Subject: Re: Playing with Fire
“Here in the UK we have millions of working age people on benefits…”

Google: Approximately 9.9 million working-age people in the UK were receiving some form of DWP benefits as of August 2025, representing roughly 22.8% of the working-age population.

Similar in the USA:

Google: Based on recent data, over one in four working-age adults (27%) in the U.S. participate in at least one social safety net program, according to ASPE data. While beneficiaries include seniors and children, tens of millions of working-age adults (18-64) receive benefits, with many working-age, able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) using Medicaid, and a significant portion utilizing SNAP.

Many of these people are the working poor. They are not moochers. They just can’t make enough to live without government assistance.

Mr Buffett wrote about how to help the working poor in one of the letters. Think it was an earned income tax credit. Anyone remember that?