Is The Public Expecting Too Much Financially From The State In Benefits And Services?

[dave50]

Is the level of spending on everything from welfare and public services unsustainable? It seems everyone now expects the state to cough up whenever any kind of misfortune comes knocking their their door. 

[Atheist]

I heard today that tax fraud is 30 times greater than benefit fraud, and yet you don't see buses driving round with 'snitch a tax cheater' pasted on the side of the bus. Why?

[naomi24]

I would have thought that obvious.  Most people keep their tax affairs private - whereas if someone doesn't go to work it's pretty obvious to those around.

[New Judge]

Yes, (some of ) the public does expect too much financially  from the State (i.e. the taxpayer) and yes, the level of public spending on benefits is unsustainable.

[ToraToraTora]

Yes, we have too many workshy scum. So much in fact that they encourage foriegners to come here.

[Untitled]

yes people expect too much from the state pension. the triple lock is a ridiculous policy which was never anything more than a bribe to buy votes for the conservatives. a great many pensioners are very well off and claim the state pension because they feel entitled to it, and then look down their nose at others who claim benefits. the time has come to freeze the state pension at the least. 

[THECORBYLOON]

Tax fraud is not higher than benefit fraud.

https://fullfact.org/online/benefit-fraud-vs-tax-evasion/

[Deskdiary]

They "feel" entitled to it because they are entitled to it, but I think I see where you are going. Would I be wrong in thinking you feel the state pension should be means tested and the wealthy (whatever that may mean) should not receive it?

[Cloverjo]

I am very grateful for the state which propped me up when I was a single mother. I have more than paid that back in tax, as has my son. 

I think Covid and the policies around it -;with no school for children, working from home for adults, university students not able to go to lectures, 80% of salary paid (Thanks, Rishi Sunak), young people feel they're owed something for the upheaval they've had. 

[Untitled]

the UK is currently spending about £130 billion a year on state pensions which is more than 5% of GDP. these numbers will only increase as the proportion of pensioners increae and the proportion of working age adults goes down. 
 

the entire universal credit budget is £88 billion. the entire budget for PIP is £21 billion. the entire budget for education is £88 billion.
 

meanwhile millions of pensioners are extremely wealthy and are in receipt of state pension anyway. millions of pensioner households are millionares. why should the state be giving such people more money? 

[Deskdiary]

^^^because they've paid into the system, and paid much much more than most. You asked the wrong question. The correct question is why shouldn't they receive it given they've paid into it?

[Canary42]

I would be quite happy to forego my State Pension on one condition - a return of all the money I bought it with.

[Untitled]

because it costs too much to maintain and they'll be fine without it. we have too many pensioners. 

[Deskdiary]

Canary at 10.10 - I couldn't agree more with you if I tried. 
 

I find it a weird standpoint that somebody could have paid in hundreds of thousands into the system is somehow less deserving than somebody who has paid nothing into the system.

[ynnafymmi]

@22.11.We have too many unemployed,unemployable chancers more like.God sake,what do you propose,a cull of pensioners?

[Khandro]

First Mosque to be Built in the Lake District + 1 MILLION Foreigners Receiving Benefits & More 

Watch it 'n weep 

[Old_Geezer]

Difficult to know what is affordable, or what the heck they manage to fritter our money on. I suspect spending on irrelevances lead folk to the conclusion that too much is wasted and so their demands should be fulfilled too. It certainly seems, for example, money needs to be spent to alleviate genuine needs rather than provide for wants & desires. Self reliance is worth cultivating, but genuine cases should not be neglected.

 

Since war drums seem to be being beaten lately, there should be a reduction in expectations.  Previous generations have shown us the way.

[tomus42]

//It seems everyone now expects the state to cough up whenever any kind of misfortune comes knocking their their door. //

I think the answer will be yes whenever it's someone elses misfortune but 'I've paid for it my whole life and I deserve it' when it's your misfortune. Just a hunch.

[1ozzy]

//we have too many pensioners.//

So youth in Asia maybe helpful?

[davebro3]

Wealthy pensioners often die & their estate gets hammered for IHT. My aunt's executors paid a quarter of a million tax.

[Untitled]

the welfare system is there as a safety net in order to protect people who are unlucky from serious poverty. if you have reached the end of your working life as a  very wealthy person then you should not be claiming the state pension. it is an enormous drain on the finances of the state... we currently spend more on the state pension than we do paying interest on the national debt. the current public spending deficit is almost equal to the amount of money we spend on state pensions. wealthy people should not be claiming money that they don't need.