Labour and Tories fight it out on the big issues. This week.. BENEFITS

two things puzzle me about europe
1. why do politicians repeatedly tell us that laws are made by unelected people. If that is so, what are the MEPs doing there?
2. We have been members for over 25 years. If we leave now, it will (I believe) be a disaster. I am not a passionate European, never have been but parliament took us in. Surely if you join a club you work to make it a good club. Constant sniping at Europe to keep the Tory right wing sweet, is a waste of energy and a shadow on the integrity of successive governments. This latest Tory outburst has cost them 2 solid votes in my household (to the LibDems - we want Brown out, too).

By jan blackmore. Posted November 14 2009 at 4:47 PM.

What an utter waste of time it is asking these politicians questions. Not one of them was answered properly.

Had you asked Nigel Farage the same questions, he would have given you unequivocal, clear answers.

Why?

Because he's the only politician with nothing to hide.

By FaustiesBlog. Posted November 9 2009 at 1:08 PM.

One of the main problems with this country is, the apathetic moaning minnies that cant be bothered to get off their backsides to get their voices heard. Arm chair activists ahem..

The benefits system is well used/drained by immigrants and funded by the tax payer. Along with fully kiting out 'homes' for them to live in - of course, its our duty is it not?!

No promised referendum on the EU (we could not be relied upon to vote yes) - heck, so Brown broke his promise. How much of a big deal is that going to be to a PM that was never voted in by the people?

Wake up Britain - www.Britainsvoice.org.uk

By cloudy. Posted November 8 2009 at 9:37 PM.

Can some one please ask how labour have been allowed to commit treason and get cleanaway with it ?

By Uve stella . Posted November 8 2009 at 6:13 PM.

I'll be voting UKIP from now on !

By Josh. Posted November 8 2009 at 1:50 PM.

The country would never vote to leave the EU based on the fact that there is a President, which isn't really a President (yet), and we have become more integrated for the moment. I think the no vote (not to leave the union) would win hands down through dealing with the facts.

I think the best we can do is what the Tories are offering. An expensive and basically meaningless referendum on the treaty now would just distract from what's most important, and that's getting the country back on its feet after a disgraceful Labour government, evidently in the middle of its Scorched Earth policy for an incoming Tory government.

By Dan E. Posted November 8 2009 at 1:29 PM.

Its UKIP for me now. Both parties have abandoned the principle of defending British sovereignty.

I believe in defending British national sovereignty, this is now impossible whilst being in the EU.

By Always British Never European. Posted November 8 2009 at 11:20 AM.

Labour are habitual liars over Europe. Labour don't trust the British citizen to make the right decision. If I cannot be trusted to vote on the EU, I will not be voting for a party that lied to me and said it would give me a referendum.

Milliband is just looking for his next big posting €6.5MM a year and we don't even get a chance to vote for him. Polish people came to the UK, because they feared the totalitarism of Stalin and Hitler. Today they don't want us to have democratic vote.

By steve tea. Posted November 8 2009 at 9:21 AM.

After reading this discussion between Liebour.... sorry my spelling... Labour and Tory and after reading the comments here all you can say is, the Tories are not in government so you have no clear idea what they would do but Labour are and all that can be said about Miliband is..... LIAR!

By Dave G, Norwichs. Posted November 8 2009 at 8:46 AM.

The Conservatives are wrong and out of touch when they say the British people want to stay in the EU, if they are so sure why don't they put it to the test, a referendum and then we will see, i would say around 85% would vote to leave the EU, try it and see, but then they haven't got the courage of their own convictions.

By Billy. Posted November 8 2009 at 7:40 AM.

What Milliband is saying are just bare faced lies. With debts way past a trillion and growing, we are far from wealthy. In fact any sensible economist would say we were bankrupt. As we run a nett trade deficit with the EU, there is no benefit in jobs. The EU is actually costing us jobs. We don't even have 35 million people in employment so a figure of 3.5 million linked to EU Trade is pure goobly gook. That the EU magnifies Britsh influence in the World and the Treaty gives Britain a bigger role in the EU is pure nonsense, as decisions are made in Brussels our influence actually dimishes.

By Chris. Posted November 8 2009 at 6:53 AM.

Hello teabag,
just have to point something out,, the sad part about benifits, are those that fiddle it, i have found myself now on incapicty, i was a single parent for 14yrs, at first i worked 4 different jobs so i could take my kids to schoool and pic them up, wanted them to feel although i wored a lot i was still a mum,, i cooked cleaned,, was also bob the builder did all the diy,, but for all my troubles as a single parent, i finally done my back,, i had a spine op that didnt work,, i lost my job and lost my house, i got some money out of house,, so i pay my private rent and everything else, i cant get help till its gone,, i yet have to move again as the landlord wants house back,, now i cant understand how i have put in so much never taken, and the attitude towards me from the system is awful,, their seems to be a certain type of person who can claim everything,,, but not everyone who claims something is scum,, i hope i am not classed in that way although i really hate where im at in life, but no body can stop ill health, the only reason why i cant work now,,, this goverment needs to sort out who should get the help, need to investigate claims a bit more, think youll find millions saved,

By jajacjon. Posted November 8 2009 at 1:46 AM.

Does it not seem a coincidence that Germany tried to take over this country in the last war and was driven away with the Battle of Britain and all the land battles that raged through out Europe. Then they put together something called the Lisbon Treaty and hey presto, they have stripped this country of just about everything. The Queen will no longer have any power and just be a silhouette on a stamp. Labour have well and truly sold this country down the river.

By Dragon. Posted November 8 2009 at 12:52 AM.

1 in 3 tax pounds go on benefits it is the governments only growth industry.

By christy. Posted November 7 2009 at 2:17 AM.

The ones who dont want to work probably never will. Those who do get screwed to the wall.
I have worked for 43 years and then had gall bladder removed and then a heart attack. From day one on incapacity I have had threatening letters from job center and council tax office. I wouldnt work for the 1st 6 months as I just wasnt up to it, after that I tried for part time and now trying to get full time as my health has recovered sufficiently.
During this time despite having genuine sick lines for unable to work I was put under enourmous pressure by gov bodies so much so that 3 times I was back in hospital for high blood pressure caused by their threatening behaviour.
I am still looking for work but after the experience of the last year I plan to sell up and leave this country hopefully within 2 years.
The government talks well about helping the unemployed and helping the ill get back to work, believe me its all hot air.
I am hoping that all my years of hard work and careful budgeting will now enable me to escape from this hell hole called the UK.

