Firstly, can I point out that as an Irishwoman, the term feckless has mulitple meanings....
Secondly: particularly in times of rising unemployment there is a serious risk of people genuinely unable to find work being tarred with the same brush as those who are unwilling to find work, which can be tragic. I wholly support a benefits system - any civilised society must make provision for people who are vulnerable or dispossessed and can be judged on how those people are treated. However, it has to be balanced with the demand that people also take responsibility for their lives. It is a balancing act. The manner in which people receiving social support are viewed, spoken about and treated can impact on the vulnerable: I have worked with elders who refuse to claim their entitlements despite having massively earned them, and then some, because they feel ashamed, and part of the reason they feel ashamed is the bigoted language and attitude towards those who claim.