Make Scroungers Work!
By MichaelJay
@MichaelJay (1100)
July 21, 2008 11:14am CST
This is the basic message coming from the UK government today that people of working age on long term benefits such as invalidity should be made to do some sort of work to pay for their benefits.
The idea is that this work should be something useful for the community which is keeping them through taxation of those who DO work.
Examples would be litter collection.
They claim they should be able to get two million 'back to work' at a tiome we are being told that we are entering a recession and that unemployment will reach 2 million next year. That's a lot of litter collectors!
Is this a real policy or is Gordon Brown just trying to steal votes from the Conservatives? What do you think of this 'policy'?
2 people like this
8 responses
@desertdarlene (8911)
• United States
21 Jul 08
I'm not in the UK, but it could be political. We've tried things like that with people on welfare here in the United States. It's good, in principle, but there have been a lot of problems with it. For one, the mothers who have to work can't afford child care. So, doing this places a huge burden on them. I think it would be great if they could have them do some kind of work from their home or limit working outside the home.
I'd bet that there are plenty of people who wouldn't mind a paid job as a litter collector.
@Galena (9110)
•
22 Jul 08
I think the thing to do is to focus on what people can do, rather than what they can't.
incapacity benefit is a huge problem area in the UK. so many people abuse it.
and lots of people who do have legitimate illnesses or disabilities could still work if they were helped to find the right sort of job for them. lots of people would be able to work from home, say on the phone or on the computer. these jobs do exist, and people who are able to do them should be helped to find them and get them, as it would benefit the economy and their own self esteem.
the trouble is, some people just can't be bothered to work, and think the government owes them a living.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
24 Jul 08
I don't work following a serious and prolonged illness when my bosses (the Government) cared so much for me that they couldn't even be bothered to write and find out how I was until I had been off for 11 weeks!) and don't claim any benefits at all. I worked every day for 33 years and paid all my taxes etc. I feel every inch a scrounger and live off my wife and what little savings that I have left. Where are these telephone and computer jobs please. I could do one of those I am sure.
1 person likes this
@Galena (9110)
•
28 Jul 08
don't work following a serious and prolonged illness when my bosses (the Government) cared so much for me that they couldn't even be bothered to write and find out how I was until I had been off for 11 weeks!) and don't claim any benefits at all. I worked every day for 33 years and paid all my taxes etc. I feel every inch a scrounger and live off my wife and what little savings that I have left. Where are these telephone and computer jobs please. I could do one of those I am sure.
+ - !
It doesn't sound like you are getting the help you are entitled to. you are clearly not a scrounger by nature, and unfortunately people who work hard don't seem to find it as easy to get what they have worked hard for and earned, whearas people that are too lazy to work seem to find it very easy to know exactly what they can get, and even what they aren't entitled to get but can get away with claiming.
my partner has recently become unable to work, and fortunately he has an excellent team of people who, over a long term, will be looking to get him back into work.
it does sound to me like you need to find out what help you can get. it's not just financial help out there, if you don't want to claim, although clearly you have paid into the system for long enough to fully deserve the help you've contributed to other people having.
a good starting point would be going to your GP and finding out who you could contact for help with getting back into work, as I'm sure from the tone of your post you would rather have help in getting back into earning money, rather than financial benefits.
I do know that people can and do work from home, phone based, or internet based.
1 person likes this
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
22 Jul 08
I heard some of that on the Radio Yesterday...The policy of getting people to actively look for jobs as a condition of getting benefit doesn't seem to be working too well..Every week there are news items of Scroungers being caught fraudulently claiming Benefit,claiming for a bad back or something,then being caught doing physical work or sports in another area..Personally,I found being on the dole a Demoralising Experience...I was losing my self respect without a job for a time when I was made redundant once..I think everyone Should have the option to contribute to society..Voluntary work suited to abilities for those on long term Benefit (not necessarily Litter collection!) would be a start to helping Someone feel useful.I don't care what side of the fence the Idea came from,as long as it cuts down on a figure nearing 2M, and weeds out Fraudsters dipping into MY Taxes!
1 person likes this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
22 Jul 08
It is a good idea. Even basic tasks like filling a container with dirt for nursery's can be done, even from a wheelchair with the right set up.
In Australia, there are many organizations around that help people with an inability to get employment, even if it is just answering a phone.
1 person likes this
@Pitgull (1522)
• United States
22 Jul 08
If these people are physically unable to work, how is there mental condition? Do they have a computer? Can they do some sort of call center, data entry type work, that could help pay for these benefits and are actually reasonable expectations of these people ?
With the internet and all the many people who work from home, isn't there something the government could do along those lines ?
1 person likes this
@Pitgull (1522)
• United States
22 Jul 08
Their... good grief...lol
I understand people feed off systems that are in place, it is a sad reality, but when these people are capable of doing things that can benefit the country, then we can see who is willing to help and who does not want to be a part of the country they live in.
We do need to figure out who in our countries, really work against us, but we need to give some people the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to prove they care and can help, in whatever way that may be...
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
21 Jul 08
I am sick of hearing it all to be honest with you, sometimes it just feels like the government are going round in circles. Ideas are thrown out yet nothing ever changes. I really do not know how he plans to work it, but it will be on the news shortly so I will listen to it properly.
1 person likes this
@paid2write (5201)
•
21 Jul 08
Yes that is a lot of litter collectors. I'm sure my local team of street cleaners are paid more than people on benefits and they do a good job at picking up all the litter. I would not like them to be replaced by people who don't want to work and have no motivation to do the job well.
I think there is some logic to the idea of looking at people's ability rather than writing them off as being unfit to work and letting them live on long term invalidity benefits. Some of them may want to work and have a genuine disability but given the chance they will be happy to do a good job. For some of the people who go to the doctor claiming they cannot work, it's going to be difficult to get them to do any actual work.
1 person likes this
