Are we better off on the dole?

Question

I've worked all my life (so far), paid my taxes etc but after I've been paid and paid all my bills , I am skint. Where as, a friend of mine is claiming benefits and always has money. Is that fair? Also, my sister whos kids are all at school now, was told she'd be better off claiming by somebody who works for the job centre!.
Why would she want to work some where for a minimum wage and have no money once her bills are paid when she can live more comfortably (and not have to get up early every morning to do a mundane job and get treated like crap from her employers) by staying on the dole!
The is no insentive to work anymore!
What do you think?

Answer 1

You know what i totally agree, it's all wrong isn't it. I am a single parent and i have never claimed benefits and provide for myself and my child from working all hours in a job rather than be a 'Monday book mum'. However i think that at least my daughter learns values from me working and knows that if you want things in life you have to work for them. I can still afford a decent standard of living but it annoys me that working people are penalised for doing so with Council tax, school grants, free school meals and having to pay own rent/mortgage.

Answer 2

It all depends if you have any pride in yourself, and also what you think the role of the state is. As a socialist I believe in a state supported system, but it is there to help people who cannot work because they are sick or unable, or too old, not to support people who just don't feel like working.

Lets face it very few people like to work, I certainly don't, but if we all stopped working and lived off the dole then the system would collapse and there would be no money for the people who really need it. Would you steal money from your grandmother, just because you cannot be bothered to get up, that is in effect what you do when you claim benefit when you are able to work.

Not everyone who works gets the minimum wage, and if you work and study hard the chances are that you can do better for yourself, living off the dole is no life, its just state sponsored stagnation, you may as well be dead.

There is plenty of incentive to work, your personal pride in yourself, your duty to the rest of society not to be an unnecessary burden, the possibility to improve yourself, the opportunity to be a part of something, the chance to meet people etc etc, you just need to find the right job that will give you those things, but mainly you need to stop searching for the easy path.

A life on the dole is easy, boring and futile, don't go there unless you really have to.

Answer 3

Yes it is so ridiculous. Of course some people just cannot work, nothing can be done about some people I guess, like the severly disabled etc.

What really makes me mad are the people who disrupt my lessons in school, go around in gangs at lunchtime, beating up whoever they wish, and also outside school, being a general nuisance to everyone they wish, respecting no one, especially not the police, yet they are favoured in the courts because they had a 'difficult upbringing', are not sent to prison because of this reason and let out again to cause more trouble. These people barely scrape any GCSEs and either just go to work at the minimum wage or sit around, or probably go out mugging people, while they are on the dole.

I would be more than willing for my taxes to go towards someone that really needs them, as they cannot work, and will put them towards good use.

Of course, on the dole you get very little freedom, and are not in control of your life, and I do not by any means envy anyone who has no option but to be on the dole, but it is a disgrace to those that cannot be bothered.

There needs to be some serious consequences for those that live their life by creating trouble in school and in the community and then proceeding to live off the dole. Only then will these people perhaps realise that in fact they ought to do something with their lives, and not sit around doing nothing, complaining about all these immigrants not doing anything. Rubbish, they do far more than our dole citizens ever will. Could we not replace the lazy dole claimers for the hardworking immigrants? I'm sure that would get some people working!

Answer 4

I commiserate with you, I have a pretty well paid Job, as does my wife. And we are only now coming into a position of being 'comfortable'. We've had to struggle to own a house and pay off student loans, overdrafts etc.

My view on dole scroungers is pretty harsh. While I genuinely think we should support someone with disabilities, I feel the number of people simply signing on because it is easier than working, or popping out another child to get a bigger house from the council is abhorrent. I would make the dole scroungers work for the council to earn their dole money if they have been unable or unwilling to find employment in 6 months of signing on. Cleaning streets, picking up litter, doing all the sh¡tty jobs no one wants to do. They'd soon buck their ideas up and actually work for a living. Then they'd pay tax to help the economy, education, health service etc. Dole scroungers are a big burden on this society, it annoys me when people complain about immigration, and immigrants taking our jobs etc, well I'd rather swap all the dole scroungers for immigrants - At least they contribute to society!

Answer 5

I don't think so, I'm not sure what the dole is these days, but I think it's around £85 - £90 for a married couple, they don't give you anything for kids, you get that from Children's tax credit.

If you can pay a mortgage and all your household bills on that then let me know, because I wouldn't be able to pay my way on that amount.

I suppose if you lived in a council or privately let house you would get help though!

We're the same as you though, we work and have very little to show for it at the end of the month. How people can afford to smoke and drink is beyond me.

Answer 6

I knew many people who all asked the same question. I can understand people becoming disheartened as to work for virtually no gain is the pits. The world has gone insane as its the jobs that no one would do which pay the big money these days.I'm not sure just how much the dole is worth these days but the advantage is that you have no stress,expenses or fares to pay. Whilst I don't encourage anyone to ditch their low paid job, I do encourage them to seek a new occupation as an example some of the mine sites used pay huge money to haul truck drivers both men and women and it is an easy job as well. My personal feeling is that today we have to be prepared to perhaps go out on our own an a small cottage industry and make it that way as to work for years for no reward is no incentive to keep working. Good luck!

Answer 7

You know I have considered it. There is a government disability here that pays for your rent and a living exspense allowance. I wouldn't be rich but it would be for life and I would be "okay". Apparently all I have to do is claim I hear voices -who or how will anyone prove otherwise?
The truth is your standard of living and mental/phisical health is a lot better if you work but these people are literally living the life of the idley rich without the excess money albeit - but wouldn't it be nice to not have to do the rat race thing?

I passed the plan by my wife - I will claim to hear voices - we will get government houseing in a nice small city in the north and I will have a lot of time to play with the dog - she said no and believe it or not I think thats all that stops me from doing it.

I know this isn't much of an answer and it's the wrong one at that but I hear you loud and clear - and I sympathise with you

Answer 8

No. You would lose all of your self worth. You would be looked down upon by others. You would become a wart on society.

Think about it......Surely you can't hold your friend in very high esteem?

Benefits should be a safety net for those who really need them, and who are unemployed despite their efforts to work....Being on benefit should not be a way of life. What happens when the older generation retire, and there aren't enough working people to pay taxes to keep those lazy scroungers. The benefit system will collapse, and then the benefit cheats will not be able to get decent jobs to support themselves because of their bad work record.

Carry on working and enjoy the weekends!

Answer 9

Hi i have been on both sides due to illness and pregnancy hubby losing his job. First thing is first you need toknow how to work the system if you don't then it's no different. i have 3 kids my hubby and i are better of working only just. It is all about pride and respect. i can't work due to depression and i can't claim a thing as i have not earned enough contributions due to 3 pregnancies i haven't been able to work. this is not fair. So what i am trying to say to you it is better for some people to stay at home and claim benefits while for others it is best for them to work. And no there is not any incentive for people to work in this country.

Answer 10

the bloke down the road from hasnt worked for the past 8 years rent paid for him, brand new car. There is nothing wrong with him just sees it as free money

I have to work all the hours under the sun to support my family I couldnt bear to look at myself as some dole scounging loser. Its about pride, I would rather work myself to the bone than go on the dole