See here http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/150-what-shall-i-buy

That was 4 months ago, I left my job, I have no desire to go back to a ‘job’ I’m actually the happiest eva!

Should I be doing anything DSS wise? I still pay my NI every month, I don’t claim for anything (i don’t think I want to either)

Not sure if I should be telling anybody, do I just pootle on???

Anybody else not work? Di you need to ‘inform’ anybody?

Ref: The link above, I bought an Exposure Joystick MK9 🙂 Very happy I am too with it….

??

Edit: ignore 🙂

think you’re supposed to inform the labour exchange for something…

worth a ring and talking to someone that will be understanding and know the correct answer without fobbing you off to at least 5 departments to get the answer.

Good luck

I’m self employed, which is the same as being unemployed really 🙂

You dont need to tell anyone, but you probably need to arrange to do self assessment tax return as you wont be on PAYE anymore.

Maintaining your NI is a good idea. But other than that no one needs to be told.

And WTF is a labour exchange?

For all you youngsters out there, the ‘labour exchange’ is now the Job centre.

you do not need to tell anyone but it is wise to let HMRC know especially if you were self employed

Have you retired to a volcano on an Island

RE NI you only need 32 years* to get full pension so you may wish to check how many years you have paid up

* Likely to change IMHO

Maintaining your NI is a good idea

How much is needed for that? I’m one of those who wonder if I’ll get much back from what I’m paying in by the time I retire.

If you have savings you might not be able to claim any benefits anyway, but as an unemployed person of working age, I believe you are entitled to NI Credits, so I would at least ask the CAB or Job Centre.

Just make sure you sort out any pension details (like transferring a company pension to somewhere you can manage it) and arrange for a tax refund from your PAYE (just pop in to your local tax office to find out if you can apply straight away or if you need to fill out a self-assessment).

Have you retired to a volcano on an Island

You’ve lost me

RE NI you only need 32 years*

You’ve met me 😯 Did I look that bad! I would have to have started work when I was 6……

Just make sure you sort out any pension details

– Done that

A tax refund from your PAYE

I haven’t been PAYE for about 5 years, I was a Partner in an LLP so I think the same as Self Employed hence why still paying NI by DD and I have a Self assessment to do for Jan.

Thanks all, think that makes sense. So I just tell NI people, carry on paying so there are no gaps, do me return and carry on doing sod all 😀

If nothing else, signing on and doing the jobseeker’s shuffle is an interesting experience

Unemployed: What should I do?

Based on the original question in the title, find a bench, get hold of some cider and get a dog 😉

You will need the following:

Tracksuit
Bottle of frosty Jack
Contraband rollies
Reebok classics
An ear ring
An unusual stench

Once you have these you can spend your days filling in an infinite number of forms with the exact same information to be sent to the exact same people who will then proceed to exactly nothing with them.

Good luck.

Apart from the earing I’m pretty much on track.

I could get the dog’s ear pierced?

(ninja edit)

Well the Jeremy Kyle show isn’t going to watch itself now is it.

Also there is a huge range of TV out there about wrong uns. They film them being a wrong un, being arrested for being wrong uns, then they put it on tv for you judge them from the comfort of your own front room. Many of them claim benefits and often they have drugs and or cider.

My Dad pretty much lives on a diet of the stuff since he retired. Seems perfect for festering your standard old age right wing belief system. Hangings too good etc.

Did I look that bad!

No, I was providing information
Island volcano- James Bond villans live on them

I could get the dog’s ear pierced?

If you can get near enough to the baby eating brutalised bastard then you’re welcome to try.

Unemployed: What should I do?

Isn’t it obvious?

RIDE YOUR BIKE MORE…………….

I could get the dog’s ear pierced?

Is that a euphemism?

Stop talking about it on here for a start! (You’re making me jealous! 😛 )

Otherwise, enjoy it and get out on your bike. 🙂

Do some volunteer trail building at your local trail centre?

Do some volunteer trail building at your local trail centre?

Like this idea 🙂

Although I seem to be able to fill the time.

DIY, Tidy stuff, sort stuff. Mess about on t’interweb, Cook stuff, School run, Fiddle with Land Rover, Look at Bike and think about Riding it.

DIY, Tidy stuff, sort stuff. Mess about on t’interweb, Cook stuff, School run, Fiddle with Land Rover, Look at Bike and think about Riding it.

you’re me and ICMFP!

I’ll pop the fiver in the box when I get round to posting the Pas pipe. Now have two boxes and parcel tape to make Frankenbox!!

For all you youngsters out there, the ‘labour exchange’ is now the Job centre.

I think you mean JobCentre Plus 2.0 Happy Lounge

After redundancy I basically messed about for 3 or 4 months, but did get bored eventually. Then did a few months of voluntary work 2.5 days a week at a bike recycling/events organisation – whilst still spending lots of time riding my bikes, painting, gaming and whatever.

After 8 months I decided to go back to university to do a PG degree, but did a few months agency work before the course started. Now almost three years on from redundancy, and having just completed my course I have got a proper job again – albeit 4 days a week.

A couple of days a week voluntary work doing something you enjoy is a good way of using your time. I also really enjoyed going back to University, although it’s not a cheap exercise.

BTW state pension eligibility is now 30 years of NI but pensions rules may well change …

[list]https://www.gov.uk/state-pension/eligibility[/list]

The new State Pension will replace the current State Pension scheme. You’ll get your State Pension under the current scheme if you reach State Pension age before 6 April 2016.
You’ll be able to claim the new State Pension if you’re:
a man born on or after 6 April 1951
a woman born on or after 6 April 1953

You’ll need 35 qualifying years to get the full new State Pension.

You’ll get a proportion of the new State Pension if you have between 10 and 35 qualifying years.

Towzer is correct, I was looking at the wrong page.

It is 35 years for the new state pension, correct link:

https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/how-its-calculated

lucky you !

You don’t need to tell the tax man, you could submit a tax return voluntarily to show you have no income, will tidy up any refunds due.

Relax, think about the future maybe do a few odds and ends work wise, see what courses the local Uni run (I just did a remote learning thing for 4 weeks about air warfare – very interesting). Plan some proper travel.

I’m unemployed aka early retired aka self employed for the past year and loving it. Early retirement really is the dogs bollocks and I heartily recommend it to all of you. Makes the preceding decades of cubicle life really seem worthwhile!

No one on their deathbed wished they spent more time in the office.

It’s made me realise that I never want to work like I did before, I’ll need to earn money again at some point but it will be based around having a lot of time.

Time is Wealth

If you have savings you might not be able to claim any benefits anyway,

You can claim JSA for 6 months irrelevant of savings.

It’s near-enough free money, requiring about 2 hours a week to make +£70. I treated it as pocket-money when I signed on after redundancy, as we’d plenty of savings and my wife earned good money – went back to work after a year off and felt a damn-site better for it.

4 months not working = £1100

Oooh I could have bought a new bike 😆

Doesn’t seem right to me to claim if you don’t need to, safety net and all that…