Anyone watch panorama?

[Tasha]

I've not watched this yet, I will try and catch it on the internet.

When Riley Rae died, Matt lost his job as he took too much time off work (he already had MH problems and just couldnt cope), we relied on benefits for a bit. There is no way I could of gone back to work and it was tough finding him work. If this cap had been in place, we would of lost our home and therefore would of had to move out of London. I needed my support network more than ever, I honestly think I would of done something stupid if I didnt have my family and friends. I was at my lowest point, I had lost my baby, Matt had lost our income and if we lost our home then that would of tipped me over the edge.

It is very black and white to think that everyone can cope without a support network, just because you could. Plenty of people have MH issues that mean they couldnt.

There could of course be things like Marinewag said where there are different capping across the country, London having a higher and also different cities across the country or like a six month thing where the person doesnt have a cap at that point because I imagine losing your job and consequently your home would be a breaking point for many people. And finally they need to reintroduce the fair rent office, it is crazy to me that the government is effectively paying for over-inflated housing, it needs controlling.

 

[Yo_Yo]

I kind of felt sorry for those working in the housing office dealing with people in these situations everyday, and taking the brunt of the flack from all these people. It must be draining, and they can't really do much to help. There is a lack of housing, and a massive demand-it's near impossible!
God knows how they manage to find houses for those with 7/8/9 kids!

 

[sam2eb]

I hate the usual benefit bashing programmes and stuck up for the people on benefit street etc but most of the people on the programme the other night shocked me with their attitudes of entitlement to things.

I nearly choked when they said about the man receiving £800 a week in benefits! I understand that people have lived in an area and have a support network etc but £800 a Week in benefits is ridiculous. That's over 40 grand a year!

To me, beggars can't be choosers, they were being offered housing elsewhere so it wasn't like they Were being made homeless. Either make up the difference yourself or move!

 

[babyjan]

I think if they were at least offered housing within London I'm sure they wouldn't mind as I'm aware some boroughs are moving families to other parts of London but can't imagine anyone would be happy moved away from somewhere they've been their whole life and have their kids in school, family, friends everything and to be thrown to the middle of nowhere and have to start up your life basically with no support etc...

Just cause someone is claiming benefits doesn't mean they aren't allowed to have feelings.

 

[emyandpotato]

I just watched it. I was just wondering, in London, as it looked like rent for a 2 bed flat was about £2000 a month, if you earn say £26k do working tax credits top the wage up to a liveable amount, and are you entitled to some housing benefit?

 

[babyjan]

One think I noticed was some of the houses they were being moved to where still kinda expensive, the lady who got moved to Luton was given a 3 bed house which cost around £170 a week? Maybe cause its private that might be why as my mum lives in council 4 bed which cost around £140 a week I think

 

[smileyfaces]

I watched it and felt very sorry for *some* of them. Although the benefit cap might sound like a good idea intheory, it is terribly harsh for those who cant find jobs in London or other expensive areas

The man who only earned 150 a week was desperate to keep his job! It might only be 150 a week but at least hes working. The other man with 7 kids also had a job but was shipped off to birmingham as they thought he was lying about it. Really tough to watch those famies being uprooted and their children having to leave friends behind etc.

The woman with blonde hair who had two (or maybe three?) Kids was told she would be better off in work as she would receive more benefits and have a total of 300-and-odd pounds A WEEK after rent to live on. Yet she made a CONSCIOUS decision not to look for work. She didnt want to get a job. As a consequence she was evicted and put in a one bedroom hostel for the forseeable future. I have zero sympathy for people like that. She didnt even try to look for work. All she had to do was 16hrs a week. It wasnt a case of childcare because she had ample time to volunteer? So why couldnt she do a bit of paid work? Understandable if she tried and couldnt find anything but she refused to even look. Those poor kids.

