I love this post, really well said.

Since the age of 14 I'd worked full-time until I HAD to claim benefit..I had a very lazy, very abusive Ex & 4 children. I worked full-time doing nightshift in a supermarket 9pm-7am, got home at 7:30 took kids to school, pre school, came home did washing, tidying up,shopping, picked 1 son up at11:30 another at 1pm & 2 more at 3:15, took them home, did homework, played, did tea, baths, stories, put them to bed , then went to work again..then after a few smacks too many from the Ex in front of the kids I got the strength to involve the domestic violence unit. They helped me to get the locks changed on my house (in my name not his). I couldn't continue working & i was devastated. I'd always supported myself & my kids no matter what. We didnt have the best of everything, but they were well fed & always clean & tidy even though they didnt have nike, adidas, reebok, they were always on time for school & always clean....the things that are important to me!

I was forced to give up work & claim single parent income support. I loved having that relaxing time to spend actually enjoying my kids but I hated not working.

While I was claiming I had my housing benefit, council tax & got legal aid to take the ex to court (long story) Yes I had all my important things paid for like a roof over our head, but as for extras that was a no. I used to bulk buy potatoes & veg at the beginning of the week & cook them all at once & freeze them so at least the kids were getting some goodness everyday, animals were a huge no no as I just couldnt afford them in the slightest.

Since then Ive moved house, got an OH thatworks full-time, got myself a full-time job, a rented house, some animals (3 dogs, a turtle,fish, guinea pigs) have a holiday allbeitonly 5 days in France BUT we work damn hard for everything we have/own/give the kids/animals and thats the way we like it,we NEVER go out.
I would love nothing more than to getanother horse as I had one when I was younger but I know we just simply couldnt afford it.

Sorry for all my rambling...I cant see how this person is affording a horse while they are on benefits, I couldnt afford anything other than feed , cloth my kids & pay my bills....

The mind boggles!

Bev x

Have read all the posts on this thread and some made my blood boil, others I thought were excellent!

First can I say to the OP, I love your threads for the entertainment factor, though I usually think they are full of bullish!t and I sometimes I wonder if you are a longterm troll.

Ok I had my own house and 3 kids, repossessed in early 1990's, was Very fortunate to be given a council house, both of us working! Relationship breaks down after 20 years, meet new bloke, teacher, marry have two more kids! Then Wham that relationship breaks down, he leaves, I can no longer work as shift was 3pm-11pm. I then claim benefits! If this makes me a scrounger then I don't give a flying fig!
Yes I have a car, 10 year old tho. Yes we have Just had Sky installed, yes for the benefit of the kids and so I can watch the soaps in HD, Ian Beale looks so much better don't you know! yep we even have broad band, again for kids benefit and so I can ofcourse come on Dogsey! I even have my wonderful beautiful pedigree Labrador Bruce!
Sadly I don't have a horse! I don't drink, I don't smoke, my kids want for nothing, except maybe foreign holidays.
It is about prioritising what's important to you!

I can see both sides of the argument but to be honest I don't give a damn what anyone else earns or receives in benefits. I don't care how it's spent or what they waste it on - Simply because it's non of my Business!

My , you go away from a thread and what happens when you come back, an onslaught of bullying by SB and Dobermann on a member because she dares to have an opinion different to theirs.

DD has her own opinion as does the rest of us, she is entitled to it, she does not deserve to have the spanish inquisition thrown on her head for it, by you both, how dare she see it differently that you, and acknowledge the fact that some people abuse the system


Dobermann I am not going to go into a full blown response regarding your character assassination of me, because your ranting opinion matter not a jot

Its amazing how words get put into mouths that have not spoken them.

SB , you can copy and paste all the information you can find as far as I am concerned, it does not stop unfairness happening,

It does not stop the family waiting on the point system being put down the lien because an immigrant family comes in and take priority,

It does not stop the young 16 yr old getting priority over someone else who has been waiting.

It does not stop people churning out child after child to get a bigger house, and more benifits..

I am not sure where seeing faults and abuse in the system suddenly makes you prejudiced nor do I see the connection in comparing it to "deed not breed" the two are completey different.

I would love to understand were that conclusion came from



Many of us here realise the country is in trouble, to many immigrants, to little jobs, not enough money to support the needy , cuts being made to amenities and the terrible vicious circle many of our young are stuck in........ I have two young nephews who are in exactly the same situation as your son Sal, and I cant see a way out for them.

But then thats not what the criticism is about (well mine anyway) even if some wish to put words in my mouth.

My criticism is and always has been and will continue to be , directed towards those who abuse the system, and see the benefit system as a job, and a way to make a living , even if I then get called ignorant and prejudice by some members here....

I am not part of the PC brigade and see everyone as genuine, I see it as it is, and will continue to see that not all those on benifits warrant it

There will always be abuse of any system,

But then there are those who do are genuine and want to work but are caught in the benefit trap and simply can't afford to work because they can't earn enough money to pay there bills.What choice do these people have ?
No one is going to give up benefits if they can't make ends meet are they.

And that to a point is some of the problem , there is no incentive to get off benifits , if your working wage is going to be lower than your benifits!

But it is the SYSTEM that should be criticised NOT the INDIVIDUALS especially as with VERY few exceptions NOBODY KNOWS all the ins and outs of a person or household's finances.

And it is NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

You can sit in judgement all you like, it don't change THOSE facts or that there is NOTHING WRONG in people taking what they are entitled to, whether you approve or not!

Totally agree,and there will always be those who don't want to work.

I also agree with a total overhaul of the benefits system and the capping of housing benefit,but there also needs to be decent jobs with a decent wage.

when your a hard working tax payer, I think it is. after all its yours and others money their living off.

It is only my business if they are FRAUDULENTLY claiming benefit.

Quite agree-it is people's attitudes that other people take exception to-that they are all about their rights and don't think about their responsibiliites. It is the benefit claimants who don't want to work, even if there were plenty of jobs about (and yes I have personally met a lot of these!). Someone I know who has been on benefits for many years and has 5 children and a council 5-bedroom house with a garage, he told his child to "find a rich kid in your class and suck up to the parents" when his son said he wanted some money for a bike! Most people I know would say to their teenager to get a paper round or wash the car for some pocket money etc. I don't think it is being judgemental but just recognising that attitudes like this are a drain on the country when we do get back from recession.