This is not a helpful mindset. Because things were worse before, we should ignore how they are still not faultless?

Isn’t perfect the enemy of good? It’s better, but not better enough until it’s faultless?

The comment I replied to made no constructive suggestions.

They didn't explicitly, no. But implicitly, their constructive suggestions seem obvious to me. Reduce barriers to benefits often called "means testing" - also make them more comprehensive.

Oh, it was most certainly worse. But that doesn't mean we can't do better.