Here's an injection now get back to work

[vetran]

Me too, though fixing computer boards in fruit machines for £6/hr wasn't exactly low skilled.

What really impressed me was that one of the previous incumbents had travelled daily from Tenby to Ystradgynlais for the same pittance.

Now he must really have been motivated.

Our two elder kids worked in the chip shop, our youngest has her place reserved there.

I used to clean old people's homes and wash dishes. My siblings had similar jobs wile studying. A lot of it is family expectations and support.

[vetran]

Most of the Nordic countries are based on a social democracy model, which involves capitalism but also ensures that its citizens and society are well cared for. This isn't "real socialism" according to the Marxist definition but a pragmatic way that limits the ability for the wealthiest in society to thrive at the expense of the poorest and most vulnerable and needy. Even with more right wing governments in recent years, those principles are still maintained. These countries are still economically successful but score far more highly on income equality and happiness indexes than the UK or USA, for example.

You don't have to call it socialism; you can call it caring that everyone in your society has a decent quality of life in terms of affordable housing, good health, education, security, infrastructure and so on, rather than worshipping the pursuit of wealth at all costs. Prosperity is not just measured in terms of money. In the UK we haven't been great at that and I hope the current government will try to level the scales a bit.

So no its not a socialist government then?

I suspect the'oppressed' will do better than the people that pay for it then once the payees avoid paying tax the books will stop balancing as usual.

[courtg9000]

Ok, i'm late to the party here.

Usual health disclaimer: Some of you know about my health I don't like to say too much on here but its very serious.

This stuff does the rounds almost weekly.
My own opinion: Its all pathetic tulipe. The only real beneficiary is the Daily Fail.
Some politician says "I have this fantastic plan to get the disabled back to work". It gets big news and certain people think its a fantastic idea.
But, it is not actually a fantastic idea, when you drill down to the nitty gritty its actually not going to help that many people. For some people it could actually be very dangerous.
These schemes get certain MP's airtime for a while.
How many people will they actually help? The answer is pretty few!

Critical thing to remember about the disabled: Most want to work, it annoys those that totally cannot a hell of a lot that they cannot work. For example. This bit does my own head in pretty much daily.

[The Spartan]

One of the benefit porn programmes (I think benefit street) showed how it happens, the daughter of an intentionally workless family got a job selling mobile phone contracts and came home so excited. Her mother turned on her and explained if she worked the families benefits would be cut. She was in tears.

Make being unemployed uncomfortable but also offer self improvement. Teach them to read & write (~30% can't) maths, basic customer service, interview skills etc. They don't have to go anywhere just do it via teams so they can't work on the side or sit watching the telly, you will be surprise how many want to work.

At £150 a week you could sign them up for free gym sessions at about £20-30 a month its the council employees rate. so that is 20 people done for the same amount if you don't attend you lose the privilege. Ones that succeed can become weight loss advisers.

Anecdotal evidence I know, but one of our friends literally said this to her eldest son. He wanted to get a job to make a bit of money and she flat out told him he couldn't as it would effect the benefits that they receive. Add to the fact that she's recently been diagnosed with autism after having read about it for several years and apparently all her children have it (I'm sure they get PIP) with the last two (out of four) waiting for appointment for it to be confirmed.

[escapeUK]

Critical thing to remember about the disabled: Most want to work, it annoys those that totally cannot a hell of a lot that they cannot work. For example. This bit does my own head in pretty much daily.

You are the exception not the rule. Probably because you were / are a contractor, independent and a big earner. For many, getting juicy disability benefits means a life of leisure and earning more than they earned in work. I know many who have done this, and have been allowed by the state because they cannot do one thing means they can claim not to be able to do anything. All paid for by us of course with sky high taxes.

They were thrown on the scrap heap, but with much happiness, as its a lazy comfie life. But when I look at what happened to them over 20 years plus of this, its not been great for them in reality.

[WTFH]

You are the exception not the rule. Probably because you were / are a contractor, independent and a big earner. For many, getting juicy disability benefits means a life of leisure and earning more than they earned in work. I know many who have done this, and have been allowed by the state because they cannot do one thing means they can claim not to be able to do anything. All paid for by us of course with sky high taxes.

They were thrown on the scrap heap, but with much happiness, as its a lazy comfie life. But when I look at what happened to them over 20 years plus of this, its not been great for them in reality.

No, I think you'll find that court is the rule. The people you refer to are the ones that get plenty of coverage in far right media. The disabled people I know, have worked with, or have assisted through various charities are not "getting juicy disability benefits" and living a "life of leisure"The ones who like to live off minimal tax maximum benefits, are people like you and your ilk, who are looking for every tax dodge you can find, then complaining that the country is in the mess it is in.
Find out how much tax the owners of the Express, Telegraph, Mail, Sun, GBNews etc pay in the UK, then tell us why you think these people want to distract their followers by pointing the finger at others.

[Snooky]

No, I think you'll find that court is the rule. The people you refer to are the ones that get plenty of coverage in far right media. The disabled people I know, have worked with, or have assisted through various charities are not "getting juicy disability benefits" and living a "life of leisure"The ones who like to live off minimal tax maximum benefits, are people like you and your ilk, who are looking for every tax dodge you can find, then complaining that the country is in the mess it is in.
Find out how much tax the owners of the Express, Telegraph, Mail, Sun, GBNews etc pay in the UK, then tell us why you think these people want to distract their followers by pointing the finger at others.

Agreed. All the people I know on benefits are struggling very hard to get by and would prefer to be able to work and have more disposable income and a sense of pride, rather than being labelled as scroungers by the likes of the Daily Mail and those with similarly narrow minds and agendas. I think someone's been watching too much Shameless.

[vetran]

Critical thing to remember about the disabled: Most want to work, it annoys those that totally cannot a hell of a lot that they cannot work. For example. This bit does my own head in pretty much daily.

We need to do something with the obesity epidemic these jabs seem to work. If we don't cut obese claimants there won't be enough to pay for those with more pressing disabilities.

Its not sensible to make this an attack on all of the disabled.

We also should consider how we bring people back to work just because you have a bad back doesn't mean you can't do something useful and support all people so their health is not ruined by work or poor lifestyles.

[vetran]

Agreed. All the people I know on benefits are struggling very hard to get by and would prefer to be able to work and have more disposable income and a sense of pride, rather than being labelled as scroungers by the likes of the Daily Mail and those with similarly narrow minds and agendas. I think someone's been watching too much Shameless.

Oddly those working cash in hand are doing OK paying your cleaner, builder etc in cash is incredibly common.
Those who have social housing that no longer need it have a ~50% discount on housing costs paid for by depriving the more needy.

[Snooky]

Oddly those working cash in hand are doing OK paying your cleaner, builder etc in cash is incredibly common.
Those who have social housing that no longer need it have a ~50% discount on housing costs paid for by depriving the more needy.

I completely agree with not subsidising people who don't need it, and I also support any genuine initiatives to help people work for a living despite their disability. The hard part - which must be really hard, since all governments to date have failed at it - is achieving that in an intelligent and humane way so that people aren't left even worse off.