why worry about those that don't want to work?

That's my argument exactly. Before the recession there were something like 850,000 unemployed and 550,000 vacancies, who may not have been matched in skills and location, now it's more like 450,000 and as you say 2.5 million unemployed, so we can assume that the 1.7 or million so who lost their jobs desparately want to work again.

The ONS publishes monthly labour market statistics on claimant count, number of economically inactive people, and the number of available vacancies, so people should really be checking them before they condemn worklessness as a choice and question why benefits are being paid to 'these people'.

It seems to me that the only argument for trying to force people into non-existent jobs is that it creates jobs for all the advisors in the private 'welfare to work' companies who are given the task of doing the forcing! And of course makes the government more popular to some elements.

Why worry about those that don't want to work?

well its easy for those of us that do work to know that those in society that don't work and claim social benefits are a huge drain on financial well being of the entire country. Part of the huge debt that the country carries and has to barrow money for is to pay lazy so n so's who do not work to earn their keep. Social benefits should be there has an absolute last resort and no be seen and as an absolute right for those feckless so n so's who would rather stay home playing computer games than get off their fat lazy butts and find a job.

The people who don't want to work have clearly worked before so for the good of the country, everyone needs to pull in the same directon, Sweden if memory serves.

I worry because many of those that don't or wont work also turn to crime in order to fund an even better lifestyle than someone who works hard for a living. And that aint right either! And I also worry because many of those on benefits spend it all on drugs and booze and neglect their kids. They need to get a job, shape up like the rest of us and STOP moaning!

Because we're paying for them not to work.

If people want to be unemployed then that's fine, but if they make that choice then they should surely receive no benefits from the government. Paying benefits to someone is an investment. We give them benefits, on the assumption that they will eventually find work and start being a productive member of society, contributing tax money back into the system. A short term cost to the nation, for its long term benefit.

But someone who never wants to be employed is not a good investment. If we pay them benefits then its money we are never going to get back.

We aren't forcing people to work. We are forcing people to work if they want to keep being allowed to leech off of the rest of society.

That is why in the U.S., 4% unemployment is considered full employment.

i'm not paying for someone who doesn't want to work.

They're just too comfortable.

If you were hungry and didn't have a roof over your head, you would want to work.

Being poor in this country is ridiculous. You haven't seen poor until you've been to a third world country and saw children sleeping in the garbage heaps and living in aluminum containers with no shoes and you can count each rib in their body.

There will always be a small number that don't want to work. I have no problems with that providing they don't get any benefits from the tax payer.

Because the government wants to give those people some of my money, that I work for. If they don't want to, and aren't willing to work, then they should survive on what charity they can get from charitable organizations, like churches, the Salvation Army, etc.

Not money taken by force from those of us that are willing to work.

I wouldn't "worry" about them, if I wasn't forced to feed them, house them, and provide for their kids.

I understand that some people don't like to work, but those people DO like to eat, don't they?