Skint - C4

[MadMen]

Did anyone watch episode 2 of Skint last night? If so, what did you think...?

I'm not really sure how they're going to string this series out. Episode 2 was, pretty much, exactly the same as episode 1.

I was absolutely gobsmacked to hear one woman (21 years old) saying they receive £1600 a month in benefits, plus have their rent and council tax paid... all because they have 5 children. I can't remember her exact words, but she said something along the lines of "why should I stop having kids just because I'm on benefits". Er......!!! Her partner, who seemed fit and able to work, said there were "no jobs". Whilst that may indeed be the case, I wonder if he'd manage to find a job if his benefits were cut? I should imagine the answer would be yes. There's something very wrong when people are better off on benefits than they are working...

I felt very sorry for the young 16 year old girl who was 'fighting' to get her daughter back - although she's in no fit state to be looking after a child. It just made me wonder where the parents were, or how they managed to let her get into this situation. Very sad.

[Smowball]

I was screaming at the TV! lol. There was an article in the newspaper the other day from a lot of the people on the programme saying how they had been stiched up and made to look really awful. Apparently the tv crew bought a lot of the lads crates of beer and then filmed them drinking as though they had bought it themselves!

[MadMen]

Oh my god, that's awful - though believable!
What were they expecting though? They were hardly going to come out of it looking good, were they.

[chrisgel]

21 years old and 5 kids. It's no wonder neither of them have jobs, they must be horizontal most of the time.

[Smowball]

I have to say that i too was utterly gob smacked when I heard how much benefit the 21 yr old got - thats more than I earn! And she got her rent paid!

[MadMen]

Lol. Ewwww!!

I couldn't believe it when they started giving each other tattoo's!!

[wendilla]

It amazed me the state of the art tv in one house. Must have been about 50inches. Also don't know how true it is but I read in the Sunday Sun that some were paid to act up to the cameras. It is the same in my street .Some of the houses have been sold to council and private lettings and it is all young girls with lots of children. Thay all seem to have regular deliveres of large goods from Argos and companies not that I watch but I can't help but see from where I am. It has always been the same lately better off on benifits. I think I must have gone wrong somewhere when I worked. But at least what I have I have worked for.

[MadMen]

I know. £1600 a month - AFTER their rent and council tax had been paid.

I just can't get my head around someone that young having 5 children and not at any point thinking "hmm, maybe I shouldn't get pregnant again, until husband has a job".

[sp1814]

Madmen

Yes, I watched it last night (and saw the first episode last week). What did I think? Not really repeatable on AB, but suffice to say, we were throwing lots of 'colloquial' language at the screen.

I think that if you are born to that environment and you have literally never seen anyone in your immediate circle try hard at school, get qualifications and go on to work, your destiny is pretty much mapped out since birth.

It's easy for me to criticize the attitudes of the people filmed, but I wonder whether I would be any different if I grew up on that estate. When I was a kid, my overriding fear was unemployment. My mother would have looked on me not working as bringing shame on the family.

What I really want to see further on in the series, are families who are skint but who aren't claiming benefits. Those who are in low paid jobs, but because they earn a certain amount, are not eligible for the benefits that those last night are claiming.

And skint pensioners.

At the moment, the focus of the show is a little narrow.

[Smowball]

I didnt see it last week but I heard about it and so was curious. And shocked.

[sp1814]

MadMen

We worked out that £1,600 per month would equate to about £3,000 a month if they were working and paying tax and national insurance (even leaving aside things like council tax, free school meals etc).

So they are on about £36,000 a year.

Which is...breathtaking.

[MadMen]

Wendilla, I think the massive TV is a bit of a talking point today, from what I've seen on Facebook and Twitter. Whilst I appreciate the mother has to be there to look after all those children, I just don't know what's stopping the husband going out and getting a job. Saying that, he looked quite happy sat in front of that TV, playing video games, with the baby in a bouncer watching.

It's really sad and depressing, but this country is allowing that to happen!

[sp1814]

Snowball

There was a lad on last night who was also featured last week. He was 16 years old - can't remember his name.

Anyone who saw him last week will know how he spoke to his mother. If I used that language to my mum...actually - I can't even imagine what would happen. I think she'd end up on News At Ten with a blanket over her head, being lead into court.

[ummmm]

It's the foul language that I found shocking.

And what about the crack head? She said heroin made you look young. She looked like she was in her 50's and she was 36.

I think their life is a vicious circle. There are no jobs for them to do.

[Ellipsis]

I think if I watch much more of this program I'm in danger of becoming swivel-eyed ...

[ummmm]

Sp - was that Jordan, the lad on the bike?

[Smowball]

sp1814 - I agree, I once said "bloody hell" to my brother and my mum went absolutely mental at me - smacked me round the back of the legs!

I just find it hard to believe that they all stand in the street screaming at each other all day, with no thought for anybody else. As for the drug addict woman - jesus, she looked like a skeleton!

[MadMen]

Ah yes, I think that's his name - Jordan. I was also appalled at how he spoke to his Mum. Calling her a ***. Shocking!! :-( He does seem a bit 'backward' though (is that an OK word to use?).

As for that crackhead and her "heroin makes you younger" line. Bloody hell! Agreed, she did look in her 50's. In fact, I said to myself (and the telly) she looked like death!

[ummmm]

The girl from the large family with all the step children has plans to go to college.

[MadMen]

Yeah, that was the only positive comment in the whole show. I kind of thought "there is some hope", when she said that.

[anneasquith]

re the drug addict,,,,,,,,,,,,,what she actually said, heroin makes you look younger initially.