People claiming benefits and doing the odd job on the side

Had an interesting discussion about this earlier. What do you think about people who claim benefits and who do an occasional odd job on the side to make a bit of extra money?

I'm not talking about those who do what might be considered a full time job AND claim. But those who are on benefits (normal benefits, not disability types) and who do a cash in hand job to earn a bit of extra money, and rarely or very occasionally.

My personal viewpoint is that it should be allowed. It's not like millionaires who have nice big fancy houses and more than enough money - and then evade or dodge tax (and often for millions - that to me is real greed!) it's people who are on the lowest rung of the ladder, trying to work to get a bit of extra cash - cash that could actually improve their life in some way, or afford them a little treat.

Define occasional....

A few times a year - maybe 3 or 4? Less than a thousand to two thousand pounds a year.

(I thought the debate subjects had to be dog related?)

My only thought aboutt such people is that they are hardly likely to bring the country to it's knees if it's what you describe, but they are liars because they must have to lie when they have to confirm they've earned nothing above what they are allowed to. So therefore they are dishonest people and not to be trusted.

Two grand a year - forty quid a week that they'd have their benefits reduced by? As one of the taxpayers who pay their benefits I don't think that's a tiny sum, especially not if you multiply it by lots doing this.

Not every taxpayer is wealthy some might not be much better off than the person claiming benefits and earning two grand tax free on the side.

But then even if the govt caught all the fraudsters and saved loads I don't expect they'd reduce my tax bill.

This section is in the off-topic sections category (there are two debates sections now, one for dog related topics and this one for everything else).

I'd like to sign up now please for the extra 2k a year
Never been unemployed since left school (that wasn't yesterday ) will probably still have to work till I'm carried out in a pine box
Unlike some who who make a career out of Their jobs on the side ,and are much better off than I'd ever be
Genuinely sorry for those that WANT to work !those that have had to claim benefits due to ill health ,redundancy !job loss
Through no fault of their own or people who try their damdest to find work ,unfortunately there are those that don't want to work know every scam in the book not to
At least I can sleep easy knowing that what I've got I've worked blxxdy hard and honestly for

Very against it although I understand why people do it, when my husband had a stroke and we were on benefit I was scrubbing toilets 4 hours a day and only allowed to keep £10 of it the rest of my wages were taken off his benefit. So after a couple of months I was kneeing under a urinal as it flushed above me scrubbing where the men had missed (yuk) when I suddenly had a flash of why the hell am I doing this for £10 and walked out.

I knew my neighbour was doing a weekend cash in hand job and not telling them and he was managing so much better than us and yes jealously perhaps but I think it very unfair and we either have a level playing field with everyone playing fair or we let everyone do what they like and personally I think if they can find occasional work no reason why they need the benefits for the weeks they are working.

These jobs are presumably paid 'cash in hand' so the employers are complicit in any fraud involved as much as the 'worker'.

And there must be an element of it contributing to honest people finding it even harder to get work - people who need a 'proper job' paying NI contribs and income tax when unscrupulous employers can find people willing to do it for less because they get to keep it all.

I doubt the situation will ever change.