How much do we spend on these people?

[gwilson]

Originally Posted by aclivity

curious


(important bits bolded)

Enjoy Iraq, sponger!

Oh my days in uniform are well past.

Im employed just unemployed at the moment well sort of

[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by macstinator

Did you know 1/3 of Glasgow's male population of working age ie 18-65 claims benefit? They are either out of work, choose not to work, or are on 'disability'. There are very few actually 'disabled', if that is not the pc phrase I apologise, whom I have met who would rather not work.

Interesting; I wonder how all that will be dealt with/paid for if & when Scotland becomes independent and is no longer a net per capita tax beneficiary?

[yazzyfooty]

Originally Posted by Richard Mason

Interesting; I wonder how all that will be dealt with/paid for if & when Scotland becomes independent and is no longer a net per capita tax beneficiary?

#

Plenty here in England that can and dont work so what is the difference? Us on YD are so lucky eh we must all be in employment or have some sort of private income and of course none of us have ever claimed benefits of any sort. Aren't we just bloody fantastic!!

Threads like this one so piss me off!! Lets slag a group down so we can make ourselves feel so much superior then anyone else!! My shit stinks and i bet so does everyone elses, so always remember that!

[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by yazzyfooty

#

Plenty here in England that can and dont work so what is the difference? Us on YD are so lucky eh we must all be in employment or have some sort of private income and of course none of us have ever claimed benefits of any sort. Aren't we just bloody fantastic!!

Yes, I guess we are, (I've been fortunate enough not to have needed to do the benefit thing), but my comment was in response to the comment about 1/3 of the able-bodied male population in the region's/country's whatever biggest population centre; that's pretty high proportion if they were going to have to find it all from the pockets of Scottish taxpayers. Whichever way you look at it, that's a lot of people if they had to support them from a limited budget.

[yazzyfooty]

Sorry Richard I mistakenly hit your quote button, it is this type of thread in general I was referring to, not just your reply.

[Richard Mason]

Originally Posted by yazzyfooty

Sorry Richard I mistakenly hit your quote button, it is this type of thread in general I was referring to, not just your reply.

Fair enough, it put me in mind of the situation here in Tasmania to some extent. If we seceded from the Commonwealth, we'd be in a similar position.

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by fishyheid

.... we must be spending a fortune on these people. ...

Far more is spent on things we don't need like WMD....

Chris

[sexydivebuddy]

as someone said to me a long time ago ...

"everyone pays taxes one way or another".

think about it!

[fishyheid]

Originally Posted by fishyheid

but surely these areas of mass depravation can be dealt with, either by providing a route out that works or more likely punitive removal of benefits for those who fail to make the effort.

Originally Posted by yazzyfooty

#

Plenty here in England that can and dont work so what is the difference? Us on YD are so lucky eh we must all be in employment or have some sort of private income and of course none of us have ever claimed benefits of any sort. Aren't we just bloody fantastic!!

Threads like this one so piss me off!! Lets slag a group down so we can make ourselves feel so much superior then anyone else!! My shit stinks and i bet so does everyone elses, so always remember that!

Yazzy, I would refer you to the last para as above.

What we, as a society, need to do is help those who are on benefits, help them off it, not create an environment where it's to their detrement to stay away from work.

And yes, when I left school in the late 80s I couldn't find work, partly due to where I lived, so I found a job and moved out. I know from my own experience that benefits have a place but we need to have a society that wants to help itself, not become dependant on handouts. It's the whole teach a man to fish thing really.

[purple vonny]

Originally Posted by fishyheid

What we, as a society, need to do is help those who are on benefits, help them off it, not create an environment where it's to their detrement to stay away from work.

I know from my own experience that benefits have a place but we need to have a society that wants to help itself, not become dependant on handouts. It's the whole teach a man to fish thing really.

I spent 15 years helping those on benefits to be indepent financially, build up self-esteem, and become motivated.

It's not a case of slagging off a whole group, there are some that want to, and do, get back to work. But, for me, it became a losing battle. Asessing people psychologically, physically and socially showed that a lot of long term unemployed (and "sick") had enormous problems, not only with health and low confidence, but mainly with financial aspects of returning to work.

What is the point of minimum wage when you can get more in benefits? With all the extras on top, many of my patients and clients were netting more than I was working full time to help them. I got to the point where I thought, "well, I can't blame you".

It is only during the last few years that the govenrment started to come up with ideas like Pathways to Work. But people are not going to go to work unless they feel motivated to do so. Increasing motivation is possible, we ran courses to do just that. But many people failed to turn up for the classes!!!

I have my own ideas about what should be done. But for some, who have been unemployed for a long time, it is too late to change the mind set.

It is interesting that long term sickness and disability (particularly from back pain, and more recently minor mental health problems) has risen exponentially, year on year, for 20 years. Yet as a nation, we are no sicker generally.

I do have a degree of sympathy for many of those stuck in the benefit trap.
As for alcoholics and drug abusers, there but for the grace of God go I. But we really need a major shake up of government policy to help those who can work to get work and STAY in work. And those who truly can't work, for whatever reason, will still be taken care of by a fair system.