It is a pity that the people who run this country only read newspapers such as the Times, the Guardian and the Telegraph. They miss seeing stories about what, to them, is the irrelevant underworld of welfare benefits.
Today in the Daily Express is the sort of story which only appears in mid and down-market newspapers. It is about Anna Taylor who has produced five children and lives with her husband. Both are living on welfare benefits.
Anna Taylor has apparently written a letter of complaint to Tony Blair. She is "disgusted" that she has been told by her benefits office to look for work.
Her remarks on the subject reveal harsh truths. They illustrate how the welfare state has made it financially unattractive for some to work and how it has created a culture of complaint.
"I'm better off doing nothing," says Mrs Taylor. "I would be worse off working than at home. I've been told I need to actively seek work, but to be honest, what's the point?"
Her husband Alan is quoted as saying: "How can you expect people to work, when they can get the same money by claiming benefits? It's an infringement of human rights. We're a decent family and should not treated like this."
There is, I suspect, more to the story than was in the article. I find it a bit strange that the mother is on Jobseeker's Allowance rather than Income Support. There may be something slightly unusual about their circumstances. But the fact that we have come to the stage where hale and hearty people of working age think it is outrageous that they are asked to seek work is appalling. The fact that it is financially unattractive for them to work shows how incompetent Britain has been in managing welfare benefits. The creators of the welfare state, such as Beveridge, would be amazed and disgusted.
Posted by James Bartholomew • Indexed in Welfare benefits
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Give people money to sit at home and do nothing and that is exactly what they will do.
They will also express outrage at being asked to consider working... just as this pair have done.
Welfare money ought to be re-named 'taxpayer's money' as a reminder to all those who see no wrong in living off the hard-earned taxes of their neighbours. No family should have five children at the expense of other people...people who work hard and couldn't possibly afford to have five children! Any additional children born whilst on benefits should be at their own expense. No extra benefits!!
We all know the answer. No more of these ridiculous 'top up credits' etc. If you are in work then you support yourself. If you are in a low-paid job then get two jobs (I did when I first married, actually I had three part-time jobs). If you are out of work (depending on the reason), 12 months benefits ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM.
I believe welfare is at the root of all that is wrong with our society; immigration, anti-social behaviour, bad parenting etc..
Welfare doesn't work -it is time to think again.
Posted by: Sue at February 22, 2007 08:01 PM
It should not be renamed "taxpayer's money", but "proceeds from enforced servitude".
I have long considered that HG Wells got it wrong in "The Time Machine"
Instead of "beautiful, docile but ignorant Eloi" being preyed upon by the "ugly, aggressive but technological Morlocks" we have an "ugly, lazy, aggressive ignorant" underclass preying upon the "docile hard working" taxpayers, with the State pimping on behalf of the underclass.
Posted by: Roger Thornhill at February 23, 2007 11:46 AM
Could you please provide a link for this story.
Posted by: David at February 23, 2007 12:11 PM
I suspect that Beveridge would feel unhappily vindicated rather than amazed. He intended that welfare be funded by insurance, and warned Bevan that irresponsible over-use and under-funding would result if it were to rely on taxation.
Posted by: Ian Bennett at February 26, 2007 01:13 PM
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Also in the Daily Mail, which guarantees that the political class will ignore the essential truth in this story.
And that is, that the Welfare State as currently constructed corrupts its beneficiaries.
Nothing more needs to be said than that this couple are morally corrupt and that Welfar State has made them so.
They are not the 'deserving poor'.
Posted by: GeoffH at February 22, 2007 06:27 PM