By scudo smythe. Posted November 5 2009 at 3:01 PM.

i am a pensioner i am 66 years old, i left school at 15 years of age in 1959, worked for 40 years never been on the dole or bennefits untill i had to retire in 1999, i worked as a bus driver for 32 years, but had to retire because i started loseing the sight in my right eye,went on the dole but i was told i would not get anything because i got a firms pension, i still had to sighn on to get my stamp paid, a few years later i was unfortunate to have bladder cancer and at the same time i started with excrusiation back pain in my lower spine, i then went on incapacity benefits thankfully my cancer is in remision but my back pain is getting worse, i need a mobility scooter to get around ,if i need to walk a distance, on paper i would probibly be classed as a scrounger but we are not all tied to the same brush, so to all thse people who say every one on benefits are scroungers just think befdor you put pen to paper

By ronnie deringer. Posted November 4 2009 at 6:53 PM.

Maybe if everyone that was in receipt of JSA or ESA be made to do a set number of hours work every week on community based projects, so least then they would have to earn the money they receive, single parents could also manage a good few hours community based work whilst thier children were at school. Cleaninbg the strreets, cleaning grafitti anything really, that way not only would our communities be nicer places to live in, the people that were working and claiming benefits, of which there are quite a few ( I know this having worked in the benefits system for over 8 years!) would find it a lot more difficult to work and claim benefits. Also if people had to do menial tasks in order to receive state funded benefits, I would imagine that faced with the prospect of this kind of work, a lot of people would start to miraculously find real jobs!!! It would also help teach the next generation that just because "mummy" has never done a days work in her life and still manages to have more and more children, though never having a declared partner, that nothing in this life is for free and if someone wants money then they have to work for it!

By T Tudor. Posted November 4 2009 at 10:27 AM.

I am on Incompacity Benefit as I have a genetic Medical Condition and unable to work due to being Visually Impaired and in a electric wheelchair , I have tried getting a job but because I need support in a work place most jobs refuse people who need extra support , I think the Government should STOP complaining about disabled people claiming Incompacity Benefit as we need the Benefit more as we CANNOT Work .

By Amy Pain. Posted November 3 2009 at 3:28 PM.

whilst everyone assumes that everyone who is on benefits lives a life of riley you need to know some facts incapacity benefit is paid ONLY if you have contributed enough national insurance contrubutions, income support and jsa open far more doors than incapacity benefit we pay towards our rent and council tax, child benefit up until this week has always been a means tested benefit , carers allowance of £53.10 is paid for caring for someone for 35 hours a week so that works out at £1.51 an hour £4.22 an hour less than minimum wage, i pay for my childrens school trips and uniform where my daughters school blouses cost £13.00 each, i have not got a fancy flat screen t.v either. therefore if some of you very narrow minded people could just live with pain or clinical depression you would soon realise that it is not such a wonderful life. if the wonderful mp's whichever party were not allowed to claim for anything and everything or if we didnt pay child benefit for children living in other countries we may well be better finaced to look after our own, after all charity begins at home

By kay. Posted November 2 2009 at 11:05 PM.

1) are the 'unemployed'/'sick'/'disabled' suffering in this recession?

NO - they still recieve the same handouts from the public purse, affording them the same layabout life style. (anything from the 52 Benefits available)

2) are their teeth and eyes in any danger?

NO-they get all the freebie treatments from the finest NHS establishments

3) are they in any danger of losing the roof from over their idle heads?

NO- they have rents, council tax, heating allowances etc to keep their comfy backsides cosy whilst watching Jeremy Kyle on their 42in flat screen

4) are their kids hungry/disadvantaged

NO- they are well fed with free school meals/trips out, and if they really misbehave, get a holiday!.

the list could go on, and on, you see they are now the new middle class with no worries, and can spend their way out of this recession, and us, the poor working class are clearly THE IDIOTS!!!

By teabag. Posted November 2 2009 at 7:18 PM.

Billy has the right idea. We should "put down" any disabled people who cannot work. That would stop any bogus sickness claims and save the country billions of pounds in healthcare fees. it would also strengthen the genepool in this country because all the bad genes would eventually be filtered out and we would only have healthy kids which would mean less cost for the NHSS because less people would get sick. This should also apply to old people who cannot pay for themselves. This would free up housing for those that can work and would once again save the NHSS billions of pounds. All these savings could be passed back to the taxpayer in the form of less taxes so everyone wins.

By Trevor Grimes. Posted November 2 2009 at 2:20 PM.

I was fired/sacked by Sir James Sharples,and told that I was too ill to work again.It was a lie.I had been off work with a strained neck,and when it improved,I applied to return to work I was told that I had spondylosis. I have never been suffering with that before and since then when I was stopped working,that was in 1990.I have been a policeman for 25years in Merseyside Police.I asked the Chairman of The Authority Mr Weightman on !5th of May 2006,to investigate the way I treated and sacked.I also asked for an orthopaedic Surgeon to examine my health to decide how ill that I was supposed to be. I have still never had a reply to all my questions,and it still needs a full investigation.
Geoff Hillyard

By Geoff Hillyard. Posted November 2 2009 at 2:40 PM.

i work for a bank and i see how much benefits the foreigners get, some get weekly hand outs of 556 and then 4 weekly child benefit at 396. these people have not paid into the system long enough to get all that, labour need to sort this out because its a bloody joke. i see this daily so what about all the other areas in the UK. when i retire i bet they will not be a state pension for people like me who contribute to a company pension because they will be no money in the pot.
labour or conservatives or BNP should stop these handouts immediatly to the foreigners. its totally wrong.

By D . Posted November 2 2009 at 12:47 PM.

I would just like to say as sombody who has worked all his life and paid into the system. I had an unfortanate incident which i lost my job and had to go on incapacity for a while. Let me just say if i was not a proud person i could have lived off the benefit system quite easily in fact for the months i was on benefits i was living well, now i am back at work i am struggling. the benefit system should be seen as a crutch to help, not a way of life.

