to think cutting benefits will increase crime

Again, fine if you can get to work on the train! Just depends where the job is and if it is actually accessible via public transport.

Used to describe people with far right political views, the "take back our country" types. Usually have a profile pic of the England flag.

My DH goes to work on the train. Then walks the rest of the way. It's about 20 miles in and 20 miles back. He wants to work and enjoys his job. He works from home sometimes.

Yet they are still removed and earning money each month.

Also, nowadays you have to pay childcare in advance and claim it back via Universal Credit. For a full time nursery place you'd need to have about £800 to pay upfront.

I'm certain he wouldn't turn to stealing despite what @everydaywonderful thinks.

I have to take issue with your idea that there are no jobs. In some locations, there may be no jobs. My work has 25 vacancies; only 6 are advertised because we advertise one per job type. The market is moving fast, we lost 3 recently during recruitment. Then there are restaurants and bars near here; I can name you 7 who have signs up looking for staff. Then there are cleaning, gardening and carpentry jobs I've heard of recently where people are struggling to employ (no idea how many). And I've had recruiters contact me looking for interest or leads on at least 10 roles just this week. School are advertising for 3 roles. I would be able to point to minimum 55 open jobs really quickly. I know both siblings and one BIL are currently trying to recruit too. This certainly doesn't mean that all jobs are suitable for all people, but there are definitely a LOT of open jobs, the 1m sounds very low to me.

Now, i don't happen to think it is helpful to cut benefits for those who can't find work. The article does say the benefit cut proposal is only to penalise those actually turning down job offers, but refusal can be a slippery category to pin down e.g. single mum with antisocial hours contract, so I hope that checks and balances are added.

What is a gammon or flag shagger? The mind boggles.

You would be correct. I'm a Foster Carer to a teen with learning difficulties and who can't read, hence I have bothered to find out where he might gain future employment. I found the plant nursery and Morrisons also employ people who can't read to collect trolleys. I'm sure I will find more as I continue to research for my Foster Son. I won't give up on him and force him into a life on benefits. He does get PIP but I believe he'll get a job once he leaves education. He's polite, helpful and works hard.

I work full time and I don't need childcare as my DS is 16. I'm just not ignorant to the fact that there are many barriers that make getting back to work difficult. Childcare is a huge one.

You and the OP seem to have a very low opinion of people on benefits. Do you really think that if someone loses their job they are going to think, do you know what I have 12 months of getting benefit money, I think I will spend that time doing fuck all, and then when the 12 months is up I might think about getting a job, but what I think is better is I can go out stealing because that's the kind of low life person I am.

Are you for real?

The luck is in knowing a childminder with space ?

Like how often do you think that happens !

why was i lucky? i asked.. she offered, there was no luck about it... sometimes we have to stop assuming someone or something won't work just because normally it doesn't.

have you advertised for one? are you prepared to pay out of hours rates? you do know (certainly back in my day) you can offset childcare costs against any Tax Credits... we are talking 20 years ago...

and before anyone jumps on me, i have never said i have never claimed benefits.. i've said that I worked while being single with 2 children.

In my local Facebook group I think that the gammons/flag shaggers/Reform supporters actually would prefer people to starve. They have not one jot of empathy and never imagine that it could be them one day.

The Morrisons close to me hires a person who can't read or write, and has a prison record. I know him. His parents live near me. He collects trolleys and puts them back in the trolly park. I know a plant nursery that employs two person with Downs Syndrome and neither can read or write, but they grow lovely plants and sometimes make you a coffee in the cafe. They are both employed on minimum wage. I know the person who owns the nursery. She employs several people with learning difficulties but I don't know if any of them read but I know the two with Dawn's Syndrome don't because once they have planted a box up someone else comes to write out sticks and then they poke them in each box. I know DHL employs people who have a past criminal record because my son used to work there and told me. That's just 3 people I know. I am not ignorant but perhaps if people don't look they don't find.

A child minder who does over nights? You were incredibly lucky then, so not really an option for most people.

Are you suggesting that all working class people on a low income are a hair's breadth away from becoming criminals?

Bit of a sweeping judgement there.

Yes, it's fine. But you've answered the question there. You were lucky enough to have a neighbour who worked as a childminder! You must realise that not everyone will have that. I don't know of any childminder that works past 6pm to allow for shift work.

I said people who refuse, not people who can't

Yes this is the real issue but of course they don’t want people to kick up a fuss so they pit normal people against other normal people and sit back and watch the rich get richer. And even some poorer working people even agree with them because they have been brainwashed to think it’s the people on benefits fault.

i paid a childminder...

my neighbour trained as a childminder as she needed a job and i needed a childminder...

is that ok?

Who looked after your children when you worked shifts?

All good if you can drive and own a car. Not everyone does.