Half of all single mothers don't want to work

[AB Asks]

A report has found that half of single mothers don't want to work. Labour is trying to reduce the number of people on living on benefits and current schemes to get lone parents into work are currently failing. There have been some discussions over the summer about withdrawing benefits from those who outright refuse to work. This approach was taken in the US by Bill Clinton in the nineties and proved successful. Labour is instead going to offer more incentives and extra benefits to encourage people to work. What do you think? Should we act like Clinton and withdraw benefits if these people refuse to work? Or are more and better incentives the way to encourage lone parents back into a job?

[China Doll]

I agreed there were people like that who existed.

I just don't think that they make up the entire population of those on benefits. Most people one benefits struggle and do not have an easy life.

[Reverandfunk]

My ex china was better off than me for doing s*d all all day. Dont think that a lot of people are single mothers through forced circumstances because they're not.

I work for a govt funded agency and believe me people doing have kids "for a living".

[daffy654]

I agree Rev,the sex education in schools is sadly lacking,they tell them the bare facts not what the realities are. My 18 year old daughter is due to give birth in January and I was very disappointed when she told me.She has a boyfriend who is a plasterer so they have no need for benefits,I have offered to look after her baby so that she can return to work as soon as she feels able to...not all young mums have parents who are willing or able to do that for them. Its easy to say they shouldn't have the babies in the first place but as they already have there is nothing that can be done about it....before long someone will be saying they should be forced to have abortions if they can't afford to bring the child up without benefits. The system is wrong but instead of abolishing benefits there should be a workable sytem in place to help these people go to work.
How about starting state run nurseries,open to anyone who wants to use them,that would surely save money in the long run.

[LoftyLottie]

Not surprised Natterley!! You have done so well.

And, for goodness sake, grandparents should not be expected to look after their grandchildren so that parents can work. The member of the Job Centre staff should be taken to task for suggesting this.

It is the parent's job to look after young children - nobody else's.

[China Doll]

It's no secret I work in the public sector too.

And once again... yes, I agree. To an extent. Some people abuse the system and some do see having kids as 'earning a living.' But I disagree that this representation is a true reflection of those on benefits. I suspect my representation isn't 100% either. Somewhere in the middle is the truth no doubt.

So we'll have to agree to disagree. Mainly cause I can't argue with you all day as I like being employed and don't want to end up benefits... I think AB usage could occasionally be defined as gross misconduct!

[Reverandfunk]

daffy my ex was pregnant at 15 and she admitted she didnt know about the birds and the bees.

I know its not all people on benefits but trust me it is a growing underclass.

Her circumstances were:

4 kids by 3 dads

eldest 29 living with someone 3 kids by two mothers

next son 26 4 kids by 2 different women - claims dole and works cash in hand for her brother

Next son 21 2 kids by 2 mothers, never worked served 6 months inside for assaulting a copper, lies in bed all day calims dole and deals drugs

youngest son 8. Kids dad inside for causing death by dangerous driving and a drug addict.


I'm sorry but people like this shouldn't be allowed to breed.

[Reverandfunk]

C hina I dont disagree with you, I know that there are people desperate to work who cant.

But there are a growing number of the underclass/trailer park trash.

[LoftyLottie]

State Run Nurseries? - just read about what happened to society in Russia!!!! and we do not appear to have learned from this.

Must go - have work to do. China has a good point about AB usage and I often wonder how many of us are abusing our employers and being paid 'money for old rope'.

[laurence2]

Lets target the ones that are so ''Blatantly'' cheating the benefits system first.

This covers every range from single mothers to Disability claims.

We can all see with our own eyes which people are abusing the benefits system, you cannot tell me that the local authorities do not have a ''hit list'' of ?marks against certain individuals in this country.

Yes, maybe it ''might'' be a good idea to start with single mums, but lets not stop there, if your going to do the job, lets scan the whole system

[daffy654]

I didn't say state run orphanages LoftyLottie, properly run state funded/run nurseries would be a great benefit to all parents in this country,not just single parents. Most of us send our kids to state run schools afterall.

