In this episode of the LSE’s British Politicast, Joel Suss talks to John Hills about his new book, Good Times, Bad Times: The Welfare Myth of Them and Us. With two-thirds of all UK public spending going towards welfare, how the money is spent is an important political debate. The myth that dominates this debate, and to some extent drives policy, divides the British public into two opposing camps – those that pay into it versus those who benefit, ‘strivers’ versus ‘skivers’. Professor Hills explains to us how the picture is far more complicated.
Credits: Presented by Joel Suss. Produced by Cheryl Brumley. Other contributors: John Hills. Music and sound came courtesy of the following user at the Free Music Archive: DJ Harrison (City Swagger).
Good Times, Bad Times: The welfare myth of them and us is published by Policy Press. For further information, follow this link: Good times, bad times
John Hills is Professor of Social Policy and Director of the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE) at the London School of Economics.
Strivers, skivers, to those that have failed, I did not fail I had a dam accident at work which took fourteen years going through a court to get compensation I just gave up. I lost the use of my bowel my bladder and my legs, I was told by labour do not worry we will get you back to work, here you go, work for free and then people will see you can work, did it but still did not get a job, tried everything, no good they said the smell of your bowel issues means we cannot put you in mainstream employment.
I sorted that out to be told your a high risk, sadly why would people employ me and my wheelchair when they can employ people with two good legs and no issues.
so i do not know maybe if we cannot work then an injection is the answer seems like it when I listen to politicians.
John, many will know that remaining a proactive career seeker is a deeply stressful job in itself amidst a change in employer attitude and the ‘raising the bar’ when it comes to the presentation of job seekers CVs.. etc. So much has changed from the 80s and 90s where business owners will be a the fore willing to harness the skills of those remaining proactive and determined to have their skills and potential harnesses. Now, jumping hoops seems to be the system for additional stresses.
Post recession – where viable small business were allowed to fail, and those same people also lost their homes – saw a rise in social housing demand and a market plague by both failure and austerity – neither reflecting the progressive, skills based potential that was desperate to find employment. Sadly, the Work Programme has done even more to fail many groups whose skills should be harnessed in a way to reflect their career aspirations.
Welfare has been a means of securing the help that people needed amid such failings. If not in place, what would of happened to the UK and its potential for rejuvenating lives and a market in desperate need of change and productivity?
Thus, it is right that people were rehoused amidst the failings of their viable businesses. Sadly, the failings have run continuously and so deep that the media has failed to harness the REAL stories of those failed and hold politicians to account.
Shameful of politicians to refer to those they have failed “skivers’ and ‘shirkers’. It’s is clear that politicians were no longer interested in Aspiration that reflected the passion of many still desperate to get back on their feet and achieve career goals. Instead, there is a reality that forced people into any job. This is not sustainable – given the mental heath challenges that would have certainly be the effect of this causation.
In times of so much failings and austerity, there needs to be the type of leadership that is Resilient and Creative to harness diverse minds, develop solutions and implement solutions within our communities to counteract the forces that seemingly simply do not want to understand.
The is so much more work needed. It stats by confronting the realities. Unfortunately, our political elite remain disconnected in this area.