Britain to Reform Welfare System. Why Not Us?

[consultant]

The proposals to be published today should make for interesting reading:

“After years of piecemeal reform the current welfare system is complex and unfair,” the former Conservative Party leader will say in a speech on Friday.

For many people, taking a job leaves them no better off than a life on benefits, and this has trapped significant parts of our society in inter-generational worklessness and entrenched poverty.

“The complexity of the system also creates risk and uncertainty for the people in society who most need stability. We want to simplify the system to make it clear that work will always pay.”

Remind you of the situation here?

The Government believes that because of the effect of “marginal tax rates” — the combination of withdrawn benefits and the tax on earned income — millions of people calculate that it is simply not worth taking a job.

One example cited by Mr Duncan Smith involves the case of a lone parent with three school-age children earning £7.50 an hour as an office administrator.

Working 23 hours a week, he says, she would have a net weekly income (including benefits and tax credits) of £345 after paying rent and council tax. However, if she were to increase her hours to 34 a week she would get only about £10 more due to a loss of benefits.

It is proposed that “entitlements” are tapered so that when earnings — net of tax and National Insurance — are not significantly above what a claimant would get on benefits, they are topped up by payments. Ministers want a system where claimants would be better off by up to 40p in every pound extra they earn.

As part of his efforts to make low-paid jobs worth taking, the Work and Pensions Secretary is looking to merge existing unemployment and in-work benefits with a “universal credit”.

Again, does it ring a bell here?

Conservatives: come off benefits and we'll make work pay - Telegraph

[birthday]

Evidence, if it were needed, of why we need an election and new government-now.
The pace of reform under FF/greens is abysmal- our debt may well have overtaken us by the time we get around to taking some action.

As Cathal Guiomard stated in 1995 we need a blowtorch aimed at the backsides of public administration.

We need sweeping reform across so many areas including political, welfare reform and of course reform of public services. Closure/amalgamation of of quangos is most pressing need. Amalgamation of county councils. Reform or be sacked.

Reform of how the state deals with and regulates professions, legal, medical, accountancy is critical and long overdue. The way professions and other interest groups (farmers, unions)have looked after themselves since the foundation of the state to the detriment of the common good must be changed. Of course it was governments caving in to such interest groups that has caused us so many problems-especially under FF.

[Bi ciuin]

Its amazing how all the governments are doing these things at a time when there are NO JOBS!

Cut waste, fraud and stop sending millions abroad for kids that have never set foot in Ireland/UK.

Then create employment and only then look at welfare reform.

[Passionateheart]

We definitely have some absurdities in our social welfare system. If you are a married couple with 10 children on social welfare benefits plus children's allowance, you will be rewarded with €54,005 per year plus medical cards all around, free bin charges where I live, fuel vouchers, all the back to school allowances going and of course you will be exempt from water charges. If one of those children is disabled, which if their inbred is a strong possibility, you will then be into at least a partial free travel allownce and some free electricity! You will of course be living in social housing on the doorstep of a town or large city or highly rent subsidised.
This is obviously completely absurd, but is open to all citizens to do in our 'society' and where I live, I observe it every day amongst our much cherished indigenous ethnic minority who have it down to a tee and any major purchases for them will be made by 'Vincents'.
In any regular society, eg Germany or Holland, they would get social housing but alarm bells would be going off non stop in social services' departments, all the more if inbreeding is involved!
Let's stop rascism and classism against working class people in Ireland now!
Part of this process is to stop cherishing Chavs!

[showbandmanager]

Yeah we live in a nuthouse where during a period of practically full employment , social welfare rates were being INCREASED every year just to make it more attractive for the long term spongers not to get a job.

[Asparagus]

The social welfare system (and indeed the justice system) here is designed as a disincentive to the proletariat to become active.

An active hungry proletariat bring about huge social and political changes.
A fat and suplicated one allow the status quo to persist.

[Passionateheart]

What's wrong with having a reasonable workfare program for long term unemployed? Taking into account the relevant skills of the participant!

[Bebsaboo]

The reason why they're restructuring it now is because it's a lot easier to push reform through during a time of economic turmoil. People are hungry for reform and that's what the LibCons will give them. It's what they were voted in for. It shouldn't come as any surprise.

[Baron von Biffo]

If you are a married couple with 10 children

The typical Irish family.

[Asparagus]

What's wrong with having a reasonable workfare program for long term unemployed? Taking into account the relevant skills of the participant!

Long term unemployed > 3 years have no interest in working for a living.
Not only because some of them are institutionalised into depending on SW but also the chances are that any potential job would have to be paying significant wages to replace the dole, the household benefits and the assistance of state and charity groups.

And you can take that to the bank.