See a lot of comments of "people on benefits deserve to be happy" which to my mind is probably the issue here. The harsh reality is that no one deserves to be happy. What you should have is the right to pursue happiness. It's not the responsibility of the government or the taxpayer to provide people happiness. It's a privilege, not a human right. The government's role is to facilitate the individual in reaching their potential and removing barriers in doing so.

Providing a social safety net is a great thing. You never know when you'll need it yourself. However, benefits are designed to tide someone over until they can find paid work.

This obviously excluded those who can't work. Who the government and taxpayers have a responsibility to care for.