There's a lot of research that shows that people on welfare will not look for or engage in work if the pay for that work doesn't exceed the welfare. We need to match the two...welfare should be paired back to not provide more than minimum wages or minimum wages should increase. The problem with minimum wages increasing is that it motivates prices (and the cost of living) to increase as well.
If welfare isn't linked specifically to the objective of getting people that can work back to work, it will never be successful.
Of course disabilities and addictions need to be handled differently but there should be much more surveillance over the appropriate use of government money...some rights should go away when one welfare.
In the Netherlands one gets around $ 1000 welfare if you are single and $ 1500 welfare if you have kids. As a plus you get around $ 90 for healthcare and a large chunk of your rent paid by the state. That does not mean one can sit on his or hers lazy arse. You have to proof that you look for a job and you have to do something back like cleaning the streets or help out at a school or retirement home.
In NED, what are the income qualifications or unemployment qualifications to receive the welfare? I'm curious where the country sets that bar.