By marly. Posted November 2 2009 at 12:03 AM.

I hate the way people jump onto bandwagons. Lets blame single parents,old people and so on.I am a single parent to 3 children,1 has autisum and 1 has adhd. i am their main carer and i am on benefits(income support and child benefit).But i do not live the life of riley has most people think.I've never been on holiday,don't have a widescreen telly,don't go down the pub or clubs actually i don't drink at all!!My only vice is smoking.I would love to know where these children go to school who have their school trips paid for because i pay for all my kids school trips.I pay my water,gas,electric and tv licence,so no i don't get extra money for the bills. There is nothing more that i would like than to get a job but my week is taken up in meetings with doctors,councillers and school teachers.It wouldn't be fair to an employer to take a job only not to be able to turn up because of a meeting or one of my kids has had an episode at school.So think before you jump on the badwaggon there are alot of people who do want to work.

By mog. Posted November 2 2009 at 12:10 AM.

It is always the same, people complaining and crying about how bad everything is. There are and always will be good and bad in every section of society, does not mean ALL single parents and ALL incapacity claimers are cheating the system. My fiance had a very severe heart attack in 1997 and has been on incapacity for 12 yrs struggling and ill with two operations. Now he has a job, he works and pays his tax like everyone else, and pays his NICS. He worked before he was ill as well. But you lot would rather accuse of being a malingerer. YOU should try being ill.

Also in respect of myself, I have a severe and permanent stomach disease. Since aged 18 I have spent 4 years working, 3 years on benefits - until this year - as I have lost mobility and now cannot walk properly and my hands don't work and I have to use voice typing - Now I am at University as I missed out before, I am not taking ANY benefit and paying for myself and my child out of my money and loans. ANY of you who have th audacity to call people like me and my husband to be lazy and thieving should be ill and disabled for a while without income.

The benefit system will ALWAYS be a problem as long as we dish out £££s to immigrants who make NO contributions, as long as there is fraud, as long as the government fails to help people with poor social or job skills to get back to work and as long as they make everything you try to do to better yourself IMPOSSIBLE.

Also, those who DELIBERATELY have children they don't want for the sake of money should be sterilised. There is enough misery in this world. Be warned, your unwanted kids will know they are unwanted and YOU will get the stick when they finally lose it and become out of control and INSANE. GOOD LUCK!!

By rowan. Posted November 2 2009 at 12:20 AM.

How Yvette Cooper can tell bare-faced lies defeats me. The change in the treatment of tax credits on dividends, which the Labour Party brought in, prevented pension funds from recovering at least £5 billion each year from the Inland Revenue, a total of at least £60 billion since the change was implemented.
Perhaps she could asked her husband, Ed Balls, to do the maths for her since she obviously is incapable of working it out. Mind you he would probably give the same answer for the same reason.
The reason is that it is not party policy to give honest answers.

By MS. Posted November 1 2009 at 11:28 PM.

What annoys me about benefits is the way people screw the system.

I know someone who 'cares' for her 'disabled' mother and they live the life of riley on benefits! They're always eating out, going on holidays, buying expensive electrical items and household furniture etc. and they can afford to keep two BIG dogs because the PDSA pays for all the treatment they need! They swan around in a brand new mobility car, which the carer uses for her own 'social' life. She also uses her mother's disabled parking badge when her mother isn't with her. They go to bed in the early hours of the morning and get up in the afternoon - because they can!

Yet my boyfriend and I both work full time and can't afford half of what they can!! It's all wrong.

By Helen. Posted November 1 2009 at 11:19 PM.

my son is disabled, Is now well to attemt part time work 0 got offerred and modernday apprentiship,but wouldnt be paid by the govetrment tax/disability benefits because it it now classse as paid work - he would loose him incapacity benifift - and have to live on DLA lower rate to survive -he feels very let know by the system that is suposed to help them - what are the future proprosels now?? he feels like a statistc, with no help to move him forwRD...mR cAMORON WHAT ARE YOU GPOING TO DO TO HELP THESE BOYS TO GET A PAID JOB.

By karen windsor. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:47 PM.

Yes wealthy families who earn over £50,000 / wealthy pensioners are MORE entitled to free winter fuel payments, bus passes and TV licences becouse they are about the only bloody people in this country that pay FULL tax and don't claim back more than they pay in tax..

By Stan. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:10 PM.

Yes wealthy families who earn over £50,000 / wealthy pensioners are MORE entitled to free winter fuel payments, bus passes and TV licences becouse they are about the only bloody people in this country that pay FULL tax and don't claim back more than they pay in tax..

By Stan. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:05 PM.

at the end of the day the working cless get hit all the time.
as a married mother of 2 we have struggled yet we see the scroungers around us with the latest stuff. how is that fair????????????
i should be able to go to work buy nice rewards for my family yet i am paying rent council tax ect ect
we have to pay for school dinners and trips yet scrongers get them free.
i sit here everyday looking at people rinsing the system couse its easy to do yeh i have a slipped disk and trapped nerve and have no intention of claiming i still work its hard a struggle for me and my husband we are in debt yet the goverment wont help us
WHI EVER SAID IT PAID TO WORK????????????
no the goverment have paid peole to sit on there ass and laugh at the working people paying there money.
i understand there are genuine people who are sick my dad disabled dad but there are others like a mother of 5 around the road woth kids aged between 6-25 the 25 yyear old gets the best part of £800 on her own yet she disabled but she goes to bingo every night goes clubbing 3 days a week and she is capable of alot of things propberly more than me
so if she gets that a month what do the others get as there all on benifits hmmmmmm
get the new system in i know the best part of 35 people out of 75 who will loose there benifit IF THE GOVERMENT GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME


also wtf???? why do alcoholics get more money than me?????????????????????????????????????????
to buy more beer SICK BRIAIN FOR YA

By mrs gauden. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:24 PM.

