Unemployment and Benefits

[born2run]

Would it be fair to everyone if benefits were capped at a level equivelent to the average take home wage so that it would not be beneficially to those who refuse to work

I'm fairly sure this is one of the proposals being considered by the government, Hugo.  I think the biggest problem is housing benefit, however.  In places like London's West End, it's costing millions a year to house relatively few families. 

I think the sad fact is probably that industry is so bad - that for a family with three kids to bring up - minimum wages just isn't enough and therefore not an option

[Yorkie]

Especially after paying for the 42 inch telly, Sky subs, Mobile phones for all the family, the MPV, the Xbox, DVD subscriptions, the Spanish holiday, 3 computers, Broadband, designer clothes,  and everything else that today's modern family considers absolute essentials.   
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[DaveR]

I think the sad fact is probably that industry is so bad - that for a family with three kids to bring up - minimum wages just isn't enough and therefore not an option

I have to ask...why have three children then if you can't afford to bring them up properly?

[Trojan]

I think the sad fact is probably that industry is so bad - that for a family with three kids to bring up - minimum wages just isn't enough and therefore not an option

I have to ask...why have three children then if you can't afford to bring them up properly?

I agree Dave.

It's always advisable to cover your Johnny Depp with a Trojan.

[Merddin Emrys]

Looks like we are back to sterilisation, there are some who have children just for the child allowance  :rage:

[Ian]

Looks like we are back to sterilisation, there are some who have children just for the child allowance

I'm not sure if it's child allowance per se, but there is compelling evidence - although principally anecdotal - that there is a trend for teenage girls to have children as this provides a route out of the parental home and into one of their own, as councils are obliged to provide accommodation - which translates into social housing - for parents with children.

[Pendragon]

Teenage pregnancy is at an all time low.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8531227.stm

Do you not think it's those claiming Incapacity/disability and housing benefit that are draining resources in this country.  More so than pregnant teenagers?

As for sterilisation I think they should concentrate more on the third world regarding this issue.

[born2run]

Incapacity benefit is a really hard one to judge, especially on mental health issues.
You also have alcohol and drug dependencies to contend with.

As I've said previously, its really not a major problem at all. It's the right wing media badgering gullable people who are making this a mountain out of a molehill.

Spain has an unemployment rate of almost 20% - most other european countries are far higher than us
Britain is under 8% The highest it's ever been was back in the 80s under another Tory government which saw us hit almost 12%

[Ian]

Teenage pregnancy is at an all time low.

My reading of the graph and the information is that teenage pregnancy has lessened by 4% but still is extremely high but has still been rising inexorably for the past 20 years

[born2run]

Teenage pregnancy is at an all time low.

My reading of the graph and the information is that teenage pregnancy has lessened by 4% but still is extremely high but has still been rising inexorably for the past 20 years

Are we looking at the same graph?
It's lower now than it was in 1990.
It's the over 40s line with the massive increase.

[Pendragon]

The over 40's are surely paying for their own kids though aren't they?  They are usually proffessionals who have decided to have children later.

[Ian]

My reading of the graph and the information is that teenage pregnancy has lessened by 4% but still is extremely high but has still been rising inexorably for the past 20 years

Are we looking at the same graph?
It's lower now than it was in 1990.
It's the over 40s line with the massive increase

You're quite right;  grovelling apologies, Pen  :weeping:

[Pendragon]

No problem Ian..................... 

[Trojan]

If you have ever seen what a mess the "community service" programme is, you'd know this is not possible.
You can't get non motivated people to work, in short of putting them in chains - I fear that's what some of you would actually like to see happen!! We talk of lowering of standards, but I've never seen such a lowered standard of attitudes towards basic human rights than some of the posts I've read on here. To be honest I would rather be a "do gooder" than a tyrant.

I understand that the "community service" programme is in a mess but the majority of people in this country are hard working decent people. Do you think that any of these non motivated people who refuse to work should receive benefits that sometimes are well in excess of what anybody in employment receives for a hard weeks work?
 

Good point. I've spoken to people who receive benefits in Llandudno.

The main comment they said was: "There's nothing around here job-wise anymore"

However, the deciding factor for them to stay on benefits, was that if they were to go out and find a job locally, which would more than likely be minimum wage, they would bring home less money than if they were to stay on benefits.

Catch 22.

[Yorkie]

But isn't it true to say that the people who have got off their A*** and looked further afield have managed to obtain decent jobs and have benefitted from a much better standard of living?   

There was nothing here for my kids and those of a lot of my friends, but having left the area and gone in search of a career, they have all made a success of their lives so far.    ZXZ   They are all much better off than living on benefits.

Nick Clegg was commenting at the Lib-Dem conference that they support the "Alarm Clock brigade" - those willing to get up, get out and get on!
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