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Work for dole

785 replies

ReallyTired · 18/07/2008 18:13

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7514513.stm

I think that proposals like these are long over due. Although I think that if you make people work full time for their benefits they won't have time to look for job.

Prehaps they should work three days a week and look for a job two days a week.

There are people who for good reasons cannot work full time, but certainly could do something part time.

OP posts:
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TwoIfBySea · 18/07/2008 18:57

It could lead to a job though, get their foot in the door and let employers see their work ethic. Not all long-term unemployed are the "scroungers."

Having said that I have a few neighbours who have never worked, who have no intention of working and who don't particularly want their children to work (which is worse.) A couple living across from me, in their early 20s, no children and therefore no childcare problems, don't work so have plenty of time to roll about the street at 3 am, blind drunk.

When I was their age I was working, paid my own rent, had to find my own place right enough and I don't think housing association or council property should be allocated to them...sorry...what was the subject again...

Oh yes, it is a good idea if properly conducted.

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foxymolly · 18/07/2008 19:15

My neighbours have 5 children and neither of them work, there is no reason why not. They are lazy ar*eholes who use the state to pay for them and their children.
He should be made to work and pay for his house. Its disgusting that people get away with sitting on their bums all day long.
I definitely support this.

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expatinscotland · 18/07/2008 19:20

why aren't there measures to tackle waste in the bureaucracy that is government?

or to force employers to pay a living wage, to be more flexible in hours - staggered start and stop times for example and telecommuting, compelling employers not to force people who have young children to be available to work 24/7 in the name of being 'flexible' and the like?

why is always about 'targetting' the most vulnversable in society?

and all this hatred towards the 'scroungers', when the real scroungers are the fat cats who make the lives of the working poor and middle earners that much harder by creaming off huge profits for the select few whilst fucking over everyone else.

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Desiderata · 18/07/2008 19:42

I tend to agree with expat on this.

Society has always had its scroungers, who are singled out and derided by the 'rest of us.'

The fat cats, however, governments, their employees, and leaders of business, cream more off the top in one month than a family of feckless feckers can manage in a year.

And its endemic. For instance, it was reported in the news today that the price of gas could go up as much as 60% .. and there's no need for it to. It's just that historically it's always been linked with oil prices .. but the historical link no longer exists.

Someone is screwing the British public into the floor on utility bills .. and it ain't the family from No.42.

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Twinkie1 · 18/07/2008 19:48

My god - Fat Cats although are asreholes run multimillion dollar industries that employ people and so pump back money into the economy (MPs excluded) most people who are on the dole - who are able to work are getting aliving wage paid for by the taxpayers who work their arses off - I am all for them (the ones that are able bodied and don't have children to look after) scrubbing grafitti off of walls delivering old peoples shopping, cutting the verges in the street and picking up litter - well doing anything to give them a sense of self worth and I really think it would do away with resentment and apathy that are the two biggest problems in society today.

Mind you I am a bit of a facist and reckon that all young people who are not willing to learn a trade or go into higher education or get a job upon leaving school should be made to go into the armed forces to give them a bloody good reason not to be loitering in the streets and stabbing each other!

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Twinkie1 · 18/07/2008 19:49

Its all well and good pointing the finger at someone else when someone says something a bit controversial is what I am saying but the point raised was about people who are able to work but don't bother, living off the welfare state that was set up as a safety net and not a lifestyle choice.

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Nagapie · 18/07/2008 19:51

Most of those earning large whacks are able to afford clever accountants or have non dom status so do not contribute half as much back into the economy as they should...

Sounds like such a good idea but usually like all good ideas usually ends up just making the life of Honest Joes harder...

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OverMyDeadBody · 18/07/2008 19:52

Well said expat.

I'm all for giving people opportunities to get their foot in the door of employment and do something productive and useful with their days, but let's not forget who's really doing the screwing.