I'm not convinced about most of the replies from both the parties, Labour have destroyed this country with its immigration treasonous policies, which to me is a step to far and unforgiveable. The Tories, well they promise a lot but some how I just do not trust them either, I'm remembering the last time and the devestatation we all suffered. No one can help being unemployed it can happen to anyone, support should be there to return to work, and if you're sick then that too must be seen as a possibliity, single mothers have had it good with this govenment they cannot complain but circumstances may not be their fault either, life is not that simple. Pensioners too have suffered always do when it comes to the list of benefits, yet they are unable to defend themselves like most by going out to work, what should they do simply die out of the way. We have to keep together, for whatever the problems we have bigger ones on the horizen with immigration problems and what we will face with the overloaded country it now is thanks to this inept traitorous government. We need to come together we British and protect ourselves not think of 'what's in it for me', we won't have a country if we don't stop and think and open our eyes.

By Barbara. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:20 PM.

This week a local person was found guilty of cheating the tax payers out of £10,000 in a fraudulent benefit claim. Her punishment…….150 hours unpaid work. That works out £66 per hour. Need I say more.

By kEN. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:20 PM.

single parents and other people on benefits get, income support, child tax credits, child benefit, housing benefit, council tax benefit, free school dinner if they have children, they dont pay for prescriptions, get free eye tests, free glasses, free dental treatment, they can use council facilities for free such as gym, their children get subsidised everything, no wonder these scroungers dont want to work, i'm single with my own house and live on 16.000 a year and I pay for everything whilst the workshy are better off than me, sitting around all day watching telly, drinking and smoking its time the government did something about it

By Dave Graham. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:22 PM.

When you add up the monies of non-workers it is no wonder they dont want to work. Add up their dole money - free housing in many cases - no poll tax - no cost to get to any work place - time to do foreigners which most people do when out of work. Sort out the scroungers who know and play the system.

By Tom Elliott. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:10 PM.

Whilst our men are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and losing lives almost daily we are paying University Students to fly around our rooftops 7 days a week at 500 feet. There are 15 RAF Stations in the UK with 10 or more small aircraft using 100 gallons of fuel per day. These lads are not even in the RAF and most would say they are not prepared to join. It must be costing many £millions which could be spent on our great soldiers abroad. I dont think the government know this is going on.

By Tom Elliott. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:06 PM.

I think the benefit system is too generous. Unemployed people of more than three years are quite happy, afterall the credit crunch doesn't affect them, the money just keep coming in. Only thing that I don't like is the fact they call themselves ''working class,'' and the Labour Government gives them special treatment.

By Nor. Posted November 1 2009 at 5:35 PM.

Why should taxpayers have to pay when teenage girls have one night stands etc and then have babies. Surely their family should have to support them. If that happened then less children would have babies and their families would educate them properly.

By Tom Elliott. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:00 PM.

i have been reading up on all your comments.
and most are aimed at single mothers.
i am a single mother and i work part time
you seem to think all single mothers are the same popping out babies just to claim benifits and to get free housing,i would like to know how we get free hosung as i never have got any help.
Well we all are not the same none of you think of how they ended up single mothers coz we all dont pick to be single and bring up a child alone as you lot give us all stick for doing so for sticking by our child(ren) i dont see some of the fathers to those child(ren) doing so! if the child(ren) go into care guess what the state pays again so what is the point of that it shows most of you dont think about it
I am disgusted at some of the comments on this page towards single mothers and disablatity!

so stop the nasty comments because everyone as there own situation and none are never the same.no matter what you are claiming.

By Ria. Posted November 1 2009 at 5:16 PM.

My God, you are all so very ignorant. I wonder how some people survive being so thick. If the 'benefits system' bothers you so much then find out some real facts about how other people live in this country, instead of believing rumours and newpapers, get off your moaning backside and go and find out if there is help available to you if you are struggling. If you opened your eyes and your mind and stopped being so miserable you may just find that actually our country is pretty fantastic, not perfect by any means, but pretty damn good.

By Lynsey. Posted November 1 2009 at 4:08 PM.

Why are people saying that children should be taken away from their parents and lose their homes because they don't work?? When my husband left me with 3 children and a mountain of debt, we lost our home, I lost my job because I couldn't aford the childcare so I had no option but to claim benefits. I did so for two years and currently I work from home. So, does that mean my children should be taken from me? They shouldn't be given a roof over their heads because I didn't work or as now am on a limited income???? I am NO scrounger, I get what I have paid into the system for years. But I get nowhere near the amount of help one would expect from years of loyalty to this country.

By missy. Posted November 1 2009 at 4:05 PM.

Jimbo you thicko, My dad is 72 and worked hard all his life and now lives in Spain. The winter´s are freezing as the houses are not built for cold weather. You should bully lazy scumbags like low life single mums and benefit cheats not hard working pensioners. Infact they should get more money. What an ignorant person you are. When I say single mum´s I mean the ones who deliberately get pregnant and scrounge of the social not the decent ones who work and who have lost a partner.

By Donna Miles. Posted November 1 2009 at 2:47 PM.

Isn't it about time we seriously look at the rising population in this country and the amount of people who seeing having children as a career choice? I certainly wouldn't be against restrictions on people having children if they are unable to prove they can support them financially.

By Matt. Posted November 1 2009 at 3:34 PM.

I don't think the system is fair....they are trying to get people off incapacity benefit. But some people have no choice

The government have no idea what living with pain is like.....I had to give up work due to pain and have seen every doctor they can think of and nothing can be done...so am i supposed to be penalised because there is no cure...Yes there is a lot of people abusing the system but it is up to the government to come up with a way to fix this!!

By marion. Posted November 1 2009 at 3:39 PM.

Obviously if we carry on giving these workshy scroungers free money they will always be standing there, with their dirty grasping hands out using our hard earned taxes to pay for their crack habits and illegitimate children. Surely enough is enough!! The Government should stop ALL benefits to all claimants NOW!. If they lose their homes or the children are taken into care where they would be forced to work and pay rent for their own upkeeps, sobeit. They should have thought about that before they decided to become worthless scrounging scum stealing the food out of decent working people mouths. Hopefully the next Govt (Con, BNP) will either deport these filthy parasites or introduce laws that punish them harshly for their laziness. Perhaps capital punishment would be a bit harsh but the threat of it would certainly stop the bone idle layabouts in their tracks and have them rushing to the job centre.

By John Griffin. Posted November 1 2009 at 3:14 PM.

