Would you ever apply for government help? Ex food stamps, welfare, health insurance, for example.

by bmxschoolbus Posted 2012/08/27 02:40:55

Related Topics: Food, Health, Government

64 votes
Read all 79 opinions
Lightning Report View Results and Demographics + View Demographics

Loading Demographics... Click an icon to see demographic results Display unknown and private
	no I'm to proud	8 votes	13%
	no	9 votes	14%
	yes	24 votes	38%
	I already have or am on it now	13 votes	20%
	other/undecided	10 votes	16%

Add a comment above

NumptyNuts 2012/08/27 12:00:34

no

+3
I don't know what it is like in the US but the UK government have engaged a company called ATOS to manage medical assessment's of people on incapacity and disability benefits. Those people say they are humiliated and in most causes their benefit is withdrawn arbitrarily then reinstated on appeal. No one doubts that there are many milking the system but it appears that the most vunerable are the first to be targeted. I know someone who needed a wee leg up because the craters leg was broken and ATOS turned her down. It was a short term and well deserved helping hand for someone who pays a lot of income tax. There are so many that have never worked a day in their lives or contributed to society in any way yet someone who does is turned down when they need it most. It's all wrong. I joined the civil service at 16 and paid tax from the get go even though I couldn't vote until I was 18. I rest my case.
>> See Replies

More polls by bmxschoolbus

Libertys Martyr 2012/09/12 23:01:08

no

I'll do something if I HAVE to but I prefer not to be a leech on the system.

reply
Dion Prince 2012/09/06 12:08:30

yes

I would if I needed to. I have paid taxes for over 14 years and If I lost my job and could not find another one for a while then yes.

reply
Tennessee3501 2012/08/28 18:39:03

yes

I have told President Obama that I will vote for him if he can help me get a date with Sandra Bullock! Is that the kind of government help you are talking about? LOL !

reply
bmxscho... to Tenness... 2012/08/28 19:39:48

+1
i wouldn't give him my vote if he could get me a date with my top 10 choices

reply
Tenness... to bmxscho... 2012/08/28 19:45:09

+1
It is a joke. Lighten up!

reply
*SqU!R@L QuE3N* 2012/08/28 17:44:31

I already have or am on it now

it really helps

reply
Dweezle 2012/08/28 02:24:57

other/undecided

If I needed them, but I am a single male with no children so I am on my own.

reply
Dion Pr... to Dweezle 2012/09/06 12:10:05

you being a single male with no children does not have anything to do with gov assistance if you were to request it.

reply
**StarzAbove** 2012/08/28 02:16:06

yes

Yes I would if there was no other way, and I wouldn't be ashamed to do it either.

reply
Dan 2012/08/27 21:08:53

yes

I would only do it if my family's life were at stake.

reply
jere.chievres 2012/08/27 21:01:21

no

My needs are well met in my retirement!

reply
Ron in Oregon 2012/08/27 20:39:42

yes

+1
It looks like I will have no choice about it.
They are taking my IRA money so now I am totally broke.

reply
Anonymouse BN-0 ~bibbityboo~ 2012/08/27 20:09:58

no I'm to proud

My ego's too big. I would probably save a bit of money just incase things go wrong.

reply
Michelle 2012/08/27 18:55:30

other/undecided

Is collecting retirement Social Security included in this question/ I paid in and they raided the money that I and others put in as a stop gap measure to balance budgets. Part of the government borrowing from another and now defaulting on the loan.

reply
SlaveWaterNymph 2012/08/27 17:20:22

I already have or am on it now

+2
but its because W/we need it. Been homeless for almost a month now, and what else can you do? You have to eat somehow.... But it will only be like this, til W/we get up on O/our feet. Then once W/we have money coming in and W/we can take care of O/ourselves then will be getting off of it.

