General Chat

I notice that this was discussed last April (and no doubt under many other threads) but what can be done about couples who continue to have children and neither of them are prepared to work to (at least) partially support them? And their older kids are starting down the same road.....having kids too soon! Compulsory sterilisation/vasectomy? Withdraw benefits and let their kids suffer? Deport the lot of them to another country? Yes, all these measures are extreme...but their actions are slowly infecting society - why should everyone else get off their butts and work to support such families? Lily

Nudge for the workers in our society! Lily

They've obviously got too much time on their hands. I like some of your solutions!

i totally agree lily that they should be made to work i was disgusted when i read about that family in the paper! my youngest son and my son in law work 40hrs a week ,doing manual work, and they both earn only 15 grand a year!! they both have 2 children and have their own little homes,albeit a council house,which they still have to pay for and the household bills on top its a darn disgrace!! my eldest son is registered disabled but before he was he worked bloody hard and only just managed to survive.he has 4 children!! now he is on benefits he doesnt have to pay rent or council tax but still only gets the minimum benefit!! susie

The thing is......these people give the excuse of not working , because the kids are to little. EXCUSE it is, my married daughter, works from 10.00am to 2.30pm, BETWEEN school hours, the same as I did, and many others still do. school hols another excuse, then take two weeks hols from work, partner take another two, hasn't these people got friends?? family, playcentres, leisure centres, etc, that they can go to for the other hols, we all did/had to. so, why can these 'people'. if not make them 'help out' painting, gardening, anything to help 'pay their wages'. now I had my say. I feel better......lol........Lilly

Sarah, Happy Birthday, chin up, maybe you could do a course or make something at home, to keep you busy, only an idea!! Debby, the problem with stopping payment after one/two etc children is its the children that are going to suffer, that while I think it would be a good idea to make the parents do some sort of work during school hours. It might make them think about doing it for some proper wages, and I am sure they would feel so much better in themselfs as well. I think work is more than wages, it can be a social thing as well, two weeks ago, me and the people from work all when on a River disco down the thames, it was a fun night, we saw all the Londons sights, really good, I wouldn't have done that is I stayed at home all day. can these people think they have a better life, than people that work. I don't think so........Lilly ps unless your rich or sick of course........

Just a thought. When we had our children in the sixties we didn't get benefit for the first child. We just scraped by without me working, didn't buy luxuries and didn't have a washing machine, freezer colour TV until our second child was seven and first was 12. we had second hand furniture, didn't expect to have it all at once. nowadays they want it all, and they want it all new and bought for them. And, how can these young single Mums who are not working afford to smoke?? Ann glos

Debby I don't want to work, I rather to my tree all day everyday,lol, but you have to take responsibility at some point, so, as I said before make them work for there benefit, or they don't get it simple really. lol......Lilly

agree so much with all the comments! at 19 and a single parent i worked..ive been on benefits when i really struggled but only til i sorted myself out and could find a nursery to take my daughter(had to wait til she was 6months old).im married with 3 children and another surprise on the way..my hubby works every hour he can,we live but cannot afford things i would really like(treats,designer clothes 4 kids,attic conversion etc)but i wouldnt change it and knowing the things we have are worked and payed for is good! the system is there to help you not be abused!! what amazed me is all the sucicide morons were all claiming benefits..theres dozens of families that struggle and so many that take the pi*s BUT until the government decide to do something things wont change.agree there should be a limited period and then your checked upon and only getting benefit for the first child should help(and thats coming from me with four).x

I heard about someone who signs on at 10 different DHSS offices.! How come a check isn`t made ?Do they give different names and don`t the DHSS tie that up with your NI number? Rosalyn

Many parts of the benefits system are badly thought out. The problem with excessive payments is the lack of upper limits. Simply limiting benefit to the average wage would be a start.

We started married life in a flat (no kids allowed), bought a house that was a shell and hubbie did it up. Six years later bought another house that was a shell, still working on it! We were 11 years married before we had a kid (and I got my first automatic washer). I worked constantly for 47 years (p/t after son was born) and paid into the system that is now supporting all these work-shy families. I can't bear to read these stories in the paper, it makes me so incensed. Human Rights - my a..e! Lily