I was born with C.P (weakness down my Right Side), I have got a mild learning Disability as well. hate being on benefits, been on them all my life, I would like to work but if did get work, I feel i would struggle to get work and do and I would be worse off if i get Paid work, when I see other people with the same problem as me working in Shops, I get cross with myself that i should be in paid work. I feel like a Tax Payer Burden which i am but I do put something back into the Community doing Voluntary Work With my Country Council giving Supported Housing Service Users a voice which i am proud of. my moto is Helping you, Helping me.
I am trying to find more Voluntary work to do so that I can repay the Community back in some way or Form,
I feel the DWP need to force people to do Voluntary work if they are getting Handouts if they can do that, I am Very please that i am putting back into Community which i take out off

By Madasamodo. Posted November 1 2009 at 3:18 PM.

Billy what you have just said is an absolute disgrace!!!!! I am a sinlge mother and I have worked all my life so anything I get is only what I have put in. I am a single mother, I work tirelessy to give my children the love and support they need whether I am working or not, so NO they will not be forced to go into care.

My mother is disabled through no fault of her own and how dare you say she should be put down. You should be ashamed of yourself for making a comment like that.

Are you a parent?? Do you have a relative or close friend who is disabled??? I hope for your sake not, or God forbid you for wishing such degrading acts against them!!!!!!

By missy. Posted November 1 2009 at 3:05 PM.

Nu labour have had years and years to change and have done nothing. Anything they say they will do is for the purposes of winning the next election. If by some miracle they win can we really trust them to make the changes necessary or will they as usual do nothing but talk.
.........................
Note to all ministers- Stop trying to make your mark on history because you have already done that with the billions and billions of pounds of debt you have piled up for us and the future generations.

By JMS. Posted November 1 2009 at 2:44 PM.

I look back on my life and realise that I have spent years struggling because I am English and married with no kids. If I could turn the clock back I would have done things differently like left the country. I have worked hard all my life and have never claimed for anything. I detest paying council tax because every month it crucifies us but we get no help from anyone. (We have no kids because we couldn´t afford fertility treatment and the waiting list on the NHS is unbelievable. Lesbians first in the queue and married couples at the bottom. What a life!!

By Paula Quentin. Posted November 1 2009 at 2:42 PM.

1]Benefits,should be a safety net not a way of life.

2}No benefits for immigrants until you have been a legal tax paying citizen for minimum of 3 yrs.

3]Single parents {unless caysed by divorce or loss of employment] should be payed benefit only,no free housing must live with parents if not possible,goverment run hostels with free childcare facilities to enable parents to work.
Money should be collected from absent parent,or their benefit reduced in respect of.
Draconion I know,but in this day & age,preventin of unwanted pregnancies is so easy.

4]If you are unemployed,any child born you pay for,unless pregnant before job loss.

5]Pension should be paid at same level as minmum wage, or pro rata based on contribution
No tax for over 65 in reciept of pension of less than 15k per year

6] Mortgage payments made for people who lost jobs,once mortgage insurance runs out.

By kevan. Posted November 1 2009 at 2:06 PM.

labour and tory always target the least well of people working and earning good money and over sixty should not get winter fuel bus pass child benefits or free perscriptions and mps expenses abolished all that would save billions and stop fighting unjust wars that is costing billions

By norman. Posted November 1 2009 at 2:12 PM.

What a shambles! Yvette Cooper as Pensions minister is totally useless. I wrote to her(April) cc. Theresa May,about my non-payment for my deferred pension and only Ms may answered.

Why not bring the elections forward and get rid of these zero's? As to benefits, they created (labour) the mess so should clear it up fast.

By jemma heinz. Posted November 1 2009 at 2:30 PM.

my husband was out of work for three months and we got £135 pounds a fortnight for the two of us and three children now he is back in work and the jobcentre did nothing to help us, they even have an incentive where by if your on jsa for more than 26 weeks you get a months free rent and council tax and 250 pounds!! my husband fought for 8 months and had lots of interview to b where he is now. is it any wonder so many people are on them when they are easy to get hold off. make the process harder and they lazy bums who dont want to work will be to lazy to apply. thankfully i never have to deal with the job centre again!!!!

By laura. Posted November 1 2009 at 2:25 PM.

I am very dissapointed that the focus of the comments here seem to be pointing to single mothers. I would just like to point out that not all single mothers are wasters who sit on there jacksies all day! I am a single mother to a 5 year old only because her father died 4 months ago ( not our fault) I am also the carer for my younger sister for 2 yrs as she was going to be put into care.( better to stay with family and not go into the system) she is now doing her a-levels. I work 5 days a week but i do get tax credits and if i didnt i couldnt work. I pay full rent and school meals and fares and all the like...so is it right to put me in the bracket of single mum on benefits. Not all statements are as black and white as they seem.

By stephanie johnston. Posted November 1 2009 at 1:54 PM.

I think that all ebenfits should be stopped now, single mothers should be made to work or there children taken into care.

Disabled people should all be made to work or if unable to then be put down!

By Billy. Posted November 1 2009 at 1:40 PM.

Why cannot everyone who is deemed able to work but cannot find work be issued with an ATM Community Care Card. The idea would be to arrive at a Community Care Centre at say 9am every day and swipe the card, report to an appointed section leader and work seven or eight hours for the local community to receive their salary at the end of the week from an ATM. Salary paid would be for total hours worked. Going for a job appointment would count as hours worked and the card would be swiped as such by the job center allowing say up to 4 paid hours for travel and job interview. There is plenty to do out there and plenty of people who need help. Let us engender a new spirit into our communities, take away any stigma of not working, keep everyone active and involved and save the State billions.

By Derek Ash. Posted November 1 2009 at 1:23 PM.

When employers can dignify themselves to replying to the 5 or 6 jobs I apply for a week, then I can stop taking you pitiful amount per head a fortnight JSA.

By Mike Brailsford. Posted November 1 2009 at 1:36 PM.

Why do the govrment give people who say their alcholics more money every week. They watch us go to work and they sit in the pub every day. The majority of crime is committec by the layabouts yet if they had to pay their own legal bills, then maybe crime would soon stop. Hit scroungers in the pocket.

By Paul. Posted November 1 2009 at 1:11 PM.

why are we paying child benefits for 38,000 children and they are living in poland? why are the government allowing this ? it is scandalous. something has got to be done to stop this. This benefit system has got to be stopped for people coming into this country, when there is enough of our own country people wanting help. why is our working pension ministers and Gorden Brown allowing this to happen? can some minister tell the country why this is happening, with out all the waffle

By R. H.. Posted November 1 2009 at 1:16 PM.