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TwoIfBySea · 18/07/2008 19:52

sorry expat, I was using scrounger as that is what anyone on benefits is immediately called. I know a few people who are long-term unemployed after jobs they thought they had for life disappeared. One fella sent over 50 applications out within 3 months, I know because I helped him write them, and got a grand total of 3 responses and not one interview. He would jump at the chance to show an employer what he could do.

And as for the fat cats, I totally agree. The tilt between rich and poor is far too much toward the rich.

A fair wage, proper and sufficient childcare.

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expatinscotland · 18/07/2008 19:54

'Fat Cats although are asreholes run multimillion dollar industries that employ people and so pump back money into the economy '

They make people redundant in order to keep the price of their shares high, put the nations food producers out of business, don't pay a living wage so the taxpayer winds up topping it up with tax credits and paying for the administration and errors of tax credits to the tune of £1.5bn+/year, age discriminate making it harder for people made redundant after a certain age to get work, their businesses spoil the environment in the name of industry and then we all get to pay 'green' taxes and listen to government pontificating about how wasteful we are, lend money irresponsibly and then we all pay for it whilst they waltz off without so much as a slap on the wrist (Northern Rock, anyone?).

Want me to keep going?

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OverMyDeadBody · 18/07/2008 19:54

and Twinkie I agree, there are people in society who hoose to live off the welfare system as a lifestype choice. There shouldn't be this option but the problem can't simply be tackled by making them 'work' for their dole. It is far more complex than that.

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expatinscotland · 18/07/2008 19:54

shall we move on to fat cats who are non-doms and don't even pay as much TAX in the UK as some middle-earners?

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expatinscotland · 18/07/2008 19:55

Exactly, OMDB.

It seems like it's always people on benefits who are the bad guy. Because they're an easier target than the real source of the increasing gap between rich and poor.

And still, you have sheeple who are fool enough to fall for this type of hoodwinking from the government.

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myredcardigan · 18/07/2008 19:56

Just headline grabbing crap, IMHO.

Saying, 'those on the dole' is like saying 'those who are Welsh'. It covers a huge range of people and their individual circumstances.

Everyone knows there are some lazy feckers out there. But there are also thousands of people who, for various reasons cannot work. What are we going to say? 'Well I'm aware you're agrophobic but if you want your benefits get out strawberry picking?'

This sort of policy could be used for the long-term unemployed who have lost hope if it offered them direction and hope and the chance of recent references and a job at the end but I doubt that's what this is!

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sarah293 · 18/07/2008 19:56

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nancy75 · 18/07/2008 19:58

to address the issue of a living wage, surely the government shares some of that responsibility? after all it is them that sets the level of minimum wage.

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myredcardigan · 18/07/2008 19:58

agoraphobic even.

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sarah293 · 18/07/2008 19:59

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Thisismynewname · 18/07/2008 19:59

Government employees desiderata - what, like doctors, nurses, bin men and the like? Screwing the state are they?

Or do you mean anyone who works in a govt office?

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OverMyDeadBody · 18/07/2008 20:00

Exactly. How is free or cheap labour going to help those who can't bloody afford to work?

The government is ignoring the real issues here.

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IHadABetterNameButYouStoleIt · 18/07/2008 20:00

i think its a good idea the one who are on benefits because they cant be bothered will be forced to work and the ones who are on benefits because they cant find work or whatever wont feel like they are living on handouts and will gain valuable experience for thier cv!!

i just hope this means that they will look at the lone parent and childcare issue more closely as that 40% you have pay towards means that i cannot afford to work!

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OverMyDeadBody · 18/07/2008 20:00

I think desi was talking about the people at the top

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QueenMeabhOfConnaught · 18/07/2008 20:01

I'd rather start by getting MPs to do some work for their salary - they are the ultimate scroungers.

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Thisismynewname · 18/07/2008 20:01

That's what I'm asking her OMDB

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OverMyDeadBody · 18/07/2008 20:02

Yes I agree Queen, and why exaclt do they warrant such huge pay packets?

Maybe if the people who really could make a difference to society where valued a bit more and payed accordnigly, the problems would slowly get better.

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