Unemployment benefit/government handouts.

[Westdene Seagull]

Possibly, if it is one earned by the process of unemployment, otherwise the min wage should stand. A 35 hour week would return around that figure I guess.

Current rates are:

•£6.08 - the main rate for workers aged 21 and over
•£4.98 - the 18-20 rate
•£3.68 - the 16-17 rate for workers above school leaving age but under 18
•£2.60 - the apprentice rate

Fair enough although I was working on a 40 hour week ( maybe I'm in the minority having to work that ! ).

 

[somerset]

The way the west country is being neglected it will not be long before you are on the dole.

I would rather they continue neglecting it then, its very nice just as it is.

 

[GreersElbow]

I think they should all receive the same: nothing, and be forced to get a job like normal people.

Vacancies: UK National Statistics Publication Hub

Good luck with that. The proportion of jobs to unemployed people is wide. - Labour Market Statistics, June 2012 Narrowing, albeit. But nonetheless, you honestly think all unemployed people are 'work-shy' and 'lazy'. That shows the mentality of those who read the Daily Mail and The Daily Express.

I for one, thoroughly believe JSA is a good thing; but it will be and can be abused. I think rather than allowing people to simply look for work, they must be given work. And the work given really should be geared towards their person attributes, and qualifications. Otherwise those with degrees have their skills and knowledge wasted.

But in respect to the idea, I think it would be unfair. Areas with higher poverty, tend to be areas with lower income (and inb4 'no shit-sherlock). So what you would be doing is giving richer areas of the UK more money than the poorer areas and alas; widen the North/south divide even more.


I don't understand why this government just won't pump money into the private sector. Would the public be pissed off that their tax money is being used to pay for job creation, or the lavish lifestyles the MPs live. Not entirely sure, but I know exactly what PSB would prefer.

 

[Safeway]

I was brought up in Whitehawk originally, then we moved to Portslade when I was about 6 or 7. I know Portslade VERY well.

None of which makes you any less of an ignorant prick. I've never claimed a penny of dole in my life, however, I've had many friends who have, and my Dad was on the dole for a few years in the 70s, despite the fact that he'd take ANY job to make sure we were taken care of. I can remember being sent home from school for wearing trainers when my parents quite literally could not afford to buy me a pair of shoes.

People like you ARE ignorant pricks, you sit there behind the safety of a computer screen spouting your ignorant shit. Yes, there are some scroungers, however, there's a hell of a lot more who want work but can't get it, and life for them is shit enough without idiots like you.

I don't care if you're trolling, serious or tongue in cheek, you're STILL an ignorant prick.

It's not a case of 'spouting shit from behind the safety of a computer screen'. Our opinions are influenced by our personal experiences, and I was fortunate that my parents were able to provide with us a reasonable upbringing (certainly NOT well-off, my dad was a bus driver), and I've always been in work myself. So perhaps I've not seen things from the sharp end (for which I'm grateful). However I also know people that are/have been out of work, for different reasons and my view towards them changes accordingly. Some are genuine, others need a kick up the arse.

At the risk of repeating myself, my original post did contain an element of fishing, for which I apologise. I should have been clear from the start and not attempted to get a rise out of people. That's what having a boring day off does to you (god forbid I'm ever jobless!).

If that still makes me an ignorant prick then so be it.

 

[piersa]

The argument that infuriates me the most is the one which goes 'Do you use an ISA? Do you ever buy duty free fags? Then you can't have a pop at Carr. You're evading tax''. f*** OFF.

avoiding, not evading.

 

[GreersElbow]

There's a consistency emerging in Cameron's thinking, though.

Cut the benefits of folk who aren't working. And cut the job security of folk who are working.

I'm not sure where he wants to lead us, but I'm fairly certain I don't want to go there.

Never understood the whole 'sack when the bosses want'. You won't increase employment, and you won't decrease unemployment. What you'll end up doing is creating a fixed number of the unemployed. Which will be used as cannon fodder for when the Conservative Right want to force through more monetarist policies that are doomed to fail at the expense of the poor.

