Is it actually possible to live on benefits indefinitely?

We hear a lot of talk about people on benefits who choose this as a lifestyle choice out of laziness (this doesn't represent the majority however) but is it actually possible to live on benefits indefinitely? Aren't there sanctions or can they simply remove you from benefits if you stay on it for a certain period of time with no real attempt to find work? Or are there certain individuals who are very good at deceiving the JSA guys that they just can't find work so they can carry on on benefits?

Reply 1

Reindeer o't Roc

8

You tryna get ideas breh

Reply 2

Origami Bullets

19

There are always some benefits that you can draw on, assuming that you comply with the regulations (such as proving that you are looking for work for JSA).

Can you live on benefits indefinitely? No, but you can just about survive.

Reply 3

Bhumbauze

15

Depends what you mean by on benefits - based on what you've said, I'm assuming you mean out-of-work benefits for the unemployed. And the answer would be yes. Although there are job search requirements, it's not even just that some people can dodge them... to be blunt... some people are just unemployable, and could apply for every job going for 10 years and not get one. Is anyone realistically going to employ an illiterate, drunken, smelly person who has no idea how to conduct themself in an interview? In fact with ZERO school qualifications and the inability to write a CV, are they even going to get an interview more than once in a blue moon?

... anyway, other benefits (in work benefits such as tax credits, disability benefits) of course many people have to claim indefinitely. There are jot enough living-wage-paying jobs to go around, so it can't be any other way. Minimum wage needs top up benefits because it's simply not enough to live on.

Reply 4

CreedofMaurus

6

Yes I think there are many benefit seekers who stay on benefits with no real attempt to find a job, I AM NOT judging everyone. I know some people are desperate out there for a job and to get off benefits.

My example is I moved to Blackpool 2 years ago I met women who were going to have a child just to stay on income support rather than job seekers this lady already has 6 children with 3 men.

I saw a culture where they stood and criticised anything but themselves from immigrants to their neighbours it was horrendous, they believe it is their right to benefits till they die I met a lady who has never worked and followed her parents into benefits.

Saying this I will say I met a man ashamed of being on benefits, desperately applying for jobs and getting nowhere, so it is a 2 way discussion.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 5

username129099

15

Yeah it easily possible. A family "friend" of ours hasn't worked since, never in my living memory, she's claiming goodness knows what disability living allowance being the one I know, she's absolutely fine bar being obese. She's hardly living in luxury but more than surviving. Newer build council house, Sky tv, massive flat screen, clearly more than enough food.

Plenty I went to school with used to brag about their parents being on benefits but also being self employed. People claiming but also working as labourers, builders and such on a cash in hand basis.

Reply 6

username129099

15

Original post by Bhumbauze

Is anyone realistically going to employ an illiterate, drunken, smelly person who has no idea how to conduct themself in an interview? In fact with ZERO school qualifications and the inability to write a CV, are they even going to get an interview more than once in a blue moon?

I doubt they are going to hear back from Goldman however if some one from Eastern Europe who cannot speak a word of English let alone write can get themselves a job its possible. Where I live there are loads of jobs that take on people like that, but they involve waiting in a car park some some minibus which takes them out for a 10 hour stint putting vegetables in tins and other mind numbing work, in many cases I would imagine for less than minimum wage. How many people would take those jobs though?

Reply 7

thegreenchildren

9

Depends on your circumstances. When my mum and step dad broke up, my step dad was on benefits but this was not enough to afford anything so he was homeless for a while and lost a huge amount of weight because he could only afford a tiny amount of food. Oh and this was all because he lost his job.

However my mum, being single with 3 kid and jobless, receives a lot of money. It's enough to cover rent, bills, food and all other necessities plus some luxuries. Again, we are on benefits because my mum lost her job. And we probably could live on benefits indefinitely.

Reply 8

cambio wechsel

20

You definitely cannot live indefinitely on a pension. I know that much. My nan and gramps both managed only about 20 years of it.

Reply 9

Bhumbauze

15

Original post by doggyfizzel

I doubt they are going to hear back from Goldman however if some one from Eastern Europe who cannot speak a word of English let alone write can get themselves a job its possible. Where I live there are loads of jobs that take on people like that, but they involve waiting in a car park some some minibus which takes them out for a 10 hour stint putting vegetables in tins and other mind numbing work, in many cases I would imagine for less than minimum wage. How many people would take those jobs though?

I'm not talking about people who happen to not read and write but are capable manual labourers... I'm talking about people so down and out that they're not reasonably fit for any employer to consider employing but have been deemed "fit for work" in general. For example, is anyone going to employ someone who is clearly a heroin addict or alcoholic? Even if they're sober at the time of interview? I'd question the employer's sanity if they did, given the number of far more able workers that will no doubt be applying for the same position...

Reply 10

username129099

15

Original post by Bhumbauze

I'm not talking about people who happen to not read and write but are capable manual labourers... I'm talking about people so down and out that they're not reasonably fit for any employer to consider employing but have been deemed "fit for work" in general. For example, is anyone going to employ someone who is clearly a heroin addict or alcoholic? Even if they're sober at the time of interview? I'd question the employer's sanity if they did, given the number of far more able workers that will no doubt be applying for the same position...

