UK MP’s should stop attacking benefits and look at their own thieving
Yes, people exist who are ripping off the system. Yes, they system may need changing. But the constant use of pejorative language demeans everyone who receives benefits, deserving and undeserving
By Mia Patrick on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 - 478 words.
I was – and I know how pompous this sounds – disappointed to see the Guardian take so easily to the title given to the people formally known as “benefit cheats”.
I feel it is bad enough that I rarely see benefits discussed in any newspaper unless it is regarding fraud or some political party or other discussing how they could/ought to be cut down. But we are in real danger, I feel, of an automatic word association, where the word ‘benefit’ is heard, and the first word that comes into a persons head is ‘thieves’.
Anyone who feels that the benefits system is bad for society should be made to read ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist’, ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’, ‘A Clergyman’s Daughter’ and ‘Mary Barton’. And anyone not on benefits should consider how they would feel if, in the shiny, uncertain early days of a relationship they had to declare it to a governmental department, fill out forms and give details of income and bank account.
How they would feel if, while in a relationship that has no legal standing or rights, where their partner is under no obligation to share their money with them, they are told that this persons income will effect their own. Or how they would feel if, when a new sexual partner whispers in their ear and asks if they can stay the night, they had to say no, because you’ve always spent two nights at mine this week, if you spend another someone might report me (now for financial gain) and I will be called and charged as a thief.
MP’s caught out for dishonesty recently are being asked to return money, could even be charged for what they have done. But they are not being called thieves. Fact is, embezzlement and fraud are white collar crimes. Fraud amounts to theft, but it is given this particular name. The lower classes, committing almost identical crimes (crimes that can sometimes arise out of greed, sometimes out of confusion, and sometimes out of a dread of the bleak and terrifying bureaucracy of the system) are called thieves.
And as for the warning being run on television in the UK at the moment – I would like to see something in a similar vein, showing well dressed, cultured looked men and women sadly telling the camera how they didn’t declare gifts and interests, spent tax payers money wrongly, charged porn to their wife’s expenses account, and ‘never thought I’d get caught.’
One unsung result of the benefits system is that, despite what some silly Americans may feel, women don’t ‘have’ to be married, or stay married, for their own or for the sake of the children.
Yes, people exist who are ripping off the system. Yes, they system may need changing. But the constant use of pejorative language demeans everyone who receives benefits, deserving and undeserving.
If you want less people on benefits, sort the bloody schools out.
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UK MP's should stop attacking benefits and look at their own thieving
Yes, people exist who are ripping off the system. Yes, they system may need changing. But the constant use of pejorative language demeans everyone who receives benefits, deserving and undeserving
Really enjoyed this article, you're totally right… It's ridiculous that benefits are talked of as a way to cut the deficit, how about taxing bankers bonuses at 90%?
I did some research for the FT on this… Have a look at the breakdown of benefit spending, it shows the small amounts it actually constitutes:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e3a04cec-e022-11de-8494...
MattK: Thank you very much for your encouragement- writing it seemed in the end better then just ranting at the television, but I’m so glad you enjoyed it- and thank you even more for the link.
This is the first time I have posted something like this, and yours is the first response so very, very good experience and I will probably use this link elsewhere.
The relatively low figure for carers allowance interested me- when I was awarded carers allowance, they cut £20 from my boyfriends income support, which meant, for me to live with him and look after him, barred from working more then eight hours a week, we were £30 a week better off.
I mean, I’m a cheap date- but not that cheep!
Yeah you should carry on writing — it's very good!
Unbelievable about the income support as well…
What do you think about writing a weekly diary of "Living on benefits during the recession"? I think it could be really good, you obviously have the writing skill and I think it needs to be said how difficult it is, especially the stupid bureaucracy which is probably a surprise to most people….
Let me know…. matt
Hi Matt.
I’ve been thinking about your suggestion (whereas usually I make my mind up for or against right away and spend the rest of the time formulating either excises or justifications) and I’ve come to the conclusion that yes, this is something I would be interested in doing.
My main reservation was, that since I finished full time education, all my writing has been in fiction, and although I was told at school I had a good essay writing style it’s been a long time since I’ve worked in a non-fiction setting.
But since I’ve found myself in this situation, a few years ago- a very alien world to the one I grew up in- I’ve had a lot of thoughts and theories, and nowhere to express them, so the more I think about it, the more interested I become.
My boyfriend and I are lucky in comparison to a lot of people I know- well, not lucky, but he calls it ‘the silver lining to my constant agony’, in that he receives the higher rate of disability living allowance, and is at the moment working for Tax Credits. (Believe me, there is a lot I have to say about applying for Tax Credits). I’ve experienced, through the benefit system, an odd combination of generosity and contempt. These days I look towards America and don’t know if I should feel grateful for what we have, or terrified of what could be to come.
So, to cut the rambling short, yes, I would be interested in doing this, and thank you very much for the suggestion and encouragement. I would be very grateful for any help or advice you could give me (if it isn’t a bit much to ask…). I spend most of my days looking after my boyfriend when he is home, and looking after the eight dogs (most of who are also disabled) and I mostly love doing it- but it would be nice to have something else to focus on throughout the week. (When I found myself thinking half nostalgically of my time in full time education some time back, I suppose I realised that something must be up!)
Thanks again.
Miapatrick.
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