[danielf]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

As a disclaimer though I think that benefits such as HB and JSA for the unemployed should be paid as a sunsetting % of the previous 2 years income prior to becoming unemployed and this fund should be ringfenced, that way at least some of an individual's taxes feel more like an 'insurance' and less like throwing money into a bottomless pit and people neither gain nor lose massively from spending a brief period on welfare, with the sunsetting encouraging a return to work sooner rather than later.

This is standard practice in many European countries (and I think it's a good thing). It'll mean higher taxes though, particularly for the higher earners who are less likely to claim this 'benefit'. Personally, I'd welcome it.