CH4 to pay claimants £26K benefits in one annual lump sum.
Discussion
Justayellowbadge said:
nicanary said:
They've been given the equivalent of £500 per week income, and that's what they've got to aim for as a weekly business return. Prostitution beckons.......
The Ted Bovis gigolo market is pretty niche. MarshPhantom said:
SHutchinson said:
More benefit porn? Excellent work, it really is rather good sport to laugh at the poor.
Come on CH4, have we not had enough of this.
Apart from the news there's nothing on C4 I watch these days.Come on CH4, have we not had enough of this.
e21Mark said:
MarshPhantom said:
SHutchinson said:
More benefit porn? Excellent work, it really is rather good sport to laugh at the poor.
Come on CH4, have we not had enough of this.
Apart from the news there's nothing on C4 I watch these days.Come on CH4, have we not had enough of this.
The Moose said:
e21Mark said:
It would be good if Eddie got those fruit machines in the local chippy or somewhere like that. He would get a few quid in each week I would imagine.
That's exactly what I thought he'd do...however he just wants to turn them for a quick few quid.I really do think that this show makes for uncomfortable viewing. I want them to do well but can't help but despair at the behaviours exhibited by the candidates in the experiment.
Tony and Diane are shown to be incredibly naive though I believe their hearts to be in the right place. Tony especially seems to demonstrate a child-like sense of wonder at some fairly basic things but perhaps he genuinely is experiencing them for the first time or the first time in a long time. I'm pleased Diane has been offered a job and I'd like to see Tony make a decent fist of his business. What's apparent is how helpless they seem in the face of what most of us would see as basic life experiences and skills: budgeting, paying bills, doing some research and applying a little business acumen. Buying a van for his business without having a license being a key point here.
The chap building Noah's Ark is deluded - dangerously so. I think someone has pointed out above that he is an electrician and that the £26K would have provided an ideal starting point for him to return to work as such. It's the least risky, lowest-cost course of action for them to take. Instead he's had a brainwave that his party/dangerous animal petting/bouncy castle business will be a hit. He's spent £20K and rented out a bouncy castle for £70. He needs to do that another 285 times to break even. Why not start with a couple of castles? Focus on those and see what works. He's bought a poisonous snake and, a vicious, tail-whipping lizard. Can he not see that they have no use beyond his own, ill-thought out need to assemble a Merseyside-based micro-wildlife park? All the tat he bought - wedding arches, flower stands etc. Why? And how much is he going to get back selling them on? I could go on, but you've all seen the show. Of all the candidates, he is the one I worry about the most. Maybe he'll be a success (selective editing in the early episodes perhaps) but I will be surprised. My wife raised a few questions. How will he deal with tax on his business income? Does he have liability insurance for his dangerous animals? How much is it costing to house and feed them?
Rachel seems to be doing OK but her mate has been the one insisting on budgeting, writing things down, doing some sums and coming up with a, you know, plan. I, too, was confused over the 'paid me debts'/new white goods purchase but paying council tax and bills in advance has been a clever move. I'm not sure she will get a job. We've had all the reasons: childcare, there are no jobs, it's the government's fault etc. and she has a lack of experience and a surly/disinterested air about her. She might be friendly at the kickboxing club but as an employee?
I'd like to see the benefits and budgeting 'expert' providing a bit more expertise and some skills to the candidates. That would help them immensely and I just don't believe that they can be expected to work it out for themselves, quickly, and without making big mistakes. I know it's an experiment so maybe intervention is minimal but a little more guidance would help.
This show is, however, making me think differently about these people and about the less fortunate. I can be a heartless b
d at times and I'll openly admit to matching the right of centre, capitalist, PH stereotype. But these people do not have the basic skills that you or I may have. We do need to teach life skills in some sections of our society. We need to teach them about the cost of living, the value of money, the value of working, the power of aspiration and the desire to succeed. I firmly believe that society needs to look after the old, the weak and the unwell but the benefits system and the social care culture that we have created and perpetuated doesn't work. It doesn't work for the needy, for their kids, for their ambition, for the country's finances or for our collective future. I'm not sure what the answer is but surely these ongoing generations of dependants can not be sustainable in any country or economy?
Tony and Diane are shown to be incredibly naive though I believe their hearts to be in the right place. Tony especially seems to demonstrate a child-like sense of wonder at some fairly basic things but perhaps he genuinely is experiencing them for the first time or the first time in a long time. I'm pleased Diane has been offered a job and I'd like to see Tony make a decent fist of his business. What's apparent is how helpless they seem in the face of what most of us would see as basic life experiences and skills: budgeting, paying bills, doing some research and applying a little business acumen. Buying a van for his business without having a license being a key point here.
