Insurance Cards.

[KateLMead]

I am given to understand that following Three months selling The Big Issue bought in bulk by resident Romanians and Bulgarians gang masters included, immigrants legal or illegal are then entitled to insurance cards "And benefits".
Nice work if you can get it..

[Workingman]

It is a loophole that has been known about since 2004 and never closed.

There were supposed to be restrictions put in place when EU enlargement began in 2004, with only the UK, Ireland and Sweden lifting those restrictions. However, anyone coming from one of the new member states was not allowed unhindered/immediate access to benefits. The way round that was to register as self-employed, but proving you were working was easier said than done.

Now it just so happens that because of the way the Big Issue operates the law states that anyone selling it has to be registered as a seller and as self-employed. The wise guys from the East cottoned on to this, put two and two together and - job done.

[cromwell]

Blimey! I never knew that.
I wondered why just about every Big Issue seller now seems to be an eastern european.

[TheOstrich]

I never ever buy the Big Issue for that precise reason. The Eastern Europeans have taken over round here as well.

[Aggers]

I bought a Big Issue a week or so ago, because I felt sorry for the poor man standing in the cold.

I won't buy another one now.

What's wrong with the people who are being paid to run this country of ours?

Are they too busy feathering their own nests or playing about on Twitter?

[KateLMead]

I knew about this and thought it was common knowledge, what a shocking state of affairs, these big issue sellers
Are in every city, every town they all look hungry and unkempt, can't blame them they are doing what
They are allowed and are set up, encouraged by the gang masters who buy up the big issue by the hundreds.
And the disgraceful fact is that the owner ex homeless now a millionaire knows what is going on
As does the damned government and immigration authorities.

[Suff]

Well there's an answer to all that. Nobody buys a big issue again. Ever.

Practically it was an interesting move where homeless could gain stamps to get benefits and housing through being self employed. It works until you open it up to non UK citizens. Then it falls apart fast. It would have been simple. UK citizens (not residents), only could claim self employed status and contributions, leading to benefits and housing benefit. Not that difficult to manage is it?

But of course the government which opened the flood gates to uncontrolled immigration did nothing about this. Leaving it open for the less scrupulous to leverage it.

The UK will have to follow France and Italy in revamping the benefits system to lock out those who chose to become benefits migrants. Just don't expect it to happen any time soon as the UK has not suffered enough of this yet.....

[Workingman]

But of course the government which opened the flood gates to uncontrolled immigration did nothing about this. Leaving it open for the less scrupulous to leverage it.

And we all know which party was in government at the time: Labour. It opted out of the restrictions put in place to prevent benefits tourism. We now know why.

What is also shocking is that in its three years in power the coalition has done nothing to close the loophole.

[KateLMead]

Welcome to Britain 2013.. Streets packed with waste containers. green containers, wheelie bins, black boxes, black sacks, little room for the postmen to walk on the pavemeny, and the ambience of your own homely street is wrecked.. Council posters warn that your rubbish could help destroy the world through global warming.. The global enviroment disaster will be your fault, your children will blame you for it.. A letter arrives through your door in black and red in threatening . It demands money or you will face court and heavy fines, your vehicle may be taken away from you, Your crime You forgot to pay the few pounds at the parking meter.
Your daughter comes home from school uspet by a graphic sex education film.. This follows a visit from social services as it was noted she had a bruise from a swing, they virtually accused you of being a child abuser. It is scarey. "Who are these people you wonder..
The roads in your area are full of potholes and broken tarmac, drains are blocked, yet in the local park an enormous "supposed work of art has emerged" it appears dark and depressing, made of stainless steel must have cost hundreds of thousands, nobody seems to know who commissioned it and why, they are chagring those who wish to use the park now.. You have stopped watching TV due to the violence, graphic sex, foul language, meaningless programmes and blatant political propaganda, another letter drops through your letterbox, it is from the private company Capita, masquerading as TV licencing, it threatens you with fines, you are a criminal watching TV without a licence. The tone of the letter suggests that the onus is on you to prove your innocence in the matter. I went through this for two years, your will be visited by TV Licence "Enforcers"
Councils are increasing council tax, you can hardly afford those payments now, and you know that 25% is to support their pensions, the Council executive earns nearly £5,000 a week.. You think £5,000 a week, your own pension is around £147.00 a week. And there is more by Brian Gerrish on the "Big Society.. Not Big Government"

Nothing to do with insurance cards I know just an additive

[Aggers]

the Council executive earns nearly £5,000 a week.. You think - £5,000 a week, your own pension is around £147.00 a week.

£5,000 a week? That's about £250,000 a year. Bloody Hell.

The curse of present day society can be summed up in one word......GREED