I agree with a few pp's that you shouldnt stereotype those who arent working because the vast majority would do anything to get a job but unfortunately there are some who are happy to be on benefits and who actually expect them. I was qhite baffled by the notion though that you get more housing benefits if you are working than if you arent working at all? Like tbey said the benefit cap only applies to those out of work but if you are working more than 16hrs then you can claim over the 500 pound a week cap? Crazy!!!

 

[Tasha]

I just watched it. I was just wondering, in London, as it looked like rent for a 2 bed flat was about £2000 a month, if you earn say £26k do working tax credits top the wage up to a liveable amount, and are you entitled to some housing benefit?

No, working tax credits only goes up to about £16k or something I think. Child tax credits I think go up to £25k but if you have one child it is like £420 a year. You wouldnt get housing benefit with a £26k income either. People on those sorts of incomes are really priced out of London as there is no help for them but there income isnt adequate to pay for rent and everything else.

I watched it and felt very sorry for *some* of them. Although the benefit cap might sound like a good idea intheory, it is terribly harsh for those who cant find jobs in London or other expensive areas

The man who only earned 150 a week was desperate to keep his job! It might only be 150 a week but at least hes working. The other man with 7 kids also had a job but was shipped off to birmingham as they thought he was lying about it. Really tough to watch those famies being uprooted and their children having to leave friends behind etc.

The woman with blonde hair who had two (or maybe three?) Kids was told she would be better off in work as she would receive more benefits and have a total of 300-and-odd pounds A WEEK after rent to live on. Yet she made a CONSCIOUS decision not to look for work. She didnt want to get a job. As a consequence she was evicted and put in a one bedroom hostel for the forseeable future. I have zero sympathy for people like that. She didnt even try to look for work. All she had to do was 16hrs a week. It wasnt a case of childcare because she had ample time to volunteer? So why couldnt she do a bit of paid work? Understandable if she tried and couldnt find anything but she refused to even look. Those poor kids.

I agree with a few pp's that you shouldnt stereotype those who arent working because the vast majority would do anything to get a job but unfortunately there are some who are happy to be on benefits and who actually expect them. I was qhite baffled by the notion though that you get more housing benefits if you are working than if you arent working at all? Like tbey said the benefit cap only applies to those out of work but if you are working more than 16hrs then you can claim over the 500 pound a week cap? Crazy!!!

I agree on the whole but the last bit is a bid to may it pay to work. There are many who it doesnt for, I guess more so in an area like i live in London where rent is stupidly expensive. It is so demeaning going to work knowing you are less well off than your next door neighbour who chooses not to work (I know this isnt the case in the vast majority of cases but just saying).

One think I noticed was some of the houses they were being moved to where still kinda expensive, the lady who got moved to Luton was given a 3 bed house which cost around £170 a week? Maybe cause its private that might be why as my mum lives in council 4 bed which cost around £140 a week I think

I think you are in London but now sure, but that is soooooo cheap for a three bedroom in or around London. So I guess it is relative

 

[babyjan]

Oh ok... Cheap for private rent right?

Yes I'm in London x

 

[babyjan]

Ok some of you might think panorama was bad but did anyone see channel 5 gypsies on benefit and proud?

 

[lhancock90]

I don't feel sorry for them. If there's no council house and they don't want to work why should they live in a big house in London all payed for and keep having kids. When we work 7 days a week 7-11. I'm glad there moving people

I absolutely agree.

The one guy with seven kids who earnt 150 a week in wages but recieved 800 a week in benefits. That is so wrong!

What a lot of empathy you have! What about single mothers who have ended up alone through no fault of their own? And who can't find work because of childcare expenses? Don't you think it's unfair that they then have to leave all their family and friends behind too and have no support whatsoever?

Remember the people who choose not to work are few and far between in real life. They are chosen for programmes like this to elicit responses exactly like yours.

No, lots of reading up leads to responses like mine. Please don't patronise me, just because my view is different to yours doesn't mean I'm uninformed and this one program feeds my thoughts.

