Thesis about people on social welfare versus working

holly84

Hi all,

I am currently considering topics for a thesis and am looking at investigating whether people are better off on social welfare than working and what incentives exist in order to get people out to work. Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts or comments?

Thanks

Annasopra

There are lots of incentives; community employment scheme, jobbridge scheme, tus scheme, back to education allowance, vtos

The problem sometimes can be that taking up some of these schemes can leave you in a poverty trap.

For example I was offered a community employment scheme 5 days a week but the travel costs would have meant that I was losing money. Or single parents - if for example a single parent took up work through a jobbridge scheme - how on earth is he/she supposed to afford childcare?

Low pay is also another big poverty trap that the unions are trying to fight

pinkdiamond

my parents would definitely be better off giving up their jobs for social welfare. last year they had three kids in college and so the government expected them to pay €7,500 in registration fees. If they gave up their jobs, the fees would be paid for, all three of us kids would have got a couple of grand each from the government and they'd be given money for rent, electricity, phone etc. etc. etc.
It would definitely add up to much more than they are earning at present. fortunately, my parents couldn't ever imagine not working and i was able to secure a weekend job and a job in Manchester during this summer to pay my own way through college. i think that the government are encouraging people to give up their jobs, become single mothers etc because they just throw money at them.

Annasopra

pinkdiamond wrote: »

my parents would definitely be better off giving up their jobs for social welfare. last year they had three kids in college and so the government expected them to pay €7,500 in registration fees. If they gave up their jobs, the fees would be paid for, all three of us kids would have got a couple of grand each from the government and they'd be given money for rent, electricity, phone etc. etc. etc.
It would definitely add up to much more than they are earning at present. fortunately, my parents couldn't ever imagine not working and i was able to secure a weekend job and a job in Manchester during this summer to pay my own way through college. i think that the government are encouraging people to give up their jobs, become single mothers etc because they just throw money at them.

I know this is slightly off topic but they can claim tax relief on those university fees. Also I really really disagree that the government just throws money at single parents. The government is providing financial assistance to them not just throwing money at them for no reason.

AdamOHare

pinkdiamond wrote: »

my parents would definitely be better off giving up their jobs for social welfare. last year they had three kids in college and so the government expected them to pay €7,500 in registration fees. If they gave up their jobs, the fees would be paid for, all three of us kids would have got a couple of grand each from the government and they'd be given money for rent, electricity, phone etc. etc. etc.
It would definitely add up to much more than they are earning at present. fortunately, my parents couldn't ever imagine not working and i was able to secure a weekend job and a job in Manchester during this summer to pay my own way through college. i think that the government are encouraging people to give up their jobs, become single mothers etc because they just throw money at them.

I didnt realise people on social welfare were given extra money for electricity and phone bills :eek: No wonder half the country hates them.

But to answer OP. I would bet money and would kill to see some sort of research done on younger unqualified teenagers/early 20s etc from disadvantaged areas.

In the boom time, they could get employment handy enough and make a decent wage. Now they cant get employment and in my opinion drugdealing/crime etc is probably looking like an attractive option for them. Plus, with the high unemployments there is probably a higer market for drugs... so possibly its easier than ever to get involved in that scene.

But thats my own guesswork/opinions- but Id love to see some real research on it.

I know its not really exactly what you mentioned in your OP... but it would tie in with long term unemployment and if they did get involved in crime and it was providing a great wage... well then its not much incentive to jump into the work force later on to start at the bottom of the ladder in a crap job making minimum wage.

gutenberg

mango salsa wrote: »

I know this is slightly off topic but they can claim tax relief on those university fees. Also I really really disagree that the government just throws money at single parents. The government is providing financial assistance to them not just throwing money at them for no reason.

Can you claim tax relief on the registration charge? I know you can on tuition fees proper, but I didn't think you could on the reg charge. I presume when pinkdiamond says their parents are paying 7,500, it is because they have three kids in college (at 2,500 a pop for the reg fee) rather than paying 7,500 in tuition fees for one child.

Annasopra

gutenberg wrote: »

Can you claim tax relief on the registration charge? I know you can on tuition fees proper, but I didn't think you could on the reg charge. I presume when pinkdiamond says their parents are paying 7,500, it is because they have three kids in college (at 2,500 a pop for the reg fee) rather than paying 7,500 in tuition fees for one child.

Yes. Since 2011 as per this link

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/it31.html

For the tax years 2011 and subsequent tax years, the tax relief is allowable in respect of tuition fees including the Student Contribution.

Cavehill Red

pinkdiamond wrote: »

my parents would definitely be better off giving up their jobs for social welfare. last year they had three kids in college and so the government expected them to pay €7,500 in registration fees. If they gave up their jobs, the fees would be paid for, all three of us kids would have got a couple of grand each from the government and they'd be given money for rent, electricity, phone etc. etc. etc.

This bit is not true at all. Students are not available for work and hence cannot claim social welfare benefits, fuel allowance or rent allowance at all.

pinkdiamond

I was referring to my parents Cavehill Red- who are not students. Although the full grant would cover the majority of those expenses.

gbee

AdamOHare wrote: »

I didnt realise people on social welfare were given extra money for electricity and phone bills :eek: No wonder half the country hates them.

I'm on SW myself, my phone is being cut off in the coming days and I have 14 days to pay my ESB. Must check out these extra benefits.

Cavehill Red

pinkdiamond wrote: »

I was referring to my parents Cavehill Red- who are not students. Although the full grant would cover the majority of those expenses.

The full grant is about a grand a year nowadays. Can't see how that covers rent at all.
Also - your parents are renting?

zef

@ adamohare "I didnt realise people on social welfare were given extra money for electricity and phone bills No wonder half the country hates them."

Most of them are not, its only disabled and pensioners who get a token 9e off their phone bill every month, and some free electricity units. Would you begrudge the elderly a bit of extra heat?

Annasopra

Cavehill Red wrote: »

The full grant is about a grand a year nowadays. Can't see how that covers rent at all.
Also - your parents are renting?

It's about 3000 and a special rate for low earners of 6000

AdamOHare

zef wrote: »

@ adamohare "I didnt realise people on social welfare were given extra money for electricity and phone bills No wonder half the country hates them."

Most of them are not, its only disabled and pensioners who get a token 9e off their phone bill every month, and some free electricity units. Would you begrudge the elderly a bit of extra heat?

Pink Diamond should have elaborated more and told us that his parents were actually disabled/elderly. I got the impression they were fit/healthy and holding down decent jobs based on his post. My bad.

EDIT: Regarding returning to work incentives. I believe social welfare are willing to fund (or part fund) business ideas for the unemployed. And you can keep your SW and any profits the business makes for the first year and then gradually every year your SW gets cut.

And I have also heard FAS will pay for tests if you self study at home, and in some cases they may even supply books etc

gbee

AdamOHare wrote: »

EDIT: Regarding returning to work incentives. I believe social welfare are willing to fund (or part fund) business ideas for the unemployed. And you can keep your SW and any profits the business makes for the first year and then gradually every year your SW gets cut.

In my case I pay them back an over earnings. Might not be the same thing.

AdamOHare

gbee wrote: »

In my case I pay them back an over earnings. Might not be the same thing.

Just going to be nosey here, but do you mind me asking what kind of business you opened?

gbee

AdamOHare wrote: »

Just going to be nosey here, but do you mind me asking what kind of business you opened?

I was a freelance photographer permanently assigned to a newspaper [only client] and fell foul of the recession. Months without work and then filler work and relief work two weeks or so and then none again.

Previously, if one worked at all, one was just cut off,

djpbarry

This discussion is totally off topic for this forum.

Thread closed.