Families where no one has ever worked, nor wanted to, and claim all the benefits they can.

Not superior knowledge Anya, just fact , families on basic benefits are poor, some families boost their income by working cash in hand , drug dealing, buying and selling s/h goods, some prostitution , these are the one's who drive a 4 x 4 , not by having baby after baby . These are a small minority but then only a very small number own a 4 x 4 . My little knowledge of this comes from working with charities who help the poor in our society

I'm new to the site so would just like to say a big hello.

GrandmaKT is probably correct in what she says. My daughter is a mental health worker and works with many Asian families in the community. It is a fact that some Asian families bring prospective spouses over to this country who in fact will never work. She sees it over and over again.

She has helped on numerous occasions to fill out forms and noticed frequently that the intended suddenly has a sizeable bank balance. This person will be her patient and on ESA so therefore has been helped, by her, to claim ESA so therefore knows no money was there initially. The families are always incredibly cagey about where the money has come from but my daughter suspects the whole extended family are pooling their money into the intendeds bank account. She has explained to them that the DWP have powers to look at their finances but this seems not to deter them. Doesn't look like the DWP are bothering to use those powers. This is just one example.

Let me end by saying I am in no way shape or form generalizing about the Asian community.

I live in a "working class" area in a fairly ordinary road. Of the very many people I know, are acquainted with or who are friends of mine, there are only three on benefit. One is the daughter of a friend of mine. She has a mild learning disability and a personality disorder. Another friend's daughter has aspergers and other serious mental health issues, and lives in supported accommodation. The other person on benefits that I know has worked all her life but would find it difficult to get a job now, in her early 60's - although it's true she doesn't seem too concerned to do so. However, she lives in a very basic rented flat, certainly has no flat screen TV, car or posh clothes and generally lives a very frugal life.

I don't know anyone else on unemployment benefit. During his working life, my dad had several breaks in employment due to severe depression and several nervous breakdowns. It came to my mum's attention that a woman living nearby had been telling people that it was always my mum who drove because dad had been banned for drink driving. He'd never held a driving licence and didn't have a drink problem. My mum soon put her straight. Some people can be very spiteful. I'm sure they wouldn't want to swap places with someone suffering from chronic severe depression - it is a hellish life.

@ dottygran

That is the way that sub continent families keep their money.

Second cousins marry within the caste/family, and if they are lucky some get jobs abroad, but still the money goes to the family at home to build a house/ shop, and so it goes on.

Its a culture difference

Hi, dottygran.

What your has observed is not illegal, though, is it? It is not benefit fraud. Claiming ESA does not mean you cannot accept gifts from others. My understanding is that there is a means-tested element to ESA, which kicks in after a few thousand pounds of savings. If the claimant becomes richer by many thousands, they need to declare this and the ESA will be adjusted. If the money does not belong to the claimant, but it sitting there for other people, then this is clearly risky to the claimant....and they could be prosecuted if they were unable to show it did not belong to them.

It seems a crazy risk to run.

Dottygran, you do say - numerous . Strange because people who come here from India are known for setting up businesses , and their children are certainly topping the class in education

I asked on another thread if anyone could remember the name of the man who orchestrates left-wing demonstrations who is intent on anarchy - he is well-educated, has a degree but has never had any intention of working apparently, allegedly.
I don't know if he claims benefits because he says he is ill, disabled or whatever - but if he does he is demonstrating that he is fit and able to work, with good organisational skills and ability, by the work he does encouraging people to demonstrate.
If this is true he is setting a very bad example to others.

I did think there could be some posters who would know his name, but no-one has remembered him so far

Also, with regard to the few who fraudulently claim benefits, we do know that others fraudulently avoid tax but two wrongs don't make a right. Perhaps someone could start another thread about that (or have they already?)

It's not my experience of the Indians I know either; perhaps they were a different caste, I don't know.

I have no idea rosequartz sorry, I don't read what anarchists say

rosequartz I don't know who you mean.

Hi rosequartz I wonder if you mean the man mentioned at the beginning of this article, in the Daily Mail. (I also read The Guardian online.)
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3258234/Truth-rabble-bringing-fear-streets.html

I find it strange that some people know all about the finances of whole groups of people. I never ask, and never want to know.

Thank you JamJar1

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/we-predict-a-riot-meet-the-anarchists-plotting-to-overthrow-capitalism-1654111.html
that's him!

I found it extremely funny that he went for a pint in that chain Wetherspoons!! I don't know why, don't ask me, it just seems, well, so ordinary!!

I find it strange that none of the left-wing posters on this thread seem to know anything about Ian Bone!

Ana
Well, I was sure that someone would know his name, he is quite well-known, but his name just escaped my memory (as so many things do these days).

But we all get forgetful as we get older I suppose

I find it strange that some people know all about the finances of whole groups of people. I never ask, and never want to know.

But I thought you knew quite a lot about tax dodgers, politicians' expenses etc etc djen.

We rely on you for some of our information.

Surely rosequartz you don't rely or anyone for information or we, whoever we are

anniebach
I have learnt so much since joining GN
There are links to things I never knew existed.
(seriously!!)
I don't tend to trawl the internet much.

But if you only read dj's links you'll get a one-sided view, of course. It does pay to do some of your own research!

Wetherspoons for his pint and yet so much hatred orchestrated towards a small cafe started by two working class boys from Belfast.

I do not trawl the internet.
All the links I put up are from emails sent to me because of subjects I am interested in.
I rarely come on GN first, and usually only come on because of a link which I think might interest some gransnetters.
Usually I am right, in that some are interested. Others just laugh at my links, but I can put up with that because of those who are interested.
Of course you will only get a one-sided view, because of my interests. Anyone else is allowed to put up links to the other side, if they can be bothered instead of mocking me.
I do not care about the mocking. I have got used to it.

No one has 'mocked' you, durhamjen, I simply stated a fact.

He says he is full of class hatred.
Is that the motivation for some gransnetters?

Ana I've never heard of Ian Bone. Why is it funny that left wingers haven't heard of him? He's described as an anarchist. I wouldn't think anarchists think of themselves as being aligned with the mainstream political left and I wouldn't think many left wingers would describe themselves as anarchists. It's like saying that people on the right of the political spectrum should have heard of some fairly obscure far right activist.

I agree that it is absolutely wrong to intimidate owners or customers of any business and it is ridiculous to complain about a small, independent business when there are so many multi-national coffee chains and the like pushing out traditional and family-owned businesses and charging silly prices. I understand the frustration of people being priced out of areas because of gentrification, but gentrification has occurred because property prices are rising rapidly in the centre of London due to a huge influx of foreign investment - pushing people into relatively cheap and unfashionable areas they would not previously have considered. It is not the businesses that are causing the gentrification - they are merely responding to it.

If people don't like durhamjen's links, they don't have to read them, or make snide remarks. I find some of the links very informative.

I have never heard of the man, but I am a socialist not an anarchist do he would be of no interest to me .

I too find jen's link most informative and useful too , I have brought some matters up at our local party meetings for discussion