 

[fork me]

bell end ........sorry , you completely miss the jist of my posts and it is probably best that you are doing whatever it is you are doing as opposed to being in sussex , on the dole , blaming every other **** for your problems. night night.

As I explained before I've never claimed a penny of benefits during my life. Left school with A'levels. Worked ever since, except for a short time at Uni.

I was brought up on the council estates of Brighton and Portslade, I now live in a detached 3 bed house in sunny Limassol, and everything I have I've worked for.

However, that doesn't exclude me from having consideraton for those not so fortunate.

Forcing people to work for free doesn;t help them at all and its a total myth to even suggest it does. It's just yet another attempt by the Tories to save money by hitting those at the bottom

Tory "austerity" means everyone tightening their belts except those that already have the most.

 

[Rugrat]

I was brought up in Whitehawk originally, then we moved to Portslade when I was about 6 or 7. I know Portslade VERY well.

None of which makes you any less of an ignorant prick. I've never claimed a penny of dole in my life, however, I've had many friends who have, and my Dad was on the dole for a few years in the 70s, despite the fact that he'd take ANY job to make sure we were taken care of. I can remember being sent home from school for wearing trainers when my parents quite literally could not afford to buy me a pair of shoes.

People like you ARE ignorant pricks, you sit there behind the safety of a computer screen spouting your ignorant shit. Yes, there are some scroungers, however, there's a hell of a lot more who want work but can't get it, and life for them is shit enough without idiots like you.

I don't care if you're trolling, serious or tongue in cheek, you're STILL an ignorant prick.

The problem is that too many (but thankfully a small minority) regard the unemployed as one homogeneous group but many are there through no fault of their own, having family responsibilities and are genuinely doing whatever they can to find work. I've experienced far worse than scrounging in the work place, including bullying, theft, prejudice, and out and out laziness ... and that's working for large and successful businesses and by no means isolated.

As for the OP I'll ignore his cretinous comments - clearly a bloke with zero standing in life and likes to take cheap shots at the unemployed who I guess are the only sector of society that he might feel superior too, in which case he's deluded as well as pig ignorant

 

[fork me]

I see you are showering me with facts and figures to support your assertion..... I do stand corrected sir!!

Seriously, tell me what a basic fair wage is? £200 per week? I suspect that with housing and other benefits, plus the £80 p/w dole, thats a basic "fair wage",.... is it not?

A fair wage is the minimum wage set down by law and not a penny less.

 

[sir albion]

Great idea and time to sort out all these family's getting stupid money every year grrrrrr,to many lazy bastards out there milking the system.Also a clamp down on idiotic doctors handing out sick letters like there's no tomorow.

 

[beorhthelm]

Forcing people to work for free doesn;t help them at all and its a total myth to even suggest it does. It's just yet another attempt by the Tories to save money by hitting those at the bottom

Tory "austerity" means everyone tightening their belts except those that already have the most.

but asking job seekers to do some work for their allowance as nothing to do with austerity and was an idea raised under the last Labour government. Job seekers often lack work experience or "habit" of getting up and to work, especially the young or long term, so provide some work experience to help their employment prospects. whats wrong with that? lets set the hours they work as (JSL)/(minimum wage), will that still get objections?

 

[sir albion]

A fair wage is low if you have been a lazy twat for years,it's then upto the individual to move up the ladder and earn more like most people.

 

[fork me]

but asking job seekers to do some work for their allowance as nothing to do with austerity and was an idea raised under the last Labour government.

For pretty much the same reasons, and I disagreed with it just as much then.

Job seekers often lack work experience or "habit" of getting up and to work, especially the young or long term, so provide some work experience to help their employment prospects. whats wrong with that? lets set the hours they work as (JSL)/(minimum wage), will that still get objections?

