Tell Me About the European Welfare State.

[mongers]

Marginal tax rates for the poor, and not so poor, in the UK are very high due to the progressive removal of benefits as income rises. This paper has a nice little chart that shows the effect rather well :

http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/downloads/CSJ%20Dynamic%20Benefits%20exec%20WEB%20NEW.pdf

Bear in mind that the average wage is £22k, I reckon that over half the population are in that high marginal rate trap and effectively work for peanuts. What stands out for me is not the large number of scroungers but the fact that, despite such poor returns, most people still work hard and do their best.

Yeah, there are plenty of very marginalised people in this country, that seem to keep going despite what government does to 'reform' things.

As per your dear wife's temporary situation, it must feel somewhat demeaning to hear all this BS about scroungers, when the most common situation is hard working people finding themselves redundant/out of work, because we're in a recession and they're only 'claiming' on an 'insurance policy' they've been paying over the odds for, for years and the payout is a princely seventy quid a week.