Benefits Cash Card

[joeski]

Before making such pathetic comments, MPs should try living on JSA for 6 months and see how they manage.

 

exactly!! i hate MPs and nothing could ever make me feel for them.

[estellyn]

Are you condoning benefit cheats? It seems that way from your post. I did state as a last resort with people who are benefit scroungers, i.e. druggies, alcoholics and people who play the system. It seems that the minister wants to target this category and not the genuine people who do need benefits.

 

Huh? Since when has how people spend their benefit been a marker for being a benefit cheat? People are eligible for benefits due to circumstances and according to the regulations. Are drug addicts and alcoholics, benefit cheats now? And how does spending money on alcohol or cigarettes or gambling indicate someone is playing the system? These are all addictive behaviours.

 

Do I think that more help should be available to people with addictions - yes. Would a cash card system help these people? I'm not so sure - I think it would just increase crime, which is counterproductive and costly. I also don't condone parents who neglect their children in any way, but I don't think that infringing on everyone's right to privacy in order to stop parents spending inappropriately is acceptable. Maybe it would be more appropriate to increase funding to social services to help them deal with problem parents - but of course this isn't acceptable to Tories because it doesn't involve facilitating the profits of private companies.

 

Also the minister states the category he wants to target, but he wants to do this by applying the cash card to all non disabled on benefits. The Tories are two faced - small government for the rich and big government for the poor.

[Astro1]

I thought the Benefits cash card was going to be part of the 'Social Banking' thing. a4e was on about introducing it a while ago. They and the government believed that people on lower incomes couldn't manage their finances. Pot, Kettle, Black springs to mind.

[Surfer01]

Also the minister states the category he wants to target, but he wants to do this by applying the cash card to all non disabled on benefits. The Tories are two faced - small government for the rich and big government for the poor.

The Labour government was no different and I doubt if any other party that we vote in will be any different.

[Astro1]

The Labour government was no different and I doubt if any other party that we vote in will be any different.

 

As they've previously said: 'All in it together' and they certainly are.

 

The only one's who won't end up on the system are those who fit the 'ViP' status. Mp's, Members of the Royal Household and certain celebrities, who have a dedicated person to deal with their benefit(s) claim and nothing is put onto the Computer System. This is for security purposes.

[worried33]

She classes herself as an Anarcho-Libertarian and believes taxation to be legalised theft.

 

As far right as can get then.

 

These ideas where basically freedom is removed from spending is like treating people as children, me someone who spends their money only on essentials, I dont smoke, drink and I dont have premium tv channels, it would be wrong to treat me like that because a few spend on non essentials.

 

But that aside, we dangerously moving to an era where people are accepting anyone on benefits doesnt have a right to enjoyment.

[Sparks_]

As far right as can get then.

 

These ideas where basically freedom is removed from spending is like treating people as children, me someone who spends their money only on essentials, I dont smoke, drink and I dont have premium tv channels, it would be wrong to treat me like that because a few spend on non essentials.

 

But that aside, we dangerously moving to an era where people are accepting anyone on benefits doesnt have a right to enjoyment.

 

More like no work= no human rights to decide your own life style, this government is doing its utmost best to promote all the financial troubles of this country are down to the scroungers on bemnefits be they ill, disabled or out of work! Anything to deflect from their bedmates who are the real cause of our financial problems the large companies evading paying their taxes!

[sillygirl1]

I get £71 a week, so my total income is £284 a month (my rent goes direct to the landlord, and my council tax is paid direct to them so that is not classed as 'income' much as the Daily Mail likes to think.

 

My outgoings are

 

Food £15 in supermarket - £10 on market stalls for fruit and veg so £140 a month

Sundries £5-10 depending on whether I need washing powder or floor cleaner.

TV Licence £12 a month

Phone (cant get out of contract til September - have had it reduced from £35 to £26)

Broadband £26 a month including tv and home phone

Travelcard £10 a month - travel from my area to central London is £11.50 and will go up in New Year

Electric £40 a month

Water I have a meter £10 a month).

 

What little I do have left doesn't go on cigarettes, it goes on getting me to a voluntary job, presents for the family and friends, and one fancy coffee a month at knitting group meeting.

 

I am not living in the lap of luxury, my TV (yes a 42 inch flat screen, NOT plasma - was brought when I was working, as was my 2 year old laptop...)

 

For me a card would mean I would not be able to shop at market stalls as they only take cash.

 

I also forsee the likes of Brighthouse and others coming up with a scheme whereby 'clients' hand their cards over and are given cash, with of course a £25 - £25 fee deducted from the total benefit - all because some plank of an MP doesn't live in the 'real' world.

 

This idea should be rolled out to people who have never worked and are not natives of this country first - then see the shambles it causes.

 

I've worked since I was 16 and this is the first long term period of unemployment I have experienced - so why should I be targetted with this group of 'scroungers'.

Edited December 20, 2012 by sillygirl1

[worried33]

I thought the Benefits cash card was going to be part of the 'Social Banking' thing. a4e was on about introducing it a while ago. They and the government believed that people on lower incomes couldn't manage their finances. Pot, Kettle, Black springs to mind.

 

yeah apparently those who work dont have enough to live on so need tax breaks, but if you unemployed with less money than those who work its not that you dont have enough money its that you cant manage your money.

 

genius.

[worried33]

More like no work= no human rights to decide your own life style, this government is doing its utmost best to promote all the financial troubles of this country are down to the scroungers on bemnefits be they ill, disabled or out of work! Anything to deflect from their bedmates who are the real cause of our financial problems the large companies evading paying their taxes!

 

Also that the problems are largely exaggerated such as the deficit been some sort of urgent crisis when its far from it.