What do they expect. Its not the council's fault.

The council have NO homes for them.
They cannot afford to live where they are.
Therefore they shouldn't expect to continue to live as they are.

Yes, some cases are unfortunate. But this wouldn't be happening if it wasn't necessary.

Did you watch the program? Some of them were downright demanding. They ought to be grateful for all they have been given.

Absolutely agree with you Natasha.

I watched it and was horrified at the amount of money they get for sitting on their bloody backside.

I am a single mother, and was told I could get £13k in benefits per year if I didn't work.....CUSHTY!

Actually, NO! That's disgusting, no wonder our country went to shit if they were willing to pay people like that.

I resigned from my 9 to 5 job (not because I couldn't afford to work, my salary was <£50k...I just didn't want to work 5 days a week and be away from my LO) within ONE HOUR of my decision to resign, I had a new job working 2 days a week cooking in a cafe.

It is NOT that hard to find work....if you're willing to of course. You may need to move, you may need to accept that for a while your going to be cleaning toilets but SO WHAT! Get off your arse and do it.

So let's not lump single mums into this, we don't need pity, some of us can't help our situation, I sure as hell did not expect it but I don't expect the government to fund my mobile bill, internet and holidays!!

A new KFC just opened by us. Over 350 people applied. It's very black and white to say its easy to get a job but it's not, not when when you have volumes like that applying for a limited number of positions.

 

[freckleonear]

Absolutely agree with you Natasha.

I watched it and was horrified at the amount of money they get for sitting on their bloody backside.

I am a single mother, and was told I could get £13k in benefits per year if I didn't work.....CUSHTY!

Actually, NO! That's disgusting, no wonder our country went to shit if they were willing to pay people like that.

I resigned from my 9 to 5 job (not because I couldn't afford to work, my salary was <£50k...I just didn't want to work 5 days a week and be away from my LO) within ONE HOUR of my decision to resign, I had a new job working 2 days a week cooking in a cafe.

It is NOT that hard to find work....if you're willing to of course. You may need to move, you may need to accept that for a while your going to be cleaning toilets but SO WHAT! Get off your arse and do it.

So let's not lump single mums into this, we don't need pity, some of us can't help our situation, I sure as hell did not expect it but I don't expect the government to fund my mobile bill, internet and holidays!!

Cushy? Not really. £13k is £1000 every 4 weeks. £600 for rent, another £100 for utility bills, that leaves £75 per week for food, household items and anything else. It's certainly not going to cover holidays and luxuries! I would be more concerned about the state of our country if we didn't try to ensure that everyone was able to put a roof over their children's heads and provide for them.

 

[emyandpotato]

I don't feel sorry for them. If there's no council house and they don't want to work why should they live in a big house in London all payed for and keep having kids. When we work 7 days a week 7-11. I'm glad there moving people

I absolutely agree.

The one guy with seven kids who earnt 150 a week in wages but recieved 800 a week in benefits. That is so wrong!

What a lot of empathy you have! What about single mothers who have ended up alone through no fault of their own? And who can't find work because of childcare expenses? Don't you think it's unfair that they then have to leave all their family and friends behind too and have no support whatsoever?

Remember the people who choose not to work are few and far between in real life. They are chosen for programmes like this to elicit responses exactly like yours.

No, lots of reading up leads to responses like mine. Please don't patronise me, just because my view is different to yours doesn't mean I'm uninformed and this one program feeds my thoughts.

What do they expect. Its not the council's fault.

The council have NO homes for them.
They cannot afford to live where they are.
Therefore they shouldn't expect to continue to live as they are.

Yes, some cases are unfortunate. But this wouldn't be happening if it wasn't necessary.

Did you watch the program? Some of them were downright demanding. They ought to be grateful for all they have been given.

Absolutely agree with you Natasha.

I watched it and was horrified at the amount of money they get for sitting on their bloody backside.

