Smart Cards?

[Rheghead]

Could smart card benefit payments for alcoholic parents and druggies be the answer for a healthier family background for children? The cards payments cannot buy fags and booze.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9605858/120000-troubled-families-could-be-legally-banned-from-spending-benefits-on-alochol-and-tobacco.html

[Phill]

If people have addictions, they will find a way to feed them.
And once again, hitting the poorest hardest especially in areas like Caithness. Where would the nearest 'approved' shop be to accept your smart card?
Are the govt' going to soak up the transaction charges or are these going to be passed onto those using the cards?

[Rheghead]

If people have addictions, they will find a way to feed them.

They will try to find a way to feed their addictions. They will try to barter Pampers for booze and fags from their mates. Will they succeed?

[joxville]

I don't think it should be just alcoholics and druggies, you're then marginalising certain members of society who may actually be trying to kick their habit, more could and should be done to help them beat their addiction instead of making them feel like pariahs; I suggest that everyone on benefits should get a smart card, why should the taxpayer pay for someone else's booze and fags? My former neighbour served four years in prison for selling drugs, he was released 18 months ago but hasn't worked in that time, yet I heard him telling his partner, who also doesn't work, to get him 200 Bensons, which cost about £70, when she was going off shopping. She also passed her driving test recently and they bought a Fiesta. On benefits! I'm don't begrudge people luxury items but why should the taxpayer fund it?

[Alrock]

I don't think it should be just alcoholics and druggies, you're then marginalising certain members of society who may actually be trying to kick their habit, more could and should be done to help them beat their addiction instead of making them feel like pariahs; I suggest that everyone on benefits should get a smart card, why should the taxpayer pay for someone else's booze and fags? My former neighbour served four years in prison for selling drugs, he was released 18 months ago but hasn't worked in that time, yet I heard him telling his partner, who also doesn't work, to get him 200 Bensons, which cost about £70, when she was going off shopping. She also passed her driving test recently and they bought a Fiesta. On benefits! I'm don't begrudge people luxury items but why should the taxpayer fund it?

I'm guessing that he's still selling drugs to be able to afford that so having a smart card won't make much difference to him...
I'm on benefits & not through choice & there is no way I could afford £70 on fags, £8pw on a pouch of baccy is all I can afford, do you begrudge me that?

[linnie612]

A smart card could restrict the way benefit money is spent directly, but will not change the nature of a serious addict. If you need to feed an addiction and lose one outlet, you'll find another.

[Alrock]

Still... Look on the bright side... Cheaper food for everybody else... You just give a shopping list to a benefits claimant... Get them to do your shopping & pay them in cash minus a 10% discount. More money in your pocket, less in the claimants, work shy scum that they are.

[Alrock]

What's next... Tesco paying its staff on smart cards that have to be spent in Tesco?

[linnie612]

Don't give them ideas ........

[Phill]

They will try to find a way to feed their addictions. They will try to barter Pampers for booze and fags from their mates. Will they succeed?
Yes! One way or the other.
Let's face it, would these smart cards stop the drug addicts too? Assuming they get issued like credit/debit cards on a sheet that tells you to sign it immediately & activate it, also with:

YOUR DAILY CARD LIMIT IS £120
THIS CARD CANNOT BE USED FOR:

CRACK COCAINE
CRYSTAL METHS
METHS
TURPS
SPECIAL K
BEER
FAGS
SHERRY

[Phill]

....do you begrudge me that?Apparently many do!

[joxville]

I'm guessing that he's still selling drugs to be able to afford that so having a smart card won't make much difference to him...I'm on benefits & not through choice & there is no way I could afford £70 on fags, £8pw on a pouch of baccy is all I can afford, do you begrudge me that?Sorry Alrock, but yes, I begrudge you your smoke. In the past I couldn't care less but the benefit culture has got so bad, mainly because continuous Governments haven't had the backbone to stop immigrants and the workshy from abusing the system. Unfortunately that means decent people like yourself, who will have paid taxes and contributed to society, are going to be penalised. The country is at breaking point and the taxpayer is asked more and more to fund government cock-ups, the banking meltdown, and a benefits system that has been abused for too long.

[Dadie]

Im thinking of the petty crime increase offloading the cost of the addicts habit on the shopkeepers and householders.
If they cannot contain their habit on legally obtained money....they will resort to illegal means rather than drug programs to get them off the drugs/alcohol.
I wonder how much that will cost?
In insurance for them as well as the cost of lost revenue....as well as the cost of investigating the crimes.
Cant they get so much of their "dole" money as card..or vouchers and so much as cash to spend as they feel fit ..be it drugs, alcohol or the kids christmas clubby etc? i.e. the amount covered by vouchers covering rent, electric (or other utilities) and say £50 of food shopping (if spent wisely can cover a weeks food) and the rest as cash? As some things seen as needs are not covered in the usage.

[Southern-Gal]

Unless it would be universally as acceptable as cash all a card like that will do is benefit the shops that can accept them. They are guaranteed easy money, their prices would go up as they have a guaranteed turnover even at inflated prices so a license to print money for a select few shops. No doubt the big stores would get the lucrative contracts so the small individual shops would lose out again. And the corruption involved in getting the contract to have the hallowed Smart Card machine would lead to more fiddling, back handers and politics.

[newweecroft]

Again, you will find no benefit in this method for dealing with addicts of any kind. But apply it to the 'more kids, more money' fraternity for say Child benefit and child tax credits you could do some good for families with parents who see this as more spending money for themselves, instead it would be restricted to food and child care items. Hard work but could work and where it does work it would be worth all the effort in the improved lives of the children affected.
We all know at least two applicable families where the kids do without or are even bred for the sole purpose of increased claims.