Benefits Street

Like you Katy I found this programme while looking for something to watch. I saw about 5 minutes of it before I switched off - these people are not only unemployed but have made themselves unemployable, especially now when they have been featured on TV.

There was another programme about benefits not so long ago and the folk had larger TVs, more electrical gadgets and better phones than I do, did not do a hand's turn nor had any intention. Some were also thieves.

This lot were horrendous - stealing, drinking in the street, rubbish piled up outside, some of them lying on top of the rubbish, arguing and swearing at officials who had come to help them, filthy homes, scruffy kids playing football in the house, dogs running around everywhere - and I only watched about 15 minutes of it.

I did not bother. I cannot understand why we give them money to live like that.

I deliberately avoided this programme, because I was pretty sure I would have been incensed!

Currently my total household income is £71.70 per week Job Seekers Allowance. I spend a lot of time each day looking at job sites, and contacting companies on spec, as unless I get something soon, well put it this way mortgage to pay, utilities etc etc. The JSA doesn't even cover food and petrol.

I don't get any other benefits, all though I am looking into council tax benefit, but not holding my breath. I have to pay for prescriptions, eye tests, dentist etc , we have not been able to turn the heating on for the last 6 weeks as we have run out of oil, and I have had to ask a kind neighbour to give me a lift to the Job Centre tomorrow to sign on, as there isn't enough petrol in the car to get there and back.

Until quite recently there was a family 2 doors away who seemed to get everything going. They had the newest car in the road, often seemed to be having new furniture etc, and even brought in a personal trainer to help with their difficult dog!

Until fairly recently I have worked all my life, apart from breaks when I had the children and they were small.

I just don't understand why some people get away with so much.

I thought it was going to be about decent families struggling to live on whatever benefits for whatever reasons. How wrong was I?!
One just got out of jail and straight away was back shoplifting.
Another couple with young children had had all their money stopped for a while (except I think for child allowance). You might begin to feel some sympathy for them but hang on a bit. The reason their money was stopped was because they'd been cheating the system and claiming £1300 a month!

Yes, I watched this and found it predictable. What you have to remember, is that film makers want the most awful/bizarre/ ignorant/lazy/mentally challenged/criminally inclined people on tv, it's what makes it watchable.Out of all the many people [lots of houses] in that street, they focussed on just a few [and what a few!]Many more would have been hard working, clean and decent, even if struggling.The types they showed will have many mirror images amongst any town or city in the land, problem couples or families.A lot really ARE un-employable, some could do low level work of some kind.We can't let people starve, but more could be done to get the workshy doing something. This isn't a new thing is it, there have always been drunken/lazy/workshy types around of both sexes, but in the past they weren't receiving benefits for themselves or the children and just somehow existed.We don't begrudge people a drink, but if they kept themselves and the house clean [and the children] it would be a start.However, I do remember families like this living near me in the 1950's feckless parents and near feral kids.There was tons of low level work then of course, and the Father of the family had to do something, but then drank most of it away.

The amount of programmes like this are increasing not too long ago there was one featuring a family in Liverpool which put the people concerned to shame !! but they have no shame in my honest opinion they seem to delight in boasting about what monies and benefits they are entitled to and then when they get caught out "working the system" they cry at their monies being stopped.
I also thought maybe it would be about manageing on a reduced income,most have their rents paid and I would suspect their children have free school meals paid for? I did not see one family cooking for their family or anyone sitting down for a meal.Disgraceful programme and I won't be watching it again as it gives a totally wrong impression about people having to manage on benefits.

The big TVs, cars, etc are unlikely to be paid for by benefits alone. As a CAB adviser, I was staggered at the amount of debt some clients managed to incur. Credit cards and store cards seemed to be given without any satisfactory checks on the client's ability to repay. In one case, a father reported that his 18-year-old son with learning difficulties had applied for and been given a credit card which he had taken as permission to spend money.
Now payday loan companies create a far worse situation - some clients had as many as seven loans from different lenders.

Here you go, this is what a real 'Benefits Street' would look like (click on the pic below the video on the LH side of the page)

www.leftfootforward.org/2014/01/what-a-real-benefits-street-would-look-like/

anno I agree with you, I've had an out of work family member who managed to get a frightening amount of credit on credit card, which he happily took up. He is working now and paying it off.

phoenix that just seems so unfair.

