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A bloated welfare state ?

(33 Posts)
Questiontime Fri 28-Aug-15 12:27:22

We are told we have a bloated Welfare State, we dont!!!. it’s a myth to get votes, and it worked in May.

Welfare spending on State pensions represents 46 per cent of the welfare budget the highest proportion, yet the State pension cannot and must not be regarded as a benefit, because it has already been paid for, the State pension should be paid as a right, and im wondering how many Tory voting pensioners realised their State pension takes 46 per cent of the budget when they voted for David Cameron ?

The Winter Fuel payment represents just 2 per cent of the Welfare budget, and Pensions Credit just 5 per cent....Income Support represents 5 per cent of the budget, and Employment Support Allowance is just 2 per cent, with Job Seekers Allowance at just 3 per cent. Disability Living Allowance is just 8 per cent. And Housing Benefit is just 14 per cent, other benefits are even less by percentage....

And the reason for the Housing Benefit bill is because the Tory’s themselves under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980’s stopped building council houses completely, when Margaret Thatcher sold off council houses to existing tenants for 10 per cent the market value, and no more council houses have been built since then.

What the Tory’s have mounted is an ideological and merciless attack on the poor, the Tory’s are driven by their right wing ideology, nothing will derail them from their target, TV programmes like Benefits Street, have truly cornered the market in cheap, sensationalist, so-called entertainment, and people watch, then judge, then make it the whole.

In my view, this is part parcel of how and why David Cameron made it back into number 10. 36.7 per cent of the electorate, under 25 per cent of the population, assisted in securing David Cameron another 5 years in Government. 75 per cent of the country didn’t want Cameron back in number 10. This is a true vote of no confidence in the Government and in our totally undemocratic “first past the post” voting system, FPTP, is simply not fit for purpose.

Due to the Tory’s ideological and stringent cuts in welfare, these are affecting working as well as unemployed people, according to The Trussell Trust, over 1 million people now use food banks, and The Trussell Trust say this figure doesn’t include food banks run by other charities, and churches.

soontobe Fri 28-Aug-15 13:09:38

I think I missed your launch into gransnet, so I dont understand what has been going on.

But for me, I find it difficult to absorb a very large detailed opening post. Obviously you are quite at liberty to do that, but I for one, cant really cope with it.

FarNorth Fri 28-Aug-15 13:44:58

s2b just keep coming back and reading another paragraph each time.

Question time, I think you're quite right.

However, although people have paid their contributions for a state pension, that money has not been saved up / invested for them. State pensions are always paid from the NI contributions of those who are working.
I'm sure the Tories would love to reduce or do away with state pensions but they'll have to creep towards that slowly, as they are doing.

Questiontime Fri 28-Aug-15 14:03:56

Far North, you missed the point of my posting completely. By the way, the Tory's would have you and others believe that today's workers fund State pensions for today's elderly people, but this is a divide and conquer measure which clearly works, doesnt it!

Britain's 12 million OAPs have spent their working lives paying taxes and NI contributions for what was promised ( cradle to grave care ). This has been denied them since Thatcher.

It doesnt matter what money wasnt invested ect, the National Insurance "surplus" of £30 Billion could look after our WW2 veterans very nicely dont you think ??????

GillT57 Fri 28-Aug-15 14:06:55

I just wish that more people read and understood your figures; I totally agree about your comments re retirement pensions and have frequently said the same myself. Just look at the figures soontobe, a line at a time ( not being patronising) and it is quite self explanatory although I agree it is an overwhelming starting statement, but it is an overwhelming situation.

soontobe Fri 28-Aug-15 14:07:08

Thansk FarNorth. See you all at tea time!

FarNorth Fri 28-Aug-15 14:21:26

Qt, I don't think I have completely missed your point but maybe you could spell it out, just in case, and for anyone who might be wondering.
Where does the "surplus" of £30 billion come from?

Anya Fri 28-Aug-15 16:23:00

Just because many of us are pensioners, of whatever political persuation, doesn't mean we're ill informed.

May I also respectfully point out the plural of Tory is Tories.

Anya Fri 28-Aug-15 16:24:37

Wasn't there another political soapboxer on GN once who make the same 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves'?

Ana Fri 28-Aug-15 16:28:30

Yes, it's all rather depressingly familiar...

www.gransnet.com/forums/news_and_politics/a1217281-The-Truth-Behind-The-Deficit

soontobe Fri 28-Aug-15 16:35:37

Oh I see now.

This thread is not for me.

Eloethan Fri 28-Aug-15 17:26:57

Is it necessary to correct posters' spelling/grammar, etc.?

I have seen many, many glaring errors in various posts from certain people but they are rarely, if ever, brought to their attention so it seems these teacherly interjections are quite selective. I think it's actually quite bad form to correct people publicly in this way. If you think the poster would appreciate knowing where he/she has gone wrong, why not send them a pm? I expect we all make mistakes sometimes - I certainly wouldn't appreciate being pulled up in public about it.

whitewave Fri 28-Aug-15 17:31:24

I constantly make mistakes - my key skills are rubbish and the b....y thing is always trying to second guess me - too lazy to correct

Anya Fri 28-Aug-15 17:39:36

Yes, very selective - didn't notice anyons pulling Dj up earlier this week???

However I did point it out respectfully as this poster has form wink

Anya Fri 28-Aug-15 17:46:46

Suggest you follow Ana's link ...

Luckygirl Fri 28-Aug-15 17:48:02

OK ...... you've got just 3 sentences to precis your post into something manageable or I will go to another thread!! grin

Anya Fri 28-Aug-15 17:48:04

Good call S2B

Eloethan Fri 28-Aug-15 19:18:31

I have never highlighted anyone's grammatical or spelling errors so I certainly can't be accused of being selective.

In fact, only a very few people take it upon themselves to highlight other people's errors. I feel sure it's not because all the other posters are unaware of mistakes made but because they don't feel it necessary or desirable to point them out.

FarNorth Fri 28-Aug-15 19:40:11

The first time I tried typing Tories on the hudl, it came up as Tory's. I could easily have carried on without noticing.
Sometimes, as whitewave says, one just thinks 'what the heck' and hopes that people will get the gist.

durhamjen Fri 28-Aug-15 19:58:21

What has all this got to do with the welfare state?
What was I supposed to be pulled up for earlier in the week, Anya?
Anyons?

Ana Fri 28-Aug-15 20:05:02

I do remember you criticising someone's spelling the other day, durhamjen. I wonder why no one jumped down your throat as they have down Anya's? Very odd...

But as you say, what has all this bickering got to do with the subject in hand...?

Ana Fri 28-Aug-15 20:08:25

'Revenons a nos moutons' - little did I think I'd have such an early opportunity to use that quote kindly supplied by Alea on another thread! grin

Alea Fri 28-Aug-15 20:17:55

Not quite sure what one could add to such a lengthy OP hmm ?

rosequartz Fri 28-Aug-15 20:36:07

questiontime's posts are more like a lecture from a soapbox, and I must admit that the thing that caught my eye immediately was the grammatical error.

The Tory's what?
Ah, Qt meant many Tories.

I do agree that calling the state pension 'a benefit' is both annoying and insulting when we have paid our dues over many years.

rosequartz Fri 28-Aug-15 20:38:19

Oh! I missed all the previous shenanigans - I was 'all at sea' wink