UK Benefit System

[redmist]

It's a common theme at work, slating the benefits system and the amount of abuse it supposedly gets by those pesky immigrants, who then send all their benefit money back to their families in their native countries, etc, etc. I'm sure most of you have heard this before.

I don't really have any facts and figures to support my belief that this is a load of shit, so there isn't a great deal I can say. Anyone got some good numbers to refute this or a cheeky angle to counter their arguments? I'm only looking for numbers for the UK here. Anything specific to London would be top draw.

[Subcomandante Marcos.]

People on benefits, anywhere in europe, do not get much to eat, pay for gas, electric etc with.

They must be sending IOU's Back home.

that ones for twenty five thou, might wanna hold on to that.

[rednordman]

People on benefits, anywhere in europe, do not get much to eat, pay for gas, electric etc with.

This is so true, and nobodys listens when you tell them it. I have been on the dole in the past and can quite confidently state that despite whether or not people think its a lot of money, it amounts to bugger all. Especially when you consider the cost of transport these days. The only difference with immigrants is that they tend to be more resourcefull with what ever money they get (in otherwords buying and living on the breadline) so it may seem that they have more than they actually do.

That wasnt a dig at British people on benefits, just its ironic that immigrants get blamed for absolutley everything, yet the true people who genuinely take the piss, are from the UKs very shores. But oh no, you never really hear the Daily Mail moan about them do you? I mean there are some british people i know of, who quite literally havent worked 5years in their whole lives (and their in there 50s with zero disablilites). It doesnt matter what political persuasion you are of, people like that are not to be defended.

[pdcrofts]

Whenever people in the UK talk about those who don't work but scrounge money off the state I always ask if they are talking about the Royal family.

[Subcomandante Marcos.]

Most people who claim benefits are White, in alot of immigrant communities, it is because of an entrepenural spirit that they make the best with what they have got.

Alot of immigrants might be on the dole when they get here, but once a small community of immigrants is established, it often employs and takes care of itself, through markets, takeaways, cab firms, window cleaning services etc.

Anyway, the dole is fuck all, its like reperations for slavery, what we need is a political system that has work for everyone, doesen't exploit us, and works for us.

[ed miliband]

Ask people who claim that living on benefits is easy why they don't sign on.

[Boboulas]

Whenever people in the UK talk about those who don't work but scrounge money off the state I always ask if they are talking about the Royal family.

Gonna have to use this some time :D

[Bulwark]

Obviously all bourgeois parties are racist to some degree because promoting racial tension is a method of trying to maximise the profitability of business at home (waging wars to control resources while at the same time reducing wages and conditions) and dividing the working class on racial lines (which they have done very successfully in the UK).

The gutter press whose blatant propaganda is taken as gospel truth by a large portion of the working class also inflames and complicates the situation.

Frankly there is only one solution to dealing with class traitors but I would not want to be responsible for making you unemployed. :)

This is also my first post! Glad to be part of this community.

[RebelDog]

I would describe some people on welfare as simply scroungers. They contribute nothing, are lazy, selfish and receive huge welfare payments whilst ordinary people like myself pay for it. I've seen some of these people on welfare driving around in the most expensive cars and eating in the best restaurants. Stand outside the stock-exchange and you'll see them yourself.

[MarxSchmarx]

I would describe some people on welfare as simply scroungers. They contribute nothing, are lazy, selfish and receive huge welfare payments whilst ordinary people like myself pay for it. I've seen some of these people on welfare driving around in the most expensive cars and eating in the best restaurants. Stand outside the stock-exchange and you'll see them yourself.

You realize how hard it can be to convey sarcasm on da interwebz?

more generally, my relatives int eh UK complain incessantly about mothers on welfare and how they are lazy and a drag on the system, but they are usually not complaining about immigrants but mostly rural people living in what they call "park homes".

[Quail]

Anyone who makes claims like that has clearly never had to rely on benefits.

[durhamleft]

It's a common theme at work, slating the benefits system and the amount of abuse it supposedly gets by those pesky immigrants, who then send all their benefit money back to their families in their native countries, etc, etc. I'm sure most of you have heard this before.

I don't really have any facts and figures to support my belief that this is a load of shit, so there isn't a great deal I can say. Anyone got some good numbers to refute this or a cheeky angle to counter their arguments? I'm only looking for numbers for the UK here. Anything specific to London would be top draw.

The idea that someone can enjoy a good quality life on £60 a week is absolute lunacy.

[Aldous Snow]

Its enough for fags and booze according to my neighbor, but not much else :(

[Bitter Ashes]

How I learned to stop worrying and love the benefits cheats (http://rebelcleaners.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love.html)

[Desperado]

the amount of abuse it supposedly gets by those pesky immigrants


This is the biggest lie of the lot. Poles contribute more to the state than they take away, the people taking more are poverty trapped British nationals.

[maoistboy]

they live like kings compared to our chinese comrades, but live like serfs to the bourgeosie, its all relative

[RebelDog]

The Tories/Liberals are coming down hard on benefits, especially those on invilidity benefit. This seems to gain some support among the working class largely due to media attention on this issue and the myth they portray that most people on invilidity are cheating it, don't deserve it and should get a job. As Chomsky points out the huge state handouts for private companies or the massive tax evasion by the rich is not ever refered to as 'welfare' or 'benefits'. I'd like to see working class attention turned on who and what are really screwing the system: the city bankers, the capitalists, the monarchy, the Lord Ashcrofts, the PFI contracts, the quangos, the politicians, the top civil servants etc, etc. Even their own planners have stated millions more jobs will be lost in the UK in the next 5 years. Where are all these people who are to come off benefits to find work? The Con/Lib government are socially planning, increased homelessness, poverty and crime.