Good luck in your interview Venus, hope it goes well...
As to job centres I know what you mean. I signed on for a while a few years back, ghastly place, no help whatsoever, rude, arrogant gits the lot of them. I think we should sack job centre staff and employee the un-employed. Nothing makes you more angry than an hour in a queue, watching people who are earning, pissing about leaving you waiting while you are trying to find a job!
Never got a job from a job centre anyway, always ended up through friends or agency contacts. Job centres seem to be there to de-humanise people, nothing more. A morose view, maybe, but anything social security seems to be austere, scary, and designed to show you just how far you have fallen.
As to if you shop someone over "a few hundred quid" on top of benifits, why the hell not. A bit of cash on side from friends just trying to help you survive is one thing. Hundreds of quid working full time and claiming support on top is just bloody unfair. Not on me, I am fortunate enough to have a good job, and I don't complain about my taxes each month. No on the others who don't 'cheat' and go without rather than lie and steal money from the pockets of those who really need it.
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Unemployment
Quote by tallnhairy
Good luck in your interview Venus, hope it goes well...
As to job centres I know what you mean. I signed on for a while a few years back, ghastly place, no help whatsoever, rude, arrogant gits the lot of them. I think we should sack job centre staff and employee the un-employed.
Who could then make their previous advisors wait for an hour in a queue!
Venusxxx
Quote by Libra-Love
Unemployment benefit in this country is paid on a contibutions basis and for a limited ammout of the contributions and after the stipulated period a claimant is entitled to a lesser rate of Income support
And the benefit system is open to abuse.
Hey, the disability office (not for me, but my kid) gave mea list of benefits I'm entitle to and valid reasons why I can't work :shock:
But I'm in no mood to debate this one out with you. All I'm saying is it's far too easy to stay at home and collect benefits. And from your other post you said unemployed and surfing job vacancies YOU did not say you were claiming
One thing that does irritate me is that although my local job center is modern, has good resources for finding work, and so far I haven`t been kept waiting (more like `sign here` goodbye) is that they seem stuck in their policies to the point of not offering support when asked! I enquired about many things to help me get back into work, only to be told that these options were not available to me unless I`d been out of work for six months or longer, and years ago, when we had to run this guantlet, and it was DH who signed on, I was not able to get any support from them when trying to find work independantly because I had kids, and the fact I wasn`t the one on their books. Never mind that this would have helped get us off of Income support.
I have a lovely little book about how to look for work, and how to dress for interviews (look in papers and dress smart- gee ya think?!) but ask them for an advisor to go over your cover letter and CV for the more ambitious job, and they are at a loss (sorry, we only offer that service for people who have been out of work for six months
)
It`s a damn good job that I`m clued up, because I`d hate to see how we`d be coping six months down the line.
Venusxxx
I have a lovely little book about how to look for work, and how to dress for interviews (look in papers and dress smart- gee ya think?!) but ask them for an advisor to go over your cover letter and CV for the more ambitious job, and they are at a loss (sorry, we only offer that service for people who have been out of work for six months
)It`s a damn good job that I`m clued up, because I`d hate to see how we`d be coping six months down the line.
Venusxxx
Quote by lucyuktv2
The benefit system,in a perfect world,should provide support and assistance for people who for whatever reason are unable to support themsleves to a basic level.
Of course there are workshy people,there always have been and you find them in ant society throughout the world.
But the benefit system is about more than the so called workshy,its about genuinly sick and disabled people,vulnerable children and pensioners and those who genuinlt cant help them selves.
There is a hidden underclass of mentally disrurbed people whi have been released into care in the community who need protection.
Of course we can all name a disabled person who works,someone who has no interest in work,a scrounging asylum seeker,a feckless single mum,but i believe they are an exception and this shouldnt lead to vigilantes shopping people for a few hunderd quid.
In fact im sure the goverment and authories are well aware of the situation regarding Disability people onto this particular benefit has been largely responsible for the success of this tory goverment in bringing down the unemployment rate
I didn't mean it that way, just that if this particular person is taking the piss that there is a way to stop it, stop getting annoyed about it, and get a free shopping trip too
the government is labour by the way!!
Libra, I think that's what they meant by buck the trend, that you weren't claiming :cheers:
We obviously come from different parts of the country and different people i know would frown upon informing on others just so they could get their hands on a few hundred quid............if thats what turns you on hey enjoy it.
I,m well aware of the politics of the current goverment,slightly to the right of the last Thatcher use of Tory obviously went straight over your called irony
Sex God
I have been reading this thread with interest and promised that I would not comment but cannot hold back any longer.
I am totally disgusted with the small minded attitude of a lot of people on here. Just cause someone works in a Jobcentre or a Social Security Site does not mean they are ignorant, or as TallnHairy says, they are all "rude, arrogant gits the lot of them. I think we should sack job centre staff and employee the un-employed."
Have any of you ever considered what it is like to work in one of these places? To have members of the public spitting on you, throwing chairs, peeing on your desk, and then physically abusing you? A very close friend of mine is seriously ill in hospital. He had a massive heart attack, three days before he was due to take retirement. The attack happened as he was helping a customer in the Jobcentre where he works, when a customer from another office came in and attacked him.
