I’ve never really spent that much time with people on benefits, mainly due to luck really. The one that immediately springs to mind was a friend of a friend, who died of pneumonia in his mid 30’s a few years back. If you met him socially, like I did, you might just see the easy side of it (never more than a foot away from a case of stella). The hard side of it (seldom eating and not heating his flat) might be invisible.

See, this is my point to a certain degree. Having a crate of Stella, but not eating, isn’t hardship – its a choice. There’s a big difference!

Not read the entire thread, only the first page and I sympathise. Ex military guys tend to be reliable types who bring alot to an organisation IME.

anyhow – I’m a resourcing manager for a very big bank, and we always have temp contracts all over the uk. Not the most exciting roles on earth, and won’t make you rich but if you can use a pc and have any kind of relevant exp and fancy working for us then I know the agency that are supplying into us are desperate for good, reliable folks.

off top of head in next few months we are looking in Edinburgh, Andover, Pendeford, Manchester among others. Not looking for free job advertising here btw, but would be more than happy to pass on a CV of anyone who is struggling and keen to get back to work.

l’ll happily call myself a c***, but Tory Bore is an insult 🙁

Having a crate of Stella, but not eating, isn’t hardship – its a choice. There’s a big difference!

He died of pneumonia, I’d call that hardship! The point was to highlight exactly what you said; that living on benefits does still make luxuries possible, you just have to sacrifice things that others take for granted and are not always visible. In his case, he sacrificed heating and food.

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR – Member
See, this is my point to a certain degree. Having a crate of Stella, but not eating, isn’t hardship – its a choice. There’s a big difference!

Fantastic.

Again I’ve not read all posts but depending on the capabilities of the OP’s mate or the other guy struggling to find work I could get you a job as a cleaner in asda. Not glamourous but its a job.

Let me know.

Sounds like unemployment lead to depression lead to alcoholism lead to death.

Funny how many on here would be massively supportive of someone suffering from executive stress leading to a similar downward spiral.

This thread is absolutely perfect for highlighting the folk/forum posters that i wouldn’t pi$$ on if they were on fire, if fact i’d probably offer to set them on fire to begin with and invite all the folk on benefits round to warm their hands (metaphorically of course), hope your mate gets back on his feet at somepoint soon rudebwoy.

I’ve never really spent that much time with people on benefits

Come round my house if if you like. I’m an unemployed scrounger these days. I’m trying to claim benefits but so far I’ve got **** all.

Here’s something for y’all to argue about:
My chosen and planned route back to work is to retrain. I’ve lumped £1500 of my own money into a 2 week course that will give me a proper recognised qualification to make me more employable in my new chosen career.

I mentioned this at my first job seeker interview as the Job Centre. It seems I may have to sign off (i.e. no benefits) for those 2 weeks as I’ll be in ‘full time education’

I’ll keep my thoughts on that to myself for now.

This thread is absolutely perfect for highlighting the folk/forum posters that i wouldn’t pi$$ on if they were on fire, if fact i’d probably offer to set them on fire to begin with and invite all the folk on benefits round to warm their hands

I mentioned this at my first job seeker interview as the Job Centre. It seems I may have to sign off (i.e. no benefits) for those 2 weeks as I’ll be in ‘full time education’

Did you tell them that you’d still be available for interviews during the course? And that you’d bin the course if a job came up?

Tpbiker said

more than happy to pass on a CV of anyone who is struggling and keen to get back to work.

My lad has recently left the army after 10 years working in I.T. and is having difficulties finding a job.

Any pointers sent to our email address would be appreciated and passed on to him.

steveandkim_d At hotmail DOT com

Did you tell them that you’d still be available for interviews during the course? And that you’d bin the course if a job came up?

Would it help if I did?
I won’t be binning the course under any circumstances though. I’ve already paid for it.

I guess that would make you unavailable for work or unavailable to be Seeking a Job under their T&Cs.
Better to keep quiet on this type of thing as long as you’re free on sign-on day, so I’ve been told.

Amazing that we have a society where higher tax payers get tax free savings (ISAs), tax relief on pensions and yet we seem to want to persecute the poor for the lack of jobs as if somehow it’s their fault there is a recession.

If we had a maximum hour working week, with limited overtime,

one job for all, unless part time and within an approved limit as above,

oh and it shouldnt ever be seen as shameful or lazy to not have a job, its just the right job isnt there, when we had better employment in industry, jobs where available for all, and most people applied and got them,sadly now due to de-industrialisation a lot of those jobs and skills have gone, where son folowed father into industry and followed the work ethic of the family.

