Sunak - Not Fair On Taxpayers!

[baggieal]

One of the rationales behind the government's announcement today was that Britain simply "can't afford" the current levels of sickness benefit and it was "not fair on taxpayers".
Rishi Sunak made a point of stating that those who are anxious or depressed should be expected to work saying that while "“we should see it as a sign of progress that people can talk openly about mental health conditions in a way that only a few years ago would've been unthinkable" - he was also concerned that 53% of people inactive due to long term sickness reported they had depression, bad nerves or anxiety.

[baggiematt]

Not sure what he’s said is wrong Al. There is a culture of taking time off sick and that has a massive burden on the tax payer.

[baggieal]

Not sure what he’s said is wrong Al. There is a culture of taking time off sick and that has a massive burden on the tax payer.

Nothing but everyone can’t be labelled with the same brush. Not fair on taxpayers he says - the millions and millions wasted on the record number of illegals entering under Sunak’s government is not fair either!

Tackle the fraud and theft at the top of the tree first with the likes of Amazon and Covid business loans/PPE contracts then work your way down. Just saying!

[baggiematt]

Nothing but everyone can’t be labelled with the same brush. Not fair on taxpayers he says - the millions and millions wasted on the record number of illegals entering under Sunak’s government is not fair either!

Tackle the fraud and theft at the top of the tree first with the likes of Amazon and Covid business loans/PPE contracts then work your way down. Just saying!

Are you saying that he can’t talk about how he’ll deal with a problem in this country if it’s not illegals, fraud or theft?

How do you even know if illegal immigrants are taking from tax payers? They of all people cannot claim sick pay.

I do agree that not all are with the same brush but I don’t think he’s saying that. It has become too easy for folk to go off sick. He’s clearly not talking about disabled people though is he?

[baggieal]

Are you saying that he can’t talk about how he’ll deal with a problem in this country if it’s not illegals, fraud or theft?

How do you even know if illegal immigrants are taking from tax payers? They of all people cannot claim sick pay.

I do agree that not all are with the same brush but I don’t think he’s saying that. It has become too easy for folk to go off sick. He’s clearly not talking about disabled people though is he?

Maybe if illegals were put to work immediately when they entered it would not cost the taxpayers so much - we are desperate for fruit pickers - cleaning - pot holes being repaired. I was always told there was no such thing as a free lunch!

What does Sunak know about depression as whilst depression is not financial - many would agree it’s far more depressing thinking how to pay your bills - where your next meal is coming from or whether you will be evicted or pay for a needy operation.

Perhaps making benefits far from lucrative would help! I don’t blame folk if they are no better working than sitting on their a rse! Likewise making benefits less attractive than other European countries may help to stop the magnet! Bees get attracted to honey!

[regis80]

One of the rationales behind the government's announcement today was that Britain simply "can't afford" the current levels of sickness benefit and it was "not fair on taxpayers".
Rishi Sunak made a point of stating that those who are anxious or depressed should be expected to work saying that while "“we should see it as a sign of progress that people can talk openly about mental health conditions in a way that only a few years ago would've been unthinkable" - he was also concerned that 53% of people inactive due to long term sickness reported they had depression, bad nerves or anxiety.

Not seen what Sunak has said exactly but I’ll give him some credit. It’s a problem that does need addressing, too many people are going off for it. It’s so easy to be prescribed antidepressants etc you name it.. so many people that I work with off for it and it’s become a culture of ‘fixing a problem with a pill’ (big pharma benefit). In the younger gen z age category problems are being caused with the rise of digital and social media platforms, but i’m sure there are other causes too. As a nation what do we do to make each other happy or bettering our lives? We’ve got big problems.

[Omegstrat6]

What made me chortle is when he said that benefit fraud should be treated the same as tax fraud so that the guilty are now suitably punished 😂

Should benefit cheats face be investigated more vigorously and receive far greater sanctions than they currently do? Absolutely!-but tax fraud? How many rich businesses and wealthy individuals get away with not paying the right levels of tax or have well heeled accountants to find suitable loop holes to avoid doing so and how often do those guilty of it get punished as they should? Thanks Mister Nondom.

Of course it is only right that people who can work do so and I don't think anyone can deny that there has been an increase in Benefits Culture since the lock down but yet again it's the same old Tory narrative of work hard and you will reap the rewards when 13 years of Conservative government have eroded workers rights and encouraged a low paying zero hour contract (but too often fully flex) gig economy. The wealthy looking after themselves again. People have f u cking short memories-remember all those "essential workers" who were praised for keeping the country going during lock down whilst many of the better paid sat at home on furlough pay? The nurses, care workers, retail workers, couriers and posties alongside emergency services and transport workers etc. Many of these were amongst the worst paid sectors and nothing has changed since.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in wanting to get more people off benefits and back into work but this should be done using both carrot and stick and there are many genuine cases of people with ill health or disabilities who are increasingly worse off. Yes, the government needs to address the current situation around an inactive workforce but it also needs to provide far better support to those in genuine need.

The data clearly shows the biggest issues are around younger generations (mostly mental health issues) and older members of the workforce (mostly physical health issues). Both need investigating further to resolve. In the case of the former, I would assume that a variety of factors come into play but certainly include poor inter-personal skills and what older generations might call a "snowflake" attitude where they find it hard to cope with the pressure and challenges placed upon them in the workplace. Almost certainly changing parenting and schooling styles alongside an unhealthy addiction to social media have played a big part in this. For the older generations who cannot afford to retire early many have RSI injuries (e.g. back or knee problems) that make continuing in the same job harder but there are simply no options for them to take up more suitable work.

As for the work capability system, this has long been a joke and desperately needs replacing but it's failings were mostly due to a chronic shortage not only of assessors but of assessors who actually knew what they were doing which resulted in many not getting the help they needed whilst others too easily were able to blag the system.

[boingy]

I’m glad of any help my ex wife can get after the awful childhood she had. Three suicide attempts and yet she had 11 A levels and a BA. Not capable of any work though because no one can employ someone who can’t keep to a schedule. Might go to work for a day then off for 6 months. She’s just been sectioned and only just gone back home. There are those who could work but get little or none of the right kind of support and come from families who are so dysfunctional that it would take a good mentor to teach them how to conform to what this society expects from them. There’s nothing easy about any of this.

[baggieal]

I’m glad of any help my ex wife can get after the awful childhood she had. Three suicide attempts and yet she had 11 A levels and a BA. Not capable of any work though because no one can employ someone who can’t keep to a schedule. Might go to work for a day then off for 6 months. She’s just been sectioned and only just gone back home. There are those who could work but get little or none of the right kind of support and come from families who are so dysfunctional that it would take a good mentor to teach them how to conform to what this society expects from them. There’s nothing easy about any of this.

100% agree with you Boingy!

[boinggazmic]

I’m glad of any help my ex wife can get after the awful childhood she had. Three suicide attempts and yet she had 11 A levels and a BA. Not capable of any work though because no one can employ someone who can’t keep to a schedule. Might go to work for a day then off for 6 months. She’s just been sectioned and only just gone back home. There are those who could work but get little or none of the right kind of support and come from families who are so dysfunctional that it would take a good mentor to teach them how to conform to what this society expects from them. There’s nothing easy about any of this.

Well said .totally agree with you.having had serious mental health issues myself after being in armed forces for 17 years this is not an easy subject to handle..hope things improve for your ex. As you say this is a complex issue.