The chap building Noah's Ark is deluded - dangerously so. I think someone has pointed out above that he is an electrician and that the £26K would have provided an ideal starting point for him to return to work as such. It's the least risky, lowest-cost course of action for them to take. Instead he's had a brainwave that his party/dangerous animal petting/bouncy castle business will be a hit. He's spent £20K and rented out a bouncy castle for £70. He needs to do that another 285 times to break even. Why not start with a couple of castles? Focus on those and see what works. He's bought a poisonous snake and, a vicious, tail-whipping lizard. Can he not see that they have no use beyond his own, ill-thought out need to assemble a Merseyside-based micro-wildlife park? All the tat he bought - wedding arches, flower stands etc. Why? And how much is he going to get back selling them on? I could go on, but you've all seen the show. Of all the candidates, he is the one I worry about the most. Maybe he'll be a success (selective editing in the early episodes perhaps) but I will be surprised. My wife raised a few questions. How will he deal with tax on his business income? Does he have liability insurance for his dangerous animals? How much is it costing to house and feed them?
Rachel seems to be doing OK but her mate has been the one insisting on budgeting, writing things down, doing some sums and coming up with a, you know, plan. I, too, was confused over the 'paid me debts'/new white goods purchase but paying council tax and bills in advance has been a clever move. I'm not sure she will get a job. We've had all the reasons: childcare, there are no jobs, it's the government's fault etc. and she has a lack of experience and a surly/disinterested air about her. She might be friendly at the kickboxing club but as an employee?
I'd like to see the benefits and budgeting 'expert' providing a bit more expertise and some skills to the candidates. That would help them immensely and I just don't believe that they can be expected to work it out for themselves, quickly, and without making big mistakes. I know it's an experiment so maybe intervention is minimal but a little more guidance would help.
This show is, however, making me think differently about these people and about the less fortunate. I can be a heartless b
d at times and I'll openly admit to matching the right of centre, capitalist, PH stereotype. But these people do not have the basic skills that you or I may have. We do need to teach life skills in some sections of our society. We need to teach them about the cost of living, the value of money, the value of working, the power of aspiration and the desire to succeed. I firmly believe that society needs to look after the old, the weak and the unwell but the benefits system and the social care culture that we have created and perpetuated doesn't work. It doesn't work for the needy, for their kids, for their ambition, for the country's finances or for our collective future. I'm not sure what the answer is but surely these ongoing generations of dependants can not be sustainable in any country or economy? Edited by Spice_Weasel on Wednesday 24th February 12:27
I'm shamefully hooked on this.
Tony and his missus - Heart is in the right place and they want to do better but i think they have massively misjudged the amount of money they will need to earn to turn their lives around. Good on her getting a job, if that turns in to a full time position she's laughing. Tony needs to see past boot sales - needs to start seriously flipping items if he's going to earn himself £200-£500 a week. However, all the best to them, i'm right behind them.
That fat chancer and his reasonable bird - He's a danger. Dreamer, doesn't have a clue, he's using the money to satisfy his little animal fantasies. I suspect he's got a gig on the side though, they don't appear to be hard up really, he's a qualified electrician so will no doubt have contacts and get £100 jobs here and there from that. Again, he either doesn't care or doesn't realise how busy he's going to have to be to make the money required to sustain his family. I see them having to sign on again pretty soon unless they wisen up a bit. He should be contacting local authorities and education boards and the like, getting into schools and youth clubs to show the animals, let the kids learn something and probably earn decent money for his time.
The single mum - Fair play to her at this stage, cleared the debts and paid her house and bills up for 6 months. Now just needs a job. Going by her reference form the MMA club boss, she is a good grafter. Sit her behind a till or in a reception of a garage or a workshop or something and she'll be an asset. Nice enough girl, personable, seems to be keen. Good luck to her, i think she will come out best in this experiment.
Can't wait for next week.
Tony and his missus - Heart is in the right place and they want to do better but i think they have massively misjudged the amount of money they will need to earn to turn their lives around. Good on her getting a job, if that turns in to a full time position she's laughing. Tony needs to see past boot sales - needs to start seriously flipping items if he's going to earn himself £200-£500 a week. However, all the best to them, i'm right behind them.
That fat chancer and his reasonable bird - He's a danger. Dreamer, doesn't have a clue, he's using the money to satisfy his little animal fantasies. I suspect he's got a gig on the side though, they don't appear to be hard up really, he's a qualified electrician so will no doubt have contacts and get £100 jobs here and there from that. Again, he either doesn't care or doesn't realise how busy he's going to have to be to make the money required to sustain his family. I see them having to sign on again pretty soon unless they wisen up a bit. He should be contacting local authorities and education boards and the like, getting into schools and youth clubs to show the animals, let the kids learn something and probably earn decent money for his time.
The single mum - Fair play to her at this stage, cleared the debts and paid her house and bills up for 6 months. Now just needs a job. Going by her reference form the MMA club boss, she is a good grafter. Sit her behind a till or in a reception of a garage or a workshop or something and she'll be an asset. Nice enough girl, personable, seems to be keen. Good luck to her, i think she will come out best in this experiment.
Can't wait for next week.
You are bang on with 'child like wonder'. It is endearing but you can imagine him coming home and telling his missus 'I went to that cafe and they had toast, and they put butter on it. Butter! On toast! It were amazing, you've never seen owt like it'.
It does make you question how they have functioned up to this point, but you'd have to be hard of heart not to wish those two well.
