Why not replace benefits with vouchers?

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I also think that student finance should not be used to fund students going drinking and smoking. They are supposed to be at university to learn and not to have a lash up and then miss lectures because they are hungover.

If they want to say "well it's my money as I have to pay it back" then make it like a commercial loan - commerical rates of interest, no 'income threshold' below which you don't pay anything so lots of students end up not paying the full amount back and the taxpayer ends up on the hook for it.

If we are going to expose the taxpayer to risk then pay student finance in form of vouchers that can be used for academic material, food, transport and accommodation. If they want to go drinking then they should get a part time job and pay for it out of that.

Reply 81

pepsi_lover

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

I understand what you are saying and at one point I thought the same myself. Although most people who are on benifits appear to be wasting their money there are other factors you need to consider. One factorI think is important, is that we are an uneven society, so in taking away the publics right to have their own money and replacing it with vouchwers would make the person feel even more excluded from society than they maybe did before. Yes t may stop unhealthy behaviours such as smoking and drug taking etc, but addicts will always find away to escape the poverty they are in. Hence the use of these substances to escape poverty. In my opinnion vouchers should be used but not to replace benefits completely. Instead, when attending the job centre they should be made to take a drug test, then if they have taken drugs they should be given the vouchers to encourage them not to take drugs.