I worked in a Jobcentre for a number of years ago, firstly dealing with customers who were signing on, and later moving into Advisory work. I have NEVER in my life been rude to anyone, I worked my fucking socks off to help my customers. Just because someone has a bad experience, you automatically decide that everyone who does this type of work must be bad!
Grow up and think about what you are saying! Everyone was quick enough to jump into the defence of Eagerslut an Dambuster a few days ago when someone on he dogging forum was complaining about truck drivers being smelly etc. Well not all Civil Servants are rude or ignorant (even though I have been rude in this post it is because I am totally disgusted with peoples attitude)
I am totally disgusted with the small minded attitude of a lot of people on here. Just cause someone works in a Jobcentre or a Social Security Site does not mean they are ignorant, or as TallnHairy says, they are all "rude, arrogant gits the lot of them. I think we should sack job centre staff and employee the un-employed."
Have any of you ever considered what it is like to work in one of these places? To have members of the public spitting on you, throwing chairs, peeing on your desk, and then physically abusing you? A very close friend of mine is seriously ill in hospital. He had a massive heart attack, three days before he was due to take retirement. The attack happened as he was helping a customer in the Jobcentre where he works, when a customer from another office came in and attacked him.
I worked in a Jobcentre for a number of years ago, firstly dealing with customers who were signing on, and later moving into Advisory work. I have NEVER in my life been rude to anyone, I worked my fucking socks off to help my customers. Just because someone has a bad experience, you automatically decide that everyone who does this type of work must be bad!
Grow up and think about what you are saying! Everyone was quick enough to jump into the defence of Eagerslut an Dambuster a few days ago when someone on he dogging forum was complaining about truck drivers being smelly etc. Well not all Civil Servants are rude or ignorant (even though I have been rude in this post it is because I am totally disgusted with peoples attitude)
Good luck with the job hunting everyone who is looking. I remember going to the job centre when I was younger and being a bit irritated that you could not just look at the job cards on display and get the details off of them. You had to go and ask one of the staff for the phone number or address to apply for the job and even then they would insist on ringing up for you. I hated that made you feel like a child. I ended up just applying for jobs out of the paper instead. I realise some people may need help with that but couldn’t people just ask for help if they needed it. Does it still work that way?
For me getting a job I enjoy doing is the hard bit. I have a job but still looking around for something that might pay better but I can still enjoy doing. I have been toying with the idea of starting up another business. Its fun but I found it hard to separate my fee time and work time. You could never get away from it.
For me getting a job I enjoy doing is the hard bit. I have a job but still looking around for something that might pay better but I can still enjoy doing. I have been toying with the idea of starting up another business. Its fun but I found it hard to separate my fee time and work time. You could never get away from it.
Perhaps it would be prudent at this stage to add that my despair is not aimed at...
No. Perhaps it would be prudent for me to add nothing.
Signed former council tenant, teen mum, who wasunmarried, has claimed benefits for best part of her life because of low wages, and also worked in telesales once.
Destined for hell.
Venusxxx
No. Perhaps it would be prudent for me to add nothing.
Signed former council tenant, teen mum, who wasunmarried, has claimed benefits for best part of her life because of low wages, and also worked in telesales once.
Destined for hell.
Venusxxx
Well done Venus on getting an interview. You sound really confident and we are all wishing you success.
As for the indifferent JC employee...maybe luck of the draw, another person may have congratulated you and given you encouragement. The DOE policy is more biased towards helping those who are chronically unemployed to find work. Those who have only recently become unemployed they consider suitably motivated and able to help themselves. Would be nice though if they were more helpful to all those who are seeking employment. However, I think the reality is that these umemployment officers are often undertrained and demoralised themselves. No fault of their own. Imagine working in one of those offices all day and having to deal with some of the less savory claimants! Quite a stressful job, I should imagine.
I'm not the argumentative sort but I do have to say this. Whichever benefit your friend is on is the legal minimum amount the law says your friend needs to live on in her circumstances, so for her not to accept the £10 less I can understand. Now if your friends wages were to be subsidised by the government due to having a child is another argument. Most people on benefits do find life tough at times, this time of year would probably be a good example and if life is tough now, then to receive less money, well it's not going to get easier. Also consider the fact that the hours your friend would be working and then paying tax to subsidise other peoples benefits and your friend being worse off than them would be disheartening to say the least.
Anyway like I said I'm not argumentative it's just my opinion so I hope I have not offended anyone
Have to agree with bonnienclyde. The benefit system is there as a safety net and people are entitled to claim benefits in this country. Therefore why should people take work that pays less than benefit, when the law has stated what the minimum level of subsistence benefit people can live on. It's not the level of benefit that is wrong but the poor slave wages of the employers. People cannot afford to live on low pay therefore it is a pragmatic decision to continue to claim benefit. Imagine trying to live on £140 per week (full-time work, after tax) and pay your rent/mortgage, council tax, food, clothing, bills, etc.
