chem1st Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Were it to be applied to people with serious health issues that mean they genuinely cannot work or those who have paid in and need a helping hand between jobs then I'd agree. But for those who have never worked and have no intention of working what is so wrong about providing for their basic needs in a manner which does not allow them to waste taxpayers money on luxuries? Why should the person who works long hours for have their hard earned money treated as no more worthwhile than that given away from their taxes to the idle? As a society we like the NHS, we like that the seriously ill are supported and that workers are not just thrown to the wolves if they are out of work for a short time. But neither the architects of the welfare state or the average taxpayer ever wanted a system which allows a substantial intergenerational minority to drift through life without working or even looking for work. Vouchers may not entirely solve the problem of the feckless but it would be a start to push at least some of them towards self improvement and eventual employment and self sufficiency. So suppose rations were fixed at x transport vouchers, y KwH, z therms, a loafs of bread, b grams of ham, c bags of flower, back in 2006. What happens when the price of said food, travel and heat increases YoY 10% above inflation for 5 years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECCOnoob Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Right, someone is given £40 in vouchers to use to buy groceries. they are given £20 cash for sundries, like bus fares, gas , electricity, water rates... What do they do if their utilities come to more than that? You can't say to someone disabled, "Well, you can't use your electrically powered stairlift till Wednesday, because you have used up your electricity allowance... Same goes for charging up your power chair..." We are getting a bit carried away here. Who said the term "vouchers" should only cover food. Vouchers can cover whatever you want them to. That could include essential utilities, travelcards or fuel. If you use a scheme similar to the high street vouchers or love2shop it would cover everything you needed including paypoint for your household bills. What they wouldn't be able to cover is boozing in the pubs, gambling in the bookies or fruit machines, access to illegal drugs etc.. etc... A system like that could also help control how benefits were spent. EG: if you were applying for a crisis loan claiming you needed it for the red overdue electric bill. Rather than giving someone cash which they could fritter away they actually give you a voucher to pay it off. That could be copied over for anything you genuinely needed. I really dont see what the issue is for those who are on a supposedly interim benefit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddybare Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 So suppose rations were fixed at x transport vouchers, y KwH, z therms, a loafs of bread, b grams of ham, c bags of flower, back in 2006. What happens when the price of said food, travel and heat increases YoY 10% above inflation for 5 years? Well then you'd be dieting, walking more and wearing an extra thick jumper Win-win situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chem1st Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 We are getting a bit carried away here. Who said the term "vouchers" should only cover food. Vouchers can cover whatever you want them to. That could include essential utilities, travelcards or fuel. If you use a scheme similar to the high street vouchers or love2shop it would cover everything you needed including paypoint for your household bills. What they wouldn't be able to cover is boozing in the pubs, gambling in the bookies or fruit machines, access to illegal drugs etc.. etc... A system like that could also help control how benefits were spent. EG: if you were applying for a crisis loan claiming you needed it for the red overdue electric bill. Rather than giving someone cash which they could fritter away they actually give you a voucher to pay it off. That could be copied over for anything you genuinely needed. I really dont see what the issue is for those who are on a supposedly interim benefit. Surely it is better somebody buys a bottle of vodka for £10 (£8 of which is tax), instead of buying £10 worth of imported food (a small amount of which is the profit for a company based in a tax haven)? I'd gladly swap people weed for their food vouchers. Buy sugar and potatoes, and hey presto, tax free vodka! Can swap that for more of their vocuhers. (Turning into A4E style company here - running on public subsidy and exploiting the unemployed) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 So suppose rations were fixed at x transport vouchers, y KwH, z therms, a loafs of bread, b grams of ham, c bags of flower, back in 2006. What happens when the price of said food, travel and heat increases YoY 10% above inflation for 5 years? Nobody is suggesting introducing rations. Merely a method, as likely a not a chip and pin card, which would enable recipients to purchase whatever they like, provided it is not prohibited, so booze fags and scratchcards would be out but if the person wanted to spend it all on bags of flour then that would be up to them. It would just a change in the method of payment, setting the level of benefits would be done as it is now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane39 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 If anyone has been workshy for more than 10 years,they should be given a choice.Carry on claiming,but it will cost you one of your kidneys,(or other body part) Can't get much fairer than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidecut Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 It would be very interesting to know if those against have an agenda just like those on here who promote illegal drugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidecut Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 So suppose rations were fixed at x transport vouchers, y KwH, z therms, a loafs of bread, b grams of ham, c bags of flower, back in 2006. What happens when the price of said food, travel and heat increases YoY 10% above inflation for 5 years? benefits are usualy linked to inflation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jag82 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 If anyone has been workshy for more than 10 years,they should be given a choice.Carry on claiming,but it will cost you one of your kidneys,(or other body part) Can't get much fairer than that. Obviously put a lot of thought into this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane39 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Obviously put a lot of thought into this one. I did! It's a great idea. Are you one of the workshy nearing 10 years of idleness? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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