It depends on how it's carried out and who it targets.

Take my sister's case an example. She was made redundant as a single mother with two kids. All of her spare time was spent lookinbg for work, which she got, if she'd been forced to do so many hours community work a week that would have stopped her spending that time looking for proper work.

Long term unemployed, if they are to be forced to work, should only be forced to do so if (1) they're getting paid and (2) they're getting genuine training to help them get a proper job. ie one that pays.

Forcing people to paint lamposts or pick litter for nothing helps nobody and, if anything, will reduce self esteem.

Try looking at it from the other side. You're 40 something and were made redundant after working in a factory for 20 years, you have no qualifications and little chance of getting a job. You're at your lowest ebb ever and have no self confidence. Are you reallly telling me that if in that situation some suit at the job centre tells you that if you want to keep you're meagre dole payments you have to spend 15 hours a week picking litter it will INCREASE your self confidence and make it more likely for you to get work? Because that's the reality of schemes like this.

 

[sir albion]

For pretty much the same reasons, and I disagreed with it just as much then.



It depends on how it's carried out and who it targets.

Take my sister's case an example. She was made redundant as a single mother with two kids. All of her spare time was spent lookinbg for work, which she got, if she'd been forced to do so many hours community work a week that would have stopped her spending that time looking for proper work.

Long term unemployed, if they are to be forced to work, should only be forced to do so if (1) they're getting paid and (2) they're getting genuine training to help them get a proper job. ie one that pays.

Forcing people to paint lamposts or pick litter for nothing helps nobody and, if anything, will reduce self esteem.

Try looking at it from the other side. You're 40 something and were made redundant after working in a factory for 20 years, you have no qualifications and little chance of getting a job. You're at your lowest ebb ever and have no self confidence. Are you reallly telling me that if in that situation some suit at the job centre tells you that if you want to keep you're meagre dole payments you have to spend 15 hours a week picking litter it will INCREASE your self confidence and make it more likely for you to get work? Because that's the reality of schemes like this.

What has mental issues got to do with it,this country is not a charity for Christ sakes,nothing wrong with starting at the bottom again.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

A fair wage is low if you have been a lazy twat for years,it's then upto the individual to move up the ladder and earn more like most people.

And along comes another fuckwit !

 

[sir albion]

And along comes another fuckwit !

Look dick head people need to get off their lazy arses and get working,to many look for excuses all the time.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

but asking job seekers to do some work for their allowance as nothing to do with austerity and was an idea raised under the last Labour government. Job seekers often lack work experience or "habit" of getting up and to work, especially the young or long term, so provide some work experience to help their employment prospects. whats wrong with that? lets set the hours they work as (JSL)/(minimum wage), will that still get objections?

Just as long as there is structure and agreements around it I have no problem people working for their benefits. I would have happily done so and my partner is currently looking at volunteer work to stop her going out of her mind. The safeguard that would be needed is that it has to allow people to continue their search for work otherwise it's self defeating.

 

[fork me]

What has mental issues got to do with it,this country is not a charity for Christ sakes,nothing wrong with starting at the bottom again.

The main defence for this seems to be that it will help people get back into work, my argument is it actually can have the opposite effect.

What unemployed people need, and I'm talking abiut genuione unemployed people here, not the scroungers we all know exist, is real opportunities to get back into work, proper paid work.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Look dick head people need to get off their lazy arses and get working,to many look for excuses all the time.

Ever been out of work while worrying about paying the mortgage, gas and electric bills and clothing and feeding your children ? Thought not. Now take your Daily Mail Sixth Form student views and construct a decent argument on how to deal with the problem rather than tarring everyone claiming JSA with the same brush.

 

[sir albion]

The main defence for this seems to be that it will help people get back into work, my argument is it actually can have the opposite effect.

What unemployed people need, and I'm talking abiut genuione unemployed people here, not the scroungers we all know exist, is real opportunities to get back into work, proper paid work.

Fair play