[worried33]

I said on another thread about this, there was recently a debate on a BBC breakfast show about whether the spending of those on benefits should be restricted. They weren't discussing a card, but the use of food vouchers a la the system in the United States. There was one guy on that who was adamant that claimants spent all of their money on alcohol, cigarettes and of all things, pornography.

 

It's laughable. When we relieve our JSA, after I've paid our rent top up and gas and electric, I have around £80 left for 3 people, to last 2 weeks. This has to cover food, transport (including the cost of attending interviews up to 45 minutes away, which is anywhere between £6.60 and £10.40 a time), and the cost of our phone and broadband (which is as you have already stated, essential. I couldn't apply for jobs without them, because the public PC facilities in this town are so poor. There's only two PC's in the JCP, and the one's in the library cost £2 for 30 minutes). With all due respect, anyone who thinks we're out piddling tax payers money up against the wall is out of their mind. Over the last twelve weeks, I've had to chose between attending out of town interviews and food. Beer and fags don't even come into the equation.

 

It's counter productive, forcing people off benefits and into low paid work. They're still going to be paying through the nose in HB and WTC, unless they somehow plan on doing something about the cost of renting privately, energy bills and transport costs.

 

Why dont they get a claimant on one of these shows to say it how it is, always some idiot who is rich enough to get air time or an MP.

[worried33]

Oh I am sure the drinks industry will be over the moon with this one.

Yep this could mean less tory party donations so I cant see this happening myself.

 

Funny enough that may be what stops this idea.

 

The tories do listen to business's and if enough pubs etc. start moaning then that may sway them.

 

What many people forget is typically benefit money is 100% spent, veyr little of it is saved. Meaning wherever its spent unless on the black economy or overseas its going back into the economy anyway.

 

However I genuinly think its a very low % of people claiming spending their benefit on trash.

 

Also would ESA come under disability benefit and not be included or udner unemployment and included, I think the latter.

 

This convincngly passed its first hearing in the house of commons, I didnt hear any no's shouted out from labour.

[45002]

Sorry

 

But a few people on CAG really do need to get a life and stop worrying about something that's not going to Happen and believing everything they read !

Edited December 20, 2012 by 45002

[worried33]

It's pie in the sky thinking. The card would have to act like a debit card and be acceptable online. In the unlikely event it could be programmable to interpret the individual items purchased (as opposed to the total as is the current state of affairs), there would be many sites popping up to get around the problem. You buy a packet of cigarettes and it appears on your bill as a pair of socks.

 

I think they will restrict the retailers to places like tesco, another backhander to those companies diverting welfare money to them.

 

which of course removes the ability to shop around for the claimant such as using ebay or charity shops for cheap 2nd hand clothes.

Edited December 20, 2012 by worried33

[Sparks_]

Sorry

 

But a few people on CAG really do need to get a life and stop worrying about something that's not going to Happen and believing everything they read !

 

we shall see, but I do not trust this government as far as I can throw them! Wish I could find a deep hole they could all be shoved down!

[Lilly_Monroe]

Sorry

 

But a few people on CAG really do need to get a life and stop worrying about something that's not going to Happen and believing everything they read !

 

All I can is, never say never - with this lot.

If they can make life hell they will.

I am not overly worrying, but it is part of the trend with them isn't it.

Out of work - on benefits, then suffer seems to be their view.

[osdset]

Anyone remember green shield stamps?

For those that are too young, these were the original nectar points, you got varying amounts of stamps depending on how much was spent on shopping and a book to stick them in, they were meant to be redeemed at specific stores for things like irons, or kettles and so forth.

My grandmother used to save up full books and give them to me to run down to the local second hand furniture shop where the proprietor would give you 10 bob on the pound.

Nothings changed much in 50 years.

[san_d]

No, this is definitely going to happen. This is way more worrying than the Universal Job Match.

[RaeUK]

It is highly unlikely to happen. It's not even got passed the chatting about it stage. If you want to worry about it, fine, but I wouldn't even think about it for several years yet ...

[45002]

Anyone remember green shield stamps?

 

I use to love licking them,especially the big one's

 

No, this is definitely going to happen. This is way more worrying than the Universal Job Match.

 

Worrying again I see :lol::lol:

[flumps1976]

the article I read in the paper (note not seen anything in work) was that the cards would be for essential which included internet but excluded booze and fags. Can't recall it all sorry as the paper went out for recycling.

As I said though nothing has been posted at work so I would just take it as the usual speculation of something they would like to do but haven't got past the lightbulb moment yet.

With the removal of Crisis Loans though it is looking as though that is going full circle to many years ago where vouchers were issued instead of cash specifically for teh required item.

Wonder what the local authorities will put in place of CL's?

[Lilly_Monroe]

They are talking about this on radio five live tonight.

 

It was on Radio 2 yesterday.

I thought it had got past its first reading in the house.

[Nystagmite]

Some people on another forum have suggested this many times. I asked how many have actually lived on benefits. Strangely, only a few have. The rest haven't and think we live in a world of luxury.

[jabba jones]

the article I read in the paper (note not seen anything in work) was that the cards would be for essential which included internet but excluded booze and fags. Can't recall it all sorry as the paper went out for recycling.

As I said though nothing has been posted at work so I would just take it as the usual speculation of something they would like to do but haven't got past the lightbulb moment yet.

 

The team(s) currently trying (& failing) to sort Universal Credit out, have been asked to see if its feasible.

That's as far as its got at the moment.

[flumps1976]

tbh I'm usually racing around like a blue @rsed fly to find much on the works intranet but we are emailed important information directly by the JCP manager usually firwarded from the District Management of anything that is pending to be intoduced. so I'm not saying yes or no it will happen just that I haven't read anything at work as yet.