hmmm, i wouldnt put a successful career at a 6 figure sum tbh -just shows the wild variations in just 1 tiny island -id put success as being able to live out with debt -barring the obvious few exceptions in this country. but still being sustainable, long term

what on earth do people need a 6 figure yearly salary for?

 

I'm not receiving any benefits and I'm definitely not earning a six figure salary. I must be missing out. Maybe I ought to claim a share too?

Maybe I look at it differently, but having started a new business in the last year, without any Government grant or funding, and having managed to turn a profit in the first year, without resorting to loans or credit cards, and paying for everything in cash, I feel that I've had a successful year. The amount of cash I've taken out may be a pittance compared to what I've been used to, but I feel I've proven something.

During my time as a police officer, I very rarely dealt with anyone as a criminal suspect who wasn't unemployed. The vast majority were drug addicts and put more effort in to crime than they did in to even thinking about working.

I was in plain clothes as a 'volunteer' at a homeless charity, where I saw the people using the service, regularly calling the emergency claims line and saying that their washing machine, freezer etc had broken, just to get an easy handout. They would spend less than five minutes on the phone and easily receive up to £250 the next day. That's not a bad figure for 5 minutes of 'work'. I'd love to be on the equivalent of £3000 an hour!

In one entire week at the walk-in centre, only one service user, out of the 50+ I spoke to, actually wanted to get a job. His motivation was that it would mean that he could rent a flat and then his children would be allowed to stay over. The rest?

I knew that several of the people visiting this centre were not actually homeless. They were simply turning up to get a free cooked breakfast every morning and then hanging around watching the television until they got turfed out. It seems that if there is someone willing to give something away, there will always be someone willing to take it, even if they are not entitled to it. Signing on was just one example.

An example of how easy it was to get an arrest, was if someone was wanted in connection with a crime, we used to ring the dole office and ask what time they had to sign on. We'd then wait outside for them. No running around trying to track them down or finding out who they hang around with, just a simple call to the dole office.

The times we would go to an address to nick someone, the stereotype of the house having a tv of at least 42" was so often true. The stereotype of it being hooked up to a Sky box with the full complement of channels was also true more often than not. So how do these people afford it? It's either too much benefit being paid to them or the proceeds of crime.

Apologies for going off at random tangents.

 

Jef, get real

The ever rising cost of food and energy - petrol at £3.00 a litre in a few years, your gas your electricity will outstrip you earning potential you will get poorer

People/families will be spending an ever greater proportion of their income on just the basics

 

Not sure what point you are making, but as a new business make sure you do not fall foul of post 71

 

scooby wont - good post, its that exact direction id guide my kids into - self employment.

hodgy - im 35 years old - in my lifetime i think ive spoken to around 3-4 millionaires.

maybe 10-20 people that earn in excess of 100k. so why when i earn a fraction of that, have a mortgage that easily falls into my budget - becuase i chose not to fck myself monthly with a massive over payment, along with bills i can manage, would i need 100k or more per year?

 

The only thing I do with the bank is use it to accept payments and pay bills.

 

mate totally agree we have to work hard as f##k to earn money and they do f##k all and claim all our hard earned and claim disability and prob work cash in hand aswell

 

Jef, good for you,

I hope things go right for you and your kids

 

Excellent point. I'm an example, whether I'm a winner or not. I don't really think about it

 

Loser!

I think it's fair to say you've shown what someone can do when they put their mind to it.

 

As i said before ignoring all other culpable parties and just harping on about the 'bankers' being solely responsible for the worlds ills. They certainly were major contributors but their actions would not have produced the fall out if others hadn't acquiesced...and that includes Jo Public taking on loans (in whatever form), they couldn't afford.

 

OK, fair enough..........IF we assume Joe Public knew better than the bankers etc who OFFERED him the loans? Perhaps HE should share their payouts if he is to share their guilt?

And, as I have said, ad infinitum:

Joe Public is being punished now, and will be for many a year. Quite a few of him have had MASSIVE "punishments", loss of job, pension, home etc etc.

Lying Labour are out of power and likely so to be for some time.

And the bankers? Hmmmmmmm.

 

Oh I see, so when they said cut they meant cut the number of benefits available not cut the amount being spent. Not much point unless it reduces the overall cost and it hasn't so far. The reason more people are claiming they tell us is because the economy isn't growing anywhere near like they thought it would.... I don't need to draw any conclusions as to why that might be

Well I know private landlords make a profit whereas the government wouldn't need to so it seems fairly obvious it would be much cheaper.

Yes they have to spend the money to build the houses, but if that creates jobs it relieves the benefit system, the properties will have a value once the money is spent and that value will grow while they spend far less housing these people while it does so.

It is so obviously a good idea I can't see why you are arguing except for the fact I am picking on your political party of choice. Don't worry as Labour are as bad and should have done the same thing, but years ago.

The only thing making it hard is that state owned housing is a bit too 'socialist' for this and the previosu governments and you it would seem!

 

True...it's always the small fish that suffer the most; something that you will never change. Simple (socio), economics within any society.

Labour the party may have been 'punished' but what about the individuals that made the policy decisions...they just seem to be getting richer.

Banks as institutions will not be punished, our capitalist way of life mean any punitive measures taken will end up harming Joe Public...surly you can see that?

Not sure what you would do with the individuals within the banks that made policy. After all they were doing what they were paid to do; make money whilst still operating within the bounds of the law\FSA guidelines.

 

How many people livign on the jam roll were offered loans by High Street banks?

Very few I suspect. They'd be given to people who had jobs and hopes of making more with their cash.

The benefit scroungers who take it as a lifestyle choice are an entirely different breed.

Every person in this country has the chance to get educated and gain some skills. If they chose to either not turn up or prat about when they did then that is their fault. It is also their fault if they can't be bothered to go and get themselves those skills now, for free while they have nothign else to do.

You can blame them as it is pure idleness in these cases. That is of course different to those who have worked and are actively looking for work who have found themselves on benefits through no real fault of their own.

 

On 1st April this year Council Tax Benefit is being replaced by Council Tax Reduction. Some of the main effects of this are:-

Benefit is limited to Band D level. So if you live in a Band E property or above the amount of benefit you receive is limited to what you would have received if you lived in a Band D property.

The capital allowance is being reduced from £16K to £6K. In other words if you have savings of between £6K and £16K and are currently claiming CT Benefit you will no longer receive the benefit.

Benfit is capped at 75% of the CT bill as opposed to 100% now. Therefore everyone must pay some council tax.

There are some other changes as well but they only affect working age people; pensioners are exempt from the new rules. The nett effect is that just over 2 million people who currently pay no Council Tax will have to pay something. I think this might qualify as "cutting the amount being spent".

 

and a £500 a week cap including housing benefit

 

When I left school, you were expected to go to work to earn your own living, and your success was down to your own efforts at school and how capable you were. You did not expect to get benefits which would make it unnecessary to work for your own living.

Looks like there are a lot of people these days who feel that the world owes them a living come what may. Somehow our valiant leaders will have to find a way to get around that way of thinking. Wonder what their chances of success at that are!

Les

 

I think you are missing my point. You can trot out stuff like this all you like, but the fact remains the total cost is still climbing (and will do again this year) and it is doing so because the government still fails to realise you can't cut away at a shrinking economy and expect to reduce your overheads as the less business being done the less tax revenue being collected and the more benefit claimants being created.

 

This ^^^^^ Was just saying the very same last night!

 

Exactly