new report from the right of centre think tank 'Reform' ....

'Responsibility has drained away from the British welfare state, leaving a poisonous blend of entitlement and apathy. Middle and high earners, who could and should be independent of public welfare, instead use their political weight to extract 'their fair share' from government, through universal benefits and near-free higher education. The underprivileged engage with agencies that do not deal with the basic causes of unemployment ...

Key recommendations include: Abolish middle class welfare and benefit gimmicks ... Hand benefit rules and operation to social enterprises and companies ... Where possible, replace social security benefits with private provision ....'

how surprising! (NOT)

Fri 23-Oct-09 12:36 PM by trishc

apparently you are middle-class if your income is more than £15k per adult.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8319646.stm