Benefit scroungers

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co...-16bn-benefits-cheats

While those who have worked all their lives and paid their taxes, will have to lose their homes to pay for their elderly care, others who have cheated the benefit system for years, will have their care payed for by the taxpayer.

How much longer should this situation continue?

Or is this "Hot Potato" too hot to handle by all political parties, because if they upset the
status qua of these scroungers, it will cost them their votes?

[sara3]

I believe there are benefit fraud investigators toiling away, but it's already been established that some people would rather not "grass" where they think fraud may have been committed.

what do you think is the answer?

[anotheoldgit]

I think that the Government should announce a period of amnesty prior to a period of re-examination of claims.

[Gromit]

First of all, not all pensioners who will get their care paid for by the state are benefit scroungers. Many have paid taxes all their lives, but been in low paid jobs and lived in Council housing. Anyone with over £16,000 savings or assets in their old age, will fail to qualify for many benefits. Do you not think benefits should be means tested, and anyone who does not need them, should not get them?

Also, when you started to pay your taxes 50 years ago, did you really expect the state to care for you in your old age? Back then, families looked after their parents and grandparents in their old age. Now, people have busy lives and care of old people has been abdicated to the state. There were homes for the elderly, but only for those who could afford them. Now, everyone expects it, and expects the state to provide it.

There have always been the workshy. Do you advocated just letting them die when they get old and cannot care for themselves, because they haven't paid their taxes?

[Sandy-Wroe]

Are elderly home owners to keep a valuable asset, maybe worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, and expect the tax payer to pay for their accommodation in care?

[123everton]

I tend to think the system of contributing towards your retirement needs is about fair.
I can see the wisdom on removing benefit cheats from furure claims, like in some cases of insurance fraud.

[sp1814]

Point of clarification - taxes do not pay for pensions. National Insurance contributions do.

NI contributions start at a certain level of salary (off the top of my head, I don't know the figure).

Furthermore, NI contributions you make today, don't actually pay for your pension in future. They pay for pensioners today. The only way to ensure you enjoy your retirement is not to rely on the State, but to pay into a private scheme (which hopefully won't be plundered, as we have seen in the past - Mr Maxwell).