The benefits of the welfare state (From Bucks Free Press)

The benefits of the welfare state

7:48pm Tuesday 26th June 2012 in Your Say By ivor

I was shocked to learn a few days ago that 380,000 under 25's are claiming housing benefit.

It seems that people are able to claim a benefit for almost anything these days indeed I could probably even get a benefit for writing this blog!

If a youngster decides to live away from home then surely its up to them to be able to support themselves financially on their own rather than having funding from the state?

I'm struggling to make ends meet myself and I am proud to say that I don't have a penny of state support yet my taxes are going to support youngsters many of whom have parents that could look after them.

Of course I am not against young people moving out of their parental home but if they choose to do so then it makes sense for them to take on the financial responsibility of their actions and not be a burden on the rest of us.

As house prices are so high no doubt many of those on housing benefit will be in rented accommodation which in Wycombe is probably a family house that is being let room by room.

Why are family homes being let out to multiple tenants who are taking desperately needed accommodation from those it was designed for and who need it the most?

If only the concept of the family unit was reinstated into society maybe the unrelenting need to build more and more housing would also be curtailed?

The fact the state is assisting with housing costs is creating a fixed market where landlords know they can inflate prices because the state will contribute towards the costs.

Maybe if housing benefit for under 25's was stopped the price of housing would fall and more accommodation would be available therefore benefiting everyone?

The fact that so many youngsters decide to leave home is merely a sign of the continuing breakup of family values that has come to blight our communities in recent years.

An article on the news section of this site today mentions that housing benefit will also be docked for those living in accommodation where there is an unoccupied bedroom.

No doubt the bedroom tax will affect a lot of people and this attempt at housing engineering will also clamp down on those living in houses which are too big for them.

Those on housing benefit are probably also in receipt of Council Tax benefits and the like making them even more of a burden of the hard-working tax payers of the community.

Instead the money could be given to the hard-working families or the pensioners who need it most.

The proposed changes to the benefits system will see many people having to move and this is regrettable but can we really afford to provide benefits to those living in houses larger than they need or because they have chosen to move out of home on a whim?

What do you think?

LINK: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9351604/New-welfare-clampdown-could-axe-housing-benefit-from-under-25s.html

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