Do you think these benefit reforms are long overdue?

Question

I note with interest that the goverment is getting "tough" with benefit claimaints who in future will have to work for their benefits, with only the most severely disabled exempt from looking for work. What do you think? I'd appreciate your views on this matter, here's the article: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20080721/tuk-work-for-dole-benefits-reform-45dbed5.html

Cheers.

Answer 1

The benefit reform that would produce the most income is the removal of non-means tested benefits.

People earning over 60k a year should not be entitled to Child Benefit or Disability Living Allowance.

I find it nauseating that a friend whose husband earns 120k pa hasn't touched their CHB in 8 years and as a GP  ensures all his high earning family get DLA or Attendance Allowance. This is widespread.

JSA is a short term benefit so no people should not be claiming it for 2 years. The shysters of which there are SOME will just find ways around this They are not the ones who will suffer.

They will not even consider withdrawal of 'middle class' benefits though. Funny that. Far easier to demonise the poor and vulnerable.

Answer 2

Any chavs or immigrants caught claiming benefits shood be put up against a white wall and shot

Answer 3

it probably is overdue but better late than never

Answer 4

This isn't as straightforward as it seems.  It is called the 'workfare' approach and has been tried out in parts of the USA for example at different times.

There is a very interesting debate here which puts forward arguments for and against, some factors obviously apply differently within different countries and labour market conditions:

http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_...

It would be nice if some Americans could answer this question as well at some point to tell us more about whether they think it is working or not in the States, and any advantages and pitfalls of it.

Answer 5

I'm in two minds to be honest with you.

On one hand i think it is long overdue because of the scroungers in the UK that totally take the p**s out of honest working people who pay their taxes and would only claim in dire needs!

But on the other side, i work with disabled people and adults with mental health problems. The government sometimes get these ideas into their heads but then take it too far. As 96% of the residents, at the organisation i work for, claim benefits i wouldnt like to see any of them having their claims wrongfully stopped as they are all deserved of the money and support they recieve (plus i deal with their claims for them so i'd end up with sh*t loads of work to do).

Answer 6

Really long over due, perhaps now they will have ago at the other lay abouts who sign on in the Houses of Parliament and cut their benefit !  Its taken them eleven years to get this far.

Answer 7

yes long overdue i dont want to pay taxes to help the lazy. the handicapped sure just not the lazy.

Answer 8

About time, I'm a single mum of two and i have to work days and evenings to feed my kids, when my next door neighbour is 29 and only worked two weeks since leaving school

Answer 9

I think MANY people on Incapacity Benefit vote Labour.

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Tattar Gordon.

Answer 10

As with all such reforms it will be the needy that suffer while the greedy and the criminal will continue to abuse the system.

What these so-called reforms are really about is dismantling the Welfare State in line with the global ideology of neoliberalism that all the mainstream politicians in the UK subscribe to.

Why do you think Cameron is backing these "reforms"?

Answer 11

There are too many folk out there faking it. Rab C Nesbits so to speak so this was long long long overdue! Can spend the money in places where its needed more.

Answer 12

The idea is not all that bad although with this government you have to have serious reservations about the practical application of the idea.

There are far too many heroin addicts, alcoholics and other people with self inflicted conditions that are now skiving through life on benefits.

There are also a not insignificant number who have never been employed that have no work ethic within them at all, it wouldn't be a bad thing to get them used to getting up in the morning with something productive to do.