My Big Benefits Family (sheffield)- channel 5 Thurs 8pm

[SALLY18]

It is the system that allows people to live like this and claim benefits. If people were told either find a job or all this stops they would soon have to find work.

 

When my husband was made redundant from his job in 2010 he claimed job seekers allowance but could only claim for 24 weeks as he was on contribution based JSA. As I worked and we own our home (well mortgaged) we couldn't get anything else apart from Child Tax Credits. We had mortgage insurance but it was really difficult to make end meet.

 

He tried really hard to get a job applying for a dozen jobs a week but the shame and how he was made to feel at the Job Centre every week was really hard to take. Once he was there being grilled about what he had applied for and what he was doing to actively seek employment when some chav turned up and my husband overheard the woman asking him what he had done to look for work that week and he replied he had listened to the radio in case there were any jobs advertised she let him sign on and off he went.

 

The problem is some people are unemployable no employer would employ them - I didn't see this programme but I am sure that this family would be like this. What do you do in cases like this? Workhouses I am sure some people would agree!! Give them food and clothes vouchers so that they can't buy the latest I-phones or Sky TV.

 

It is a difficult subject however one that needs to addressed but which government is going to be the brave one to do it.

[Happ Hazzard]

No government has the balls to tackle it so the problem will just keep getting worse and worse until it is too late to do anything about it.

[Apprentice89]

Yes it was filmed in Longley and to be honest it has left me fuming as at one point it says in one of the most deprived areas of sheffield and the camera is pointing to our house. We both work for a living have got a nice house and we all get a bad name.

 

This sort of programme makes sheffield look so bad I really don't agree with them.

[Cycleracer]

Yes it was filmed in Longley and to be honest it has left me fuming as at one point it says in one of the most deprived areas of sheffield and the camera is pointing to our house. We both work for a living have got a nice house and we all get a bad name.

 

This sort of programme makes sheffield look so bad I really don't agree with them.

 

My wifes childhood home 102 Crowder Ave was shown at least twice

[maryjane]

Yes it was filmed in Longley and to be honest it has left me fuming as at one point it says in one of the most deprived areas of sheffield and the camera is pointing to our house. We both work for a living have got a nice house and we all get a bad name.

 

This sort of programme makes sheffield look so bad I really don't agree with them.

 

That's awful! sure its not one of he most deprived areas anyway, they made Sheffield look awful, showed all the worst bits the town centre as well.

[woodmally]

Just watched it now. Usual quotes "we don't get enough benefits. We are on sick and the immigrants are getting better benefits."

 

Utterly disgusting. Love seeing what my taxes are going on.

[Smirnoff Ice]

I can't watch these type of programs as they make me angry. I work full time to provide for my family and have done for the past 25 yrs.

 

Why be angry? Because they have more money than you? Then the answer is stop working! Make more money that way, No?

[Plain Talker]

Its what they don't tell you thats the problem on these type of programs. These two sisters are the only two out of a family of eleven that live like this, her brother has his own business and probably pays more tax than some of you. Also some of them went to East Hill special school and have probably been left on the scrap heap because the job centre dont bother helping many people with learning disabilities find courses or work etc. Also I watched another Sheffield benefits program a while ago and I recognised one of the fathers, the program concentrated on one son who was out of work, in fact he had two sisters as well who were not on the dole but they were not shown.

 

But the frothers and screamers aren't going to let something as trivial as the facts get in the way of their froth and vitriol, tara.

 

The frothers are also conveniently ignoring the obvious fact that the editors are going to have cut the film very preciccely to tell the story that they, the editors want to tell, rather than the truth. Look at "Benefits Street", that was transmitted a few months ago...? A show which was nothing more than Daily Mail TV, at the end of the day.

A show that was based in a street of about 150 ( ?) houses, but narrowly focussing on hardly more than half a dozen properties and insinuating that all the residents of tne street were low- lifed trash.

 

In reality, as with the sheffield - based show, on " Benefits Street" judicious editing was used to show the participants in the very worst light possible.

 

The editors quite obviously got the froth and DM outrage that they desired.

[woodmally]

But the frothers and screamers aren't going to let something as trivial as the facts get in the way of their froth and vitriol, tara.

 

The frothers are also conveniently ignoring the obvious fact that the editors are going to have cut the film very preciccely to tell the story that they, the editors want to tell, rather than the truth. Look at "Benefits Street", that was transmitted a few months ago...? A show which was nothing more than Daily Mail TV, at the end of the day.

A show that was based in a street of about 150 ( ?) houses, but narrowly focussing on hardly more than half a dozen properties and insinuating that all the residents of tne street were low- lifed trash.

 

In reality, as with the sheffield - based show, on " Benefits Street" judicious editing was used to show the participants in the very worst light possible.

 

The editors quite obviously got the froth and DM outrage that they desired.

 

Yes they are a minority. Yes it is hand picked tv to gain a reaction but this minority still exists. There are people out there that see benefits as a given and do not even try to get work relying on state hand out.

 

They are a small group so does that mean we ignore them and let them get on with playing the system or do something about it? I have just posted on a post about a poster who has thought of suicide and is looking for every job under the sun. So while this poster is genuinely looking for work and cares enough or in this case too much. There are these people who dont care and think the world owes them a living. We should be challenging these views as its our money being spent on them.

 

I freely accept they are a small group but still think they should be dealt with.

[Stranza]

Yes they are a minority. Yes it is hand picked tv to gain a reaction but this minority still exists. There are people out there that see benefits as a given and do not even try to get work relying on state hand out.

 

They are a small group so does that mean we ignore them and let them get on with playing the system or do something about it? I have just posted on a post about a poster who has thought of suicide and is looking for every job under the sun. So while this poster is genuinely looking for work and cares enough or in this case too much. There are these people who dont care and think the world owes them a living. We should be challenging these views as its our money being spent on them.

 

I freely accept they are a small group but still think they should be dealt with.

 

I'm not commenting on the people in the program because I don't watch poverty porn anymore.

I have to ask you though do you honestly think they are all employable?

Could they do your job? Or would they cause more work and need so much supervision that it would make little sense?

 

I have come to the conclusion that some of my tax goes to those who think they are playing the system but in reality have been parked by the system because they would be unproductive.

When I thought about that angle I didn't feel so aggrieved.

I don't even mind that they spend on fags and booze because we are civilized and I would be ashamed (and I am ashamed we need foodbanks etc) if they lived a measly hand to mouth existence.