[ForKicks]

(Original post by OU Student)
He lives on another planet. He whinges about people claiming DLA. He claimed DLA for his son. He claims the forms are easy to fill in. I've spent the last 5 and a half weeks filling in my DLA. It is so demoralising having to write "I need someone to relay for me because no-one understands my speech". (which is slowly getting worse)

His son (who is now dead) was severely disabled and was entitled to it.

[ForKicks]

(Original post by madders94)
And as for a ration book, great. More stigma. Yay maybe people who suggest these ridiculous schemes should try having no choice but to rely on benefits for a while, and they'd see the stigma you get even without any stupid "I'm On Benefits! Card" or a ration book scheme. I'm pretty sure they'd change their mind.

Social stigma is kind of necessary to act as a deterrent and incentive.

[madders94]

(Original post by ForKicks)
Social stigma is kind of necessary to act as a deterrent and incentive.

Why should the same stigma be applied to all claimants including my family where my dad is disabled and my mom (who is also ill) is is full-time carer? What possible good will adding yet more stigma do for us?

[WelshBluebird]

(Original post by Annie72)
I am aware of that, but there are those that are.They are the ones that need to be stopped imo.

But the problem is, nearly all the ideas to stop the ones who do abuse the system also seem to punish the genuine cases. Which IMO is not acceptable.

[ForKicks]

(Original post by madders94)
Why should the same stigma be applied to all claimants including my family where my dad is disabled and my mom (who is also ill) is is full-time carer? What possible good will adding yet more stigma do for us?

Surely there is no stigma on disability claims. Hardly the same as purposefully living a benefits life is it? Just have disability allowances cash, job seekers and other benefits as vouchers.

[Annie72]

(Original post by WelshBluebird)
But the problem is, nearly all the ideas to stop the ones who do abuse the system also seem to punish the genuine cases. Which IMO is not acceptable.

I agree with you there.There doesnt seem to be a way that the wasters can be weeded out unfortunately.

[ForKicks]

(Original post by WelshBluebird)
But the problem is, nearly all the ideas to stop the ones who do abuse the system also seem to punish the genuine cases. Which IMO is not acceptable.

There are ways around that. Vouchers for the long term unemployed providing they are not disabled etc

[ForKicks]

(Original post by Annie72)
I agree with you there.There doesnt seem to be a way that the wasters can be weeded out unfortunately.

Unemployed for X years and not in receipt of disability allowance?

[OU Student]

(Original post by ForKicks)
His son (who is now dead) was severely disabled and was entitled to it.

But he didn't need it. Why does someone earning £100k plus a year "need" benefits? It wasn't as if they were living on minimum wage.

[_Shmiley]

I don't see any stigma attached to people who need it. People who don't need it, yes, I think they're lazy because they don't have any reason to have them. If you actually are a carer or are disabled yourself or you are seeking a job but need it to stay in your house and eat and live, then you should have no kind of stigma attached to them, because you need them.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[OU Student]

(Original post by ForKicks)
Surely there is no stigma on disability claims

Pardon?! I used to know someone who claimed ESA because he can't work. He was reported for supposedly claiming DLA and there being nothing wrong with him.

[madders94]

(Original post by ForKicks)
Surely there is no stigma on disability claims. Hardly the same as purposefully living a benefits life is it? Just have disability allowances cash, job seekers and other benefits as vouchers.

Ok, I thought the idea was for all benefit claimants to have to use vouchers. However, there is stigma in claiming disability benefits, whenever people find out we're on benefits they suddenly turn into investigators - "what's wrong", "is it that bad?", "surely you can't do this/that/the other", "oh I know someone with that, it's not that bad" - and it's horrible

[ForKicks]

(Original post by OU Student)
But he didn't need it. Why does someone earning £100k plus a year "need" benefits? It wasn't as if they were living on minimum wage.

So? It's not means tested. The only way you could possibly be against him claiming it is bitterness.

