For once I genuinely agree with the EU.

[#1]

Not many of us like the EU for sticking it's nose into our little islands business but today however I'd like to personally go and shake hands with every MEP in europe.
Why? Well it's simple. They've finally done two things:
1) Pointed out how our benefits payments are completely inadequate
2) Ensured that england will now definitely want to leave the EU.
Courtesy of the daily mail:

Now I'm sure many of us have been on benefits at some point and lets face it, it's a very hard life. Those in the middle and upper classes always snipe at those on benefits who appear to get 'free' money and an easy life. The reality is far from it. Most people are in a desperate financial position, can't afford to look after themselves properly and the slippery slope gets worse the longer you're on them. I've never known one person on benefits who was happy about it - and I've known plenty of people on them.
So now the EU have ordered our government to double dole payouts so that our job hunters can prepare for interviews and at least survive while trying to find work, I'm pretty certain the pesky EU have now upset enough of the UKs upper classes enough to finally get us out of the EU!
God bless the EU, they've really set the cat amongst the pigeons now!!!

[#2]

Lovely.
I might just give up work and live a wonderful life on benefits then!
Do they pay your mortgage to? 
I can't wait!

[#3]

LOL that attitude I do disagree with.
The system should help people in need but not make them suffer for it. At the same time it shouldn't be able to be abused either.

[#4]

What has this got to do with the EU? It's a Council of Europe diktat Don't get confused

[#5]

I wonder how much our national debt will go up by?

[#6]

And what's it like in other European countries I wonder? 

[#7]

It is very easy to recommend increased Government expenditure when you don't have the responsibility to raise the funding.
No new expenditure should be introduced without a clear definition of how the money will be raised. Further borrowing is out, this just increases the future burden on your children. I guess the most sensible way of funding a doubling of benefits would be to claw back the amount from existing UK funding to the EU or perhaps have an additional consumer transaction tax to bring in the equivalent of an increase in  VAT to 30% or maybe an increase in fuel tax.

[#8]

It's easy to find the money.
Instead of spending billions on the EU membership, and all the regulation that comes with it, and instead of sending Billions to places like India who don't even want it, the Government can keep the money and channel it into the social security system, then the GENUINE needy (not the junkies and lazy) can get the extra help they deserve.

[#9]

Quote from: Devonian

and instead of sending Billions to places like India who don't even want it,

We're sending billions to India? For what reasons? Can you show a link to evidence or where this is reported in the trusted press or even the Daily Mail?

[#10]

2011 it was reported by the Mail:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2068930/How-India-squanders-British-aid--1-4bn-country-space...
2012 India told Britain to stop sending money:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/9061844/India-tells-Britain-We-dont-want-your-a...
2013 A we are still giving cash to India.. and will do until 2015 in fact.
http://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/441612/Why-give-aid-to-a-country-sending-rockets-to-...

[#11]

I agree with 7up's sentiments, but also agree that taxes would be raised to fund extra benefit payments.
How about a levy (say 2%) on monies earned in the UK and paid to an offshore account/business/person.
Thus taxing non-resident workers shipping 'money back home', pensioners who transfer their state pension to offshore accounts, large corporations  who pay 'management fees off-shore' to avoid tax.
This would need to be accompanied by a decrease in VAT by a similar percentage so as not to affect the COL index on imported goods.

[#12]

So dole payments need to be doubled because claimants have a life of poverty?. Ah,bless!!
I know a single mum, 3 children. She gets, in cash, £205 per week PLUS  her rent paid (£100 pw), council tax (120 per month). And approx half her water rates.  That is approximately  £330 per week.
I work 6 days a week to earn that -then I'm taxed so the government can give her money.
She left school whilst pregnant.
So forgive me for saying "What the F*** ? Someone needs a kick up the a*** here".

[#13]

I Have been in the fortunate position of never having had to claim benefits and would be the first to admit I know little or nothing about them as the information available seems (at least to me) very confusing.
On one hand some people appear to get a small sum of money to live on, which I admit seems totally inadequate but then on the other hand there are people who seem to get benefits that in total are much higher than the average national wage. Not all the benefits are given in cash but if you are on certain benefits then other benefits seem to be automatically available to you.
I Can understand people who are disabled or have some medical condition that affects their quality of life having access to various additional benefits but am unclear about those who do not fit into this category.
It's this confusion or lack of clarity that causes the general public to express concern about this topic which is increased by Television or Newspaper reports on the more sensational areas benefit claims.

[#14]

Quote from: gleneagles

I Can understand people who are disabled or have some medical condition that affects their quality of life having access to various additional benefits but am unclear about those who do not fit into this category.

I don't fit into that at all. Despite the fact the law recognises me as disabled I get absolutely nothing in benefits. To put it bluntly, life is pretty grim for me. I have one perk in life at the moment: You lot.
The benefits system is screwed up. The trouble is those at the top instead of sorting it out and making it work properly they use it to wage war against the poor and blame them for the countrys problems. This needs to change and obviously people in europe have noticed how screwed up it is.
Single parent mums getting up the duff at an early age and then having more while refusing to work? Sure i agree they're taking the mick and need to be deterred but at the same time those who are genuinely in a pickle or looking for work, NEED help.
Why are we giving help to India who don't need our money when we could be helping our own people? We are not an empire anymore, we cannot continue trying to impress the world with our generosity that we cannot afford when we have our own fundamental welfare issues.

[#15]

Quote from: 7up

Why are we giving help to India who don't need our money when we could be helping our own people? We are not an empire anymore, we cannot continue trying to impress the world with our generosity that we cannot afford when we have our own fundamental welfare issues.

Well done 7up, hit the nail on the head. The problem is the politicians rely on our vote - But they get financial assistance (maybe indirectly - not a brown envelope) from all these countries that we 'give' aid to. Money talks.