Contrary to some ill-informed opinion on this thread, gone are the days when you could draw benefit without question. You are no longer able to claim and just sit back and forever remain on benefit. They take a great deal of interest in you if you should remain unemployed for a certain length of time. Nowadays, claimants are being coerced by the employment office to take low paid work or lose their benefit. Long term claimants are put on 'work-fare' type schemes and 'restart' programs. In order to claim you have to sign an agreement and declare that you are 'looking for work' otherwise you cannot claim. It's a legally binding agreement and if you refuse work they cut your benefit.
Many claimants cannot get work because of social or health reasons, no one will employ them, even though many of them would like to become employed. Those that do abuse the system by claiming and working are committing a criminal act. The government has a high profile campaign to deter such people and employs investigators as they take fraud very seriously.
The 'News of the World' type mentallity that labels people as 'benefit scroungers', tars all with the same brush and makes claimants feel socially inferior and guilty, while in truth the majority of claimants are ordinary decent people just trying to get by.
LC
As for the indifferent JC employee...maybe luck of the draw, another person may have congratulated you and given you encouragement. The DOE policy is more biased towards helping those who are chronically unemployed to find work. Those who have only recently become unemployed they consider suitably motivated and able to help themselves. Would be nice though if they were more helpful to all those who are seeking employment. However, I think the reality is that these umemployment officers are often undertrained and demoralised themselves. No fault of their own. Imagine working in one of those offices all day and having to deal with some of the less savory claimants! Quite a stressful job, I should imagine.
Quote by bonnienclyde
A close friend of mine has been looking to come off the unemployment line now that she only has one child at home in full time education, but after a number of interviews and eventually a job offer it worked out that she'd be (£10) a week worse off than she is now, so she's decided it's not worth it. I get where she's coming from. But at the same time it's the government who has demotived her. She'd have taken the job if she knew her benefits where soon to end. That's motivation enough to accept a job, isn't it?
I'm not the argumentative sort but I do have to say this. Whichever benefit your friend is on is the legal minimum amount the law says your friend needs to live on in her circumstances, so for her not to accept the £10 less I can understand. Now if your friends wages were to be subsidised by the government due to having a child is another argument. Most people on benefits do find life tough at times, this time of year would probably be a good example and if life is tough now, then to receive less money, well it's not going to get easier. Also consider the fact that the hours your friend would be working and then paying tax to subsidise other peoples benefits and your friend being worse off than them would be disheartening to say the least.
Anyway like I said I'm not argumentative it's just my opinion so I hope I have not offended anyone
Have to agree with bonnienclyde. The benefit system is there as a safety net and people are entitled to claim benefits in this country. Therefore why should people take work that pays less than benefit, when the law has stated what the minimum level of subsistence benefit people can live on. It's not the level of benefit that is wrong but the poor slave wages of the employers. People cannot afford to live on low pay therefore it is a pragmatic decision to continue to claim benefit. Imagine trying to live on £140 per week (full-time work, after tax) and pay your rent/mortgage, council tax, food, clothing, bills, etc.
Contrary to some ill-informed opinion on this thread, gone are the days when you could draw benefit without question. You are no longer able to claim and just sit back and forever remain on benefit. They take a great deal of interest in you if you should remain unemployed for a certain length of time. Nowadays, claimants are being coerced by the employment office to take low paid work or lose their benefit. Long term claimants are put on 'work-fare' type schemes and 'restart' programs. In order to claim you have to sign an agreement and declare that you are 'looking for work' otherwise you cannot claim. It's a legally binding agreement and if you refuse work they cut your benefit.
Many claimants cannot get work because of social or health reasons, no one will employ them, even though many of them would like to become employed. Those that do abuse the system by claiming and working are committing a criminal act. The government has a high profile campaign to deter such people and employs investigators as they take fraud very seriously.
The 'News of the World' type mentallity that labels people as 'benefit scroungers', tars all with the same brush and makes claimants feel socially inferior and guilty, while in truth the majority of claimants are ordinary decent people just trying to get by.
LC
Thankyou LC
Now I have recovered from feeling like an absolute turd, can I clarify that I`d assumed it was the system at fault and not the individuals who have to work in this system?
I`m really very sorry if my thread upset you Naughty Wigan Couple, and honestly meant no offense, which is why I highlighted all those things I`ve been which are easy to pigeonhole. In fact, I encounter aggression when I mention my career aspirations, so I`ll be damned at both ends!
:rose:
Venusxxx
Now I have recovered from feeling like an absolute turd, can I clarify that I`d assumed it was the system at fault and not the individuals who have to work in this system?
I`m really very sorry if my thread upset you Naughty Wigan Couple, and honestly meant no offense, which is why I highlighted all those things I`ve been which are easy to pigeonhole. In fact, I encounter aggression when I mention my career aspirations, so I`ll be damned at both ends!
:rose:
Venusxxx
Sex God
Thank you Venus but it was not you I was annoyed at. You had a bad experience and just quoted what had happened. I do admit that there are some people in all types of jobs who do the minimum they have to help people, but what I was trying to say (but went off on one and didnt explain very well) is that you cannot presume that everyone who works in these places are all the same.
I gave up the job because of the targets staff are set. Can you imagine what it is like being given a target to stop peoples money, a target to find that a certain number of people are not available or actively seeking work! If you dont meet your targets, then you dont get your pay rise!
