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PP, It would be great if the benefit system worked well in the way you describe, but I believe far to often it supports many , crackheads, alcoholics, fraudsters, bogus asylum seekers, and bone idle layabouts.
There are people such as those you mention, but they are in the minority. Sadly the descriptors seem to be applied by some to all those who claim benefits. :-( The recent tightening up by the government, whilst working in some respects is penalising some genuine claimants.
Doesn't that say more about the over-complexity of the system though Phil? I imagine that anyone who has the anxiety of being unemployed or unwell will find that the convolutions that they have to think through only increases any anxiety and makes getting into a better place for themselves even more difficult. I must admit this is a big flag to me for Basic Income.
You may well be right about the complexity but the claimants only had to ask.The stress of being investigated & interviewed must have been far greater than the stress of finding out the correct procedure.