reply
Lerro DeHazel 2012/08/27 16:34:14

no

When I was a full-time-student, I was told by some of my classmates that I qualified for Food Stamps; and that I should give it a shot. So, I decided, one day, that I would go by the Admin Office and pick up the necessary forms and head on down to the Mission Rebels, which is a Food Stamp Office in San Francisco’s Mission District. When I entered the Mission Rebels, some of the gals inside the office started giggling, as they recognized me from seeing me around, locally; as I had a Mission Apartment, and it was not so unusual for me to be taking Public Transportation, and shopping in local stores, etc. A lot of the gals in the Mission District knew me; even if I didn’t know them; so to speak. Needless to say, when I was in College, I was a very nice-looking guy, with a frat haircut; and most of the time, I dressed in really nice clothes; unlike the trashy-attire that one would associate with College Students of today. There were lots of gals who were after me. Anyway, by the time that I completed the necessary forms and submitted my request for Food Stamps, I think that they wanted $93.00 for $100-worth-of-Food Stamps. I felt somewhat embarrassed; and I left their office amongst a background of even more giggles. That was the ONLY TIME that I attempted such stupid stuff as applying for Food Stamps. I was DEFINITELY racially profiled; and for sure, I learned my lesson.

reply
Dion Pr... to Lerro D... 2012/09/06 12:12:25

that makes no sense. you do not pay to get food stamps.

reply
Lerro D... to Dion Pr... 2012/09/06 14:46:27
LittleMistersMom 2012/08/27 16:03:37

yes

+1
If I had to. I'm currently pregnant, and at 6 months pregnant, my husband lost his job, and therefore our insurance. I can't afford to go on the health insurance where I work, so I'm currently on Medicaid. As soon as he gets back to work and we can afford insurance again, I'll go off of it. But that's how the system SHOULD work, use it while you need it, and work to get off of it.

reply
Wiyao Boukpessi 2012/08/27 13:45:37

I already have or am on it now

y would u be too proud to ask for help? if u need help, just ask for help, you're not special. some people have really big egos

reply
Temlakos~POTL~PWCM~JLA~☆ 2012/08/27 12:15:45

no I'm to proud

+2
Not only that, I know that once I depended on the government, that government would have me by the throat. And if I said ONE THING out of line...!

reply
NumptyNuts 2012/08/27 12:00:34

no

+3
I don't know what it is like in the US but the UK government have engaged a company called ATOS to manage medical assessment's of people on incapacity and disability benefits. Those people say they are humiliated and in most causes their benefit is withdrawn arbitrarily then reinstated on appeal. No one doubts that there are many milking the system but it appears that the most vunerable are the first to be targeted. I know someone who needed a wee leg up because the craters leg was broken and ATOS turned her down. It was a short term and well deserved helping hand for someone who pays a lot of income tax. There are so many that have never worked a day in their lives or contributed to society in any way yet someone who does is turned down when they need it most. It's all wrong. I joined the civil service at 16 and paid tax from the get go even though I couldn't vote until I was 18. I rest my case.

reply
DANNY59 2012/08/27 10:56:00

I already have or am on it now

+1
It took me 6 years to get on Social Security Disability because I was too proud to ask for help, and I was one month away from not being eligible anymore. There's a 10 year window, starting from the day you became disabled All my doctors, (over 20) all were shocked when they would discover that I didn't apply. It was so hard for me to ask for help, but then I found out that all the years I was working so hard, I was paying into the disability fund, and I would be collecting the money that I paid into the system. They offered me Handicapped parking sticker and Medicare, but I turned those down so people who are even worse off than myself can use it. I would do anything to be able to work again, anything. I went from being a workahoilic, to not being able to work at all in the blink of an eye. It is so hard mentally, sometimes it hurts more than the physical pain.

reply
NumptyNuts to DANNY59 2012/08/27 12:17:07

Your experience is A typical Danny. It hurts those with a work ethic most of all when they can no longer work. You feel that you have lost your MoJo. I spent years feeling sorry for myself and they are wasted years. If you are in a dynamic job it makes it worse. I get a civil service pension and a little injury allowance. I pay tax on my pension but not the injury allowance. I still pay National Insurance contributions. You should have applied earlier for help and if the powers that be consider you in need of a parking permit and Medicare then you should accept it. After all ... you are only getting back what you put in. Having been through the mill I would rather tell the government to shove it but to be honest that is not the answer. Good peeps get shafted because we don't stand up to the system and get what we deserve. Those that don't deserve it would knock you down and walk over you to get a hand out. The mental pain is worse than being smacked in the face.

