Just been asked how the welfare system works and wanted to ask how does it work?

Question

Hi

Just intrested to know how the welfare system works because you hear of people doing it tough on it, one lady from adelaide is on it and was on today tonight and she said she could only afford one fast food meal from hungry jacks per day.

People should get enough to pay bills and know they will have enough each week and have no worries.

Should people be able to get ahead on it?

Why is it only meant to barely cover bills?

Why is it only meant for bare essentials?

Why do people do it tough and have no spare money left wether it's to save or get gopher fixed or car?

Why does the dole pay less than the dsp or old age?

Why do they want to do a cashless card for the dole and what restrictions is there?

Why is there a rule for single parents that when youngest turns 8 they're down to the dole when some study full time or work part time already? And why do some have baby after baby to stay on it

Just intrested to know how it works because you hear of people on current affair shows doing it tough and saying they can't afford this and can afford that?

Answer 1

Welfare is to help in tough times. It shouldn't be a career.

There are soup kitchens .

As for no worries, even people with lots of money worry.

Welfare is there to cive bare esstionals so they don't get comfortable on it or they would never work. Or at least that's the way it should be.

Answer 2

It pays the rent and if your very lucky you can buy toilet paper. The Vision card is for food. They don't pay for you to eat out. In the state I live in now there is no welfare unless you are an adult raising children, and no medicaid either unless your raising children. You can get a Vision card for food, though, if you really need it. Of course, you have to sign that you have not made any false or misleading statements (which is vague at best) under threat of 25 years in prison and a 250,000 dollar fine. Pretty scary stuff.

Answer 3

Dunno about Aus, but in Britain there's a wide a rich-poor among welfarites as amongst the general population. Those who don't know what lies to tell and play the system struggle, those who do know don't struggle. In fact, they holiday in Spain every year, have newish cars and live in houses that some working people can't even dream of.



How do I know this? Because I used to do it myself by getting a flat paid by welfare which I sublet and moved back to my parents whilst signing and working cash in hand.



(that was 20 yrs ago and by now I've repaid many times over through my taxes)

Answer 4

The argument is that welfare is a safety net, not a hammock to sleep in.



It does supposedly allow for some measure of luxury items though, or at least it did in 1993 - my friend went onto 'subsistence benefits' after quitting jobs they found him - he had to pull a sickie quick!



Now of course sanctions can mean 'zero', i.e. your family help you, you get any job including criminal, or you die.

Answer 5

It doesn't work. It screws people over when they are most at need and rewards scrounging landlord types for doing next to sod all.