I really do wish you all the best in your job hunt and that you are successful in your interview on Friday. And Venus, if I offended you in any way, then I really do appologise.
I gave up the job because of the targets staff are set. Can you imagine what it is like being given a target to stop peoples money, a target to find that a certain number of people are not available or actively seeking work! If you dont meet your targets, then you dont get your pay rise!
I really do wish you all the best in your job hunt and that you are successful in your interview on Friday. And Venus, if I offended you in any way, then I really do appologise.
Quote by Naughty Wigan Couple
I really do wish you all the best in your job hunt and that you are successful in your interview on Friday. And Venus, if I offended you in any way, then I really do appologise.
No no, I apologise! :sparring:
Just a theory, but the way I see it, the bonuses and help offered to those who have been unemployed for six months or longer could be much better utilised from the beginning. I realise that this would involve much more cost at the outset, but considering the cost of supporting those who do end up claiming for the entire six months, would this not balance out, or even perhaps save money? It might also help to prevent people from becoming demoralised?
Just before Christmas I went into the job center in order to work on my cover letter and CV (there was more space and less kids), but I`d forgotten the stamps, I saw a sign saying that there were free stamps, and phone usage, and enquired, but wasn`t allowed any stamps (I could use the phones). No biggie, I just went to the Post Office!
I also consider myself lucky to have internet access, as this too is not available unless you have been out of work for a while. The jobs I apply for are frequently updated on a website, without my net access, I may have missed the position I`ve applied for. I`d also like to see more resources to enable people to undertake better paid postitions, instead of being encouraged to take on jobs which mean you simply have to swap one benefit for another! Whether it`s Unemployment, or Family credit, it all costs the tax payers, not enough effort is being put into long term workable solutions. Perhaps those who have families to support, or other dependants, could be fast tracked into gaining better qualifications in order to stay off of benefits in the long term.
I realise that many college course fees are greatly reduced for those on benefits, but it`s pretty damn soul destroying to have to drop out of a course halfway through because of finding badly paid work! Mars worked a 40 hour week, and it was hard slog, yet our tax credits were almost as much as his wage! This hardly left him the time or energy to further his prospects. Instead I have done that in periods between childrearing.
Vote accessable apprenticeships for those OVER 25!
Sorry, getting a little carried away!
Venusxxx
Quote by Naughty Wigan Couple
I have been reading this thread with interest and promised that I would not comment but cannot hold back any longer.
I am totally disgusted with the small minded attitude of a lot of people on here. Just cause someone works in a Jobcentre or a Social Security Site does not mean they are ignorant, or as TallnHairy says, they are all "rude, arrogant gits the lot of them. I think we should sack job centre staff and employee the un-employed."
Have any of you ever considered what it is like to work in one of these places? To have members of the public spitting on you, throwing chairs, peeing on your desk, and then physically abusing you? A very close friend of mine is seriously ill in hospital. He had a massive heart attack, three days before he was due to take retirement. The attack happened as he was helping a customer in the Jobcentre where he works, when a customer from another office came in and attacked him.
I worked in a Jobcentre for a number of years ago, firstly dealing with customers who were signing on, and later moving into Advisory work. I have NEVER in my life been rude to anyone, I worked my fucking socks off to help my customers. Just because someone has a bad experience, you automatically decide that everyone who does this type of work must be bad!
Grow up and think about what you are saying! Everyone was quick enough to jump into the defence of Eagerslut an Dambuster a few days ago when someone on he dogging forum was complaining about truck drivers being smelly etc. Well not all Civil Servants are rude or ignorant (even though I have been rude in this post it is because I am totally disgusted with peoples attitude)
As being one of those rude ignotant people not more than a year ago it's refreshing to find at least their is one person out there supportivre of JCP staff.
You also forgot to add that there are going to be 80,000 civil service jobs slashed - ever thought the staff could be shitting themselves at finding themselves on the other side of the desk. Yep Jobcentre Plus & the Pension service are at a morale rock bottom.
There is some amazing misconceptions out there at the moment.!!
Juts some i can remember from this post.
After contribution based Jobseekers runs out you go onto a lower Income Based rate - nope the same rate.
Someones Benefit being stop because of having a dog - again bollox - you won't have been told the full story - it is more likley at the medical he was asked about the level of exersize taken and he responded with something along the lines of he walked the dog for 2 hours a day - i.e stopped because of the physical excersixze not because of the dog ownership!!! but hey people pick up the bits they want.
We obviously come from different parts of the country and different people i know would frown upon informing on others just so they could get their hands on a few hundred quid............if thats what turns you on hey enjoy it.
I,m well aware of the politics of the current goverment,slightly to the right of the last Thatcher use of Tory obviously went straight over your called irony
My absolute favourite above!! So if you saw a robbery or a burgulry you wouldn't inform the police? Why is Benfit fruad different to other crimes? It's theft any way you look at it and as about 1billion a year is lost to fruad it is costing us all.
