Is it wrong to call benefits a lifestyles choice? Feat. Carole Malone & Ava Santina | Storm Huntley

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says there are "ample opportunities for people to get ahead in the world of work" and that unemployment benefits are a safety net and shouldn't be a lifestyle choice.
But are his comments fair?
Jeremy Vine on 5 is on television every weekday at 9:15am until 1:30pm on Channel 5.
Subscribe to the channel for more celebrity interviews, hot topics and debates: bit.ly/34DvAv4
Twitter: / jeremyvineon5
Facebook: / jeremyvineon5
Instagram: / jeremyvineon5
#stormhuntley #benefits #sickness

[@DavidKingsmeadRickyLea]

Elephant in the room. Council houses was for people who did low paid jobs . The problem is now there are more low paid jobs but very little affordable housing. It’s a recipe for disaster. It’s simple the biggest cost to a household mostly is rent. And rent increases this alone has exceeded wages increases. Broken Britain 🇬🇧 Since 1945 the tories have had 53 years in power. Out of 79 years. But apparently it’s all labours fault 🤦‍♂️ incredible that people still believe this.

[@lindapenlington1730]

Carol is a tory and couldn't care less about people struggling

[@brianconnelly-s5e]

Definitely a Tory devout of heart and empathy

[@brianconnelly-s5e]

Since when has that Carole been a mental health specialist..see her face soon as the word depression was mentioned..why oh why do they have this horrible women on these programs that mike parry is another one .and Anne widicombe who should be in a home ..wasn't that long ago mental health was the silent killer and every one became mental health aware now because it don't fit there purpose there playing it down when. Infact it is a very serious subject

[@jaynekittycat9252]

My Sister's friend hung herself last year, clinical depression. One day, Carole might get a mental illness, she will eat her words.

[@brianconnelly-s5e]

@@jaynekittycat9252 these people do nothing but sit there everyday casting there opinions on people they don't know a thing about Carole and mike parry being two of the horriblest..soon as I see it's them now I switch off..people like marina purkis are a breathe of fresh air.. remember recently Carole refused to work with marina.. couldn't handle the truth I reckon

[@evierose7881]

@@jaynekittycat9252 i lost my ex to depression nobody knows what someone is feeling deep down we hide our emotions

[@jaynekittycat9252]

@@evierose7881 These people who think depressed people are just fed up, should think again. I have a diagnosed depressive illness, chemical inbalance which requires constant medication. One day people like Carole Malone might end up with a mental illness. Can't abide people like her. Lovely name you have evie.

[@evierose7881]

Try living with depression i been diagnosed with severe depression i was assaulted at 16 and went through trauma its hard

[@syriacchristianity9007]

Sorry to hear that, Be healed in Jesus name

[@jaynekittycat9252]

I was diagnosed with a depressive illness at 18 years old.

[@bathgateboy5076]

Jobs are crap , with crap terms and conditions , crap wages, end of.

[@janebufton1960]

Stop giving people high pay rises and give the lower end of the job market more pay rises. Yes a living wage not a minimum wage!!

[@ianhill4585]

Immigrants work harder! Yes because they work for less and live multiples to a room or building,because they know they can trouser a load of money and take it home to the mother land, so employers love them for the wage undercut ability.

[@ianhill4585]

A company near me employed Poles to drive trucks, these lads were working multiple jobs,and were so tired they were crashing the trucks.the firm stopped employing them as cheap labour ,it turned out not so cheap........ A half Polish friend of mine was moving to there because you could get a 4 bed house for less than a 2 up 2 down here.

[@tracydavies-tk3lm]

Carol is also right, as I've seen families of 3 generations not work at all. How does that happen?

[@janebufton1960]

I didnt want any benefit, I wanted to work, but reality is a wage or salary isn't big enough to survive. Its not always a choice. I bet Carol never been unemployed or struggled on a salary..

[@sushi0408]

I agreed Annette common.

[@waynegodwin426]

It is a life choice for most,I have 3 or 4 mates who are bums never had a job since we left school 20 years ago,they have these so called illnesses through the week but they perk up over the weekend 😅

[@celina3042]

Tell me who ur friends are & I’ll tell you who u are

[@tariqbahoussain1442]

It is a lifestyle choice for some simply by living a cheap life.

[@sian104]

My god that Ava woman no wonder fox said what he did

[@syriacchristianity9007]

What was wrong about what she said?

[@lindapenlington1730]

She has a heart unlike Malone

[@christinefiedor3518]

@@syriacchristianity9007 so you agree with her about the pension being a benefit after paying into it all their life? They keep increasing the qualifying as we are all living longer and means testing should be way to go but that idea will go down like a lead balloon! O5her countries do it. UKs is actually unsustainable. I literally cringe every time Ava opens her mouth and really don’t understand why she’s given ANY air time.

[@syriacchristianity9007]

@christinefiedor3518 I just asked a question. Don’t people who have paid into the system but had something befall them deserve support too?

