The Student Room Group

Why not replace benefits with vouchers?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 60
Original post by SotonianOne
H... ha .... have you never heard of online vouchers?

You know ... like typing a code in or crediting a gift card account?


So would the voucher scheme be online only?
Original post by Quady
So would the voucher scheme be online only?


No, because people go to supermarkets as well.

Vouchers should be on the same basis as lottery scratchcards - you can either pay them in or you can scratch "a field" to get the code to use it online, and if you do then it's easy to notice so you can't use the voucher in shops anymore.
As a leftie I am instinctively opposed to this - vouchers seem condescending, needlessly punitive and, as some previous posters have mentioned, they have problems in terms of practicality. Yet whilst the freedom of those on benefits and their ability to purchase things like cigarettes doesn't concern me overly, the fact that some parents/guardians may spend too much money on this kind of thing and less on their children does - especially if the benefits in question are child benefits. One solution I can think of is all parents on benefits having to keep receipts to prove that they are spending enough money on food and necessities for their children - this could be a regular check-up for everyone or, more likely, be demanded randomly.
So, if we're given vouchers, what happens to people like me who pretty much have no choice but to shop in the local corner shop for food? Not everywhere will accept these vouchers.
Original post by OU Student
So, if we're given vouchers, what happens to people like me who pretty much have no choice but to shop in the local corner shop for food? Not everywhere will accept these vouchers.


Basically you will be screwed. People won't reply to this because they genuinely don't care. That is the future for vulnerable people now.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by OU Student
So, if we're given vouchers, what happens to people like me who pretty much have no choice but to shop in the local corner shop for food? Not everywhere will accept these vouchers.


Original post by illegaltobepoor
Basically you will be screwed. People won't reply to this because they genuinely don't care. That is the future for vulnerable people now.


Don't care or they absolutely love the idea of the vulnerable suffering even more. You only need to spend some time on these forums to see what I mean.

"But always do not forget this, Winston always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face for ever.’"
If you replaced benefits with vouchers, how would people from other countries be able to send the money home? If we sold the vouchers they would probably only get 50%.

That's the reason why we came here in the first place, it defeats the object of us coming here.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by rothchilds
If you replaced benefits with vouchers, how would people from other countries be able to send the money home? If we sold the vouchers they would probably only get 50%.

That's the reason why we came here in the first place, it defeats the object of us coming here.


Posted from TSR Mobile


They shouldn't be able to send money home. If they can, they clearly don't need benefits.
Original post by OU Student
They shouldn't be able to send money home. If they can, they clearly don't need benefits.


But I need to send the money home because my family is very poor and there is only very small paying work in my country.

I can't say where my country is because it could be a problem.

We have brought 12 people to England for the benefits and even made deal with the landlord to pay us commission. With all of that work we deserve to be paid.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 69
I don't see how a person's spending habits matter. They'll be receiving the same amount of money, either way.
Why are people on JSA/other benefits not allowed to buy alcohol or cigarettes? Should we also ban them from buying junk food and from spending money on any kind of social activity?

Just because someone is on benefits doesn't mean their life should be miserable.
How about instead of vouchers they get a 'benefit card' which is like a regular debit card so can be used in cash machines/banks to withdraw money and all spending is monitored? I dunno I dont really like the idea of controlling what a person can or can't buy.

That being said, I work in a supermarket and see mothers with healthy start vouchers funded by the department of health. They're meant for fresh milk, fruit and vegetables for the mother and her child under 4yrs. Sometimrs you do get the odf mother trying to spend it on crisps and sugary drinks :/
Original post by candlejsra
How about instead of vouchers they get a 'benefit card' which is like a regular debit card so can be used in cash machines/banks to withdraw money and all spending is monitored? I dunno I dont really like the idea of controlling what a person can or can't buy.

That being said, I work in a supermarket and see mothers with healthy start vouchers funded by the department of health. They're meant for fresh milk, fruit and vegetables for the mother and her child under 4yrs. Sometimrs you do get the odf mother trying to spend it on crisps and sugary drinks :/


You're missing the point. What if someone lives in Somalia but they are in England as asylum seeker like me. You would be blocking them from sending their own money home?

And what if I want to go visit my family who are not here yet by airplane, how I can go?

What is the point of spending huge money giving Canary Wharf apartment to us if you are like this with much smaller money than apartment cost?

England good country like Sweden, you try and make it bad.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Rajy9
How long can you be on jobseekers? I've seen the same guy for last 5 years smoking 9am every Monday outside job centre


Maybe he works at the job centre?
Reply 74
Original post by candlejsra
Maybe he works at the job centre?

Nah he's come for nhs eyetest under jsa
Weirdly enough I kind of agree with the idea of vouchers instead of cash for benefits even though the whole argument about benefits generally aggravates me.

Few obvious problems though - the vouchers would most likely be for the large supermarkets because they're more widespread which would increase their monopoly power/be problematic for smaller businesses then there's also the issue of needing money for things like travel and debts that might have accumulated, stuff like school and/or work uniforms and rent as well as food so the vouchers would have to cover several areas and would have to be calculated on averages that might not be representative of actual households and then if we're going to go really into the economics of it, it would restrict the diversity of the free market economy and give the government (/political parties) more power if they're able to direct more consumers to certain areas etc
Original post by Rajy9
Nah he's come for nhs eyetest under jsa


Are you stalking this guy? Do you fancy him?
Original post by 2710
Hi,

So i always hear people slating the working class on benefits for spending their money on cigs, alcohol, electronics and general wants rather than needs, which i understand. I wouldnt want my hard earned cash to pay for those items.

So why do we not just restrict what the benefits can pay for? Ie instead of 100 per week cash (generic benefit), it is a voucher worth 100 quid that can be spent on food and necessities only.

My politics is not great, but just wanted some views.

Posted from TSR Mobile


who would accept the vouchers ?

tesco ?

so we would pay tesco to take vouchers from unemployed (unemployable) people ?

so give your tax money to tesco ?
Reply 78
Original post by candlejsra
Are you stalking this guy? Do you fancy him?

Yes clearly I stalk him, it's not hard to recognise him
Biggest scroungers in existence are members of the Conservative party. They dish out contracts to their friends to Government ends up paying private Corporations for needed public services. This is called Crony-Capitalism and it damages the free market.

From my knowledge Tories have been doing this all the way from WW2 when they realized it was great to put lots of Government money in their preferred industry.

Get a corporation so fat on Tax Payers money with little to no work and then don't renew on the next contract date.

Quick Reply

Latest