[slave-plater]

there was a single mum, who was dating the ownwer of a large mobile phone retailer, she worked alo at a well known adult entertainment venue , in London, did some modelling work, and "really worked the system " , she was , caught claiming in the region of "falseley claimin HOUSING BENEFIT to the tune of �20, 000 ," , the case was heard a year or two ago at Kingston magistrates , she was given a "repayment order2 ,for the amount, she has swindled out of the "authorities" , dont know if she got community service ,...... this was an example of a single mother working the system.........any simalr /unsimalr tales of a "dancer " ?

[LoftyLottie]

Yes Daffy, but not before they are 4/5 years old.

And they were State Run Nurseries I was talking about not the nurseries. Let's face it though, the length of time that some little ones are left in Nurseries these days, they might as well be orphanages.

Just my opinion though Daffy - albeit a very strongly held opinion. I don't think the Government should focus on Nursery Education as much as it does and should provide more money for mainstream education and encourage parents, whether a Mum or a Dad to spend those first valuable years with their children. It is my firm belief that the trouble with society these days is down to lack of proper parenting, and that a lot more people could manage on less money if they cut out all the things they don't

I would rather not have children than have them knowing I would have to send them to a Nursery School!!

[LoftyLottie]

..........they don't actually need but just want.

Ooops, I should be working!!!!

[LoftyLottie]

Should have said 'not the orphanages'. Should learn to edit!!!

[daffy654]

I don't think the parents should be forced to send their babies to nursery but there are those that want to work and can't because of the high costs of child care and the lack of availability of child minders. I have a 10 year old son who has Asperger Syndrome,when he was younger I looked into the possibility of finding childcare so that I could return to work,for a child with learning disabilities there are zero options in my area,no child minder would take him and the nurseries turned me down flat.Luckily I have a partner to support me financially so I didn't have to work,but for my own sanity I wanted to,it would also have done my son a lot of good to socialise with other children.

[confused79]

sending children to a nursery school you make it sound like its a bad childrens home, have you ever been in one, my step son went for a few months full time, he interacted with the other children and before this he was so shy and unable to even speak well, he started to talk and play with the other children.
Dont knock something you know not hign about, sorry but reading your posts you make it sound like you have no chidlren so sorry if i got that bit wrong.

My children go to a child minder a very good one too, i work because i HAVE too and i budget and dont spend when i dont NEED to onyl when i HAVE too. so please dont knock parents who try to do there best without sitting on our bums.
My childrens father pays nothing towards them so if i didnt work i woudl have to claim benefits, what makes me laugh is if i did do this the CSA would get off their bums and make him but cos i work they seem to not bother!

[annie0000]

Lofty lottie - wouldn't it be great if these parents were actually bringing up kids that were going to contribute to society. Sadly, the truth is that they will spend very little time parenting these kids and more time ignoring or shouting at them until they are old enough to wander the streets, then growing up to follow the parents example and claim the dole. I agree that it is not all people on benefits that are like that but there is a significant number. Incidently where I live - these children would get free access to a nursery place to give the parent some respite- this is to save them getting disturbed when watching sky telly. meanwhile working parents are denied places.

My husband only worked part time when our kids were little - I worked days and he worked evenings as we had no other child care options. I agree that it is not easy to find childcare, but it would be some society if everyone was to just say it is too difficult and not bother.

[Ice-Maiden]

I see single parents struggling all the time, and although some (plus those without children) play the system to their advantage, it's impossible to live properly on state benefits. Each case is different, and this is why it makes the problem difficult to deal with. I agree with China Doll & LoftyLottie, although my own circumstances make it easier to say this. If a parent wishes to stay at home & bring their children up, they should be allowed to, and receive a proper wage for doing so. Then they wouldn't be seen as scroungers. Those who WISH to combine child-rearing & work - fine!

[confused79]

Im not even going to answer that ice -maiden you say things for reaction