[@christinefiedor3518]

@@syriacchristianity9007 of course.

[@kevinbrashaw]

Annette must be related to Malone

[@britsfirstfitness5026]

Sick of hearing this crap about chronic depression.

[@celina3042]

That’s amazing to hear: praying God gives you depression, since it’s all nonexistent anyway

[@ItWasAcceptableInThe80s]

Shut up Carol, honestly let's pretend that clinical depression and crippling anxiety is not a real debilitating thing. Let's all focus on the poorest and least privileged people in society and turn a blind eye to how much the richest are wasting tax payers money.

[@scottcook2643]

It's such a god damned dangerous approach to take as well. Mental health understanding has ALWAYS lagged well behind visible conditions and these right-wing fucktards are trying to regress that. Take ADHD, for example - it's a physical compromisation of the brains dopamine pathways - yet people shrug it off as being nothing. You wouldn't tell someone who was anaemic to wait 5 years for treatment. I hate these bastards.

[@lindapenlington1730]

Of course it isn't a choice, i had the misfortune to be on JSA at 59, i didn’t get enough to exist never mind live.

[@sandropaulo4776]

Carole is just heartless

[@brianconnelly-s5e]

Sort of person who goes out at night on a broom

[@PLl-jr8xi]

Ava is just thick.

[@chriswilliams8121]

The last caller just shows you how utterly I am all right jack sod everyone else attitude some people have for sick and disabled people I wonder would she still stick by what she said if her pension was removed and she lost her jobs no I don't think she would she would realise it's not fun being on benefits at all.

[@olixz]

Massive waiting lists etc cant be helping. The tories are constantly distracting us.

[@bathgateboy5076]

Suddenly the figure of people out of work is now 10 million - ffs - what figures are these people going to pluck out the air next

[@samanthasmith1885]

MPS don't understand that shop's are close down each month

[@huntergibsonchannel]

Carole isn’t listening to what Ava is saying at all.

[@syriacchristianity9007]

Does she ever?

[@PLl-jr8xi]

I think theres a reason women have been kept in curtain positions. Soon as they start talking we see why they should stay quiet. As soon as women are given important roles in society it means that society is in decline and ending .

[@joannejohnson5070]

I'm a full time carer and so is my husband and we get penalised through universal credit for that and they take money off us for being a carer and we get £500 a month as a couple once our rent is paid how is that a lifestyle choice and you have food and other bills too get real people!

[@brianconnelly-s5e]

These people who have never actually dome a real days work in there lives sit in judgement everyday on programs like this when they have zero knowledge about any of it..its a fact more people take there own lives suffering from depression then any other mental health disorder. The one thing that is very noticeable there are no psyciatrists etc supporting what they have to say.

[@yorewhyworry7217]

Why should we pay for people with jobs Carol?? People should be paid a living wage...end of

[@Wishing_you_peace]

Companies who pay low wages are effectively get the handout.

[@terencerowberry2444]

When I saw that Harpie ,Malone, was on the programme I clicked off straight away . She doesn't listen to anyone else's opinions or ideas. A Tory through and through.

[@mariantebb6730]

There are definitely people who live that way. 😂

[@yorewhyworry7217]

These are literally the people who are feeling attacked!!! Because they are the most anxious of all! Why would they think you're not after them??

[@leecoping8114]

Even those with jobs need a bit of benefits payed to them , rents to high along with the cost of living

[@mickreaddin4979]

If we have a "living wage", then why the hell do people need benefits to top up their wages. The majority of those receiving benefits are IN-WORK. If two people are in full time work and they cannot earn enough to pay for the basics, then very clearly it is NOT a living wage.

[@peteraston4753]

Benifits lifestyle is a choice for many

[@Emmalittlepengelly1690]

Storm in yellow👍

[@alanoliver535]

Carole is correct i see them every day and as for mental health its a load off bollocks every one gets depressed at some time,as for disabled i know people who work and disabled,so thats another red heering.

[@janebufton1960]

The problem is work doesn't always pay a proper wage.

[@ianhill4585]

What I've found is, the less you get paid,the harder the bosses want you to work just to add insult to injury. I've worked jobs where the bosses nearly killed you with shoddy work practices,and sub par equipment.

[@davidpearn2484]

Get the people who can work work.

[@chriswilliams8121]

Agree but problem is the government are going after the genuine sick and disabled people and that isn't fair

[@janebufton1960]

If they put a wage or salary mire than benefit, it makes a big differance. I had £25.00 a month. Yes. -(TWENTY FIVE pounds) there are loads if vacant jobs like that. ( ZERO CONTRACT) I am better off for not working) I struggled to keep a roof over my head and feed myself. Unfourtnately, having stresses of not having a working wage, gave me deoression, as a result I was contemplating suicide, as I couldn't get a proper job or money. I tried to get a different job,, but couldn't. I m still in arrears with everything because I worked. There is minimum wage, but it's only part time, or zero contract which does not pay for anything!!!!

