Unemployment and Benefits

[Ian]

One of the most significant burdens is benefit terms is the young single mother. They are required to be housed and maintained.  This is often cited as one reason why teenage girls become pregnant, often without even knowing the identity of the father.  What do we do about that?

[DaveR]

One of the most significant burdens is benefit terms is the young single mother. They are required to be housed and maintained.  This is often cited as one reason why teenage girls become pregnant, often without even knowing the identity of the father.  What do we do about that?

Make them live with their parents, instead of housing and maintaining them?

I had to laugh the other week, I saw a comment on Facebook from a single mum, who was complaining that Cartrefi Conwy were coming to install a brand new kitchen in her flat and it would cause disruption. I thought to myself, shouldn't you be thanking your lucky stars that you are getting it all for nothing? 

I'm tempted to have a rant about student protests next.....

[Yorkie]

That is if they were all students!                  )*)&

[Hugo]

Pampering to single mothers on benefits is demoralising to any working person.   Would they really have the kids if the knew that they couldn't receive benefits and would have to work to support any that they plan to have?
My brother was telling me about a single mother in her twenties with two children under school age who has never had a proper job in her life and was offered a brand new council.   They also paid for a computer for her kids but what does she use it for, not for further education or anything that would improve her job prospects but just for facebook.

[Hugo]

I'm not sure alcoholism is self inflicted, any more than claustrophobia or arachnophobia. All are examples of mental illnesses, albeit distinctly anti-social ones, although I suppose most mental illness is manifested through anti-social behaviours. 

If that's the case for alcoholism them I suppose you can classify drug addicts and obese people as having a form of mental illness,     

[Pendragon]

One of the most significant burdens is benefit terms is the young single mother. This is often cited as one reason why teenage girls become pregnant, often without even knowing the identity of the father.  What do we do about that?

Have we forgotten that for every child born illigitimatly there's two parents. It's often the case that the lads involved have used no contraception either and do not want anything to do with the girls once their  conquests are complete. Below is a post I wrote on Oscars.

I remember about 6 years ago having a conversation with a guy in his 50s at the bar. He was saying about all these women with children from different fathers. He was quite disgusted. I smiled at him and asked "how long he had been married". He said "25 years" so I said "did you have sex with anyone before you were married" quite shocked he answered "well yes" "oh right" I said "how many times ?" with a cheeky smile he said " about 10 times" "right" I answered " so the fact you can't concieve is the only reason you haven't got 10 kids by 10 different women" He said "I never thought of it like that" not smiling anymore I said "well maybe you should before you judge"
If men don't want kids, (which lets face it is why we have so many single mothers) get the bloody snip!
Young people today are not taught any life skills. Contraception does not always work. How many of you have daughters who are single parents, would you want them to stay with their exs' for the sake of the children, no thought not. Theres always two sides to a story.

12 October 2010 12:38

[Yorkie]

Not the sort of topic I would normally get involved with - however - in reply to Pendragon's comments I would point out that contraception is not just the prerogative of the male of the species and the girls are as much, if not more to blame, by allowing themselves to be fertilised!

I well remember a visit many years ago with a female friend to Marie Stopes clinic in London.  There was no such thing as "the contraceptive pill" or the "day after pill" in those days, so today's young women have "never had it so good"!   It is about time that it is realised that the one with the egg has more to lose and should therefore be that liitle bit more responsible.     

[Pendragon]

it is realised that the one with the egg has more to lose and should therefore be that liitle bit more responsible.     

Times have changed Yorkie your right. However the one with the egg has no longer got the most to lose.  With the introduction  of  CSA the ferrel men are now brought to account too. Condoms are available free the CSA will cost you a third of your wages affecting new relationships and finances for the next 18 years. I'm not trying to aportion blame as I believe both parties should be responsible for the outcome of any fling or mad night of unprotected passion (or in most cases Fumbling) Did you know the CSA only get involved if the mother is claiming benefits though.

[Hugo]

Yorkie said:-

 "It is about time that it is realised that the one with the egg has more to lose and should therefore be that liitle bit more responsible"

A lot of these girls have no job anyway so they have a lot to gain with the extra benefits they will receive. They seem to think that it is ok to get pregnant because the state will look after them anyway and then they can spend the rest of their life on benefits without having to work.
I seem to remember reading in the paper recently that these single mums when the children are of a school age will be taken off benefits and be available for work by claiming job seekers allowance.   I hope they stick to their word but I'm sure that the irresponsible element will get around that by having more kids etc and so the cycle goes around.

[Pendragon]

I think there's a lot more tax payers cash paid out to people with non existent ailments and disabilities. 

[Hugo]

You are probably correct, but two wrongs don't make a right.     What is obvious is that the benefit system is being misused and the Government should make the Legislation and resources available now to stop it.   The treasury does not have a bottomless pit and the public know that something drastic needs to be done.
I just find it inconceivable that anyone can think that it is their human right to be supported from cradle to the grave by the Country.  Just what is wrong working to support yourself, most of us have to do it.

[Ian]

If that's the case for alcoholism them I suppose you can classify drug addicts and obese people as having a form of mental illness,

In fact, both of those conditions are the consequences of an addictive personality disorder so - yes;  I suppose you could. 

I just find it inconceivable that anyone can think that it is their human right to be supported from cradle to the grave by the Country

And I suspect most would agree with you, Hugo. But when the great social reformers of the 18^th and 19^th centuries saw the children needlessly dying, the old people living in the gutters and the babies thrown out with the rubbish they decided that that was no way for an enlightened and civilised nation to behave, and thus laid the foundations for what some now deem the 'Nanny state'. Pendragon argues passionately that there are always fathers in the mix (although ,bearing in mind the current season, perhaps not always :-)) but the evidence suggests that we have a split society - one in which there are structured families, hard-working people and a sense of responsibility that parents view as their duty to pass on to their children, and a separate society composed of very young single mothers, lacking in even the most basic parenting skills, who see society as being responsible for all their needs and those of their offspring.

My question - and it remains unanswered - is what should we do about them?

[Yorkie]

Let them know as they reach puberty, and continuously thereafter, that the State will NOT support them, apart from maybe a piece of bread and a bowl of gruel once a week!  Or is that too harsh?   

It is not just single Mums we are supporting, but anyone, from anywhere, who deems to live in or travel to this country and take advantage of our over-generous welfare system.     :rage:

[Pendragon]

We seem to be labeling single mothers here as the problem.  There are some absolutly fantastic single mothers out there and I think we should refrain from stereotyping. Families with both parents living together can be just as bad. Every time you pick up the paper, there they are complaining they can't afford fags and lager and they and their 6 kids, 2 rotweillers and 4 cats have outgrown their free 4 bedroomed houses.  Social parasites are from all walks of life.

[Yorkie]

I have nothing against any single Mum or any other user of our Welfare system providing that they do try to earn a living and make a way for themselves in the World.  As has been said, it is the layabouts and spongers who are the carbuncles on our A***!     No particular sex, race, colour, creed, or social standing excludes or includes people in either category.  D)