Theland, you worked for a company for 18 years – salary £62,000 – not an inconsiderable sum and a damn good wage back in the day. You then went to a shipyard and earned £600 a week. You are now drawing your government pension (no idea if you have a private pension too but having worked for 18 years up until what? – 15, 20 years ago?, at a job paying £62,000 pa I’d guess you might). You consistently plead poverty, claiming to live in jogging bottoms because you can’t afford proper trousers - when proper trousers, in shops like Matalan or Primark, cost very little more - but then smartening yourself up wouldn’t convey the impression you want to convey, would it.
I don’t see other pensioners – here or elsewhere - whinging about hardship the way you do – but then they don’t have an agenda.
As I understand it some people are experiencing problems with the transition period the new benefits system requires but no one can expect to be given instant money straight out of the till – and nor should they. You asked me to respond to Nailit who bemoans the fact that his sister, who can no longer work, is obliged to spend some of her savings for the next five weeks until her benefits kick in. So what? What’s wrong with spending some of her savings?
The benefits system isn’t perfect but no one who has children is ignored. If children are hungry, the parents are culpable.
I have no objection whatsoever to funding people who are unable to take care of themselves - society MUST do that - but I’m damned if I’m happy to fund those who refuse to take responsibility for themselves – or those for whom ‘work’ is a dirty four letter word. No humble pie here, Theland