How to get people off the dole?

[rov1200]

Today the Tories will outline a plan to get the workshy off benefits. How can they possibly achieve this when for the past 13 years nothing has been done to solve it?

[Davethedog]

I am all for it, I would ask where the jobs are coming from.

What will happen is that very soon it will be stated that the minimum wage is harming job prospects and it will be altered (or scrapped). Then those on the dole will be told to take a job at any wage.

This in turn will enable companies to lay off people and employ people at a lower salary.

Like the N.I increase was a tax on jobs. It was only a tax on jobs if those companies who screamed loudest where actualy going to employ anyone.

[Poppetchops]

They probably won't but it's worth a try because welfare dependants of the workshy variety are natural clients of the labour party, which is why nothing has been done about it for the past 13 years . . .

[dzug2]

Don't think it's true to say 'nothing has been done' about it for the past 13 years. Various things have been tried, some of which have worked, to a degree, others of which have failed..

<<the workshy variety are natural clients of the labour party>>
no they are natural too bone idle to vote at all

[wolf63]

I have been on both sides in this situation. I spent 25 years working for DWP and for the last 7 have been on Incapacity Benefit due to ill-health.

There are many people who get benefit who are too lazy to work, but in trying to 'encourage' them back into work there is the risk that some genuine claimants may have their benefit reduced or stopped.

There is no real, long term solution that will work. To ensure that all the deserving claimants to benefit are paid the amount to which they are entitled we have to pay the scumbags too.

[Haggisdj]

I think it is a bit unfair to put this solely down as Labour's fault. On the estate near me there are third generation 'work shy' families all happily working cash-in-hand and mass-producing offspring at an alarming rate.

[Avatar]

At least chemically castrate the long term skivers, prevents them producing more layabouts scrounging off the state.

[jackthehat]

Unfortunately, it's not just a question of 'getting people off the dole', other areas have been left unconsidered which will have a real impact, i.e. rental costs, rates, minimum wage employers.

Why should 'the system' have to make up the deficit between 'income' and a *living wage* via the Tax Credit ? Surely the onus is on employers to pay decent salaries ?
However, the introduction of the minimum wage gave employers a legal right to 'dumb-down' (if you like) merely to the level they were legally obliged to pay.

Private rental prices have increased unchecked and whilst the Local Authorities are forced to pay this as part of the benefits system, any tenant forced to take a job for minimum wage, can find themselves with a rent they can barely afford........similarly the rates on a property need to be paid by any new worker.

[R1Geezer]

There's no shortage of jobs, these people are lazy and/or too fussy. Just stop giveing them any cash at all to spend on snout and White lightening. Give them food vouchers end of.

[brionon]

No Shortage of Jobs ? 2,000,000 out if work ! Are you Mad ?

[Seadragon]

I think the past 13 year Govt has encouraged benefit scrounging by throwing money at them. If you have a child there are so many benefits one can claim, from £12 food voucher to free school meals, child benefit and thank God the child trust fund is being abolished. There are grants given to buy cots etc which I know people spend on new sofa's and redecoration of their counsel house.

I think the whole benefit system needs better regulation and a cap on claims whether by long- short term periods, reduction relating to age eg youth, anything that forces people to recognise that working will leave them financially better off in the end, because at the moment the benefit to not working for most people is worth the idle stay at home culture.

[jackthehat]

That's the trouble !
Working does NOT leave them better off..............not that living on benefits puts you in the lap of luxury.

[Davethedog]

I think that yet again to many people are getting thier facts from the "meja" and not from any statistical evidence.

[Sqad]

Easy.......you get dole money for 2years and if you haven't found a job, then your dole money stops.

[McMouse]

Stringent assessment for "fitness for work" then choice (a) go and get a job, or (b) sign-on Monday to Friday for Community Work such as litter picking, pot-hole filling, generally making local environment nice..............no show, no benefit. Sorted.

[jackthehat]

I wouldn't disagree with that, McMouse.
It may show some that 'work' can be its own reward.

I still believe that 'employers' need to start paying proper wages, or that the minimum wage needs to be substantially increased.

[youngmafbog]

I think R1 is probably referring to the fact we draft in bucket loads of foreigners to 'do the jobs the british wont do' so there are jobs.

I am not quite seeing some of the pinko arguments here on next it will be the minimum wage. What nonsence, typical of labour scaremongering, there is no fact in that other than hatred of the Tories.

As R1 mentions, food vouchers are the answer only to be spent on non VAT items so no booze or fags. No handouts for more than two kids either.

Ont the subject of provate rentals rising, you are wrong. I am a loandlord and I can assure you that whilst a few may have done the majortiy are not raising rentals, you cant they wont be paid.

[trt]

In Spain and Italy they pay you dole for 6 months, if you haven't found work after that it stops and you cant claim other benefits.

[Seadragon]

My sister works as a health visitor in an inner-city and she is often disgusted with the majority of her clients, she sometimes thinks that she should pack in work and claim because her clients at least get to buy what they want without the stress of work, childcare when child ill etc.

One of her clients refused to cough up 97p for vitamin drops for her baby daughter because she insists that the govt should pay. She was sitting there with new shoes on for a night on the town later.

And the amount who pester her to sign forms that their child is disabled in some way so they can claim so much more....

Sqad I agree, the younger a person is the more they should be encouraged to find work.

[McMouse]

Minimum wage is an issue. In parts of London parking meters charge more per hour than minimum wage.

[jackthehat]

It's not that they have been 'raised' necessarily.
It's that the rent on 'any' property becomes the largest outgoing when returning to work.