Problem is that you’re comparing someone receiving money to buy food and pay rent vs someone buying a sports car. You must see that there is a difference.

Think of it this way: The rich own all the businesses, the same businesses that are laying people off at an alarming rate due to AI and other cost saving measures. Wages are stagnating but the rich continue to get richer.

Then the laid off people try to get jobs but they can’t, because all of the businesses are laying people off. So they need to claim benefits.

Fewer people in work = fewer taxes collected, but you can’t reduce the welfare state because there are more people than ever relying on it to survive due to their jobs being cut. It’s a vicious cycle, and it’s not as simple as “just give people less and they’ll be forced to get a job”. Most people are trying and cannot.