I am not British or European and of course don't have the information or background as you.
However, when I was in the UK I got familiar with the word " Benefits " with most people I had met.
Most people means the MUSLIMS that I had worked with and lived with for one year.
The first situation I got familiar with that word when I arrived to the UK and had to find a room to live in.
The flat was rented by an Arab refugee on DSS.
He is unemployed and still renting beds in that flat to get extra hidden money.
Two years ago when I was in the UK he tried to claim benefits for illness.
He is well but more easy money won't harm.
I still remember when we argued about his situation and why he behaved in such a way to claim benefits.
His reply was that the British occupied our countries in the past and stole our money and wealth, it is our turn now to get that money back. HALAL HALAL HALAL according to the fatwa he got from a mosque in the UK.
Of course it is a hidden secret fatwa not in public.
At the time of working at the private Islamic school I got more information about BENEFITS.
The first time I entered that school, it was very old and very dirty place, I didn't know why.
The school was not fees free but you have to pay £200 a month to educate the Muslim children.
Later I found out that - according to what I understand - if you are working until 5 PM or 6 PM, you can get money for your children for after school club.
I think the government is paying %75 of the total money you have to pay for the school.
Most of the parents were registered as self-employed and there was no after school club at that school.
The headteacher issued fake invoices using fake bank account written on the school papers to convince the government everything is legal. Later I knew that the government is paying the money directly to the parents not to the school. They are paying %75 of the total invoice the school had issued.
The headteacher of course issued the invoices with high amount.
As per the invoices I got, it was about £150-200 per week. With little calculation, you will find out how much money they got on regular basis. It was like a supermarket ASDA or TESCO, if you come, you find whatever you want.
Besides, when I paid the salary for the Full-Time teachers, they refused to receive money into their bank accounts.
When I asked why, they said it is a big amount of money and can't be shown in their bank accounts because they got benefits from the government.
Actually this is my information about Benefits in the UK. May be it is confused because at that time I was not interested in getting details or more information about that system.
I see UK welfare system is very good. It is very good to help others and show kindness to them but people are misusing the system to collect more money.
Money is the fuel of our life, no one can say I don't NEED money, all of us need it.
But it is not good manners to deceive others by religion to steal their money and their kindness.
Topic: Unemployment Benefits in European countries