The reason I posted was because I was still reeling from the lack of questions asked. I have been in this position before, but not for very long, and my memory of it was much different than the experiance I had today. I was braced for the third degree, I received none
I am only presuming here but, when you first sign on you enter into a Jsag - (jJobseekers Agreement) which basically for the first so many weeks (can't remeber specific) allows you to limit jobsearch etc (and most advisors allows this as a matter of course as it allows you time to get yourself on your feet with all the stresses involved with unemployment) . So as this was your firrst signing on, you'lll more than likely have had you Intitail Interview where the JSAG was drawn up - again i presume this is where the "third degree" would have taken place - if this hasn't happened - the correct procedures havn't been followed.
Some of the stuff that lept out at me - sorry for the long post.
Ona side note - if anyone needs any imparitial informed advice about the benefit system feel free to get in touch . I used to be a n Income Suport & Jobseekers Allowance Assessor, a visitnign officer, a Callers receptionist ( at the old BA offices), a siging offericer at the Jobcentre and now am a supervisor in the Penision Service. So i've been around a bit and have a large knowledge of the benefit system.
Andy thanks, I should clarify that this was my first signing on after the initial interview. My previous experiance was that I`d be asked questions at each visit. I didn`t limit my options at the interview, I felt too guilty! Needless to say I have in fact only been applying for jobs which are relevent to my career aspirations, mainly because I want the security to get me off of benefits altogether, so a job with prospects is the way I want to go. However I felt as guilty as sin when I went in, and was quite relieved to be let off the hook so easily! It just occured to me that if I was inclined to stay on the dole, and that was now the general approach until someone hits six months (which seems not to be the case from your post), then they were making it very easy for me!
I do have a question, but I`m on MSN, so I`ll PM you later,
Cheers
Venusxxx
I do have a question, but I`m on MSN, so I`ll PM you later,
Cheers
Venusxxx
AndyS HE, as the wife of the person who WAS refused benefit because he had a dog, I can assure you that it was NOT BOL-- LOCKS. The people at the DSS have even told us themselves that the decision was wrong, as they have seen him for themselves in sheer agony with his spinal injury, and shoulder pain doubled up in pain in their office. My husband was asked if we had a dog, to which he replied ,yes, he was then asked if he took it for walks, he replied yes, and this was put in the report , but what the doctor failed to mention the dog is never put on a lead and runs in an open field, when the medical report came back it said if he can hold a dog on a lead he must have full use of his arm, so he was fit to go back to driving, hence our benefit stopped. However as our GP and orthopaedic surgeon will not allow him to return to work due to his injuries we find ourselves in a very difficult situation.
I myself worked for 10 years in the DSS, so I understand the system, and we had no glass panels to protect us from irate customers as we treated them with a lot more respect than some of the Civil Servants do today, but what goes arround comes arround.
I myself worked for 10 years in the DSS, so I understand the system, and we had no glass panels to protect us from irate customers as we treated them with a lot more respect than some of the Civil Servants do today, but what goes arround comes arround.
The chances of 80 thousand public service jobs being really axed is about the same as a snowballs chance in hell.
They'll just be re-located to some agency or another. And they'll still be entitled to a pension.
If you look forward (in a financial sense) you can see why money has to be saved.
If my local council doesn't put council tax up by twice the rate of inflation it will face real problems in about 10 years time.
Because then it will be spending ALL its income on paying salaries and pensions of staff, and will have NONE to provide services.
So, you try to save.
On to "unemployment benefit" (now jobseekers allowance)
The reason they are "easy" on you when you first sign-on is that nearly half of new claimants find work within a few weeks anyway....it gets progressively harder to sign-on without interviews after the first month....and the interviews get more intensive as you are uemployed longer.
I won't mention other "benefits", like child tax credit, which has meant that one guy I work with dropped his work hours from over 50 to less than 40. Because he is 50 quid a week better off working 40 hours than working for 54 hours.
The only REAL way forward for this country is to drastically cut government employees, by at least 50% or more. After all, we now have over 3.5 million people working for various government departments. Time for the cold wind of change to blow down civil service corridors.
They'll just be re-located to some agency or another. And they'll still be entitled to a pension.
If you look forward (in a financial sense) you can see why money has to be saved.
If my local council doesn't put council tax up by twice the rate of inflation it will face real problems in about 10 years time.
Because then it will be spending ALL its income on paying salaries and pensions of staff, and will have NONE to provide services.
So, you try to save.
On to "unemployment benefit" (now jobseekers allowance)
The reason they are "easy" on you when you first sign-on is that nearly half of new claimants find work within a few weeks anyway....it gets progressively harder to sign-on without interviews after the first month....and the interviews get more intensive as you are uemployed longer.
I won't mention other "benefits", like child tax credit, which has meant that one guy I work with dropped his work hours from over 50 to less than 40. Because he is 50 quid a week better off working 40 hours than working for 54 hours.
The only REAL way forward for this country is to drastically cut government employees, by at least 50% or more. After all, we now have over 3.5 million people working for various government departments. Time for the cold wind of change to blow down civil service corridors.
Quote by jomu
The chances of 80 thousand public service jobs being really axed is about the same as a snowballs chance in hell.
They'll just be re-located to some agency or another. And they'll still be entitled to a pension.
If you look forward (in a financial sense) you can see why money has to be saved.
