To think try another job?

[superheroslug]

Just reading a BBC article on renting and election manifesto. Of the two examples given of people who are at risk if policies/benefits change, one is a part time yoga teacher and the other a travel and lifestyle blogger. AIBU to think that if they can't pay their bills they should look for better paid jobs and not 'lifestyle' jobs?

[treaclesoda]

You could apply that logic to anything though. Nursing not paying the bills? Well, you should have trained as a doctor instead.

Just because something looks attractive from the outside doesn't mean that it isn't work. I know a travel writer, he works really hard. Just because that work involves doing something that looks appealing doesn't mean that it isn't hard work. Yoga instructors have days like the rest of us when they can't be arsed doing yoga, but they still do it because they have clients turning up for their classes.

[treaclesoda]

By which I mean, where do you draw the line? I agree that both of the examples you gave should be looking to supplement their income with some other form of work if they aren't making enough, but there is a bit of a slippery slope too where we start declaring that some people's jobs just aren't worthy enough.

[glitterglitters]

The blogger is probably more than likely a freelance writer and marketeer. Blogger tends to be the "cool" job title.

Also I know what you mean, however as a "blogger" myself 😝 whenever I tried to get employment I'd end up in a horrendous sales job or the one time I went to the job centre they would only let me apply for journalism jobs. Of which there was one in a whole month in the area.

However if i were in a dire situation of losing my place I would go and work at he coop and work it around my career as best as possible. Without knowing the full minutiae of their roles though it's tricky to judge.

[Babbitywabbit]

Treaclesoda points out an important principle. However, I completely agree with what I think the OP is getting at- that when someone chooses to be 'underemployed' as a lifestyle choice, it's wrong that they can be topped up by benefits. Some people have skills or professional qualifications but opt to do 'easier' and/ or part time work, which is fine if they can afford to do that independently but not if they rely on benefits

[QueenLaBeefah]

In those particular instances, yes, they need to admit defeat and that their work could be classed as a hobby.

However, we do have a problem with low wages in the U.K. And many part timers are desperately looking for more hours.

[MandMand]

I read the same article, and thought the same. Both women also appeared to be single mothers, but there was no mention of them receiving any maintenance payments for the children from their ex-partners. Surely the real reason they are struggling to pay their rent is because the fathers of the children aren't contributing to keeping a roof over their heads? That seems to be the real scandal.

None of the political parties seem to be concerned that so many men still seem to be able to walk away from any financial responsibility towards their children, forcing the benefits system to make up the shortfall.

[iLoveCamelCase]

YANBU

[QueenLaBeefah]

I do think that they also need to think into the future when their children have grown up - they will no longer be entitled to tax credits and child benefit. Their careers are going to leave them extremely poor when the kids have grown up and they do need to change careers.

[TreeTop7]

Those two examples are fairly rare I'd hope. Most low paid workers are not like them. I'm sure that they could get bar or retail work in addition to their hobbies, they're just too lazy or too snooty to stack shelves or pull pints. They'll have to learn the hard way, unfortunately.

[RainbowsAndUnicorn]

YANBU but the reality is millions work the bare minimum or not at all and rely on tax credits that subsidise that lifestyle. Have no sympathy for them if benefits get withdrawn as it's a situation of their own making. It should never have got to the point we allowed people to actively choose to opt out of paying for their children.

[user1490465531]

rainbow your post really annoys me.
Some people work the bare minimum (and Im guessing you mean 16 hrs) because as a lone parent with limited childcare options maybe that's the best theyet can do.
They can always increase hours as child gets older and at least they keep their foot in the door work wise.
I'm a single parent receiving tax credits and I am so grateful they have allowed me to get back into work and not live in poverty.
Not everyone has a rich husband supporting them and some people rely on top up benifits just to put food on the table.

[Birdsgottaf1y]

""I'm sure that they could get bar or retail work in addition to their hobbies, ""

Were do you all live were work is abundant and you can get bar work if you're over 22, without good experience?

Most of the people topped up by tax credits, because they work part time, are because they can only find part time work, which is another stupid situation that we've got ourselves into.

In regions were there isn't enough work, the Tory rhetoric of everyone doing some work, just means that everyone is struggling.

The Supermarkets by me either want a commitment of a twilight shift, which isn't doable by most LPs, or they want you flexible.

I agree about the non-contribution of NRPs.

However, we are starting to blame people for just not earning enough.

This was a bad example, I know loads of people, who are genuinely struggling to find enough hours, that are in retail and warehousing (which always suffers when another store goes out of business).

Likewise because if the trendy bars, rather than pubs on every corner, to work there you're past it by 30.

It would make more sense to free up the jobs for people who are desperate to work and support Carers, the disabled and LPs, to work part time, or not at all.

[treaclesoda]

There is always an assumption on mumsnet that anyone can knock on the door of Tesco or Asda and get a job.

I have a friend who had been a sahm for a few years and eased herself back into the world of work with a job in Asda. There were about twenty applicants for each vacancy and she had to fill in a long application form, do an interview, a role play and spend a few hours 'working' in the shop whilst being observed. And then she needed to be available at any time between 6am and 10pm six days a week. Which was fine because she had a self employed husband who could change his work pattern to tie in with hers. But a job in a supermarket can be hard to get, and then it can be even harder to hold it down.

[Nancy91]

To be fair I don't think most people would be able to teach Yoga, it's hard you know! Also it can only really be part time anyway.

It can be hard to even get a retail or a bar job without experience, you can't just walk into another job as easily as you seem to think.