PeterPoddy – Member

I mentioned this at my first job seeker interview as the Job Centre. It seems I may have to sign off (i.e. no benefits) for those 2 weeks as I’ll be in ‘full time education’

My guy asked, conversationally, “So apart from looking for jobs, are you keeping busy? That can be really helpful” so I said “Yeah, I’m fairly busy, frinstance yesterday I was volunteering with a local charity, digging a bike trail for kids”. He responded “But that means you were UNAVAILABLE FOR WORK!!1!onE. On this occasion I’ll take no action, but don’t do it again”

**** you big society!

If we had a maximum hour working week, with limited overtime,

We do. But it’s possible to opt out of it.

one job for all, unless part time and within an approved limit as above,

That’s communism. It doesn’t encourage people to work hard.

My guy asked, conversationally, “So apart from looking for jobs, are you keeping busy? That can be really helpful” so I said “Yeah, I’m fairly busy, frinstance yesterday I was volunteering with a local charity, digging a bike trail for kids”. He responded “But that means you were UNAVAILABLE FOR WORK!!1!onE. On this occasion I’ll take no action, but don’t do it again”

Really? Shit. I’m new to this, do they not realise, do they just assume you’re a scrounger?
I WILL find a job and I have a plan that I’m sticking to, come what may……

do they just assume you’re a scrounged?

Yes, don’t forget it is their job to get you off JSA and not help you find a job.

Thing is, not being funny, but I’m in no rush really…..

Imagine if I got a job in 2 weeks, and told them I was taking 2 weeks off straight away to go and qualify for another job….

I used to manage a guy who earned about £18k gross pa but he had massive financial problems and didn’t heat his flat. He would come in wearing two coats and not take them off for about an hour. In the winter he would stay in the office late every evening as I assume he had nothing to go home to.i can only imagine benefits / nmw is as hard as the op suggests.

steviedog, sent you a mail

i can only imagine benefits / nmw is as hard as the op suggests.

I think you’d be lucky to escape depression / mental health problems if you were on it for longer than a few months.

It’s not that hard to play the system tbh and I’m not ashamed to say I did…

Some parts of the process are pretty miserable though. Frinstance, there was a “back to work session” which I had to do after, I think, 6 weeks. This was a little group session to spread misery. Old guys who didn’t expect to ever work again, kids who could barely write their names, and everything inbetween. It’s supposed to be helpful but actually it seemed to be “Look- everyone’s ****ed!”. Then, throw in a sprinkling of Northwind-alikes who’re frankly on holiday, and confident in finding work as soon as they can’t be bothered. Who does that help?

The number of times they told me “Oh, it’s hard, there’s so few jobs, 45 applicants per position, oh it’s hard, you might be out of work for ages”- as if trying to dispirit me. And not just offering entry-level jobs that I was overqualified for before I left highschool, but pushing them hard- just for extra demoralisation. (and if you do manage to bully me into that job, someone who actually wants it can’t have it)

There were genuine people there who were trying to help, but mostly they were ****, and even the good guys were stuck doing a bad job. It’s a pretty sorry state of affairs.

Absolute highlight of the whole thing- getting a job, and being ordered to report to the job centre at my normal time to sign off. Er, I’ll be at work- I’m not taking time off on my first day! No, you have to, we can’t sign you off by phone. Well, no, not coming in, deal with it. Fine, in that case we’ll… STOP YOUR BENEFITS! O noes!

If you’re unlucky enough to come into contact with the joys of Job Centre Plus (plus what?) then you’ll soon come to the conclusion that the entire system is completely and utterly unfit for purpose. It seems to be set up to meet the needs of the unemployed at some time in the mid 1970’s.

For example: If you take any freelance, or agency work – maybe you’ve got an offer of a couple of days work, you have to sign off, and if you get no more work then they put it all through again as a new claim. Which takes 5 weeks to process. Therefore: who’s going to take the chance on a punt of some temporary work? When if nothing comes of it, you’ve no money for 5 weeks?

They’re worse than useless! They exist to keep you off the unemployment figures. Full stop!

That’s communism. It doesn’t encourage people to work hard.

this place is just so tragic

hope your mate finds something op.

I still remember being unemployed from about 15 yrs ago, horrible.

worst thing is the job centres, you can’t volunteer, re train or do any thing as your “not available for work”

seriously if you want people to improve they should give you an extra payment if you do some volunteer work or similar, but that would be too sensible

this place is just so tragic

Why is it? All I’m saying is that you can’t stop people who WANT to work more hours/jobs than others. Why is that so bad? I’ve spent 23-ish years working 55 hours, 5.5 days a week and I’ll be stuffed if someone is going to tell me I’m only doing 40 hrs a week so someone else can have my 15 hours pay,

For example: If you take any freelance, or agency work – maybe you’ve got an offer of a couple of days work, you have to sign off, and if you get no more work then they put it all through again as a new claim. Which takes 5 weeks to process. Therefore: who’s going to take the chance on a punt of some temporary work? When if nothing comes of it, you’ve no money for 5 weeks?

