General Discussion
David Cameron is absolutely right to reduce the benefit dependency culture that the Labour Party have created.
There are severe problems with the UK's benefits system as Channel 4's programme 'Benefit Street' clearly showed. Many of the people on that street were capable of work but had absolutely no intention of working. This is simply wrong and unfair on others working and paying high taxes.
A simple comparsion between the UK and China shows why we have such a budget problem. Here people don't need to work since they can get handouts, whereas in China, people are very hard working and the country has prospered.
We just need everyone here to have the same work ethic.
Benefits discussion was a good debate on Ch 4.
...anyway....that will keep R busy searching for a link to counter that and just paste in a web link with no comment to support it. luv it!
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instead of just ckicking 'agree' on @roberta silly comment, how about posting a sensible response?
The majority of people support the benefits system changes.
Paul & wondering, if you want an informed view of how these welfare cuts are affecting people, dare I suggest you start volunteering to help out at a foodbank, christian charity or maybe evn Citizens Advice Bureau, just a thought
I have watched Benefits Street and the debate that followed. You have noticed of course there was always money for alcohol and cigarettes and rolling tobacco and perhap the odd drug here and there. What this programme has achieved is to bring the benefit system out in the open more, and yes people that work for their wage have a right to ask these questions as to why am i working to get less than someone on benefits.
Of course during the debate show the moderator never asked White Dee how and why she became unemployed, but we all know why don't we. As stated many times the benefit system needs to be there to protect the most vunerable in our society, not as a life style.
I agree with what Paul has to say. He brings up points that causes some dissent with other poster's. I myself being in my late 60s I left school as many thousands of kids did that started work at 16 years of age, and it's true that work was at that time plentiful. I for one did quit many jobs and on one occasion quit in the morning and got another job in the afternoon. All through my working years here in the UK I paid my taxes and my NI contributions, true I get a pension but as i emigrated to the US in 1982 I only get 2/3rds of a pension here in the UK. People in thier 60s and 70s had paid there share through thier working life's and are TRULY ENTITLED to thier pension. And how dare someone during the debate even mention the pension benefits that are given to senior citizens.
In conclusion how the welfare state works in the USA. Unemployment benefits are paid up to 92 weeks then it stops. If you are still out of work you can apply for welfare. That is given out in food stamps and thats all you can use them for FOOD no alcohol, no tobacco, no soda drinks only FOOD. In the US they don't use food stamps anymore you are given a debit card and the benefit is paid into that. When going through a supermarket checkout any items that do not fall into the FOOD catergory is not taken.
The benefit system in the country is broken and so therefore is open to abuse and will continue the way it is until there is a revolt. The benefit street and the debate that followed is only the start.
Ps Sorry about the long post, but thanks for reading.
https://www.dawlish.com/thread/details/33550 as you see we go around in circles leatash, lol and benifit street and the debate was propaganda, the programme was filmed over 2years and compiled into how many weeks, I never watched it I dont need brainwashing , I posess a brain to form my own opinions on what is a relatively small % of people who abuse the system
What constitutes a benefit? You pay National INSURANCE which covers you for sickness,unemployment,state pension,NHS treatment. What benefits do some part of our society receive ie MPs Travel Allowance/2nd home allowance, Meal Allowance (daily that would have to feed some of our poorest for 2weeks) excuse me for being pedantic but I have to fund all that from my wages, so yes as a Tax Payer I object to this group of people receiving benefits. Bankers Bonuses given to Tax Payer owned Banks and financial institutions again I strongly object to this. Wealthy land owners and businesses operating tax avoidance schemes yes this gets me annoyed as well, so before I start villifying a small minority of people in this Country , lets start on all the above 
@roberta, yep good point. also don't need so many members of parliament. however the government is right to reduce the benefit culture that is so wrong.
@Paul What are you on about go back to BENIFITS THE FACT then tell us what benifit gets up your nose is it my State Pension, my War disability pension, because what you dont grasp is that Jobseekers is a very small part of the benifits bill and my generation over 65s take the largest part of the money available but thats the name of the game Paul.
Paul 66% of folk claiming benifits are working and are classed as being in poverty, so why is that its because of low wages paid by rich employers who expect the state to make up the difference.
Paul the benefit dependancy culture was not created by the Labour party. It was created by all parties but enhanced by the Thatcher government during the 80's. Working classes found their industries being sold or closed from under their feet and, in certain areas of the country there was no alternative employment. The situation we are in now is a legacy from the past but the present government seem intent on persuading the ill informed that those on benefits are all cheats and scroungers and the benefit bill needs to be cut to get people back to work. What has been highlighted on here and in many other places is that the percentage of people claiming out of work benefits is very small. As leatash states 66% of those claiming benefits are working in low paid jobs. This is not the point the government is putting across. Instead they prefer to demonise all benefit claimants as idle, lazy scroungers.
please remember successive governments tell you what they want you to hear, murky manipulation of figures only benefits the political parties. in real life, the man on the street in most cases, is doing all he can to make a living and get by, he's not a scrounger, he's not lazy and he's not idle. i empoy 22 people, 17 of those get tax credits, i wish i could pay them more so that was not necessary. but to do that i would need to cut a quarter of my worforce and that would mean 5/6 people on out of work benefits. @leatash i'm certainly not one of those rich employers who expect the state to make up the difference and most of the local employers i know are the same! i live in a rented house, drive an old banger and earn less than my employees just to keep my business running. there is no easy answer but to demonise all those on benefits is a dirty manipulation of the facts. so to all those easily persuaded by the drivel spouted by our politicians i say again, remove your rose coloured blinkers and look at things in an informed and intelligent way, but most of all have some compassion.