[@janebufton1960]

Pay someone £25000 or £40.000 and pay someone a mi imum wage. It doesn't balance. Carol has never struggled while she worked. This isn't always a choice .

[@stephenpeat3885]

To solve the benefit problem is to pay disabled people the living wage then pay disabled premium of £2.50 an hour on top. Prescription would be included would be 13.90 an hour would be 12,000 a year for 20 HOURS A WEEK.

[@MrInkdrop]

Carole seems to be looking at one side of the coin for a point. I would suggest you request a form from DWP and see the hurdles before continuing the conservative view. There was Placement and Counselling Teams up and down the country. They've gone. Support is seen as an expense to employers. If those mandarins / government ministers / employers seem to think disabled people are shirkers, i'm happy to put myself up for consideration for work....i have been since i was signed off...so long as the employer reads my medical report and understands the difficulties i may have. - being on benefit isn't a lifestyle choice if there is no other option.

[@mandriod5255]

No we don’t have a decent living wage I work in hospitality industry would love to earn even the minimum wage oh p.s. I’m currently disabled waiting for a full hip replacement

[@sammorris641]

As usual when the debate gets good it gets cut off! The old age state pension IS NOT A BENEFIT! It's what we have all paid into! Ahhhhhhhhh

[@Wishing_you_peace]

Many people on benefits do work. People with disabilities get PIP to help with transport and those on low wages get a top up so the employer doesnt have to cough up.

[@tracydavies-tk3lm]

My daughter has chronic depression, autism and ehlers danlos and still works part time plus top ups as per disability. The benefits stats should be split up

[@denisburgess2966]

Its not a lifestyle choice that is an insult. Hunt and others like him don't give a damb about people who are struggling to make ends meet.

[@janebufton1960]

Working isn't always a living wage. This is the problem.

[@janebufton1960]

I know people who are not working and having £1,600 a month. I never got that when I worked!!

[@oli_669]

Oh Carole. Try listening, she's living in a different era.

[@drkarenbukharibukhari9931]

Myself survivors on UC safeguarding

[@janebufton1960]

It's all smoke and mirrors in this country.😊

[@ivorharden]

Some people do abuse the benefits system.

[@splottcardiff3993]

Yes Annette!! Totally owned Ava 😂

[@555555345]

Well said Storm

[@555555345]

Well said Ava

[@christopher554]

I got people living near me nothing wrong with them claiming disability . Total disgrace. They don’t won’t to work .

[@chriswilliams8121]

And how exactly do you know this as most disabilities are hidden

[@cwilson1768]

To claim disability you actually need a lot of medical evidence this is not easy to get and even with this you can still be rejected for disability it took me over 3 years to sort mine and I had a lot of medical evidence for many professional health works screening ect

[@24Roxyx]

What do you think of Dynamic duo uk KZbin channel?

[@christopher554]

They can unload a furniture van for two hours , it’s a joke

[@cwilson1768]

@@christopher554 not every disability is a physical one

[@patricklee6206]

There are those who are in genuine need for whom universal credit is essential. But there are those who have never worked and do play the system.

[@syriacchristianity9007]

Small percentage

[@patricklee6206]

@@syriacchristianity9007 The thing is that the percentage is highly likely to be higher than you think. The problem is that those who do abuse the system are making it worse for those in genuine need. Both in the perception and more importantly they are using up the much needed resources .

[@syriacchristianity9007]

People who have never worked?

[@patricklee6206]

@@syriacchristianity9007 Not necessarily there is a difference. There are those who have never worked because of either physical or mental disorders. Then there are those who have never worked because it is more beneficial not to. They get rent allowance, help with council tax, and depending on the size of the family child benefit etc. Of course there are those who do work but either they can't get enough hours or they're on a low wage. Those who are deserving then absolutely they should get all the help that the state can provide. But like it or not there are what I call the professional malingerers who will milk the system for all it's worth. They are the ones that need finding and dealing with.

[@syriacchristianity9007]

Maybe so, but there are rich people who take advantage of loopholes in order to avoid paying taxes and also large conglomerates who pay less than 1% in tax. Wes Streeting said he will close those loopholes. Hopefully he keeps to his word.

[@24Roxyx]

I didn't think it was a good lifestyle choice until I watched Dynamic Duo UK KZbin channel. How are they getting away with it? Holiday's and all?

[@whateversunpopular1338]

2:25 was she snooping through their windows spying on them?!?

[@samanthaforman9057]

Well done Ava!! the mention of pensions at the end

[@christinefiedor3518]

I always cringe whenever Ava opens her mouth but that comment about the pension being a benefit takes the biscuit! How dare she. The aged pension is not even means tested and people get it regardless of income. . Can’t understand why Ava gets any air time. She’s a complete head

[@amandamckay9684]

It was this government that snuck in that pensions are now classed as a benefit. Unfair but a fact.