Benefits and all that

[emmie]

Britain's benefit payouts are huge, this is not a bash at anyone. I had a letter yesterday about attending a benefit meeting, and the following stood out as to what you can claim whilst attending.
if you are away from home more than 5 hours and buy a meal you can claim £4.25, more than 10 hours and pay for two meals £9.30
12 hours and pay for three meals its £13.55, then if it's an overnight stop they pay for hotel £80 inner London, £80 Leeds, £65 Other
Loss of work earnings less than 4 hours £33.49, more than 4 hours it's £64.88
there is a lot more, but one last bit is
attendees from overseas?
they will pay expenses from port of entry into Britain.

then there are the raft of benefits that i saw in a local government office, the poster takes up half the wall. Is this why it's so expensive a bill, that you can be provided with and given much if you know how to use the system. even though the government of the day is bent on getting people back into work, the benefit payout system seems to be as big if not bigger than ever.

[emmie]

i didn't put it for people to jump on, but confess i was surprised. I don't really see why a lot of these things are claimable, if they really want to cut down on benefits, stop dolling out to the miscreants and those who have never worked a day in their life, only exception are those who are obviously too ill to have ever done so.

[Canary42]

What evidence is there that we are the laughing stock of the world ?

[NOX]

Yes it's pure grand isn't it? I have tenants who are literally suicidal about cuts in housing benefit etc who stand no chance oweing to health or other issues of being gainfully employed over someone with none. I think it's utterly laudable that we're making it difficult for these people to survive and moving all of the poor people out of wealthy areas, it means we'll soon be able to use the word 'ghetto' more, always one of my favourites, plus of course it's perfectly reasonable to expect a disabled person who has to attend a meeting overnight away from home not to eat anything and to sleep on the street.
I sometimes wonder if you're not a really good wind up artist Em ;-)

[hc4361]

I'm amazed how many of us believe the UK is the only country in the world that takes in refuges, immigrants or has a problem with illegal immigrants.

I'm also amazed how many 'Brits' do not consider themselves 'immigrants' when they go to live in another country.

[emmie]

Nox, what a waste of time, of course i am not winding anyone up, why the hell would i. There are plenty of people who use the system the way they want, who don't, won't work. and there are those left out in the cold because they don't know how to work the system. I didn't make the benefit system, it's complex by and large, but once in, there are endless benefits you can get. You just have to ask the right questions, or so it would seem.

[emmie]

how do you know i am not all of those things, disabled, ill, mentally, physically, i put this as a way of explaining, that there are lots of benefits, many unknown even to those who do make claims. But one expects this kind of remark from you, jumping down one's throat seems to be your forte.

[TWR]

The point I made FGT, the brits that have moved abroad have paid into the system & do not go on the streets with children then send the proceeds like these Romaina back home to the BIG boys with their merc & big houses.

[NOX]

Em, you seem shocked and surprised that pe3ople who have to attend meeting are entitled to an allowance for food and accomodation- if they were not given that do you seriously think that the average person on benefits could afford meals out and somewhere to stay? You then progress to commenting on the fact that the govt makes it apparent by their ' half the wall ' size poster what benefits are available, so how exactly would you like me to take your post if not as a critisism of the above.
Whether you are disabled, unemployed or whatever doesn't matter at all, however you choose to dress up your post as not having a pop at anyone, it clearly is
'I don't really see why a lot of these things are claimable, if they really want to cut down on benefits, stop dolling out to the miscreants and those who have never worked a day in their life'- and your set of standards would be the benchmark to decide who those are I suppose?
I'm not jumping down your throat, in fact my response was about as restrained as I could manage, but now you've made it clear you don't post these sorts of threads for a laugh, I'll be only too happy not to hold back in future.

[emmie]

these meeting i would expect to be within a reasonable distance, if they are not then maybe someone is entitled to claim for food, but quite honestly if you had to attend a meeting at work, it isn't laid on for you, you pay your own. The raft of benefits on offer just shows how much the benefit bill has got way out of hand. I have waited a year for the meeting that i have been asked to attend, so you know nothing about the problems i have been facing. you are not in that position yourself i assume being a property owner, so have no need of their services, or so you have said before.
If i knock the system is because it's bloated, flawed, and completely over whelmed by bureaucracy. The government wants to cut down the benefits bill, can't see that happening any day soon.

[NOX]

Your problems or my problems don't matter though Em. Just as I know nothing about you, you know little about me. I was born into grinding poverty thanks very much, have known a TOTAL lack of money, legal employment and social as well as mental and physical health problems as do some my tenants. If my life experiences therefore make me sympathetic towards them then I don't personally see that as a character flaw and feel pretty sorry for you that you do, but yes you are right that the benefits systemn is complex and unwieldly, but my honest opinion is that people need far more help not less and yes I'd be happy to be taxed to provide that.