I doubt you would be cleared fit for work if you were a heroin addict or alcoholic to the point it came across in an interview or clearly impaired your day to day functioning. There are plenty of people who work normal jobs with alcohol problems, plenty of well document people have while working at the top level.

Reply 11

Bhumbauze

15

Original post by doggyfizzel

I doubt you would be cleared fit for work if you were a heroin addict or alcoholic to the point it came across in an interview or clearly impaired your day to day functioning. There are plenty of people who work normal jobs with alcohol problems, plenty of well document people have while working at the top level.

ATOS clears many such people for work, every day. There are indeed many economically active "functional" alcoholics, hell... I'd go as far as to say that many more people in this country have an alcohol dependance of some variety than would care to admit it (even to themselves) but no... I'm talking full on "can't get to noon without getting drunk" alcoholics. ATOS clears them as physically fit to work and, therefore, they are required to seek work and provide written / online proof. God knows how. I expect an upsurge of addicts sleeping in shop doorways or throwing themselves off motorway bridges, to be honest.

Reply 12

DarkWhite

17

'Benefits' is rather broad - that could be anyone from a student just out of secondary school to a disabled ex-mechanic struggling to find work.

It's of course possible to survive on benefits, but the majority of benefits claimants are either in work or seeking work, and don't wish to be claiming. They don't have luxury lifestyles. There are a small minority who claim large amounts in benefits, but they're not exactly case studies.

Reply 13

Mark85

16

Of course.

Strictly speaking, depending on where you live, it might be hard to be on job seekers indefinitely but a lot of people who will tell you they are on the dole or are long term unemployed etc. are actually on some form of disability for alcoholism or a bad back or something.

Now, before anyone gets upset about this - I am fully aware that there are a lot of genuine cases of chronic alcoholism and back problems and a lot of people legitimately receiving DLA for these conditions.

However, I mention it only because I have lived in areas where a lot of people have been on benefits pretty much their whole lives and this is generally the mechanism for it. Even in the flats I live in now, two of my neighbours are on long term sick for drug/alcohol dependency and at least with one of them - I am pretty sure that are really fit for work and don't actually have problems.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 14

sunny2012

2

People who are having a great lifestyle on benefits are obviously earning money on the side. On benefits I couldn't always afford food,had no life ,was homeless with a small child because I couldn't afford the rent and walk around in a pair of flip flops in November.Everyone I know on benefits also have a boyfriends who work and they don't tell or they work on the side.Genuine cases of people on benefits you probably won't ever see them to talk about their lifestyle as they are too bloody stressed with no money.Now that I am a student with a child I am extremely lucky that I can afford to eat EVERY day and I can even start looking for a home with my child.If you do see someone on benefits having a good time just think to yourselves..would you actually want to live that life? It's crap and I never want to back there again not for all the flat screen T.Vs in the world!! And the only lazy,drug taking ,good for nothing alcoholics I've seen this year are the ones sitting next to me at Uni,they are a disgrace!! :smile:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 15

natninja

21

Original post by Mario Balotelli

We hear a lot of talk about people on benefits who choose this as a lifestyle choice out of laziness (this doesn't represent the majority however) but is it actually possible to live on benefits indefinitely? Aren't there sanctions or can they simply remove you from benefits if you stay on it for a certain period of time with no real attempt to find work? Or are there certain individuals who are very good at deceiving the JSA guys that they just can't find work so they can carry on on benefits?

Well there are loopholes people exploit... And the cap for benefits has now been reduced to £500/wk which is twice nmw gross of tax so I don't see why people are complaining about the reduction

Reply 16

username306617

14

If you have a few kids and are on DLA you are entitled to quite a lot of money actually

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzy_Bardsley

Lizzy Bardsley was a woman who appeared on WifeSwap and admitted her and her husband raked in over £37K a year.
IIRC he husband was getting disability because he had asthma. They had 8 children.

Reply 17

Tiger Rag

22

Original post by Popppppy

If you have a few kids and are on DLA you are entitled to quite a lot of money actually

Not always. And by the time you've paid everything, you're not left with much. I had someone tell me last week that I receive a lot of money in benefits. I don't really. I am disabled and am unable to work due to that.

Reply 18

KeepYourChinUp

17

I live on benefits, I have done so for 6 years, I'm 24 years old and I manage just fine. It isn't out of laziness though but I'm autistic and it's impossible for me to deal with people, I find everyone intolerable. Online it's different but in person I become anxious, frustrated, hot and sweaty and extremely uncomfortable. Although I only get job seekers and housing benefit. I don't get any disability benefit or anything.

I don't smoke, don't do drugs, never leave the house unless it's to Tesco for food and that is my life. I sit in doors all day on my PC and study / play games. Obviously I can't afford any of lifes luxuries but then again all I care for is maths and physics sooooo....

It's perfectly doable if you don't live a money dependant life.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 19

Dave woody

Survive is a strong word, i am on jsa after an accident putting me in hospital with 17 fractures for a month, luckily for me I am frugal, no tv no heating no fridge, living on cold food washing in cold water lucky for me it is summer. If is was to live a so called normal life the bills would be more than the jsa, David

Is it actually possible to live on benefits indefinitely?

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