Well, it sure looks like the ideological message of benefit ‘scroungers’ and ‘workshy’ is being rammed home courtesy of the media. Last night there was Benefit Busters on Channel 4, and the role of the private company, A4e getting people into work (I admit I watched a good section of it but couldn’t stomach the rest….)
And now this morning I caught a glimpse of Saints and Scroungers ….(yes, the deserving/undeserving poor) well, I don’t think you need me to give a brief synopsis. Needless to say that both programmes gave me the desire of chucking something at the television screen. Another way of stigmatising and vilifying people on benefits along with the ‘getting tough on scroungers’ stance.
So I am waiting for programmes that emphasise tax avoidance and fraud. And all the other illegal shenanigans that big corporations get to, and the money lost to the state. Ah, but it is easier to target so-called benefit scroungers a very useful distraction from the real villains in this society…
I didn’t watch the Saints & Scroungers today (was watching a4e Benefit Busters on demand), but I did yesterday and it was focusing on numerous scroungers and just one “saint” an old lady who had central heating installed.
I wrote notes on the A4e featured programme (which I will do a blog post on later) and like I said all along to many peoples surprise and disappointment after watching it, it was a publicity stunt for A4e.
Just 2 minutes in to the programme was Emma… A4e almost on every shot (this got weaker towards end of the programme though). She appeared again just 2 minutes later. Then throughout the rest of the show.
Talking of the S&S: I came to the same conclusion (hence I didn’t bother watching it today). I have been watching it for a while and has featured multiple tens of thousands of fraud – some to crazy sums of hundreds of thousands exceeding half a million pounds.
One for example was someone who previously went to prison for benefit fraud:
a) he was perfectly entitled to reclaim (whereas a jobseeker can be sanctioned for 6 months for failing to apply for a job or leaving a job voluntary) – no restrictions applied here
b) he was high risk of reoffending yet until many years down the road, he wasn’t even investigated.
There was even cases where someone had a housing benefit fraud of renting a property they actually OWNED. Do the council not check ownership while determining benefits?
Then there was the case of the woman with multiple identities who had a property portfolio of 8 houses yet claimed benefit.
Who do DWP investigate? People like me. After harassment, they found no flies on me (obviously; no pun intended) but this meant a temporary stop in my benefits.
The Government splits potential benefit fraudster in to two groups. ‘Minor’ and ‘Major’.
The ‘Minor’ group includes those who they expect of working the odd few hours in a month without disclosing it or not being ASE – they terminate benefits without warning.
The ‘Major’ group (such as having capital over the amount, working over 8 hours a week every week and claiming disability benefit when they are fine to play sports etc.) they do a long running investigation on without stopping their benefits with the intention on allowing it to build up for a better prosecution. The problem with this (even with new powers) unless they have property which they can cease, the taxpayer ends up losing most of the money.
I would never personally do it, but if I was caught for such an offence and had hidden most of the money somewhere, and been to court and given community service or suspended sentence, and told to repay the £100,000-£600,000 amount back, soon as I get out I would leave the country. Taxpayer won’t see this back again.
The BBC used to be a rather reliable source but you can see where it is going…
* benefit fraud adverts
* politicians bringing up the “passive receiver” terminology *again* from the history books even though was outlawed in 1996 when the JS Act 95 came in to power (some 13 years ago).
* using TV (BBC) to enforce the presumption that all those who claim benefits are doing so illegally
* now C4 etc. jumps on the bandwagon
My biggest criticism is with the S&S show (I say show as it is solely entertainment?) is the ratio of scroungers to saints. Like the lady who got the GCH grant… she was the saint.
I don’t have anything against senior citizens and I hope they all take advantage of that scheme (whether they can afford to pay for the running costs is another thing) BUT no one assumes that any benefit fraudster (scrounger is a looser term, however, is interchangeably thought of as fraudster – clever technique there) as being of that age group, it is primarily young people (untrue) and the middle aged. I also wouldn’t classify a grant directly as a benefit anyway – of course it is, but it is a one off thing not an ongoing payment. It also brings the feeling sorry (sympathy) for the old lady who’s husband passed away (therefore, is lonely), and lives on a very low age in the form of a pension.
I do too actually, but subconsciously we all assume that pensions are earnt whereas benefits are not (regardless on any previous or future taxation and NICs you pay). Therefore if you are of pensionable age then of course everyone is presumed to be a saint which means on S&S all they showed in that episode really was the scroungers.
We need a change of Government NOW me thinks…
I think the idea is to (in the short term) scare people away from claim benefits they are perfectly entitled to claim and to (in the medium term)soften up public opinion for the inevitable attack on the benefits system…the money is needed for the bankers bail out.
After that the NHS will be for the chop. Less out the need to spend the money on the rich instead of the poor so much as out of ideologial spite.
For me it did not give a balanced view of some of those claiming benefits ( when do they ever eh ).
I found it false and above all why should tax payers money be given to private companies like that paid by results.Did you see the house and estate that belonged to the owner of A4e?
Call me a cynic if you want but there was a section in the programme where the A4e employee met its owner for the 1st time.You cannot tell me that for a programme like that she had not been handpicked beforehand with discussions taking place to discuss what would be aired.
Controversial post: http://newdealscandal.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/benefit-busters-episode-2-preview/
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