Yvette Cooper and the labour party are the liars, Brown and Blair raided the private occupational pensions schemes to the tune of £5bn a year sinsce they came to power. The result has been the decimation of the private occupational pension, with millions still uncertain whether they will be paid a pension, when they retire. How can she morally reply with the party line when people are so concerned about there pension provisions. After the expenses scandal you would think we would get some truth and honesty, no chance.

By F Mckeen. Posted November 1 2009 at 12:43 PM.

being out of work for people who have a mortgage is not an obtion where as if you are in rented ie council house then it is.If the government will pay the rent and the council tax then your sitting pretty.But they wont pay your mortgage so easily and even if you have insurance to cover payments ,thats only good for 12 months.That is the core problem which needs to be addressed

By phil golding. Posted November 1 2009 at 12:50 PM.

being out of work for people who have a mortgage is not an obtion where as if you are in rented ie council house then it is.If the government will pay the rent and the council tax then your sitting pretty.But they wont pay your mortgage so easily and even if you have insurance to cover payments ,thats only good for 12 months.That is the core problem which needs to be addressed

By phil golding. Posted November 1 2009 at 12:49 PM.

being out of work for people who have a mortgage is not an obtion where as if you are in rented ie council house then it is.If the government will pay the rent and the council tax then your sitting pretty.But they wont pay your mortgage so easily and even if you have insurance to cover payments ,thats only good for 12 months.That is the core problem which needs to be addressed

By phil golding. Posted November 1 2009 at 12:34 PM.

Labour actually come across better in this. Tory's seem to be promising things as they always do, which I think is just words. Labour aren't blaming any other party, they seem to want to deal with the probs. I pray that the tory's DON'T get in. England will be ruined, mark my words.

By sambo. Posted November 1 2009 at 12:10 PM.

if the goverment stoped giving benefits to single mothers maybe they wouldnt have so many.other countrys dont give single mothers benefits its there choice to have large familys.why should the tax payers have to keep them.see it everyday young single mothers with 3 or 4 kids no older than 17 going to collect there benefits.its a joke.

By kathleen roberts. Posted November 1 2009 at 11:46 AM.

I think benefits paid out should be reflected by how much of a contribution is paid in to the system during your working life. With an emergency fund/benefit available only short term. To get full benefits one should have worked at least 10 to 15 years.

By R Hodgson. Posted November 1 2009 at 11:17 AM.

unfortunately a member of my family developed a severe mental illness having taken prescription medication by his gp for a mild illness. He received incapacity benefit after six months.This was the princely sum of ninety six pounds a week,which at the time he was very grate ful for,but it was nothing compared to his salary of 26 thousand pound a year. He was ill for two years but could not wait to get back to work.
So please don't tar everyone with the same brush.You never know when you may be ill yourself.Thank you.

By myapumpkin. Posted November 1 2009 at 11:14 AM.

Maybe Labour can explain why they continue paying Child Benefit to 38,000 children living in Poland (Sunday Telegraph), while wasting taxpayers money to deny 350* UK citizens, eligible to received disability and carer's allowances under European Court of Justice ruling C-299/05 (18/10/07)? The European Commission has once again initiated infringement proceedings against the government due to their blatent and obstinate refusal to comply with European Community law - so yet more taxpayers money down the pan to pay the fine for that one! As those affected by this matter have all contributed NI and tax (and in some cases still do) to the UK, their only "crime" is to have moved to another EU member state (under the EU Freedom of Movement Act - the same as the Poles and the Romanians who enter the UK and then disappear back home with UK benefits!). And no, we are not all sipping sangrias in sunny Spain - some of us live a very restricted lifestyle as we are not even entitled to the minimum liveable pension quoted by Labour as being £130 per week - because there is no Pension Credit top-up available. Yes, we chose to move abroad - but in most cases that was on the recommendation of health officials in the UK. And by doing that, we are no longer a drain of the NHS even though we have contributed towards it for the past 44 years! Gordon Brown - hang your head in shame! David Cameron - get a spine and do something about this discrimination against the disabled and elderly.
*DWP stats

By PaysansG. Posted November 1 2009 at 11:07 AM.

I work with people on the dole / sick and it is about time doctors took responsibility for their actions as the people go onto incapacity as a means of getting more benefits and avoid being placed on job interviews. They go to the doctors claim depression and a sick note is signed end of story, no checks. That is the real world

By Dave Harl. Posted November 1 2009 at 10:45 AM.

Single parent, unemployed for best part of a year, in receipt of state benefits, post graduate qualified at my own expense, son looking to university, daughter looking to drama school ... not likely to happen, their hopes will be dashed along with mine what a failure I am ... depressed now, hate being labelled as a scrounger, Christmas is cancelled but hey theres always the great British summer to look forward to

By SALLY THOMAS. Posted November 1 2009 at 10:43 AM.

I think it's time something was done about benefit cheats living abroad. There are so many on incapacity benefit living in France and Spain, they're too feeble to work in the UK but they do all manner of jobs under the table, while some of us have had our meager pensions slashed (when converted to the euro) and can't get credits though we don't use the NHS, or other services.

By alice. Posted November 1 2009 at 10:31 AM.

same boat as chriso,redundant!now after 182 days my contributions(stamp)have run out?i can now claim nothing!what after paying in for 37 yrs??????labour,do the right thing,take a hike,please.

By simon. Posted November 1 2009 at 10:04 AM.

Some people think Employment Support Advice ( the old Incapacity), is a way of screwing the system. The system has been abused so much that it makes it difficult for people that need the benefit, to get the right support. Also I think that the Govenment want to invest more money in to beneift fraud. There some people that claim that they cannot work, yet they can work for thier mate who is giving them cash in hand. Plus I think that people that are on Income support should have spot check to see if they have living partners, as there are people that live with their boyfriends and claim that they are single parents, as this too is costing the govenment millions of pounds per year. It is fine and dandy that the Govenment promises all these great changes, but it is the people who are on the benefits who need to change. They need to realise that the benefit system is not a life style choice, but a lending hand, to get them back in to work. This country is nanny state, it is time to get the people back to work and have people looking after themselves.

