[Londoner]

According to headlines in the paper day before yesterday, the Chairman of the Bank of England warned that it was going to be a tough year ahead for families. He's not a politician so when he says things like that you can believe him. The question is why is he saying it? We all know its probably true so is he trying to warn us its going to be worse than we think?

Yesterday, front page of the Express, 75% of people on sickness benefit investigated (by the Department who should have been regulating this but haven't) were found to be fake. Of those roughly half withdrew their claim as soon as they got a letter to attend an interview.

The other half attended the interview but tried to bluff it by turning up in wheelchairs or on crutches etc but were found out. Well done I say, lets see more of it.

The only concern I have is where we will stand in all of this. Window cleaning is the easiest job of choice for people looking for a bit of ready cash. Lets face it thats how many of us got into it.

Great work, about 15 years too late but great work.  I hate all these benefit scroungers, and I know of more than a few. The thing is its our money they are living off. I'm out cleaning windows in freezing drizzle so they can live rent free, in the lap of luxury.

I'm not (or I wasn't) particularly right wing, in my previous life I was quite an active trade unionist but these days I am getting more like a cross between Alf Garnett and Victor Meldrew.

[Paul Coleman]

According to headlines in the paper day before yesterday, the Chairman of the Bank of England warned that it was going to be a tough year ahead for families. He's not a politician so when he says things like that you can believe him. The question is why is he saying it? We all know its probably true so is he trying to warn us its going to be worse than we think?

Yesterday, front page of the Express, 75% of people on sickness benefit investigated (by the Department who should have been regulating this but haven't) were found to be fake. Of those roughly half withdrew their claim as soon as they got a letter to attend an interview.

The other half attended the interview but tried to bluff it by turning up in wheelchairs or on crutches etc but were found out. Well done I say, lets see more of it.

The only concern I have is where we will stand in all of this. Window cleaning is the easiest job of choice for people looking for a bit of ready cash. Lets face it thats how many of us got into it.

Great work, about 15 years too late but great work.  I hate all these benefit scroungers, and I know of more than a few. The thing is its our money they are living off. I'm out cleaning windows in freezing drizzle so they can live rent free, in the lap of luxury.

I'm not (or I wasn't) particularly right wing, in my previous life I was quite an active trade unionist but these days I am getting more like a cross between Alf Garnett and Victor Meldrew.

Like yourself, I dislike scroungers -  though I have no problem with helping people who are unable to fully fend for themselves through no fault of their own.

So 1 in 4 of the people who were investigated by the Department were found to be fully truthful.  25% is a quite a large error I think.  I know/have known several genuine disability claimants over the years and what they are put through is appalling.  In fact, a very good (late) friend of mine was finally accepted for full disability benefit after two or maybe three appeals.  The letter arrived at his home a few days after he died from the illness that was causing his disability.  The money was still claimable as it was backdate arrears so his sister made sure he had a better funeral than he would have, and gave the change to a charity related to his illness.

Not trying to get into a protracted discussion or an argument.  I just wanted to show that there is more to this than appears in the (rather biased) media.

[the bfg]

have you tried flushing your membrane 

[mick hay]

The way i see it is, we all put in the pot in case we fall on hard times and need it too live on. Unfortunatley, some NEVER put in the pot, but feel its their right to live of our money.

I personally detest these scroungers, and have told many face to face!

Last week a lad approached me while i was working "Excuse me mate, have you got any work going?"

Me...."I may have in a month or so, are you looking for full or part time?"

Him  " Oh.....cash in hand mate, dont wanna lose my benefits!" and was laughing while saying it!

I said i will not pay him twice, (once through my tax, and 2nd through a wage).

Told him to go forth and multiply.

I too am getting pushed towards being right wing because of our govt.

