You've perhaps heard this idea doing the rounds for people on a benefit to be doing some kind of voluntary work.

Putting something in at the time you're taking something out.

And as a taxpayer and fortunate enough to be able to get by on my own, I'll admit that every now and again I get a bit irritated by the size of the welfare bill.

But what you have to bear in mind is that there are two types of people on benefits.

Those who can't get by without support from the system, they use it because they need it and most can't wait to get off.

And there are those who've developed a lifestyle, those who've settled for sucking on society's tit, and doing bugger all for it.

Now my instinct is that work-for-the-dole schemes and heck, why not volunteer for the dole could be a good thing, at least we'd be getting something for our money.

Because at first sight you'd probably think, why not, surely people who are taking out of the system could, and arguably, should be putting something back in.

Until you start thinking about the practicalities.

Who runs these schemes, who decides how much work someone should do, what sanction is there when people don't show up, how do we stop work-for-the-dole undercutting what should be paid work?

Fact is...if you've ever done anything voluntarily you've probably come across people who are on a benefit, and are already motivated to make use of their time.

And guess what, they'd be in that first group I mentioned at the start, they'd be taking care of themselves if they could.

As to the rest...well...we could waste a lot of energy trying to persuade them how good life is when you get out of bed in the morning.

Or we could say stuff em.

There's plenty of help out there for people who want to help themselves...I'd rather we focus on them.

For the rest...at the end of the day...it's their loss.