reply
DANNY59 to NumptyNuts 2012/08/28 10:17:22

Your so right.

reply
Angela Chambers 2012/08/27 10:51:44

I already have or am on it now

Trying to get it right now. Will raise my kids on it, too.

reply
NumptyNuts to Angela ... 2012/08/27 12:21:44

Don't give up if you get a knock back Angela. You have your kids future to think about. THEY ARE THE FUTURE and they need nurture

reply
Angela ... to NumptyNuts 2012/08/27 18:09:38

Okay, then, lol.

reply
John Rafael 2012/08/27 09:47:11

other/undecided

i would apply for govt help just for the basics.. eg. welfare and health insurance .. the rest (eg. food) i would be self sufficient. :)

reply
NumptyNuts to John Ra... 2012/08/27 12:27:55

+1
I was going self sufficent John and grew all sorts but it does nothing but rain here now and it is impossible to grow anything. The cost of food is going to rocket to the point that we will be unable to afford it. The big supermarkets would rather throw food away than give it away. We need to start a movement to change the market or we are heading for third world poverty. How things go round and round!!!

reply
John Ra... to NumptyNuts 2012/08/27 12:48:21 (edited)

the climate is different thing.. you can plant with tap water by using greenhouse or just the plain ground (fertilising it of course) depending on the season.. at least you wont spend a dime on vege/fruit than meat. Yeah they throwing it but what can we do? steal from them like in Spain? Better start a revolution against the govt that everyone is struggling because the politician/wealthy are too greedy or better migrate to another country to get income like any person living in a 3rd world country like oz or any other economically emerged countries eg. malaysia, singapore (the common route). - just saying :)

reply
Anonymo... to NumptyNuts 2012/08/27 20:13:58

The big supermarkets are bloody evil... We need to relax rules and stop them throwing away everything that isn't in perfect shape...

reply
La 2012/08/27 08:03:57

yes

Well, we don't do food stamps here, except in remote Aboriginal communities. Everyone gets government health insurance :) But sure, if I needed govt help, I would apply for it. Eg, if I moved out of home, I would not be able to afford to pay rent because I am studying full-time at uni and only working part-time. I would need Aus-study to help me pay rent. I would rather stay living with my parents, who are perfectly happy for me to stay, than move out when I can't afford to do so on my own. In fact, even living with my parents I am eligible for govt payments because I've earned enough previously to make me "financially independent". I'm not going to apply for them though because I don't *need* them.

reply
Alexander T Steward 2012/08/27 06:46:54

I already have or am on it now

+1
I can't get work so I'm already dependant on Goverment money.

reply
Monty to Alexand... 2012/08/27 09:24:41

It's ever good to depend on the government...it's what they want

reply
NumptyNuts to Monty 2012/08/27 12:36:14

You have made me think ... of course they want to make us dependent and afraid and helpless

reply
Alexand... to Monty 2012/08/27 18:19:36

It's not out of choice. Apparantly I get just over £200 a month, but I don't see most of that 'cos it goes straight to rent. Which would be far more reasonable at an apartment complex than my parents house.

reply
NumptyNuts to Alexand... 2012/08/27 12:34:52

+1
It sucks Dude but at least you can make ends nearly meet. I think it is time to share recipe's for economical meals. But what about clothes and necessities other than food? Warm clothes, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, toilet tissue? A can of tomatoes is now over £1 here. Good grief.

reply
Nam Era Vet #1 DNA TLC 2012/08/27 04:52:34

yes

+1
Yes I did. I had an illness that nearly killed me and lost my job. My wife couldn't work because she was taking care of me. So we got assistance for a while.

reply
DianaXoGirl 2012/08/27 04:43:43 (edited)

no I'm to proud

Not so much because of pride, I just don't support the idea of depending on the government

reply