Have you seen the news article today regarding reducing benefit payments to alcoholics & drug addicts? The idea is to make them be more willing to seek help.
There seems to be a lot of money being spent to help smokers but this is a totally different approach. Drugs, cigarettes and alcohol - all addictions but do you think alcoholism is 'just' an addiction or an illness? Isn't there nearly always an underlying cause that sets people on this path?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7998334.stm
I think it will fill the streets with more homeless.
With regard to the help for smokers, I feel this is just a case of the government paying "lip service" and looking like they care. They are spending millions on techniques which scientific research shows have a very low success rate while continuing to receive £10billion per year in Excise and VAT on tobacco products.
When it comes to reducing benefits to alcoholics and drug addicts, yes I believe it will make a difference. More crime and more homeless! Oh, and in the short term it might save this idiotic government a few pennies.
Fat cats spring to mind...........
Amethystfairy:(
Such a scheme would obviously only work in relation to registered alcoholics, who at present can get extra benefit. What makes me sceptical is what help they are supposed to try to get - there are far too few rehab centres and/or alcohol dependency centres as it is.
Apparently this scheme was announced months ago, but they've decided to remind us of it now (to distract us from more inconvenient news?)
Such a scheme would obviously only work in relation to registered alcoholics, who at present can get extra benefit. What makes me sceptical is what help they are supposed to try to get - there are far too few rehab centres and/or alcohol dependency centres as it is.
My thoughts exactly, we do not have a great support system in place for those who are affected by drug and alcohol dependency. This will just push up numbers of homeless and increase the already massive prison population.
It really irritated me a while back when I saw in a local paper that Glos county council were paying out Disabled Living Allowance to about 300 alcoholics in the community... now I'm not saying 'they don't deserve any money/help', I've had friends who have pretty much destroyed their lives through alcoholism and generally I have a lot of sympathy, I'm just thinking.... there must be a better way than just dishing out benefits money to people! We need many more proper treatment facilities and more support workers to really help these people. I would not agree with removing benefits from addicts... however I do think the whole system needs to be reviewed and more proper facilities provided for treatment and rehab.
Isn't this just hypocrisy?
Good on ya Treacs for posting this - been interesting to see peoples view points...
Mine are various...
1) The revenue they get from the alcoholics - hmm can't imagine them wanting to lose that but if they think that alcoholics should seek help - perhaps they could divert a goodly proportion of it towards providing that help. As mentioned by others - the available EFFECTIVE help for all addicts - is woefully inadequate.
2) More revenue should go into educating people realistically about the problems caused by starting drinking/ smoking/ using drugs
3) As others have said - the homelessness and criminal activity will increase - taking away the benefit and not providing an adequate amount of support and facilities for treating the problem does not solve the issue - just moves into another arena.
4) I think all addictions are an illness in a way or develop into one. From my nursing background etc - I think all people have a tendency towards addiction to a range of things...it just varies from one person to another regarding the degree and the item to which they are addicted. We laugh about being a chocoholic because (apart from the weight issue etc) that's seen as a "harmless" addiction without significant personal or social issues. Circumstances and surroundings often predispose a person towards a particular substance of choice in their addiction and, for some, that substance is a means of escape or to alleviate their negative response to their personal/family circumstances.
Must say I did find the comment about releasing this news again as a distraction from other things - an interesting comment. At least I am not the only cynic who thinks we are far more manipulated and fed lines / lies than most people believe...in this so called democratic society.
As said, will be interested in others views and I am sure not everyone will agree with mine!
Celia
The big problem with stopping peoples benefit payments no matter what group they are in, is they will get money from some place or another, and this is why UK crime is going up so high.
David
I can't help but wonder if a kind of fear based tactic is really going to be the best first step towards healing?
Love your post Bannick. Actually Celia I do agree with you.
It's only my own opinion but I think every so often the government invent some wacky new scheme which is designed to keep 'Mr & Mrs Narrow-minded' happy, you know the sort who frown on addicts, alcholics and people on benefits, as though they are being given some kind of punishment will keep some people happy.
Love
Rebecca x
just a thought but say there is someone not on benefits, have their own income say, how will they get them to seek out help. will they take money from them! anybody who has an addiction will only seek help when they are ready.
This is probably just one of the reasons the Government is training lots more Cognitive Behaviour Therapists, with one thing and another this country is going to be in serious need of them all, that's for sure :eeeK:
that good I can be assured on a job once I finish my degree.
They shouldn't be given cash. Just pay their rent and give them a type of credit card for food and transportation. I stopped giving handouts years ago after I saw one man immediately go into a liquor store to buy cheap booze. I didn't want to contribute to his death.
Alcoholics should be required to take Antabuse in order to receive benefits. If you drink while taking this drug, you become violently sick. My neighbor was on it and said it was the only way he could stop drinking. They should receive some sort of counselling or training in more productive ways of coping with their problems.
It's not black-and-white when an alcoholic/drug addict claims DLA. That particular benefit is to cover the extra costs that the claimant's disability or illness (which any sort of addiction is) incurs and to supplement other benefits because they are unemployable due to their condition. So long as the claimant fits the criteria, they are entitled to it.
Enforcing treatment or medication onto an addict doesn't necessarily work...only the addict themselves can implement change when they are strong enough and not in denial. Having seen this first hand [not me, btw] I don't think enforced treatment is statistically viable and I also think aftercare post-rehab or treatment is overlooked as this is when many addicts relapse.
Some sort of token/card/voucher scheme for the basic essentials and transport might help...not that bad an idea, but I could envisage a black market developing - buy and selling said vouchers for cash to get the next hit.