News & Features
Attitudes Towards Welfare System Changing
Posted in General News on Wednesday, March 17th, 2021
According to a YouGOV survey the number of people who believe that the benefits people receive are too high has decreased by from 37% in 2013 to just 15%. The data also reveals a significant decrease in the number of people who think the benefits system is open to abuse. In addition, more people think that not enough help is being provided to both those in and out of work. 1.7 million people of working age are currently unemployed, and 5 million people are on furlough.
We are aware that the cost of living is often much higher for disabled people and therefore it is not uncommon for those who need to rely on disability benefits to struggle financially. Despite the likelihood of the Coronavirus pandemic having a major impact on the findings of this research, it shows that public attitudes to the welfare system are changing.
Comments (2)Leave a reply
* indicates a required field
Comments
Brian Bremer
Friday, March, 19th, 2021
My wife has just received a letter from DWP, stating how much her PIP will be for the next year, 2021/2. Previously it was £151.40 and for the increase it will be £152.15 per week. This equates to an increase of 75p per week. Yes that right, seventy five pence. Not even enough to cover a one way bus trip from our house into the Town we reside at which is one mile. So, for those who claim we receive too much in Benefits, well, allowing for the overall price increases Nationally, it equates to a Benefits loss. People on Benefits like PIP. do not even receive a Benefit that equates to the National minimum wage for a person 18 years or older. It seems the Government has forgotten that being Disabled means for most, they are probably in debt to family members, unable to save, cannot even dream of affording a holiday at home let alone abroad. So, our increase really equates to a tin of cheap baked beans, that’s what we represent to those in power.
Delya Kavanagh
Friday, March, 19th, 2021
It's probably not despite the pandemic but because of it, with so many people experiencing for themselves the effort it takes trying to eke out an existence on benefit levels over a sustained period of time. In the short term it may be manageable to survive but the cumulative effect of fighting the wolf to keep him away from one's door is very wearing mentally and physically. I have had a particularly bad flare up of my condition so needed to buy prepared groceries which are always more expensive. I've needed to keep the place warm and would have welcomed a mobility scooter, or chair but couldn't afford it as I've maintained my motability contract even though I couldn't get to drive my car, so its been pretty much of an expensive ornament sitting in the car park. I was tempted to surrender it as I could have used having the extra cash at my disposal, which as you probably know is paid directly to motability. The other big problem about being on benefits is the STIGMA. The pandemic has made me aware of the want and need to relocate nearer to family but accessible properties are thin on the ground and despite Shelters campaign there are still barriers to any benefit claimants in the private sector even though some of the dingy dugouts on offer, at high prices, would only appeal to the truly desperate