Pinku liberal as I am I do have to agree with this to a certain extent. I have been in relationships when I. Was in my teens and twenties when I would have liked to have kids but didn't because I knew I couldn't support them. Then I was was financially stable but single in my mid to late twenties so didn't. Then I met my husband when I was 31 and 13 years later - no joy. I do harbour a little resentment to people that have kids and get money from the state to support them when I was responsible and didn't Ave them when I could have and wanted to and maybe missed my chance.

I totally agree again, people should bear some responsibility for their actions.

An I am very sorry to hear you have had no luck with having children yet.

My points before were more about the disgusting treatment of the genuinely ill by Atos due to the policies of Mein Fuhrer Duncan Smith.

????

Well, yes it can be quite an engrossing subject at times with lots of debate about it.

Not particularly my favourite subject, at all, in fact - find the whole thing really annoying, if anything.

The whole thread subject here is a bit misleading though - Bianca's just an idiot full stop, in deciding to not claim benefits (if this is the case) and going to loan sharks. That's just plain idiotic behaviour -- whether she could be claiming, or not, in fact.

Sorry mate if I'm opening a can of worms, here. No offence intended - and benefits are definitely NOT my favourite subject - the opposite if anything, find the whole situation very frustrating and annoying, to be fair.

Thanks for replying, though.

I'm not your mate.

my mum was refused sickness benefit when she was having chemo and while she was still ill afterwards.

To play devil's advocate here, they clamped down on these because of the way the system was so exploited by non genuine claimants under the Labour government. Tax Payers shouldnt have to foot the bill for bone idle work shy idiots either

That is terrible. People like your poor mum is what the system is there for for gods sake. sorry to hear that justamummy

Of course they shouldn't - I completely agree with that. The trouble though is that those who are determined to cheat the system will usually find a way, by lying about their circumstances, using the fact they have kids etc, etc. It is the honest people that just need help temporarily or in genuine need that tend to lose out. I have a good friend who used to work in a job centre (so different part of benefits but still) and they jad targets to meet for investigating a certain number of claimants in detail. He admits that when you have to spend half an hour rather than 5 minutes with a claimant you are more likely to pick the well mannered, clean one that isn't likely to become verbally (or even physically) abusive but the likelihood is that the rude one is more likely to be cheating the system. But the job centre staff just want them gone as quickly as possible as they are so horrible to have to deal with on a one to one, face ti face basis.

I've also heard of people being refused who are having chaemo - the theory being that it is only one day a fortnight so why can't they work the rest of time. Or people with chronic degenerative illnesses like MND - they might have neen having a good day when assessed and because they were able to walk a few yards they are deemed fit to work. And pretty much anyone with depression is written off as being a malingerer.

Now of course depression is one of the easier sicknesses to 'fake' and there will be spurious claimants but there are also very genuine ones and the worry of being deemed fit, having benefits cut off, going through an appeal (where the decision is usually reversed) have the claim start again from the beginning and be assessed and deemed 'fit' again mere weeks later is just piling stress on people that already mentally can't cope and set their recovery back constantly and I'm sure has tipped people over the edge to suicide. I know 2 of my friends in that situation have felt like it and one ded indeed try to take their own life. And it was.a serious attempt which resulted him being sectioned for several weeks. Which of course will have cost the State much more than his benefit payments for 6 weeks.