Dont get me started on other human rights issues, i'll end up getting banned from the forum  

[GS CLEANING SERVICES UK]

I HEAR WHAT YOUR SAYING , I AM 40 YEARS OLD NOW AND HAVE NEVER CLAIMED BENEFITS , HAVE ALWAYS WORKED , MY LAST JOB WAS A TAXI-DRIVER BUT THROUGH GETTING TO MANY POINTS HAVE LOST MY LICENSE ( GET IT BACK 11 FEB ) , I HAVE DONE WINDOW CLEANING , FOR MYSELF AND FOR COMMERCIAL COMPANY , SET UP MY OWN UPVC FASCIA REPLACEMENT COMPANY ( BEFORE HOUSEHOLDERS KNEW WHAT IT WAS ) , IF I DIDNT HAVE ANY WORK I LIVED OF ANY SAVINGS......ONE THING THAT pES ME OFF IS , SINCE I LOST MY LICENSE AND UNABLE TO GET ABOUT I HAVE BEEN WORRYING LIKE MAD WHEN THE NEXT POUND IS COMING FROM , BUT WHEN I GO OUTSIDE OR PICK MY SON UP FROM SCHOOL , THE SCROATS ARE THERE DRINKING AND SMOKING WITHOUT A CARE IN THE WORLD . IT DOES MAKE YOU THINK WHOS THE DICKHEAD . BUT NO-WAY COULD I JUST SIT IN THE HOUSE ALL DAY , DOING NOTHING , I THINK ME AND THE WIFE WOULD END UP KILLING EACHOTHER..........HMMMM LOL

[bobby p]

govt should bring in a community reward scheme, where if you provided video proof of a  lazy benefit claimer you get a small money reward in return

[elite mike]

The way i see it is, we all put in the pot in case we fall on hard times and need it too live on. Unfortunatley, some NEVER put in the pot, but feel its their right to live of our money.

I personally detest these scroungers, and have told many face to face!

Last week a lad approached me while i was working "Excuse me mate, have you got any work going?"

Me...."I may have in a month or so, are you looking for full or part time?"

Him  " Oh.....cash in hand mate, dont wanna lose my benefits!" and was laughing while saying it!

I said i will not pay him twice, (once through my tax, and 2nd through a wage).

Told him to go forth and multiply.

I too am getting pushed towards being right wing because of our govt.

Dont get me started on other human rights issues, i'll end up getting banned from the forum  

great post, you got my vote if you ever stand for PM 

[Londoner]

The way i see it is, we all put in the pot in case we fall on hard times and need it too live on. Unfortunatley, some NEVER put in the pot, but feel its their right to live of our money.

I personally detest these scroungers, and have told many face to face!

Last week a lad approached me while i was working "Excuse me mate, have you got any work going?"

Me...."I may have in a month or so, are you looking for full or part time?"

Him  " Oh.....cash in hand mate, dont wanna lose my benefits!" and was laughing while saying it!

I said i will not pay him twice, (once through my tax, and 2nd through a wage).

Told him to go forth and multiply.

I too am getting pushed towards being right wing because of our govt.

Dont get me started on other human rights issues, i'll end up getting banned from the forum  

I've had three of these in so many years. All got told to sling their hook but all were not the sort of blokes I would have employed even if I was looking. That laughing while talking to you thing is so true.

Another story though was quite sad, a mum stopped me and asked about a job for her son. She seemed very genuine, I told her I didn't work with anyone but afterwards I regretted not giving her Lloyd's number because if the kid was as genuine as the mum appeared to be then Lloyd might have been able to give him a start.

I don't think its this government thats to blame though. It lies fairly and squarely on the shoulders of the previous government who were happy to create a huge benefits culture knowing that everybody on benefits would be a locked in Labour voter for the rest of their lives.

The labour party should have been there to represent the working class, we are the working class, what did they do for us? Not by throwing money at the Non working class thats for sure.
How many of them have ever had cracked and bleeding hands or cleaned windows in the freezing drizzle (like I did today) to pay their taxes and keep this lot in clover?

[Klean07]

I know at least 10 blokes that won't work and never intend to work but every day you'll find them in William Hill. Why do they get away with it.

[davids3511]

I think America runs some system where you can claim 5 years benifit for your whole working life. That would cover most people, I am 37 and have never claimed a day yet.

On another point, me and the wife were talking a minute ago. Egypt is on the telly and apparantly they only earn between $1-$2 a day. We know an Egyptian guy soon to retire. His plan is to retire back to Egypt with his pension which will make him a fairly wealthy man over there if they are only earning $14 a week. He works over here as a taxi driver, never out of work. He has never paid a penny in tax his whole life and is on DLA.