By donna. Posted November 1 2009 at 10:00 AM.

this country has been ruined by labour under blair and brown.They have given our country away.

By bill younger@. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:59 AM.

As a carer I am classed as unemployed, pay us what we are worth, tax insure us and pay us a decent wage. But on the other hand is it against the law that we work more than 24/7, paid by the hour it would run inot thousands of pounds a week. I think the Carer's allowance of £53.10 a week is a laugh, the government are using us for doing all the work and not paying us what we are worth.

By Kay. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:55 AM.

I became pregnant at a young age, but never once did I think that I would survive on benefits. I worked full-time right up until my son was born, and now have apart-time job. I started off with on 14 hours a week, and as my hours have gone up, I have been penalised. I now have no money spare at all for things like buying necessary clothes for my son, etc. I would definately be better off on benefits, but I was NOT raised by my family to be a lazy scrounger. But how many people out there think that this is OK? Thats what the moneys there for? Its disgusting and I think they should make people work for their money (my town has quite a lot of graffiti, get them to scrub that off until their hands bleed!). This might also reduce the crime rate - people having to work so don't have the time to vandalise things, do drugs, drink heavily and commit crimes. But hey thats just my opinion as a British Citizen, Labour ain't gonna listen to us ....

By Amy. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:54 AM.

well i don't get any benefits after being made redundant? i have worked for over 25 years and get nothing, i have sold nearly every thing i have and lived off hand outs, thats the situation that this goverment has left me in. my crime was to work!i have give up now and what happens will happen? no one gives a ****

By chriso . Posted November 1 2009 at 9:34 AM.

Hi. My partner works full time he brings home between £900 and £1000 a month. We just make it through after all the bills are paid. I have the child tax credits and child benifit paid to me. My 6 yr old goes to school. We pay for everything for her school, ( meals, cloths and trips) I am going through a problem at the moment, where if i have to leave the house i have to make sure i have not eated for 5 hours before hand. i can not have any food to eat before and i have to take frequent trips to the toilet.(under hospital investigation to find out why), If i have an appointment in town that will be at 10am (after dropping daughter off at school) If i have an appointment that takes upto 2 hours, i can not eat anything untill 4pm where i will have a snack at home without having an accident whilst out and about. ESA going through this at the moment My GP is not helpful as he will not give me out sicknotes which i constantly need for this benifit at the moment. This benifit takes a lond time to go through. The more i get stressed from this more i need to take trips to the toilet. They need to get this benifit sorted quicker it takes too long.

By E.M. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:29 AM.

The Royal Family are the biggest benefit beneficiaries.

By jon ward. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:42 AM.

Claire Dane expresses offensive and ignorant views. She is expressing views that might have been held by a medieval version of Adolf Hitler.

I wonder if would still hold such Draconian views were she to lose her job; suffer a serious incapacitating illness; get dumped by her husband; and is burdened by a child with a serious disability. Then when she's traipsing around the local park in the pouring rain with her belongings in a stolen supermarket trolley, sleeping rough with her child under a hedge, we can all be thankful, because she won't be poisoning the internet with views Genghis Khan would have been ashamed of.

By V For Vendetta. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:40 AM.

Well, we do have some funny answers do we not??. I was last unemployed 25 years ago and i was after 12 months put on a guv scheme it was when the torys were in and unemployment was high . However i had been offered loads of work by dodgy employers who wanted me to claim benefits and they pay me cash basicaly for cheap labour for a couple of days a week.
Now i am selfemployed and have been for 5 years and before that had a job for 20 years . My point is now the very dodgy businesses are doing it all over again, but this time they have a choice of immigrants,and long term unemployed, the employers range from farmers, small factory units ,and small builders, landscape gardening firms , i suggest this is tackled. Lets face it they called IT in my day 4 million unemployed will have to go on schemes and get the work ethic again behave all the ones on my scheme had been working.Tackle that problem.
Second it is very easy to say like one has stop all benefits well lets hope they do not lose their jobs but usualy they are like me and have a good busines riding out the mess the country is in.

By Finchy. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:04 AM.

regardless of what benifits i feel that it is time that wether single or married there should only be benifits paid of any kind for the first child and any other child should be at the parents expence and that should be the same for any thing in life that a person might want if you cant afford it you dont have it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dont see that having children is a human right the world does not need anymore breeders

By gary . Posted November 1 2009 at 9:20 AM.

Back in the 80's, the Tories massaged the unemployment figure by moving people off Unemployment Benefit on to Incapacity Benfit!

Now they have the gall to complain!!! so as

By simon. Posted November 1 2009 at 9:18 AM.

While all single parents are not the same & there are very hardworking people that go out & provide their kids with a good life, these pepole get tared with the same brush as the ones that are just sitting about getting eveything handed to them on a plate!
what we have now is generations of benefit scroungers that are breeding the same & it is seen as 'their right' to get benefits & council houses on the state when they have contributed nothing in the first place.
Why should a single girl of 17 who's sole intention is to get pregnant so she can get a house & move out of the family home be supported by hard working tax payers? Maybe if choices were made a little harder then it would change & you would not see kids having kids!

By michael russell. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:59 AM.

My situation and the way myself and children have been left is a damn disgrace, benefits/ who the hell would want to be on benefits? i AGREE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD ONLY GET BENEFITS SHOULD THEY TAKE A COLLEGE PLACEMENT, kids are getting it far too easy and they are mainly lazy, and yes most wont get out their bed until afternoon as their parents let them stay up on the net all night long, people who are getting Incapacity benefit and are scammers should be made to take a job and pay the whole lot back! Its ppl like that that is stopping genuine disabled ppl like me from getting dla, its ppl like that that is stopping me from trying to have a better standard of living and care, my toddler needs a nursery daytime there are NO state nurseries here, and even although I got social work involved and they are well aware I cannot manage my toddler daytime and I am really struggling I get NO HELP AT ALL they will not fund anything I am expected to fund my sons travel to a nursery and pay for the private nursery which is 24 pounds PER DAY how can I pay that?? its disgusting I only wish I could get a lotto win and me and my kids would move out of the UK and into a better country as this one is finished

By Gilly. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:49 AM.