PHO it makes you wonder how the devil they think you get by on such a paltry amount ?

Doesn't your DH get JSA as well, phoenix?

Thanks for the messages.

Mr P started trying to claim on 13th Dec. We had a letter yesterday asking for more info. Apparently it's complicated by the fact that he has his own company (there is only him!) so they are asking questions about if anyone has shares in the company, do the board vote on his salary etc.

The bottom line is he hasn't had any contract work since mid August. No work, no money.

My next JSA payment goes in next Wednesday (it's paid fortnightly) so I have been working out the meal plans. Did a good one last night with 1 chicken breast, a clove of garlic an out of date tin of asparagus, some pasta and a bit of white sauce. Not bad although I say so myself!

The cat's are on half rations, not that it will do Digby any harm, the fat lump! Maurice is an understanding sort of chap, and Lily doesn't know what day of the week it is (metaphorically speaking) so there have been no protest marches so far!

It does seem ridiculous that you can't get any help with the mortgage payments etc. Pity you can't claim for the cats as dependants!

I do hope something turns up for you very soon, phoenix.

Rosesare your are spot on about "documentary" makers getting the sort of behaviour they want when filming. That is probably the impression they wanted to give. I wonder how much the participants were paid for their perfomances will they win any acting Baftas? I wonder if the DM have a hand in funding the documentary makers?

My DH was also self employed phoenix and when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer we were given no help or advice about whether we could claim anything to help us. We had no idea as we had only ever claimed sickness benefit when I had cancer 20 years ago.

It was a friend of mine who volunteered with CAB who told me about Disability Living Allowance which we were able to claim but that was it. It does make me angry when some people seem to be able to claim so much when people like you and I and our partners have to jump through so many hoops and then get turned down. Hope Mr.P's claim goes through quickly and is successful

Thanks again for the good wishes. sunseeker , you would think that under those circumstances there should be help and advice given automatically, rather than leaving you to sort it out yourself.

Ana I wish I could, I might even get extra for Lily, as she definitely comes under the "special needs" category!

I have read a bit about Benefits Street in the press, but didn't watch it, as it was pretty clear it'd be as representative of the majority of people who find themselves on benefits, as My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding was of the travelling community.
Phoenix - just want to send a hug, I know that won't put butter on any bread, but I do empathise with your situation. Some very close friend are in a similar position to yourself and Mr P, and it's getting them down as well.

Channel 4 seem to be on a mission to help the governments campaign against benefit cheats don't they. Pity they didn't select a more representative group of people. But these type of programmes always show the more extreme members of any community. I'm thinking Gypsy Weddings, Simply Kosher, and another programme set in Blackley, Manchester, none of which reflected the communities that were filmed in a representative way.

If you're getting jobseekers allowance you should get free prescriptions, I think.

Phoenix you are SO right. When DH was made redundant for the first time (it happened to him 3 times in his working life) he tried desperately hard to get a job - any job at all. Because I was working, just a clerical job, he was given £46 per week. He found work only after 18 months, we were given no help at all, we had to spend what we had saved. Something which sounds trivial but would me up no end - a few years ago our dustbin was damaged and I rang the council to ask for a new one. The person I spoke to said 'are you on benefits or a pensioner?' (we weren't pensioners then). I said no. She said
'in that case you will have to pay £13'. I was incensed. Excuses are given for people such as featured in this programme such as 'oh well they learn it from their parents, it's a cycle'. Well I was dragged up in a rough, violent household. It just made me more determined to take a different path. I hope 2014 is a better year for you.

I have a nephew by marriage who is in his mid 20's. He went through the education system and now can barely read or write. He comes from a very large family, father is bone idle, mother has a degree in English and never helped him. He can hardly get out of bed before 2pm. He was given a flat and now his feckless girlfriend has moved in. They have lost one baby but it is a just a matter of time. He turns his nose up at any low level job- I would remove his benefits and I am sure that he would find some work if needs must.

People like him are given too much in benefits.

Bizarrely an email has just popped into my inbox asking for people to sign a petition to get this programme taken off the air as it is misrepresenting the decent people who are living in the area (which I'm sure it is). Of course Channel 4 will try to show the worst possible people to get the maximum reaction, which they have succeeded in doing. I live in Birmingham myself and have never come across people like these which is why I was so shocked. I won't be watching again, too depressing.

Tegan only if you are income based JSA, mine is currently contributions based.