Benefits Street Live debate

[Rain_]

Has anyone just watched this programme? One of the points raised was to lower benefits to force people into work. First of all, there might not be jobs available, agreed in some parts of the country, second of all, does that mean for those working and losing jobs through no fault of their own, they will be reduced to poverty if they have to claim benefits for a while??? :angry:

[Dazzle]

Has anyone just watched this programme? One of the points raised was to lower benefits to force people into work. First of all, there might not be jobs available, agreed in some parts of the country, second of all, does that mean for those working and losing jobs through no fault of their own, they will be reduced to poverty if they have to claim benefits for a while??? :angry:

Most people on benefits (most through misfortune that is no fault of their own) are already living in poverty. This kind of statement is Tory propaganda and the only way to stop it happening is to vote against it at the next election.

It's not generally realised that most of the people on benefits in this country are pensioners or people already in work (see article linked to below). The amount of money going to the unemployed is way down the list. When politicians go on about the rise in spending on benefits, they conveniently leave out the fact that most of it's due to the increasing number of pensioners, not a "culture of worklessness".

Many employers pay so little that people can't survive on it. Some people in work have even been having to visit food banks (and you have to be referred by a professional to a food bank - not just anyone's allowed to drop in and stock up on food as some Tory politicians would have you believe). Food banks are having to turn people away because there's such a high demand on them, but TV programmes like Benefits Street and certain politicians would have you believe that people on benefits are living in the lap of luxury!!!

This is divide and conquer politics at its nastiest designed to keep the poor in their place, and real, decent people are suffering as a result (the type of people who would shy away from appearing on exploitative TV programmes).

There are morally dubious people in all walks of life, but the mostly decent people who have the misfortune to be on benefits are being punished for the actions of a few :angry:

This (http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/apr/06/welfare-britain-facts-myths) is a nice, even-handed article about benefits in Britain with some surprising facts and figures backed up by evidence, not spin.

Of course, most media outlets want and look for sensation, not even-handedness, so that's the impression that people are getting.

[Meh]

How **** it must be to be poor in this country. If your not getting screwed by the bedroom tax or Asos, you've having to decide between feeding and heating your family. None of the parties are interested in fixing the problem. Tories are in it for themselves. Labour were in power for 10 years. What did they do other that spend, foster a culture of benefits, and not have the balls to nationalise any key industries. Lib dems are happy to keep the future generation in debt.