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Has anyone been watching Benefits Street?
I watched the first one and thought it was so sad, but since then I have seen people really try to pull themselves out of a hole that is incredibly hard, especially if you have no qualifications, no family backing or support system in place.
What do you think of it? What do you think could be done to support families living on that street?
I couldn't watch the debate Louise, I was worried that I would get too frustrated with it!
It seems as though the media are trying to portray Benefits as a dirty word, so many people have needed benefits at some time in their lives. It may have been for 6 months or 16 years, but for the majority of benefit receivers it is not for a lifetime.
I love the Who Benefits? campaign for this very reason.
I absolutely love this program, I love how they help each other and watch out for each other.they are a street of amazing strong people who live in the real world not some fake world like lots of spoon fed people.
I have not watched it yet, i keep meaning to watch it on catchup, will try and catch it this week and let you know what i think!
It's on tonight! New series
Thanks for that IDT, i recorded it as the kids had the tv tied up will try and watch it tonight 
i too could not watch aswell but after hearing how jack monroe did a good job in knocking edwina currie down a peg or two i caught 5 mins of it edwina currie was really fustrating to listen too cause she clearly had not actually researched any of her points example being that anyone can just turn up at a food bank which is so not true without getting on the poor me speech lol, think i have been in poverty about 7 years last year i was given a food voucher when i was switching to esa thats the only time i have been granted 1 and i did do some voluntary weed pulling as a thank you and will prob do so again this year when the weather gets better but for edwina to suggest we are all just turning up at these food banks shows just how oblivious she is too people going through real poverty
It is so annoying when people who really have now idea of the realities of living in poverty 'talk' about how much 'help' this country gives to those who have so little.
I used to live on an estate in London and the lifestyle was pretty similar to this, the neighbours were fab and would give you their last piece of bread if they saw you struggling. It does have a real sense of community spirit that is lacking in other areas of the country.
I would love to go down there as a representative of One Space and talk to the parents there. I know we could help them. The one person I would really like to talk to is White Dee about how she talks to her children, it is so painful to watch, she is the great matriarch of the street, yet belittles and frightens her children, when she just doesn't need to.
Interesting about White Dee, and the different styles of talking you have noticed. I think she is scared about her children's future and wants to bring the full force of her personality to bear on them.
"Benefits" is being seen as a dirty word, whereas most people have used the system. I certainly have. It is there as a safety net and so it should be, would we rather go back to workhouses and treadmills?
This coming Monday, there are interviews with the main particpants in the programme and then another debate. Channel 4, 8.30pm.
I have really been fascinated by this programme and one thing that came over loud and clear was how a "culture" can become ingrained in a community and that makes it harder to break away from that pattern of living. There certainly is a great deal of unhappiness on that street and I was particularly torn by the chap who finally got a chance to see his children, and then it all fell through at the last moment...although as we know from talking on here, the children's carers may well have had concerns.
One thing though: those who express the view that life on benefits is easy should have had their eyes opened, but this has not really happened: did you see the debate last week? Click here to see a replay