The benefits system is meant to support those who are in genuine need of financial aid until they can get back on their feet and earn money themselves. While it’s intended to be a temporary way of assisting people, it’s a system that has undoubtedly been abused over many years. It’s got quite a bad reputation mostly because of the people who have been taking advantage of it, not because of the people who genuinely need it. But is it right to criticise those on benefits, whatever reason they have for seeking financial aid?
On the one hand, you can argue that it’s fair to criticise those who abuse system. That is, the people who clearly intend to stay on benefits and have the taxpayer fund their living costs, without ever trying to get a job and support themselves. People who want things in life should work for them and earn them, not have them funded by taxpayers. There are people on benefits who have no choice and are actively trying to find work – these people shouldn’t be criticised. After all, they’re simply using the system the way it’s meant to be used. Then again, the government should be criticised for having a system that can be abused so easily and for seemingly doing little to overhaul it and ensure it’s only used as it’s meant to be.
Whatever changes to the system there are, there will always be those who try to take advantage of it for their own gain. Taxpayers’ money should go towards sustaining local communities, but it’s hardly fair that it’s being used to enable people who don’t want to work to buy things even people who do work can’t always afford. What irks people about the current benefits system is that people on benefits, families especially, can bring in more money without having to work than those who do work. Being on benefits becomes attractive: why work when you can still have a decent enough living without having to work?
The benefits system isn’t perfect. Ideally, there would be some sort of overhaul to the system that would make things fairer for everyone. Of course, those who genuinely need help shouldn’t be criticised, but it’s right to criticise those who take advantage of the system and the government for effectively letting it happen. The media like to vilify and demonise those on benefits, but you have to remember that not everyone who claims benefits is a ‘scrounger’ as the media would have you believe. The system is complex and not without its faults – some criticism is due, but not to everyone.