I REMEMBER YEARS AGO MY OLD DOCTOR SAYING BACK ACHE AND MENTAL ILLNESS ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO PROVE THATS WHY THERE ARE SO MANY FAKERS

By RITA FULLICK. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:50 AM.

Everything is Free under Labour.

Free Housing
Free Healthcare
Free Education

Except is not free to those who pay or have paid large portion of there income into a system. These people of the working class.

The Lazy class are those who are able to work but who never have or come to this country because everything is FREE!

By Steve Tea. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:42 AM.

Start off with;anyone who's kids have grown up should be moved from their council house ( i know so many people in council houses who have empty rooms!)anyone found dealing drugs from their C/house or criminal activity, should lose the right to live there.Also i think everyone here know someone who claims I.B that isnt really ill infact darn well faking it.the system is too soft it needs changing

By james. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:48 AM.

This topic manages to make most hard working people animated. This last few years my 19 year old son has experienced injustice first hand. He has worked p/t since he was 16, went to 6th form, applied for a few f/t jobs only to find that they only wanted unempoyed people or you have to live in a certain post code (employers get financial help for both) now he is having to paying for himself to attend a course because he works and did OK at school. He'd be better off if he was on benefits but am proud to say he wouldn't consider it. I'm totally fed up with the country rewarding those with the wrong attitude.

By Julie Cooper. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:46 AM.

I am a single parent who used to struggle working full time for years, I now cannot work as I have Bi Polar ( severe mental illness) Fibromyalgia ( severe muscle spasms) and arthiritis, what disgusts me is the fact that I have been housebound completely since MAY 09 until now(still housebound), I am living in a private rented accomodation with my children, I cannot get the disability adaptations I need, I am not allowed to put curtains up (landlord), I cannot get upstairs on my own and I certainly cannot walk far enough or travel on a bus yet I have a social worker who gives us no support, I have had professionals out who are trying to get me a council property so I can get the adaptations I need, and even though I get Incapacity benefit, child tax and child benefit I am not entitled to free school meals, I am not entitled to grants, I am not entitled to free school trips for my son, myself and kids know no-one in this area, my children dont know anyone, I struggle to pay my bills and Im having to pay for internet so I can get food delivered to feed my children, I have 3 times now been refused DLA which is a damned disgrace I had a heart attack 8 weeks ago thru the stress of having no support not enough cash coming in to pay everything and the fact that from may myself and kids have been confined to 4 walls as I cannot take him out this is not a normal situ for any person let alone child to go thru a

By Gilly. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:44 AM.

there are jobs out there but with attidudes like 'i'm not working for the mininium wage ,i dont want to work evening or weekends no wonder theres so many unemployed!!!!!

By barry. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:12 AM.

I am severely disabled , are we going to get better help and benefits after the Government sifts out all the free loaders on IB ? Being disabled incurs a lot more expense than normal.

By Stephen Cole. Posted November 1 2009 at 8:01 AM.

We need to cut all benefits after six months.
Get the unemployed cleaning the streets ,beaches and parks for their dole. just one day a week.
If you're unemployed, you don't get maternity benefits.You want a baby you have to have a job to pay for it. No more huge families being paid K40 a year through benefits.
No immigrant benefits. Stop them turning up never having contributed to the country and getting houses and money. How insane is that.
A points system. If you work for six months and contribute tax, then you can be unemployed for 3 months. If you've never worked, no money.
Stop this country being a scroungers paradise.

By nrflkred. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:44 AM.

save a fortune paid out in tax credits by scrapping the whole system and raising the personal tax allowance per a person to £15,000 per year and no national insurance payable on this also.that way it pays to work and saves the taxpayer on paying out in benefits,saves a fortune in the administration of tax credits as it would no longer be there and more importantly totaly wipes out benefit fraud altogether as there would be no benefit to claim for!however i firmly believe the whole idea behind tax credits was to create jobs courtesy of the taxpayer and make labour look good.

By albertw. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:39 AM.

Having now worked for JCP now for more than 6 months I am really suprised what people get away with, Some examples, Low Mood (4 weeks sick) Too Depressed to work (4 weeks sick) Unable to walk (4 weeks sick, when they have just brought their sick note in off the street).

As a taxpayer and employee, it is hard sometimes not to give your personal opinion or you get taken into the office.

The benefits system needs a complete overhaul, 52 different benefits, the staff are not trained properly, the department wastes too much public money...........I could go on.

By Michael. Posted November 1 2009 at 7:37 AM.

TERRY WADDLE....I DID NOT CHOOSE TO BE SINGLE THANK YOU VERY MUCH BUT SUCH IS LIFE...AND TO ALL THOSE WHO THINK THEY HAVE THE PERFECT LITTLE LIFE HERES HOPING YOU NEVER GET LEFT ON YOUR OWN BECAUSE IT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME!!
AND BY THE WAY THERE ARE MORE WORKING PEOPLE CLAIMING BENEFIT THAN SINGLE MOTHERS!!!

By cravena. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:42 AM.

To Ray Khan. Depression has different levels & types. Most can be handled. But there are other types of depression which also have other problems attached. Before you judge and damn people with a mental illness, please do some research. I agree that people should be assisted back to work as soon as they are able. But putting a weak link in a chain is going to place that chain at risk

By Dawn. Posted November 1 2009 at 6:13 AM.

I am 64years old I retired at the age of 62 as I wanted to travel I used my savings to do this I now live on 3 private pensions totaling 159pounds a mth not a wk but yes a mth. and have done for 18mths and I am taxed so I now live abroad, on my returns to the U/K I speak with the inland revenue and the pension companies and guess what they both say I should not pay any tax and will adjust this for me That was in 2008. Is there any employe at these offices the can use a phone or a computer to contact each other. I THINK NOT
Any reply from somebody in government would make me very very happy

By K B Woods. Posted November 1 2009 at 5:35 AM.

The idea that people on incapacity benefit are just scroungers is just rubbish. Plus Theresa May is lying when she said the govt don't help people get off this benefit.
I was on IB for a few short months during 2004 due to depression brought on by my business going under. Within weeks I was put on an excellent govt backed scheme to get me back to work and have stood on my own feet completely since that time. I needed both the break from pressures of work that IB gave me and then the great help I received afterwards.

By Andrew Davis. Posted November 1 2009 at 3:58 AM.