6 days ago
Disability benefit isn't 'disposable income', says reader
Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments.
Claire (MetroTalk, Thu) says the 'problem' working people have is that those on benefits have more disposable income than them.
It's a fact that many disabled people have extra living costs.
Many also have to supplement housing benefit payments out of their own pocket.
Many more disability benefit claimants would rather work but are unable to find jobs that offer the flexibility those with fluctuating conditions require in order to make work a reality.
Many of the myths about disabled benefit claimants are born of falsehoods fuelled by a downgrading of the sick and disabled, which has become prevalent in recent decades. This is hardly surprising when they're often described as a burden to the welfare state. James, Stockport
Claire's view is entirely misguided. People on only universal credit have no disposable income despite (variable) allowances on council tax etc.
The extra money disabled people get is to cover foreseen and unforeseen costs related to their disability and, anyway, it isn't a fortune.
The disabled and unemployed are not your enemy. It's the tax cheats and uber-wealthy millionaires and billionaires funnelling their resources towards themselves who are. Deon, Barnet
Of course Sir Keir Starmer is right to restore winter fuel payments to all but the wealthiest pensioners (MetroTalk, Thu) – but for political reasons.
Reasonably well-off pensioners managed to get through winter without the payment but they made Labour pay at the ballot box.
Pensioners make up around a quarter of the electorate and they always turn out to vote. Taking hundreds of pounds from them was always political suicide.
Mess about with pensioners, find out at the election. It's a shame Sir Keir had to be reminded of this. John, Glasgow
P Wright from Solihull (MetroTalk, Thu) argues that being willing to change your mind is a good thing, asking how many lives could have been saved if the British Army had done so on the first day of The Somme.
His analogy is unconvincing. The fact that this 'progressive' administration did not know or care that large numbers of elderly people do not have access to generously funded workplace pensions shows how politically naive it is.
The economy has barely improved since the payments were axed to all but those on pension credit so there is no financial argument to be made for reversing the cut.
It is an obvious political ploy to slow the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform and has made no difference to political polling. Chris Shepherd, London
Mick (MetroTalk, Thu) suggests Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet should watch a video of 'Israeli atrocities'. He was responding to Greta Thunberg being asked to watch a video of those carried out by Hamas on its October 7 attacks in 2023 that killed 1,200.
The environmental activist and her colleagues had been detained trying to break the aid blockade on Gaza.
The video they reportedly wanted to show Greta was of all the atrocities Hamas intentionally perpetrated against civilians – kidnap, rape and murder.
Israel is fighting a war she did not start or want and all civilian deaths in Gaza are a tragedy.
However they have been caused by Hamas using its civilians as human shields – hiding in schools, mosques and hospitals. Daniel, Milan
It is a pity Greta Thunberg did not watch the video. It may have helped her to see it is Israel that needs aid for its survival. William, Bromley
Further to the government allocating £16.7billon for nuclear power projects. More Trending
Nuclear power won't make us self-sufficient in energy because it relies on uranium, which has to be imported.
Around 50 per cent of the world's uranium comes from Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Then there is the problem of radioactive waste. The facility at Sellafield is leaking waste into the ground and is expected to do so until 2050.
The vast sums that building nuclear reactors will cost would be far better spent on wave power. Roger Smith, Witham
MORE: Partner of mum, 48, killed in skydive accident saw her fall to her death
MORE: Three ways latest Middle East crisis could make life more expensive in the UK
MORE: Emotional Jessie J vows to 'beat breast cancer' in final performance before surgery
