Ministers back down on disability benefits

[Darcydog]

Originally Posted by frankson

''if they lived in a council house or social housing they would be almost £100 a week better off.
Does working and doing the right thing really pay off?''
Your statement implies that those who rent whether it be private or council and for whatever reason, are ''doing the wrong thing''
I bet all of your 'facts' come from the rabid pages of the daily mail!

Then you would lose that bet.

[MSS]

Originally Posted by Vossy

We have a relative who has had very bad health, strokes and everything that follow for over ten years, the husband had to give up his business to care for her when she stated having unpredictable blackouts, when to tories came to power they have virtually destroyed their life and income over seven years, they did the right thing and both worked, brought a house and saved for retirement. When they needed help they were first told to spend their retirement fund, when that had gone (over 40k) they got a little help with DLA etc, now that changed and has put them through hell once again trying to claim PIP, we were speaking to them last week and I was told that since 2010 when the tories came in they have lost almost £4,500 pa, there are no increases in benefits for disabled people for some very strange reason and if they lived in a council house or social housing they would be almost £100 a week better off.
Does working and doing the right thing really pay off? Not if you need help at some point it doesn't.
You only discover these things when something happens in life, we all think that people who claim benefits are just in it for the money but we must remember, child benefit, tax credits and pension credit are all benefits.
A caring society we are not unless you are from another land.

A bit of a rant but after speaking to the rellies it really fired me up, apologies.

Not helping the disabled (an indeed many other groups) with mortgage payments is rationalised that a mortgage is deemed to be an investment in an asset, one which in general proves highly profitable over the medium to long term. It would be inappropriate for the government to help build up an investment for a sub-set of people needing help when there are so many others who are not in such an advantaged position.

I do feel that your comments about the jobless are unwarranted - the implication being that it is somehow a desirable position to be in.

Your point "...unless from another land" really destroys the credibility of the point being made.

[rustymotor]

What worries me is the general state of affairs, 9000 homeless people, 120,000 in temporary accommodation, I see young girls sleeping in shop doorways..the jack boot coming down on disadvantaged people, for an affluent country IMO it's shameful.

[stevenicks]

Can it be right that someone on benefit's can claim more than the average wage say, or a state pension?
Your opinion's please .

[Darcydog]

Originally Posted by stevenicks

Can it be right that someone on benefit's can claim more than the average wage say, or a state pension?
Your opinion's please .

No it isn’t right - and to their credit - recent governments have restricted the total benefit “package” to that of the average wage.

I totally support the welfare state because there but for the grace of god go all of us. But support from the State MUST be a safety net - NOT a hammock.

[Darcydog]

Originally Posted by Vossy

We have a relative who has had very bad health, strokes and everything that follow for over ten years, the husband had to give up his business to care for her when she stated having unpredictable blackouts, when to tories came to power they have virtually destroyed their life and income over seven years, they did the right thing and both worked, brought a house and saved for retirement. When they needed help they were first told to spend their retirement fund, when that had gone (over 40k) they got a little help with DLA etc, now that changed and has put them through hell once again trying to claim PIP, we were speaking to them last week and I was told that since 2010 when the tories came in they have lost almost £4,500 pa, there are no increases in benefits for disabled people for some very strange reason and if they lived in a council house or social housing they would be almost £100 a week better off.
Does working and doing the right thing really pay off? Not if you need help at some point it doesn't.
You only discover these things when something happens in life, we all think that people who claim benefits are just in it for the money but we must remember, child benefit, tax credits and pension credit are all benefits.
A caring society we are not unless you are from another land.

A bit of a rant but after speaking to the rellies it really fired me up, apologies.

You speak from the heart having directly experienced the vagaries of the benefit system. Ignore the jibes - the mans an habitual contrarian.

You simply flag up a very real issue.

The reality is that benefits cannot be given to those who have more than a certain level of assets. And yes - buying a house does constitute an asset here.

The rules say you have to be homeless and pretty much penniless to get state aid benefits. If you are in rented accomadation then the last thing your local council wants is to play the revolving door housing game and move people out of one rented place to another - easier just to pay the rent.

Those who have a mortgage often ignore sensible advice regarding Protection Policies. Critical Illness cover attached to your life assurance is usually relatively cheap and often has subsidiary benefits such as £20k or £30k child cover that does not affect the main policy if you have to claim on it.

Simply Income Replacement plans again are not that expensive and pay out a monthly income for a year- to keep the wolf from the door after an illness or accident.

Two friends of mine - one a Policeman and one a Civil Engineer. The Policeman took advice from an IFA selected by his Police Fedaration and he had Life and Critical Illness cover.

The Civil Engineer poo pooed such cover and only had ordinary life cover.

Sadly both wive’s contracted breast cancer - the Policeman claimed on their Critical Illness policy and whilst it is an ill wind - both he and his wife were much relieved to find that the policy would pay out and that their house was now theirs.

The Policeman was able to work less hours as their outgoings were much less and was able to help his wife recover from her op.

In contrast the Civil Engineer has to try to work more hours as his wife could no longer work plus they struggled as their children needed looking after.

The financial consequences of the Civil Engineers decision not to adequately protect his family were pretty severe. He still had to pay his mortgage.

We have to insure our cars by law. And yet some people fail to realise that insuring the item that provides ALL the income within a household (ie the wage earners) is really rather sensible.

[MSS]

Originally Posted by rustymotor

What worries me is the general state of affairs, 9000 homeless people, 120,000 in temporary accommodation, I see young girls sleeping in shop doorways..the jack boot coming down on disadvantaged people, for an affluent country IMO it's shameful.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[MSS]

Originally Posted by Darcydog

You speak from the heart having directly experienced the vagaries of the benefit system. Ignore the jibes - the mans an habitual contrarian.

I assume that was aimed at myself.

So, you comment on me because I responded to another's post.

What a characteristically idiotic comment.

[Darcydog]

Habitual contrarian with a persecution complex.

I

[MSS]

Originally Posted by Darcydog

Habitual contrarian with a persecution complex.

I

Your name calling of others has no boundaries.