Thanks Tigerfiley and HCAFC. busdriver, I can't work out if that's a pop at me or the system or both. Having never been self employed I haven't a clue how it works when you're out of work so I can't comment.
http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Benefits-Britain-uninspiring-bid-make-poverty/story-21342606-detail/story.html#MEdx6Ds6Dhg5iQlh.99 Seems a decent review of the show. For me this is reality TV taken to next the level.
At the end of the day there's a massive difference between those who have grafted/ want to graft who can't either because they genuinely can't find employment or for health reasons etc and the professional dole bum That's right dole bum, ie life long scroungers who don't intend to do a days work but expect hand outs because it's all they know. Why are people defending the likes of Gordy? He's just a fat, lazy lump who needs a boot up his arse. And no I don't read the Daily Hate.
Most people on benefits are like rovertiger though , that's the point you are missing Try been unemployed over the age of 40 and tell me it's easy to get a job
I don't think anyone's defending him, more like isolating him as a minority, therefore he's not really worth getting wound up about. Anyway, this programme is yet more government propaganda. Hey, we bummed kids and covered it up for 30 years, here's some benefit scroungers to deflect the anger.
Its not a pop at you. Don't think that. If anything it's my frustration coming out after working solidly, without ever claiming a penny from the state, for 40 years, the only time I needed to sign on to be told I wasn't eligible for anything because I'd been self employed. I could have appealed and took what was basically a means test to enable me to get £60 or £70 a week JSA but I decided to sign myself off. I did find work, as my poster name suggests but that looks like coming to an end soon, and the whole charade starts again.
Personal experience (reply to guy asking for a link). You can see the kind of scapegoating tactics work because of the comments on the racist cretin, but he is not representative of welfare claimants.
As Mostynthecat says, our culture seems to look down on, and pillory the unemployed - whether it's their fault or not. Some will lack ability, some lack intelligence, some are discriminated against, and sometimes it's just the lack of available jobs. The cost to you in tax, etc is a lot more due to tax avoidance than JSA but we don't really complain. Do you really think some of the upper class have ever done any more work than Gordon does, but they don't get grief because they have money and power. Don't even get me started on the billions the government have wasted on failed projects - and who do you think gets the money from these - yet they still have the nerve to criticise the unemployed.
The benefit cap and Universal Credit are going to have huge ramifications for some unemployed families. Some will lose approximately £300pw+ in benefits. Based in the theory that no unemployed family should 'earn' more than the living wage. I agree completely.
Universal credit is a complete **** up , they've already spunked away millions and scrapped it all to start again