[csmuk]

It doesn't work like that. As someone who has been unemployed you have to deal with the following:

1. Child tax credit works on your previous year's income so it can take up to a year to get adjusted. Same with child benefit.

2. Housing benefit takes 8-12 weeks to come through. Not only that it won't cover most private rents inside the M25. The council waiting list is 3-5 years in London so you'll have to go into arrears. The only way out is to stop paying your rent and go the council and tell them you are homeless. At which point either you or your children are split up or you get wedged in what I can only describe as a "crackhead den" at best. My other half had to clean the needles away before she could wash in the morning when this happened to her (after she was made redundant and the market was suddenly saturated with her speciality).

3. You don't get JSA immediately. It takes 4-8 weeks for it to start.

You don't just clap your hands when you're unemployed and cash starts rolling in. There are other concerns.

It's a fucking rough ride and not only that you have to do the legwork and deal with government incompetence and prejudice along the way which is more than rife.

[yummyfajitas]

Try to pay attention. We were discussing the "problem" of people already receiving benefits being compelled to work for those benefits.

While it is a problem that the council allows crackheads into public housing, and there may be problems with government incompetence, this is a somewhat separate discussion. Tangentially, if you want to require drug tests for benefits and kick people out of council housing for antisocial behavior, I have no objection.

[csmuk]

There is nothing wrong with receiving benefits. I actually receive low rate disability for two members of my family and child tax credit.

My point is that only the JSA covers your salary. The rest is for the care of your children and your accommodation, some of which you still have to pay from your JSA allowance.

You are likely to still receive all other benefits equally whether salaried at a low rate or on JSA so the difference is moot. This is simply a case of salaried vs JSA.

Actually people with social problems such as drug use and psychological problems need more help than most so they should probably get more money, but in a controlled way (untradeable LV's, healthcare etc).