David Cameron suggests cutting housing benefit for under-25s

[AtW]

Here is fresh idea - rent cheap social housing in friendly places like Spain, Romania, Bulgaria etc: anybody who can't find a job within 6 months will have to relocate there.

[doodab]

Firstly we have a minimum wage in this country and if fruit picking was done by British people it would be very hard for employers to cheat on it. Secondly are you saying that it is preferable not to work than pick fruit?

Revealed: Scandal of Britain's fruit-farm workers - Home News - UK - The Independent

I would prefer not to work than pick fruit in those conditions. Given that I'm a hard working bastard who started on the markets when I was 14 and has never claimed benefits even when I haven't had work I think that says something about what a tulipe job it is. Feel free to chuck in your cushy number talking tulipe on the phone and go work on the tan if you want to prove me wrong.

Another factor to consider, and I have had to at some points, is that even without benefits I'd be better off not taking a low paid job as it would prevent me looking for decent work. In among the "lazy scum" there must be a few people in a similar position i.e they have skills and if they can find work that uses them they can earn a lot more than minimum wage. The opportunity cost of taking a minimum wage job and having to work 60 hours a week to make ends meet with little flexibility for interviews and job hunting is surely going to dissuade those people, who in general do actually want to work.

[DodgyAgent]

Revealed: Scandal of Britain's fruit-farm workers - Home News - UK - The Independent

I would prefer not to work than pick fruit in those conditions. Given that I'm a hard working bastard who started on the markets when I was 14 and has never claimed benefits even when I haven't had work I think that says something about what a tulipe job it is. Feel free to chuck in your cushy number talking tulipe on the phone and go work on the tan if you want to prove me wrong.

Another factor to consider, and I have had to at some points, is that even without benefits I'd be better off not taking a low paid job as it would prevent me looking for decent work. In among the "lazy scum" there must be a few people in a similar position i.e they have skills and if they can find work that uses them they can earn a lot more than minimum wage. The opportunity cost of taking a minimum wage job and having to work 60 hours a week to make ends meet with little flexibility for interviews and job hunting is surely going to dissuade those people, who in general do actually want to work.

Within those insults lies the classic entitlement phrase of "it prevents ME from applying for the job I want" like a true leftie with a sense of entitlement you fail to realise that whilst you are looking for the job "you want" someone else is being forced to pay you.
You still have not explained why it is better for our society to pay such a large proportion of the population NOT TO WORK.

[AtW]

I agree with DodgyAgent.

[doodab]

Within those insults lies the classic entitlement phrase of "it prevents ME from applying for the job I want" like a true leftie with a sense of entitlement you fail to realise that whilst you are looking for the job "you want" someone else is being forced to pay you.
You still have not explained why it is better for our society to pay such a large proportion of the population NOT TO WORK.

What insults? You have a persecution complex mate. The lefties are coming, you better watch out, ooo-hoo-hoo, you better watch out, the lefties are coming and they're coming for you-hoo-ooo.

It's not really a question of preventing me applying for the job I "want" BTW, and no one has ever been forced to pay me while I look for work, and I've taken plenty of jobs I didn't want. It's simply the case that when one is advanced in years, has a family to look after and so on, one simply can't afford to risk a permanent drop down the pay scale. It's not like taking a minimum wage job would be a stop gap, or make ends meet, it's not "something to tide one over", it's the first step on a slippery slope to getting trapped and ending up at the bottom. It's one thing to suggest people live within their means but to suggest that everyone live within the means of a minimum wage employee because they might lose their job and be forced to accept minimum wage is frankly silly and would do just as much to discourage ambition as the benefits trap. To some extent this is another consequence of the inequality in British society. There are probably more people trapped in jobs they hate who would love to break out and start their own business as there are people trapped on benefits.

FWIW, I know a couple of families who receive housing benefit in my local area, each have two people working and simply would not be able to survive without it. The debt bubble hasn't just caused unsustainable house price inflation, rents have risen more or less as fast. Minimum wage in London is about £315 for a standard working week, although a lot of that sort of work is part time so they won't clear that, and of course self employed folk can't guarantee a particular level of income at all which tends to put landlords off.

[doodab]

I agree with DodgyAgent.

You're just upset because no one wants to harvest your cherry.

[DodgyAgent]

What insults? You have a persecution complex mate. The lefties are coming, you better watch out, ooo-hoo-hoo, you better watch out, the lefties are coming and they're coming for you-hoo-ooo.

It's not really a question of preventing me applying for the job I "want" BTW, and no one has ever been forced to pay me while I look for work, and I've taken plenty of jobs I didn't want. It's simply the case that when one is advanced in years, has a family to look after and so on, one simply can't afford to risk a permanent drop down the pay scale. It's not like taking a minimum wage job would be a stop gap, or make ends meet, it's not "something to tide one over", it's the first step on a slippery slope to getting trapped and ending up at the bottom. It's one thing to suggest people live within their means but to suggest that everyone live within the means of a minimum wage employee because they might lose their job and be forced to accept minimum wage is frankly silly and would do just as much to discourage ambition as the benefits trap. To some extent this is another consequence of the inequality in British society. There are probably more people trapped in jobs they hate who would love to break out and start their own business as there are people trapped on benefits.

FWIW, I know a couple of families who receive housing benefit in my local area, each have two people working and simply would not be able to survive without it. The debt bubble hasn't just caused unsustainable house price inflation, rents have risen more or less as fast. Minimum wage in London is about £315 for a standard working week, although a lot of that sort of work is part time so they won't clear that, and of course self employed folk can't guarantee a particular level of income at all which tends to put landlords off.

You are dribbling

[doodab]

You are dribbling

Is that the best you can do?

[AtW]

Is that the best you can do?

Yes.

[Robinho]

Nobody really needs housing benefits.

If you think you won't be able to afford the rent if you get laid off, remember to save up more when you are working.

You won't have to pay as much tax because you won't be having to pay other people's housing allowance.

You see life would be so much simpler without a big government.