If my local council doesn't put council tax up by twice the rate of inflation it will face real problems in about 10 years time.
Because then it will be spending ALL its income on paying salaries and pensions of staff, and will have NONE to provide services.
So, you try to save.
On to "unemployment benefit" (now jobseekers allowance)
The reason they are "easy" on you when you first sign-on is that nearly half of new claimants find work within a few weeks anyway....it gets progressively harder to sign-on without interviews after the first month....and the interviews get more intensive as you are uemployed longer.
I won't mention other "benefits", like child tax credit, which has meant that one guy I work with dropped his work hours from over 50 to less than 40. Because he is 50 quid a week better off working 40 hours than working for 54 hours.
The only REAL way forward for this country is to drastically cut government employees, by at least 50% or more. After all, we now have over 3.5 million people working for various government departments. Time for the cold wind of change to blow down civil service corridors.
I for one couldn't do my job without the backing of support staff. They provide the essential framework that supports the officers out on the street.I don't see that any one should be criticised for being entitled to a pension, they have to contribute to be entitled to recieve the employers contributions. So how does that differ to industry?
I still remember my 3 years in Maggie's Army, it was the most hideous time in my life.
Did a degree and at the end of it, was either too qualified, not qualified enough, etc.
And the monthly "Back to work chat" was utterly depressing, with sneering idiots threatening all sorts if I didn't apply for more jobs.... Odd, as I used to take my file full of job adverts I'd applied for, which was really quite thick..... Just like the sneering idiots I was talking to. I hope those idiots one day have to face unemployment themselves, to get a better picture of life on the other side of the fence.....
Thankfully I am now employed in a job which I actually studied for at Poly, and have been for 10 years, but to anyone out there on the dole, do not give up trying, ever. It sounds impossible sometimes, but don't ever give up. Nobody who's honestly searching for a job is worthless, I used to think I was. Keep trying, one day you will hopefully be rewarded too.
Rick.
Did a degree and at the end of it, was either too qualified, not qualified enough, etc.
And the monthly "Back to work chat" was utterly depressing, with sneering idiots threatening all sorts if I didn't apply for more jobs.... Odd, as I used to take my file full of job adverts I'd applied for, which was really quite thick..... Just like the sneering idiots I was talking to. I hope those idiots one day have to face unemployment themselves, to get a better picture of life on the other side of the fence.....
Thankfully I am now employed in a job which I actually studied for at Poly, and have been for 10 years, but to anyone out there on the dole, do not give up trying, ever. It sounds impossible sometimes, but don't ever give up. Nobody who's honestly searching for a job is worthless, I used to think I was. Keep trying, one day you will hopefully be rewarded too.
Rick.
Quote by RedHot
People like a guy near us. Never worked legally since he left school over 20 years ago. Draws various benefits, including disability benefit for a supposed *bad back* and then goes off to work with his brother every day as a builders labourer :!:
Rat on him. It's your money he's living on.
Sex God
RedHot, report this man for benefit fraud.
Well this is a really interesting thread and Venus, I have everything crossed for your interview on Friday hun - good luck!
Neither Chris nor I have been unemployed for long really since leaving school, for me it's a total of about 6 weeks (not including when I stayed at home to raise our kids) and Chris for about 3 weeks. When Chris was unemployed, it was as a result of being made redundant and the process of claiming etc. took so long that he'd found another job by the time any money came through! He was treated with little respect at the Job Centre although he was genuinely seeking work and said he was willing to do anything, in order to have some money coming in. He was denied help and opportunities because he'd not been unemployed for 'long enough' (their words) and got his job through an advert in the newspaper.
I went back into education as a mature student several years ago, because I wanted to do more than sit at a till all day (and I don't mean any disrespect to those who do that, it just isn't for me). I was on an access course with people who didn't know whether they would be on the whole course because they had had to sign some agreement that they would take a job if offered it (and have to give up their course) or they would lose their benefits.
After my course I went to university and eventually came away with a teaching degree. During my time at university, my husband was on a low wage and we really had a hard time of it. However, when we enquired about support, we were told that we weren't eligible for anything because he earned just above the minimum subsistence wage and I was in full time education so couldn't be looking for work. Plus I was eligible to receive the full amount of student loan (which doesn't actually amount to much per week, after you've bought all the books etc. that you need).
What really annoyed us was that I was trying to improve my chances of a better job and better life for all of us, but that we knew people who were basically claiming anything and everything but sitting on their fat asses doing nothing. They were better off than us (and some still are, even now I am teaching full time) and made it quite plain that they thought we were idiots for working/studying.
What makes it even worse is that the student loan has to be paid back, whereas benefits don't. Until going to college and except for the time I was raising my kids, I have worked and paid my taxes, as has Chris, yet we couldn't get any help when we needed it.
I am proud to say that we managed and I now have a 'ner ner, look what I did without your help' attitude to benefit departments. I hope we never have to deal with them again and feel sincerely sorry for those people who find themselves in a situation where they struggle when trying their damnedest.
This isn't aimed at the civil servants in the benefit places by the way, they weren't ever rude to me (some were, in fact, quite apologetic and in full agreement with me); rather, it is aimed at the system which lets people down.
