Quote Originally Posted by tone View Post
I personally think this is the crux of the issue and some of these words I tend to repeat to people who tell me I'm lucky.
have you ever been on the dole or benefits tone?, if not your are lucky sure sometimes you make your own luck and earn it, but bad-luck can come anyone's way , I've been on the dole thankfully the last and only time was under thatcher, not a place anyone wants to be

One of the bottom lines here is that living on benefits should not pay the same as being in a job.
As I recall benefits are a temporary situation, not a lifestyle. Under the previous government they happily allowed too many people to make this a lifestyle.
well being on benefits will not pay for a trip to the phils (nor should it) or a state pension (thou i think it should be enough that you can save something) , your wrong about the previous government, you mean previous governments, it was the same under thatcher and major as well as Blair.

The next bottom line is we can't afford to continue like this so making people do something that gives 'community back' will no doubt repay the community that helped them during unemployment.
if you've paid in, then you should be able to take out, if you haven't thats a different matter. those who paid in why should they do community work ?

I was out of work and still had bills and maintenance to pay - it took me 3 months to find a job and I didn't sign on until end of the first month but the whole process was very uncomfortable.
you've answered my first question, but what about people who don't have any savings and have to sign on straight away, some people have applied for 100s of jobs and got nowhere, thou some people have probably never applied for a job, so you felt uncomfortable, what would you feel like after 6 months or a yr ?

Company bosses are the people who are fruits of their own labour - they are the bosses because they took the lead. So why shouldn't they pay themselves what they think they are worth?
i think anyone who works should get enough to live off, a crazy idea but a fair days pay for a fair days work , not all employers are the same tone, i know of people who have work for the same employer and not had a pay rise in 10 years, yet they live in £1m+ houses

I would imagine a guy or girl on £100k is paying about £35k in tax and has no tax allowance. A guy in sainsburys earning £20k would be paying £2k a year. The statement that the rich should pay more is true - they are.
and some people avoid paying tax, move money off shore, claim benefits they shouldn't.

Let the lifestyle sponges earn their benefit but anyone who is on benefits for just a few months should be supported to find another job.. I mentioned when is out of work, the job centre couldn't help me find a job.. But they had to see I was trying..
obviously it depends on your age, I'm sure its more difficult to get a job for a someone in their 50's compared to someone who's in their 20's, also if your skills if you have any are in demand.