Party Vibe

weell… is this perhaps another story about government plans that are launched soundin really tough, so that when the actual bills (first the consultation stage, the green paper, and then the actual bill, the white paper) are introduced, slightly less harsh measures are more readily accepted by all the interested parties.

I think people who are not even trying to help themselves ought to be dealt with proportionately, in the same way as fat cat businessmen using ‘liberal’ interpretations of the tax laws to their advantage, or hiding there money in offshore tax havens, ought to be brought to book.

But basically i agree, people ought to try and find work, rather than just sponging. Disability benefit is certainly relatively badly policed.

It wouldnt be so bad if there were not so many other areas that were crying out for public money. Education, the NHS, care of the elderly etc.

while there are some people who have been put on incapacity benefit (when the government wanted to make it look like unemployment was falling) who probably could work, the rules for claiming it now are very tough and the system doesn’t help those who try to improve their situation by trying to get back into work.

I work with loads of people who are on incapacity or disability benefit who have never worked but would love the opportunity. We support them by helping the to get into volunteering as a way of building their skills. One of the reforms the government is bringing in is to force any one on incapacity to pick litter and clean off graffiti. While that might put of people who are abusing the system it will actually prevent the vast majority of claimants to move on with their lives.

And that’s the rub, the vast majority of vulnerable people who genuinely need help will have their lives made even worse by this.

When I left Devon,there were somewhere in the region of 200,000 unemployed with 20,000 available jobs,assuming the situation hasnt got worse,with 180,000 people picking up rubbish and cleaning graffitti Devon will bevery very clean.
I agree sponging is not on,but neither are draconian reforms, as mentioned above they invariably wind up hurting those that they are supposed to protect,In my humble opinion of course

Or perhaps the government can give them a chicken each,and they can all become farmers.