Bev
xx
Well this is a really interesting thread and Venus, I have everything crossed for your interview on Friday hun - good luck!
Neither Chris nor I have been unemployed for long really since leaving school, for me it's a total of about 6 weeks (not including when I stayed at home to raise our kids) and Chris for about 3 weeks. When Chris was unemployed, it was as a result of being made redundant and the process of claiming etc. took so long that he'd found another job by the time any money came through! He was treated with little respect at the Job Centre although he was genuinely seeking work and said he was willing to do anything, in order to have some money coming in. He was denied help and opportunities because he'd not been unemployed for 'long enough' (their words) and got his job through an advert in the newspaper.
I went back into education as a mature student several years ago, because I wanted to do more than sit at a till all day (and I don't mean any disrespect to those who do that, it just isn't for me). I was on an access course with people who didn't know whether they would be on the whole course because they had had to sign some agreement that they would take a job if offered it (and have to give up their course) or they would lose their benefits.
After my course I went to university and eventually came away with a teaching degree. During my time at university, my husband was on a low wage and we really had a hard time of it. However, when we enquired about support, we were told that we weren't eligible for anything because he earned just above the minimum subsistence wage and I was in full time education so couldn't be looking for work. Plus I was eligible to receive the full amount of student loan (which doesn't actually amount to much per week, after you've bought all the books etc. that you need).
What really annoyed us was that I was trying to improve my chances of a better job and better life for all of us, but that we knew people who were basically claiming anything and everything but sitting on their fat asses doing nothing. They were better off than us (and some still are, even now I am teaching full time) and made it quite plain that they thought we were idiots for working/studying.
What makes it even worse is that the student loan has to be paid back, whereas benefits don't. Until going to college and except for the time I was raising my kids, I have worked and paid my taxes, as has Chris, yet we couldn't get any help when we needed it.
I am proud to say that we managed and I now have a 'ner ner, look what I did without your help' attitude to benefit departments. I hope we never have to deal with them again and feel sincerely sorry for those people who find themselves in a situation where they struggle when trying their damnedest.
This isn't aimed at the civil servants in the benefit places by the way, they weren't ever rude to me (some were, in fact, quite apologetic and in full agreement with me); rather, it is aimed at the system which lets people down.
Bev
xx
I guess that some of the replies here indicate the dangers of stereotyping. It's maybe useful to say:
Most people receiving benefit are not scroungers and would much prefer to be in work
Most people working in benefit offices are doing a difficult job and many of them find it just as stressful as the claimaints - even more so because they are handling a constant stream of unhappy, depressed, andxious and often angry and violent people day in, day out. They have to cut themselves off, emotionally, otherwise the job would be completely destructive.
Personally, if I believed that someone was stealing my taxes and taking benefit away from the deserving by abusing the system in the way described (claiming and working as well) I'd probably have little compunction about informing on him - the financial "reward" would have nothing to do with the rightness of the action.
I'm lucky, my time as one of Maggie Thatchers orphans didn't last long, I preferred to be self employed rather than unemplyed and I had the contacts and experience to allow that to happen. But I had to default on the mortgage repayments several times and I too know what its like to be scrabbling around for pennies in order to buy food for an anxious family. But I thank the gods that I've never been uneployed for long, and that I have good health.
As a self employed person my fear is that I become too ill to work, because my benefits would be worse than employed people have - I think (I get no sick pay from my employer, because my employer - me - can't afford it).
Most people receiving benefit are not scroungers and would much prefer to be in work
Most people working in benefit offices are doing a difficult job and many of them find it just as stressful as the claimaints - even more so because they are handling a constant stream of unhappy, depressed, andxious and often angry and violent people day in, day out. They have to cut themselves off, emotionally, otherwise the job would be completely destructive.
Personally, if I believed that someone was stealing my taxes and taking benefit away from the deserving by abusing the system in the way described (claiming and working as well) I'd probably have little compunction about informing on him - the financial "reward" would have nothing to do with the rightness of the action.
I'm lucky, my time as one of Maggie Thatchers orphans didn't last long, I preferred to be self employed rather than unemplyed and I had the contacts and experience to allow that to happen. But I had to default on the mortgage repayments several times and I too know what its like to be scrabbling around for pennies in order to buy food for an anxious family. But I thank the gods that I've never been uneployed for long, and that I have good health.
As a self employed person my fear is that I become too ill to work, because my benefits would be worse than employed people have - I think (I get no sick pay from my employer, because my employer - me - can't afford it).
First of all Venus good look with the job interview.
Secondly, abuse of the benefits system is theft, and more improtantlyits theft from you and me
Thirdly, there are many goverment employess who are worked off their feet , give 110% to their work and deserve every penny they get. however for everyone of those there are also the goverment employees, who basically take the proverbial, sit back and do sod all, these are the ones that need to be weedled out!!!
Finally the best way to create more jobs would be to take the pressure off emmployers, less paperwork for a start. Tax breaks for companies empoying more people would also help and lets re allocate some of the jobs to areas that have surplus workers instead of keeping them all in London and the south!!