It does make you question how they have functioned up to this point, but you'd have to be hard of heart not to wish those two well.
austinsmirk said:
you lot should work in social housing like me.
you can experience the above nonsense, in real 4D, 5 days a week.
with smellovision.
It is truly absolutely hilarious. See my many posts in the council thread !
I follow your posts avidly. You know what you're talking about. A lot of people who live average, decent, middle-class lives have never really come into contact with this style of life, except on TV documentaries, and maybe they think only a few carefully selected people would match up to this.you can experience the above nonsense, in real 4D, 5 days a week.
with smellovision.
It is truly absolutely hilarious. See my many posts in the council thread !
I have worked in the grey economy for lengthy periods of time, and have seen such stuff at first hand. Families with Olympian standards of maximising their benefit income - they may not be academically gifted, but they sure know how to scam the government. They think it's partly a joke, and partly their entitlement.
But it's the houses - ye gods. I have been in some where I had to breathe through my mouth (like them) for the entire period I was there. I risked internal injury rather than ask to use the bog. I once worked in mortgage finance, and used to repossess properties - or what was left of them. No kitchens, no bathroom fittings, no ceilings, no doors, old mattresses on the floor for bedding covered in dog p*ss and crap.
Austinsmirk knows all about this. The 3 families on this show are actually quite refined.
Just watched the most recent one and the improvement in the life of the Hull bloke and his wife is astonishing, her confidence is flooding back and he is really trying and will scrape by.
Makes snake boy look a prick - he must have got his switched on Mrs up the duff very early and she has just stuck with him.
Makes snake boy look a prick - he must have got his switched on Mrs up the duff very early and she has just stuck with him.
Dr Doeslittle is an idiot. Certainly doesn't appear to consider the potential for any child getting tail whipped and the compensation claim he'd be subjected to. I don't understand how he's able to dedicate so much time to his 'business' despite his child's 'condition' that he blamed for his being on benefits?
I just think he see's that £26k as 'easy come, easy go' and as others have said, when he goes back on benefit he'll have a few more animals for his fetish and a car he can flog on.
I just think he see's that £26k as 'easy come, easy go' and as others have said, when he goes back on benefit he'll have a few more animals for his fetish and a car he can flog on.
I'm guessing they picked the 3 groups carefully knowing vaguely how it would all turn out.
Scouse single mum is doing her best and seems to grab most of the issues even if she's having trouble getting a job, although with few interviews and her CV writing I'd wager that someone giving her a proper hand here would help her out a ton, compared to Eddie larges wife who seems to understand the buzz words and how to put herself over at interview as well as dressing up. Can't see why she needed any money, having her hair dyed and buying a suit seems to have landed her a job pretty quickly, I get the confidence issues and I'd wager her husband probably isn't so chirpy when he's not got 26 gran no doubt their personal dynamic when he was unemployed had a knock on to her. That said good luck to them, Eddies going to learn to drive which is a useful skill, he's not splashing out too much on his mini business and hopefully he can step it up a bit. The other two are a disaster all down to the ginger wonder. At least he's acknowledged it slightly but his missus is far more switched on, as people have said the cost of feeding the animals has yet to come up but it's got to be a chunk of their income. The 50 flier was a joke, that's a streets worth, almost pointless, take an ad on in the paper FFS, the idea you might get 5 calls from a single flyer made me laugh. If he'd listen to her a bit more they'd have a much smaller business which would have a better chance of bringing in more money.
Scouse single mum is doing her best and seems to grab most of the issues even if she's having trouble getting a job, although with few interviews and her CV writing I'd wager that someone giving her a proper hand here would help her out a ton, compared to Eddie larges wife who seems to understand the buzz words and how to put herself over at interview as well as dressing up. Can't see why she needed any money, having her hair dyed and buying a suit seems to have landed her a job pretty quickly, I get the confidence issues and I'd wager her husband probably isn't so chirpy when he's not got 26 gran no doubt their personal dynamic when he was unemployed had a knock on to her. That said good luck to them, Eddies going to learn to drive which is a useful skill, he's not splashing out too much on his mini business and hopefully he can step it up a bit. The other two are a disaster all down to the ginger wonder. At least he's acknowledged it slightly but his missus is far more switched on, as people have said the cost of feeding the animals has yet to come up but it's got to be a chunk of their income. The 50 flier was a joke, that's a streets worth, almost pointless, take an ad on in the paper FFS, the idea you might get 5 calls from a single flyer made me laugh. If he'd listen to her a bit more they'd have a much smaller business which would have a better chance of bringing in more money.
A company I used to work for, reckoned that the return on flyers was about 1%. Every 100 through the door would get you 1 enquiry. Most people. surely, put the things in the bin, or else the dog rips it to shreds. I doubt you'd get people showing it to their friends, unless they knew said friend was planning a kids party.
And allowing his own kids to post them! NO NO NO! How many actually finished up on the other side of the letter box? And how many kids fingers got trapped in the letterbox?
And allowing his own kids to post them! NO NO NO! How many actually finished up on the other side of the letter box? And how many kids fingers got trapped in the letterbox?
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