) there are folks who proudly boast that they are close to retirement age and have NEVER worked and believe that the government OUGHT to 'keep' them (and meanwhile will never do anything for anyone else for nothing) - YET these same people complain like anything when the powers that be look into their affairs to see if paying them continuing benefit is really justified

for such folks - find out their surnames and make a confidential tip off to the powers that be to let them know!

as to being disabled - i know of someone who was born with cerebral palsy - and has his own house, car, wheelchair and a job paying 50k a year - it all goes to show what can be done when people put their mind to it

Answer 11

You can ask but I'm afraid I would get suspended for giving my views on those 'career doleys'!

Genuine cases i have no problem whatsoever with, but those who spend more time and effort finding ways of beating the system than it would to get a bloody job and some self respect really drive me to despair!!!!

I am 37.

PS: my mother volunteers at the local Shop Mobility, they have people coming in with very severe diabilities who have worked every single working day of their life, bar hospital appointments, not claiming even what they are entitled to as they prefer self respect and to support themselves.

Answer 12

What kind of benefits are you talking about?

What are my views on disabled people? Are you serious?

My view is that they are disabled.

Sorry I don't know if that answers your question because your question doesn't make sense.

Answer 13

well there has been so much abusing of the system that we automatically think they are just trying to s***w the government but I do believe that there are some cases that are true,but they are few and far between.It seems like people now days always looking for a free handout and then when someone really needs help its hard to get .

Answer 14

Unemployment benefits do run out and can only be given to people who have worked. Welfare benefits can and do go on for many generations of lazy people who have never worked.

Unemployment benefits do not create a class of helpless people who depend on government for every thing in their lives.

Answer 15

my husband has been on benefits for years  but he is ill and would have loved to have gone to work, being on benefit is no fun you live hand to mouth i am 64  

Answer 16

If someone is on benefits for a genuine reason - I'm talking physical or mental disability, then I have no problem with this.

What I do have a problem with is people that 'milk' the system, claiming as many benefits as they possibly can or claiming they cannot work through illness or injury when there isn't actually anything wrong with them, they just have a case of extreme lazy-itis.

I'm 34.  

Answer 17

MP's claim a h**l of a lot more on expencese, add up all the mp's and the cost for 2nd homes plasma tv, walk in showers, ect

Look at what they waste, David Cam has his 2nd home paid for...

So good luck to people who do claim benefits long term

Answer 18

If you have a legitimate illness that's one thing, but if you go from lawyer to lawyer trying to prove you deserve these benefits that's another.

I see no reason to remain on disability for years, I'm SURE there is some kind of work you can do, even if it means working at McDonald's.

And I'm 61

Answer 19

I am 55. Abolish social security and housing benefit. Knowing these safety nets are not there people will be more serious in their life choices. I have travellec to many countries where there is no welfare safety net, and the people there are nicer, more sensible and mature than are people in Britain. They have to be. Pay Jobseekers allowance for 6 months at a much higher level than now, then nothing. Do not reward people for being single parents. Do not help immigrants. If you do, they do not appreciate the country.They are used to hardship in their own countris and will cope well till they find their feet. Do pay a realistic old age pension, otherwise there is no incentive to work all your life.

Answer 20

Ok I am 42

Benefits, if you are talking about disability benefit then I guess there can be no problem with claiming long term.

If you are talking about unemployment benefit here in Spain you only get out of the system what you have paid in so after a year or so the benefits stop. Maybe that's why we have a lot less unemployed people here.

Many years ago when I had my own business back in the UK I would have been financially better of if I had gone bankrupt and lived off state benefits.

Unfortunately there are many people who are in a situation that they cant get out of. and the wages available for many jobs makes it impossible for many people to give up benefits and go back to work.

As for fit healthy young people who don't work because they choose not to and look upon their giro from benefits office as a "Right" then I personally would stop these payouts after a set period of time. You would be amazed how many would be able to find work once the FREE money stopped rolling in.

Answer 21

i don't think you have a clue do you?

some people spend years working and then suffer a family bereavement and suffer from mental illness and depression and therefore cannot work because it affects their brain.

oh n i'm 19 - with a brain and have experience of this situation.  

Answer 22

Sometimes people have to claim benefits long term i.e. carers allowance for parents who care for poorly children which I do not disagree with.

I disagree with people who are on unemployment benefit for years and years.  They should be put into re-training after 6 months of claiming or have their benefits stopped.

I am 41 years of age and never claimed a penny, maybe that is where I went wrong !!!