Secondly, abuse of the benefits system is theft, and more improtantlyits theft from you and me
Thirdly, there are many goverment employess who are worked off their feet , give 110% to their work and deserve every penny they get. however for everyone of those there are also the goverment employees, who basically take the proverbial, sit back and do sod all, these are the ones that need to be weedled out!!!
Finally the best way to create more jobs would be to take the pressure off emmployers, less paperwork for a start. Tax breaks for companies empoying more people would also help and lets re allocate some of the jobs to areas that have surplus workers instead of keeping them all in London and the south!!
Freckle I love you! 
I too did an access course, Mars was working, and we were receiving Family Tax credits. We couldn`t get any help with Childminding costs as I wasn`t needing them for work, so we paid for one ourselves, and as a result I ended up taking the `intensive` option which allowed me to attend college one day a week, but demanded a fairly heavy amount of course work was done at home. This meant I couldn`t keep up with the course and had to drop out. I was devastated at the time. As you probably know Freckle, Access courses are fairly intense, as you have to prove to be capable of showing a fairly high level of understanding as its a fast track route into Uni. It doesn`t have a high failure rate, but does have one of the highest drop outrates of any course. I just felt stupid, it knocked me back for ages. However, I was able to try again when my youngest started school, took the five day a week option and was able to pass. It`s the piece of paper from this which is allowing me to apply for some of the positions I have been, and eventually, through these positions, I will be able to work my way up the ladder to a wage which will get us off of benefits entirely. We had no outside support for this, and if we hadn`t have been able to keep up with the demands ourselves, we would be still looking at claiming over 100 pounds a week in Family Tax credits indefinately. Where is the sense in that?! Unemployment doesn`t even amount to that! And yes, it is you guys who have been paying for this!
It seems to me that by merely getting people into badly paid work, the Government is trying to look good statistically, but in reality, the tax payer`s money is still going toward the same thing; supporting families because they can`t support themselves. A different label on the benefit is not going to change this. More support toward gaining qualifications from the outset might, and thus free up more money for our health and education systems and omg I`m beginning to do politics and I NEVER do politics :shock:
BTW, Tills, been there done that, it sucks, bloody hard work too!
Venusxxx
I too did an access course, Mars was working, and we were receiving Family Tax credits. We couldn`t get any help with Childminding costs as I wasn`t needing them for work, so we paid for one ourselves, and as a result I ended up taking the `intensive` option which allowed me to attend college one day a week, but demanded a fairly heavy amount of course work was done at home. This meant I couldn`t keep up with the course and had to drop out. I was devastated at the time. As you probably know Freckle, Access courses are fairly intense, as you have to prove to be capable of showing a fairly high level of understanding as its a fast track route into Uni. It doesn`t have a high failure rate, but does have one of the highest drop outrates of any course. I just felt stupid, it knocked me back for ages. However, I was able to try again when my youngest started school, took the five day a week option and was able to pass. It`s the piece of paper from this which is allowing me to apply for some of the positions I have been, and eventually, through these positions, I will be able to work my way up the ladder to a wage which will get us off of benefits entirely. We had no outside support for this, and if we hadn`t have been able to keep up with the demands ourselves, we would be still looking at claiming over 100 pounds a week in Family Tax credits indefinately. Where is the sense in that?! Unemployment doesn`t even amount to that! And yes, it is you guys who have been paying for this!
It seems to me that by merely getting people into badly paid work, the Government is trying to look good statistically, but in reality, the tax payer`s money is still going toward the same thing; supporting families because they can`t support themselves. A different label on the benefit is not going to change this. More support toward gaining qualifications from the outset might, and thus free up more money for our health and education systems and omg I`m beginning to do politics and I NEVER do politics :shock:
BTW, Tills, been there done that, it sucks, bloody hard work too!
Venusxxx
BTW, Thankyou to everyone who wished me the best for Friday, and thus reminded me that it is infact Wednesday today! This means I can now catch up on the sleep I missed last night, and leave interview homework, and sorting out the posh clothes etc until tomorrow! 
Oh and Sarge, it`s a position in a secure psychiatric ward. I`ll just be myself! :mrgreen:
Venusxxx
Oh and Sarge, it`s a position in a secure psychiatric ward. I`ll just be myself! :mrgreen:
Venusxxx
Sex God
Venus, are you going to be a doorwoman (if ya name's not down, ya not getting in) or will you be rounding em up lol
Bev
xx
Bev
xx
Quote by freckledbird
Venus, are you going to be a doorwoman (if ya name's not down, ya not getting in) or will you be rounding em up lol
Bev
xx
Assistant nurse at the outset, where I can work toward my NVQ (which is where my Access course comes in handy, as I only have the one GCSE), on to possibly the last two years of a Nursing diploma, specialising in Psychiatric nursing, or being sponsored to take a certifcate in Psychotherapy, which is expensive (or if I`m feeling really ambitious, both!)......then on to my Psychology degree, and if it`s not reaching for the stars, a PHd in Clinical Psychology. I realise there are quicker routes, but this one keeps me in touch with the people I`d like to work with, and pays! It`s also not cast in stone, working my way up vocationally will give me more of an insight of where I want to head as I go along.
Venusxxx
