There have been some calls recently for "Direct Debit Welfare" were welfare recipients have 30% of their payments made straight to rent, electricity and food. The idea being that people won't then spend this on food rather than on alcohol or other non essentials. My wife recently seeing a family of seven share a just one pizza because they couldn't afford any more after having spent about $50 on alcohol. I can sympathise with why people might think this way.
See... News article 1 and News article 2
Issues of Nanny welfare aside what bugs me is that underlying this implicit assumption that 30% of welfare payments would be enough to pay for rent, electricity and food. I am not on welfare and I pay 56% of my income on rent, electricity and food. What's more having been on welfare I know that rent, electricity and food takes up at least 60% of the weekly budget. 30% would be lucky to cover just rent.
See... News article 1 and News article 2
Issues of Nanny welfare aside what bugs me is that underlying this implicit assumption that 30% of welfare payments would be enough to pay for rent, electricity and food. I am not on welfare and I pay 56% of my income on rent, electricity and food. What's more having been on welfare I know that rent, electricity and food takes up at least 60% of the weekly budget. 30% would be lucky to cover just rent.
No comments:
Post a Comment