Food Stamps instead of cash

[mungbeanz]

What do you think about giving people on the dole food vouchers and a small amount of cash instead of all cash?
Do you think this could be a viable alternative and encourage out of work people to find a job if they want to spend money on luxuries?

I think that it would encourage people on JSA to spend less money on cigarettes and playstations. Many countries don't have any welfare, so why should our generous system pay for big tellies and Embassy No.1? It seems that people in Britain expect to own anything they want even if they can't afford it.

This isn't a rant. I would like to know if this system could work. I know that many peopel on the dole do struggle, but there also seems to be a few who know how to abuse the system. This system could help stop this maybe?

[ummmm]

Why are you placing everyone in the same bracket? Hard working people lose their jobs. Not everyone claiming JSA are lazy dossers who do nothing but smoke, drink and watch Jeremy Kyle...

Saying that, food stamps might be an idea for career benefit claimants. It's not hard to look at someones work history to know what category people fall into.

[mungbeanz]

hello ummm. Surely it should be the states responsibilty to make sure everyone has a roof over their head and three meals a day. Nothing more? Watching TV and smoking tabs are luxuries, so they shouldn't be provided by the government.

[factor-fiction]

I get £67 pw JSA. It doesn't even cover the direct debits for gas, electricity, water rates and council tax, so i have nothing left for playstations and cigarettes.
I wouldn't mind food vouchers though- provided I could use them at any supermarket and on market stalls

[NOX]

Nooooo terrible idea I think. there will be an automatic stigma attached to them whatever the reason for someone's unemployment, this will lead to demoralisation of the individual and the castigation of their family which is hardly fair. I can imagine kids lives being made utter hell when their classmates see their mum paying with food stamps in the supermarket. Anything which makes the poor stand out and more ashamed by their position is a total no go by me- you can't know the reaosn why somone is unempllyed so it's just not fair.

[ummmm]

Like I said...not every unemployed person smokes. Or watches TV for that matter...

You really think you can pay your bills and have 3 square meals a day on JSA?

[flip_flop]

People who want to work but are struggling to find work and people made redundant and the like warrant and deserve our help.

People who have no intention of working/have never worked and are content to suckle from our teats, should be made to realise their behaviour is not acceptable, and therefore giving them food stamps could be society's way of showing its disapproval and I think it is a marvellous idea.

If we give them a subsistence level of life - food stamps only being available for food and not white lighting and fags - it may encourage them to get of their lazy backsides and contribute to the society which they are so happy and eager to take from.

[dzug2]

Well in countries where food stamps exist they are open to widespread abuse, both by the recipients and often the rip off shops that are the only places that accept them.

So you are exchanging one set of problems (or perceived problems anyway) for another. Plus an extra set of civil servants/contracted companies to administer the scheme.

So let's say I have doubts

[sandyRoe]

You often see stories in the press about people with big families who seem to be getting a fortune in benefits. What you don't see so often are stories of the people living in grinding poverty because of low levels of benefits.
Food stamps would only make the poor even poorer.

[daffy654]

It isn't the people on the dole who can afford all these so called luxuries, its more likely to be people with children claiming income support/JSA whilst having some other form of income.
I knew a woman who had an extensive extra income whilst claiming for her and her 4 kids, she used to download films and albums (illegally) and then sell them to people for £3.00 each. I grassed her up a couple of times but nothing was ever done.

[EDDIE51]

Would cost a huge amount to set up and monitor all to little effect. The stamp recipients would just buy food and exchange it for Fags. How would you make certain the big retailers like Tesco who sell food, clothes, tobacco, and electrical products did not accept the vouchers for items other than food?
There is a form of food stamps 'Healthy Start' vouchers, these are given to parents on low income. They are only supposed to be used for milk, fruit and vegetables but it is an open secret that as long as the shop you use does actually sell those items you can use them for anything. I know both Tesco and Morrison's accept them apart from at the tobacco kiosk.
You could use them to buy a TV at Tesco for instance.

[NOX]

As Dzug says though, like the old milk tokens ( do they still do those?)- theyre open to abuse- all the shops used to cash them for anything- fags, cider, you name it- the idea is a total non starter.

[mungbeanz]

OK so the majority think it's a bad idea. I saw an article on The Sun website about a woman who was using her dole money to buy games consoles and designer clothes for her children's christmas presents and it got me thinking. It seems that some of the long term unemployed have no problem with their status and can live comfortable lives. They need some encouragement to try and find work.

[ummmm]

There is no way someone can afford designer clothes and games consoles on the dole.

[daffy654]

I think you are confusing dole money (JSA) and other benefits mungbeanz. As previously stated, JSA is only £67.00 a week and there is no way you could buy designer clother and games consoles with that. I seriously doubt you could do it with other benefits without fiddling the system somehow. If you go to the benefits website and look up rates of benefit you may be surprised to see how little it actually amounts to.

[mungbeanz]

So why are the media portraying JSA and such as a great free ride?

I'll try and find teh link.

[mungbeanz]

http://www.dailymail....s-money-presents.html

[jamesnan]

Couple of points - my husband was allowed to claim JSA for a little while after he was made redundant at sixty three and a half. He did not get the full amount. This helped tide us over, with savings, till he was able to claim his pension.
Second, when I was in Florida recently, I noticed that there were various shops where food stamps could be exchanged for food, and I commented to a friend I was with, that this was a brilliant idea and that claimants here, on various benefits, would be better off having food stamps. This would mean that the money would be used for the purpose it was being given

[jackthehat]

Eloise will be on a different sort of benefit.
It seems that she saves throughout the year to be able to buy her children their expensive Christmas presents.

[daffy654]

Did you read the bit about her taking out a loan to pay for all that? The loans available to unemployed people will be through companies like Shopacheck who have extortionate rates of interest.

[alid5]

I would say good idea for those that have sponged off our system for years without a second thought to the really needy, I would have them all working for their money not just a hand out, picking up litter, cleaning signs etc. I seriously broke my wrist couple of years ago a week after changing jobs and had to have pins and plates to hold it together, had to have over a year of physio to get it working again, so my new job I wasnt able to do. I had to go onto ESA but in the mean time,I had to go to 'back to work' interviews even though I could hardly do anything with it, I actually turned round to lady doing interview and said if you can find me a job where someone would employ me in this state, Id be amazed, she said she couldnt but I still had to turn up to interviews anyway to show that I was fit to work which I wasnt. What a waste of Government money, seems to depend on what benefit you get whether you have to look for work or not. My wrist still gives me alot of pain but I am now self employed and doing ok.