That maybe was the case in the past, but it not anymore (not for at least 2 years anyway, maybe more)

There is a fast track re application process using all the same details, that cuts out all the waiting. You would get your money on time.

Because youre depriving somebody of a job, a way of life and the esteem that comes with having a job, being able to socialise with workmates, to pay bills, to have money to go on holidays etc.

Working or just attending a place of work over the required hours also deprives your family and freinds of your company.

Right – here’s my little bit of personal insight into ‘life on benefits’. From as early as I can remember my parents spent life on the dole. Maybe they had brief spells where they had part time jobs , however….

….the majority of my formative years was spent with parents (well no father – stepfather) growing up on benefits and living in council properties. I never had the best toys, we never had the mod cons, we never went abroad. We ate simple wholefoods and rarely had extravagences. Life was a little different to my friends, maybe occassionally I was a little resentful, but never bitter – life was never ‘hard’.

I’ve seen alcoholism from my stepfather smashing the house up (many years ago), to my mother being rescued from a police station (not arrested mind) in more recent years. Both are fine now btw and well rounded intelligent people. From a personal point, I’ve witnessed severe depression for a number of years, drug abuse and alcoholism (although controlled to a degree) in a much closer environment, yet it would have never come before putting food on the table – in fact I’ve got debts that would make some people cry (just happens it’s manageable at the moment). Not looking for martydom, just pointing out that my view isn’t entirely from an ivory tower, however strong/opinionated/skewed it might seem to some – and that I’ve seen a lot of situations overcome and dealt with.

This lad is obviously having a massively tough time, I am ashamed to be part of a society which does this to people. Benefits are simply insufficient – you shouldn’t be on the poverty line because you can’t find work – just as you shouldn’t if you are in work.

Work is not always easy to find if you have the wrong skills, live in the wrong part of the country, possess the wrong experience, are too old, too young or simply your face doesn’t fit at a hard to obtain interview.

Life doesn’t need to be this tough for people – we make it this tough.

Life doesn’t need to be this tough for people – we make it this tough.

Yep – it’s pretty disgraceful, but nothing compared to the fact we have politicians who scapegoat the poor for their own failings and use them as a distraction to wider issues. E.g. pensions are the real problem with benefits, but as pensioners are numerous and vote, they are untouchable, so we just attack the unemployed.

Interesting stuff from many contributors. I’ve contributed to a soup kitchen type charity for years instead of spending the same amount on Christmas cards. I stopped this year when I watched a TV report showing the charity serving up meals and realised they are now serving fat people who are better dressed than me and have an Apple laptop under their arm. Perhaps I should join the queue? It seems people’s idea of what is essential has evolved.

To see how tiny spending on the unemployed really is the grand scale of things:

Of the £695b total spend:

Screen shot 2013-01-08 at 22.08.07 by brf, on Flickr

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/dec/04/government-spending-department-2011-12

Interesting stuff from many contributors. I’ve contributed to a soup kitchen type charity for years instead of spending the same amount on Christmas cards. I stopped this year when I watched a TV report showing the charity serving up meals and realised they are now serving fat people who are better dressed than me and have an Apple laptop under their arm. Perhaps I should join the queue? It seems people’s idea of what is essential has evolved.

Really?

I’ve not read the whole thread, but much of it

To the OP I hope your mate gets on his feet. Thanks for reminding me that not everyone in here is worrying about the next carbon frame and latest. Thanks for reminding us not to stereo type people on benefit

Interesting stuff from many contributors. I’ve contributed to a soup kitchen type charity for years instead of spending the same amount on Christmas cards. I stopped this year when I watched a TV report showing the charity serving up meals and realised they are now serving fat people who are better dressed than me and have an Apple laptop under their arm. Perhaps I should join the queue? It seems people’s idea of what is essential has evolved.

You might as well tie that to a hook and drop it in the river.

Tpbiker said

more than happy to pass on a CV of anyone who is struggling and keen to get back to work.

email details here as well please. I know someone in a similar situation.

tazwadie@hotmail.com

some great contributions on here people, some ‘interesting’ views from others,some embarrassing ignorance from a few– not many, dare say the subject matter is not in their comfort zone- tpbiker, cheers will pass it on tommorrow, thanks for the genuine concern/support– it lifts the spirit !

The lies and deceit from the govt, their media lapdogs and also the meally mouthed millipeede party– make no mistake, new labour are no different, they all prostitute themselves to capitalism– the big machine must be kept turning no matter the human cost !