[OU Student]

(Original post by madders94)
Ok, I thought the idea was for all benefit claimants to have to use vouchers. However, there is stigma in claiming disability benefits, whenever people find out we're on benefits they suddenly turn into investigators - "what's wrong", "is it that bad?", "surely you can't do this/that/the other", "oh I know someone with that, it's not that bad" - and it's horrible

It's even worse when it's someone who does claim benefits. He claims he knows what it's like to what I do. Spinal injuries aren't the same as a potentially fatal brain condition.

[WelshBluebird]

But there is a stigma. We are seeing it every day in the media and from the Tories. Dumping everyone on benefits in to the same category. They are doing it with the young right now (essentially saying everyone under 25 on HB is a scrounger). People who get benefits for illness or disability see it everyday too. Its the old tory mantra of divide and rule. Put parts of the country against each other and then no one will realise how bad a state the country actually is in.

[Macabre]

(Original post by WelshBluebird)
So what do you suggest then? We force kid to grow up in ridiculously overcrowded houses?

You obviously have never seen these houses. They have the appropriate numbr of rooms for the amount of children of different sexes and ages within the household as per government guidelines.

And if you cannot get a job in that time because, guess what, there are not enough jobs? (we have just had a massive recession if you haven't noticed).

I've never heard of anyone struggling to get a job for two years. I struggled with unemployment when i left the army, but eventually landed a part time job and went back into education. There are a huge number of IT courses, forklift licening etc. all free to get people into work and it does happen. If you havnt got a job in two years your not trying


And what about those who cannot move back to their parents house for whatever reason?
Or those who have a low paid job elsewhere but need HB to help pay the rent? You really think its a good idea to force people to give up their jobs?.

Low paid workers also recieve working tax credit and dont forget the government raised the minimum tax threshhold to £8K which combines to help people stay in thier homes. Its only those below 25 will be affected.

If you below 25, with no job, no family or freinds then this person should be the exception to the rule. Thier a re often clauses within legislation and this should be catered for.

What you must bare in mind is the number of people who fit the above bracket, and the number who are scamming the system. You will find the second as far larger

[WelshBluebird]

(Original post by Macabre)
What you must bare in mind is the number of people who fit the above bracket, and the number who are scamming the system. You will find the second as far larger

But you won't.
People scamming the system are in the minority.
Why should genuine cases suffer because a small number cheat the system?

As for your other points:
1 - I am not talking about houses given to single mothers. I am talking about what do you suggest if we don't give them houses.
2 - Where are you from? That has a huge amount to do with it. In many areas of the country the jobs just are not there.

[Bostico]

those who want to work will take what is offered. why should you be picky. if you want to be picky, fine, but don't claim benefits. Why should me and others like me who work should fund your pickiness....i also think that those who DO want to work, they will find work.
That is why foreigners find work...they are not picky.

[WelshBluebird]

(Original post by Bostico)
those who want to work will take what is offered. why should you be picky. if you want to be picky, fine, but don't claim benefits. Why should me and others like me who work should fund your pickiness....i also think that those who DO want to work, they will find work.
That is why foreigners find work...they are not picky.

But people HAVE to be picky when it comes to housing. For a lot of people they don't have the option of living with parents, or doing so would force them to give up low paid jobs.

In terms of finding work, that just is plain wrong. There are many many more people trying to find work than there are jobs available.

And in terms of immigrants:
1 - Some of the jobs they do are paid less than the NMW.
2 - Some of the conditions they have to live in are just plain disgusting (there was a thing on TV a while back and they had a family of 4 immigrants living in a tiny garden shed!).
3 - A lot are actually going back home, or trying to go back home, because the job market here is so bad.

[ForKicks]

(Original post by WelshBluebird)
But there is a stigma. We are seeing it every day in the media and from the Tories. Dumping everyone on benefits in to the same category. They are doing it with the young right now (essentially saying everyone under 25 on HB is a scrounger). People who get benefits for illness or disability see it everyday too. Its the old tory mantra of divide and rule. Put parts of the country against each other and then no one will realise how bad a state the country actually is in.

Why should someone under 25 be entitled to their own place? Either rent or stay with parents like they did when they were 18