Are UK citizens addicted on State handouts?

[Alex C.]

I have never claimed anything except statutory sick pay. Until recently (when I had an operation), I'd claimed it for an 8 day period, in my 5 year working life. I'm now having to claim it for an extended period of time due to complications, but I don't feel guilty, when I've paid thousands in tax and NI over the past 5 years.

[tab1]

is that all? i though there was more

Yeah, why has the benefits that are paid for being Muslim and those paid for being coloured not included in the list?

[ukstudent]

Has the UK welfare state created a nation of welfare claimants?

 

Yes

 

How many of us don't claim a penny in benefit of come kind?

 

I don't.

 

From maternity and child benefit to pensions with everything from war benefits to bereavement allowance in between there seems to be a hand out for almost everyone no matter how rich or poor you are.

 

Agreed.

 

Has the welfare state been used to make us all dependant on the State?

 

Yes

 

Is the UK addicted to hand outs?

 

Yes totally.

 

Many people (myself included) would probably be better off on benefits but have self respect.

[Guest]

For some people they're handouts, but for others, they're merely getting some of their own money back.

 

When I came to the UK, I was told about 'National Insurance'. The way it was described, it seemed like a pretty good idea.

 

I was not told it was a Ponzi scheme scam, I was not told that the money paid in could (and would) be diverted and put to such use as the government saw fit, nor was I told that - unlike every other insurance policy I'd encountered - payouts would be made to non-policyholders.

 

Spot on Rupert, I couldn't agree more.

 

You should realise Tony, that you can't class every payment as a government handout. Makes it sound as though everyone's on the scrounge or accepting charity.

 

I presume that you won't, once you start drawing your old age pension which, you will consider, you have already paid for.

 

Didn't your parents draw child benefit for you and who paid for your education & medical care.

 

This is how the system works so why not accept it.

[Mister M]

I got help from the state as a youngster when I was sent to primary & secondary school; I also go help when I was poorly and I recieved first class treatment by the NHS. If it wasn't for the state I'd be homeless as I rent a housing association flat. I also got help from the state when I became unemployed.

 

I think one of the imporatnt parts of the welfare state is that it is a 'cradle to the grave' so that it distributes help between the generations and classes. So that it is not just for 'the underclass', but there for everyone - if everyone has a stake then the press will have a harder time trying to undermine its principles and institutuins.

 

By the way I'm not in favour of 'welfare junkies' as the OP indicates that UK citizens might be. If people can work they should (unless of course where there are no jobs) and I'm not in favour of people claiming disability benefits when they're not supposed to. But nor am I in favour of people not making their fair share to the Exchequer by evading the tax man. I believe many more billions is lost through people not making their contribution as the law says they should.

[Tony]

You should realise Tony, that you can't class every payment as a government handout. Makes it sound as though everyone's on the scrounge or accepting charity.

You should realise that you are mixing up a question which I asked with an opinion that I didn't give.

 

It's a simple question that makes no mention of entitlement, need, or how much you've paid in.

 

So do you receive any state handouts?

 

 

 

 

This is how the system works so why not accept it.

That's a question for another day.

[dell12]

There's little shame in receiving a handout if you're working 9-5 for 5 days a week and still can't make ends meet. Until some companies decide to pay a living wage there will always (rightly or wrongly) be the need for government intervention.

 

It's not just those who are feckless/unemployed/lazy or whatever way people choose to describe them.

[Guest]

You should realise that you are mixing up a question which I asked with an opinion that I didn't give.

 

It's a simple question that makes no mention of entitlement, need, or how much you've paid in.

 

So do you receive any state handouts?

 

Your opinion is obvious - isn't that why you asked the question?

I receive my pension which, in your opinion, is a state handout.

Apparently, everyone receives a state handout, by your definition but,

as I said, that's how the system is set up.

[crookesey]

Has the UK welfare state created a nation of welfare claimants? How many of us don't claim a penny in benefit of come kind?

 

From maternity and child benefit to pensions with everything from war benefits to bereavement allowance in between there seems to be a hand out for almost everyone no matter how rich or poor you are.

 

 

Here's a list of benefits available:

Disability Living Allowance

Attendance Allowance

Industrial Injuries scheme

War-related benefits

Child Benefit

Guardian’s Allowance

Contribution based Jobseekers Allowance

Carer’s Allowance

Maternity Allowance

Statutory Maternity Pay

Statutory Sick Pay

Incapacity Benefit

Widowed Parents Allowance

Bereavement Allowance

Retirement Pension

Severe Disablement Allowance (abolished for new claimants)

Income Support

income based Jobseekers Allowance

Pension Credit

Child Tax Credit

Working Tax Credit

Housing Benefit/ Council Tax Benefit

Social Fund

 

 

Has the welfare state been used to make us all dependant on the State?

 

Is the UK addicted to hand outs?

.

 

This is a daft thread, anyone of the right age, with enough NI contributions can claim their state pension that they have paid for, what is wrong with that?

 

You forgot Winter Fuel Allowance by the way.

[Grandad.Malky]

I don’t claim anything, do get a prize or am I just a mug.