I am SO sick of peoples attitude towards people who claim any type of benefit.

skipworth said:

It seems to be that this forum has become just a little bit political, and as usual the Gov take the beating for failing to provide for the individuals who feel society owes them something because they cannot cope for themselves. I know there may be very deserving cases of people who cannot actually take care of themselves, but fortunately they are in the real minority and they are the ones that deserve all the help society can provide them, but that does not include, and I am sorry if you feel you may be classified among them, those who can get about and manage a life, albeit a temporary restricted one. As someone who has not claimed a benefit, and no I am not one of the socialist millionaires like Blair and Brown etc and co who have made a very good living out of paying the rest us of more than the country could afford, and yes that goes right back to the 70's and the Wilson Government who decided that if a couple decided to have children then yes the state should provide for them as well via universal child benefit. The Welfare state was about providing a minimum standard of living noit an easy life which we have now been led to believe is our right. Well wake up and smell the coffee, nothing is free in life and i don't feel inclined to pay a single penny more than I have to to provide an easy life for someone who refuses to take responsibility for their own decisions and expects the rest of the taxpayers to sipport their lifestyle.

Finally after this rant, I have to say that all politicians are tainted by self seeking ambitions, not neccessarily monetary but also self importance and most of their pronouncemnts should be taken with a sack of salt, but it comes down to a philsophy either borrow on credit and provide non contributing jobs, like the civil service or manage within your means and only spend what you can afford, something previous generations seemed to manage, unlike the present one which demands to have everything now.

I much preferred it when the forum stuck to helping others and was not used for a personal political platform

Click to expand...

Another interesting point of view to consider, absolutely NO sarcasm in that statement I promise.

I wonder what you consider 'being able to manage a life?' would entail, is it just simply being fully able to go outside and walk about ect?

I can do that myself, there is nothing wrong with my legs at all and I use them just fine BUT sadly my problems aren't physically obvious (like a lot of peoples problems) so it tends to make for some interesting walk abouts.

I worry about making things worse for others, i don't like being who I am, or what I am to be frank. I also don't like the fact I personally have taken up far too much time and Money in the NHS that it can ill afford to spend on me.

in the last month alone i have been into A&E 6 times (3 concussions, a sliced hand and twice being clipped by a car, I was lucky it wasn't worse in both times) and thats because I wasn't born free of any health concern's. it makes me sad that I need help but it would be so much worse if I didn't get it. I would take up more time and money and most likely be dead by now.

I think sometimes it can be a bit of a crunch, it's hard so why bother in the first place to make the effort. it's finding a balance between what you can do and what others tell you you have to do. it's not always easy and frankly unless you hold a medical degree in whatever ails you people aren't going to understand exactly why it can be hard for you.

I spent a long time thinking I was nothing, I wondered why I was here, why I didn't have a job, why was I born this way (Honestly this is not a pity party, it is simply a statement of fact) it's hard to realise that you CAN do something when you have a low opinion of yourself. IT'S NOT AN EXCUSE by any means.

Nobody gets anything for free. i know i don't.

I think allot of people see being on benefits as a way to get everything you want for nothing when for allot of people that's just not true.

but then it all depends on what you know and who you know and your own point of view. there are allot of people that do indeed have just enough to get by, a minimal standard of living, which isn't great right now considering that they can ill afford to live on the money they are given with inflation and the cost of living now a days and thats if your on benefits, if you're in a poor paying job it can be next to impossible which allot of people i know are sadly. in our house we don't use the heating system, we don't have the boiler on, unless we need a bath then we put it on for two hours to heat up the water and thats it. it cost less if you do it that way instead of having it on all the time. we buy the minimum of what we need to eat and we have to be carful which food to not waste it (which is why i worry about diagnosed as Type 2 because i know some changed will have to be made to what we eat so that has to now be taken into account when we buy food and I worry we simply won't have the budget but thats another thing entirely)

I can see why people get upset.I get upset too. I wonder why allot of the time people get away with it, how they can get away with it. it does puzzle me, I would personally report something like that, but then it has been pointed out to me that when that happens usually nothing is done. and I have to ask why? what is the point in all this if when you do take action, nobody does anything to stop it?

I'm lucky in that to get around in my area i have a bus pass and a medical exemption card otherwise I would never leave my home and wouldn't have access to the type of medication that helps me manage my issues.

It's a hard one for sure. on the one hand just because you can do something, doesn't mean the risk's are the same, say for example, walking about outside.

you and I both have no trouble with that. but you can do this safe in the knowledge that you will 90% be ok. aside from the normal dangers everyone faces. I on the other hand have a 50/50 chance of being severely injured or being killed. so risk assessment would suggest that I have more of a reason not to be out and about as much or even alone. thus reducing the strain on NHS resources by staying OUT of A&E and out of hospital as much as possible

In the house once again isn't so bad for people able bodied to get about and do everyday things. (the sliced hand incident involved a can opener, it wasn't pretty) there are ways around things, like pouring a mug of tea over the sink, microwaving all your food, not cutting sandwidges, taking a bath only when someone is around to talk to you threw the door, asking someone else to run up stairs or down the to get what you need or somthing you left downstairs (my brother hates doing it but prefers I not concuss myself yet again)

It's all about risk and it SUCK monkey nut's. I guess to some extent it depends on how much of a scaredy cat you are or how afraid you are of getting hurt.

BUT I could get a desk job or one that means I can work from home so I have no excuse. problem. i dont have the right qualifications to get a job. I'm currently rectifying that, if I don't screw it up that is.

I also don't think this forum has gone all political to be honest. the people here i have found have been helpful, insightful, thought provoking and really quite nice. there are different sections for all parts of life. if you're upset or don't want to read something that will upset you or make you angry or depressed than you honestly don't have to read it. nobody is making you to be honest. i dont read the newspapers because they depress me, QUITE a bit to be frank. If you dont like something, then do dont it, if you dont want to read something, then don't. nobody is making you and it's ok.

BUT we all need a good rant every now and then and sadly my rant was of an epic proportion but has had some great replies and interesting options to think about. (I flipped because i was spat at in the street and called a benefit scrounger, I had NO idea who this person was and it left me upset, angry and shaken but I guess you could say the anger won out on this one)

If I could I would honestly start making it easier to report benefit fraud. i think thats important and a good way to reduce the pressure on the system. it should be taken seriously. there are many articles and even TV shows showing us these people who live it up and yet there's nothing about helping to reduce these types of people, how to stop them from doing what they do.

I think you have a very good point though. people need to be more proactive about their lives and not look at what they can't do, but look at what they CAN do to move forward and get out of the system. the state doesn't own them anything but we owe them. They help to support us when we are at our most vulnerable and we should work as we can to repay that.

skipworth said:

Apologies, I claimed I was not in receipt of any benefit, but as I receive free prescriptions for my diabetes, I guess I do.

Click to expand...

I hope my response was ok, it was in no way meant to upset, patronize or anger you, it was just my feelings on the matter and as i stated, I think you have some good points

Alanp35 said:

Not sure how ?
If everybody who is on a benefit actually voted at the next General Election the current government would not be re-elected and therefore not be running this country. The difficulty is getting people to actually vote. Why not use your vote in a powerful manner. If you have difficulty getting to a polling station it is possible to register for a postal vote, which is delivered to you in the mail and goes back via the mail. A vote is a very powerful much under-used tool that we can use to better benefit ourselves.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Click to expand...

I try telling my brother that but he just shrugs and says what's the point?

I know it's so important, you're right in that so many people just don't bother and it's frustrating because they don't see how important it is.

I didnt know you could vote via post, thats really cool