No more “freebies”! That is the wake up call for all of us. Both those who have been receiving unearned benefits and all the rest of the adult population, who have quietly watched it happen. We have been living beyond our means for far too long !
So in future, benefits should only be available to the most needy.
With rigorous initial face to face assessments and regular follow up reviews. The aim should be to get recipients off benefits if at all possible. Either by improving their health, or their education, or skill set or all three.
Voluntary work experience should be a way back into employment. But if people fail to take up these opportunities, then compulsory less attractive work would be the final option before benefits are withdrawn.
Starting this benefits withdrawal process won’t be easy. There will inevitably be howls of protests and pleas for special cases. But the bottom line is that we can’t afford to go on this way.
So how about we pilot the idea in Bonny Scotland first. Just stop all their welfare benefits for a while and see what happens.
There could be an attempted mass exodus of freeloaders to England. Although that could be avoided by reinforcing Hadrians Wall.
Looked at more optimistically and Scotland could become a nation of full employment, with a well educated, healthy and skilled workforce. A leader of the free world !
GrumbleSmiles 
Help! Help! what has bonney scotland to do with this crisis alone, How about those persons over the welsh boarder, and again in Northern Island, or the channels islands and the Isle of Man? Help I am lost!
To whom is one speaking too need the Long Lost loonie party;s help? and that woofer coco! Woof Woof!,
For instance is one to consider the retired working population [recently retired 68+] , or the older foggies who in their heyday retired at 65 years, and are now battling on with two things maybe on their mind? at the age of 78+?
1/ Living with ones souls mate [partner or family] and in a secure place of accommodation [Rented-leased- or owned?-mortgage debit free]}
2. The possibility of having to provide care for ones partner/soul mate.
a] here one looks at cash availble To be enabled to invest in care?
b] The ability to be sociable and live [volunteer]within a community, and not exist in a lonely self sufficient life style without connections to a community, health and welfare concerns- such as hospital visits/ dental visits/shopping for grocieries, of having groceries delivered personally to one door.
c] go out once in a while and enjoy the freedom of the weather-sunshine/ a walk/ bus pass sitting on a bus passing old parts of the surrounds you memories, and at the bus terminus maybe a coffee/tea and bun at a friendly cafe meeting and chatting to old colleagues and friends, or even making new friends, not aquaintancies,
Here in old age I go back to my youth and the communities I worked and lived amonst. Not the modern immigartion influx of various families of different colour religion and beliefs?
This is not a misunderstanding, but a hope that they work and live as I have done supporting my personal family, to enjoy the benifits of being a british family.
I am lost with the current political scenario in rthe UK and your causual remark of Scotland bothers me, where oH Where are our politicians taking us in theis strange dangerous new world of unrest?
Living in a caring community/civilisation,Peronally at my gentle age of 83 I just wish to be safe, warm, carered for and loved, and be able to live off my pension[s[ my wife and I so we are sustained and live to vote for a future caring governemnt in the Houses of parliament.
HEY HO! I vote for the LLLP and expect a woof in return snapping at my heeels.