“What a naive remark.Some people have been coming here for PRECISELY that reason since the 60's, the clothes and food vouchers of which you speak are the ONLY benefit they should get until they realise our streets are NOT paved with gold and they go back from whence they came, and the £50 you mention, that is an absolute fortune to some.....ask the Greeks right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“@22FARAWAYFOX

Having known and worked with many people that have come from abroad, about 95% of people who come here have no understanding of our benefits system. They come here as the pay and quality of life is better than their home country. Most of the people I have spoken to say they come to the UK because they have hear that the UK is a welcoming country where it is unacceptable to treat someone differently because of their race or religon.
Also for the record, when you arrive in this country you are not allowed to work for at least 6 months and you are usually made to stay in a hostel for first year and until your status in this country is clear which can usually be for a month or two you get nothing except food and clothes vouchers. I doubt people give up everying and travel across the world as they heard about our 'glorious' JSA of £50 a week!”

“I know I'm a bit late on this, but there is nothing wrong with the Benefit System only those who abuse it. OK so we have Goodness knows how many unemployed and the Jobseekers allowance figure distorts the overall picture as the picture can be painted in whatever colour the Government chooses, BUT we have this problem and still we let more and more into our overcrowded Island Home. Many come here knowing only one word...... BENEFITS. So if we said "ok you can have Benefits...when YOU show US and uninterrupted parade of National Insurance Contributions for the last 5 years " they might not be so quick to come. Then there may be more in the pot for the People from here, as in UK Nationals, to help them through difficult times.”

“I respect your opinion martin_le3 and do agree with you in part there. But As Leicester has one of the highest unemployment rates in the whole of the UK this is a local issue wouldn't you agree? I am worried to know where any jobs are coming from, the back-log of graduates who can't seek employment with normal people without degrees struggling and going to loan sharks putting themselves in more risk. This is not the peoples fault, it was all set by greedy bankers and MPs all over the world.”

“"Leicester Mercury reporting basic facts on unemployment but they do miss a lot of detail out" - yes, but it is just a local paper, you cant expect much in depth, detailed and informed analysis. If you want that, try a sensible national paper, or even a specialist publication like The Economist.”

“We do need more jobs but how can we or the government create them? The taxes for small businesses are scary and will put many off starting-up a business, I can't see away forward or out I have to agree with City_C10 on this and another post he wrote. I agree with MacMonkey74 and martin_le3 as they are saying the same, as I am as well. These are scary times and it is all well and good the Leicester Mercury reporting basic facts on unemployment but they do miss a lot of detail out.”

“@Boy_Bono


Aside from being polar-opposites on this subject, I think we have similar approaches to our own lives. I have never personally been unemployed, I went straight from uni and worked in factories, production lines, building sites until I eventually got into my chosen profession. Since having kids I've taken on a second job just to pay the bills. I get working tax credits and child benefit and they are a great help. If I didn't have them then I would probably find a way of as you put it surviving.

That's me though, I don't think that because I have managed to do that everyone else should. Things happen that are beyond our control and that for all the will in the world some will find themselves without the opportunity to simply get on and get through it without the help of the state.

Put simply, without benefits of any kind good people would suffer and I mean suffer, that includes kids and I suppose that is why I got quite irate at your flat statement that no-one should get them.

@Jani88

I'll be damned if I know, although in terms of getting people back to work it might be handy if there were any jobs for people to go back to work to.

You can't blame the the existence of benefits on the shocking mismanagement of this country over the last thirty or forty years. The cost of living is the main problem and unless the government can do something to make certain things like owning or even renting a home in line with what the average to below average worker can afford then things will not get better.

The way I see it cutting benefits is a must but the government need to be very, very careful or they will create more cost in the long-term with the fall-out from all those lives badly affected.”

“@by Graham_LE8: I think the comment about travelling to where is work is was meant as relocating opposed to commuting! I work in the relocation recruitment industry and I can tell you there are a large number of people who are prepared to move house (and country) to go to where the work is. It's not such a stupid idea.”

“This is the flaw in the plan from the "we're all in this together" guys...

It's all very well scaling back benefits & DLA, to encourage people getting back to work - but in a recession there's less demand, necessitating a shrinking workforce to produce a smaller output and 'hey presto' more unemployed pursuing less vacancies...

Misconception 2: even upskilling a labourer to an accredited tradesman won't make him any more employable, whilst there's redundant, experienced tradesmen of that type in the labour pool who can't find work. Therefore all the work experience and retraining packages etc, are just a political expedient of temporarily massaging the unemployment figures down.

Misconception 3: people will have to travel to find work; why?, it's a completely stupid idea that fosters unnecessary expenditure, loss of time, increases congestion and pollution - who on earth, for example, thinks it's efficient for, an unemployed electrician in Lutterworth to take up a vacancy in Coalville - especially if there are suitably qualified candidates in Coalville? complete nonsense and totally impractical.

Of course the real answer is to import less and to manufacture more here, regenerate our home industries and create vacancies everywhere; which of course requires investment - something else that's presently in short supply. Now there's a better plan that all that 'quantitive easing' cash could have supported...”

“As for the NHS, I can agree with that. I think maybe it should be optional...you pay in, then you can get your medical needs fulfilled like everyone else. If you don't pay in, then fund your own way i.e. go private.

I generally go private for things. I had to go private for my vasectomy because the NHS discriminated against me because of my age, which was just as wrong as discriminating on grounds of race/religion/ethnicity. Best decision I ever made and well worth what I paid (I have freedom and a better ability to survive now). I generally do have a positive view of the NHS, though some of it needs reform. The operation cost me 3/4 of my wages, leaving me with only £10 for shopping and the rest for my car insurance. I stretched that £10 over a good few weeks.

I'm not rich, but if getting by means I survive, then that's good enough for me. Any luxuries I get are a bonus.”