I am a single mother, and was told I could get £13k in benefits per year if I didn't work.....CUSHTY!

Actually, NO! That's disgusting, no wonder our country went to shit if they were willing to pay people like that.

I resigned from my 9 to 5 job (not because I couldn't afford to work, my salary was <£50k...I just didn't want to work 5 days a week and be away from my LO) within ONE HOUR of my decision to resign, I had a new job working 2 days a week cooking in a cafe.

It is NOT that hard to find work....if you're willing to of course. You may need to move, you may need to accept that for a while your going to be cleaning toilets but SO WHAT! Get off your arse and do it.

So let's not lump single mums into this, we don't need pity, some of us can't help our situation, I sure as hell did not expect it but I don't expect the government to fund my mobile bill, internet and holidays!!

A new KFC just opened by us. Over 350 people applied. It's very black and white to say its easy to get a job but it's not, not when when you have volumes like that applying for a limited number of positions.

This one hundred percent. It might not be difficult for you with your previous experience in a £50k job and likely matching qualifications, but most of us are living in a very different world where it is extremely difficult.

 

[hayz_baby]

I know £800 a.week sounds a lot but MAJORITY goes on rent in London, fact Is if rent was lower then these over inflated housing benefits wouldn't exist.
They even stated that if you worked 16hr+ you wouldn't be affected by the cap yet some people still were. That didn't make sense...
I have said this before that we should invest rather then cut like invest in cheaper housing options and affordable high quality childcare. More people would be able to work

 

[Tasha]

Yes, sorry babyjan I did mean to specify private rent. We pay £1500 for a three bedroom flat, third floor, on a rough estate, cheapest three bed we could get in this area.

I agree about the lack of jobs it is so tough out there. When my DH got his current job 1077 applied for around 40 positions.

 

[Tasha]

I know £800 a.week sounds a lot but MAJORITY goes on rent in London, fact Is if rent was lower then these over inflated housing benefits wouldn't exist.
They even stated that if you worked 16hr+ you wouldn't be affected by the cap yet some people still were. That didn't make sense...
I have said this before that we should invest rather then cut like invest in cheaper housing options and affordable high quality childcare. More people would be able to work

This exactly! My flat as I said is £1.5k a month, if we were on benefits that would mean £346 gone from the £500 immediately, and then council tax. It doesnt leave much for utilities, food etc etc.

Like I said I really think rent needs controlling.

 

[babyjan]

Agree something needs to be done about the rent

 

[Blah11]

I don't really feel sorry for them. Like when they moan about their house being their home etc. Its not their home. Its a house they're renting
& boohoo if your kids have to walk up some stairs of a home that's given to you for free!

Idk it irks me. Especially when they choose not to work longterm. If it's a short term solution then its different obviously.

 

[Blah11]

& greedy landlords are the worst! DDefinitely needs regulating and capped.

 

[MrsBop]

I don't really feel sorry for them. Like when they moan about their house being their home etc. Its not their home. Its a house they're renting
& boohoo if your kids have to walk up some stairs of a home that's given to you for free!

Idk it irks me. Especially when they choose not to work longterm. If it's a short term solution then its different obviously.

Exactly some of them infuriated me! The woman who volunteered for a start, she actually said she needed to see if it would be worth her working and the single mother who was moved to Luton, she's lived here for 14 years, never worked in all that time and yet 'needed' to stay in London because her family's there, I don't live near my family because my husband has a JOB elsewhere, I had zero sympathy for her. The one I really sympathised with was the single mum with 2 boys who walked around bars handing out her cv with baby in the car seat, she seemed to be the only one doing something to help her situation rather than trying to emotionally blackmail the housing workers, the family who said if their son harmed himself over the move they'd blame the council, that's disgusting, my son had to leave his home and school last year because we moved and it was up to us as his parents to ensure he felt happy in his new circumstances! It amazed me how most of them complaining had over half a dozen kids but worked very little!