to want to shout that many if not most people who get HB are in work

[ScaryMoaningArrrggghhhs]

and that many who are not are carers etc who need to be near resources and family to have any chance.

I am sick of hearing that people on HB should move where there are jobs: for the very simple obvious reason that many already have one.

I am not talking about the small part of the population that has never had work, has no dependency on relations or limited resources such as special needs education or respite; there are arguments there but they are not my focus in this AIBU.

I am talking about those who get up every day, fulfil a very real and valuable role, and get treated as if they equate to someone who never did anything except get up at 12 and go to the pub.

In a word (because I think we all agree it is a word now)...

YANBU

There's a three month wait monimum here for a carer's assessemnt.

So, someone moves from a more costly area (Brizzle would be a likely candidate I reckon, many of us started here as commuter belt for there anyhow) because theyc annot afford rent and what, supposed to cope alone in a new palce with nothing?

Fiddlesticks to that

Very true!

When we were on HB it was because all of our carefully laid plans had been totally fucked up, and moving would not have helped or lessened our expenses at all.

We are off it now as well.

I think there is an assumption as well, that once you are on HB you will be there for years and years. We only needed it for seven months.

I agree with you Op!! We get HB although dp works full time.

We claimed HB in 2003 for 6 months.

Then dh got well, the maternity leave ended (NOT a job for a brand new mother- allied to social work) and we went off it.

Hardly permanent!

is HB - housing benefit?

YANBU

Yes it is DF

YANBU.

Though i think its very very easy for people to make judgements if something hasnt happened to them.

Im on partial HB. I also work.
Im seperated from a emotionall, physically and sexually abusive husband.

I work damn hard at trying to be everything to every one, mother, father, cleaner, housekeeper, employee, dog walker etc... and everything inbetween.

Fact is i have no career, i gave that up to follow my husband about as he was forces. We had no home as we were in army quarters. I had to move out when we seperated.

I do work, but dont earn anywhere near the amount i need to to pay everything by myself.

This is where HB helps.

Im also not ashamed to admitt im skint, or claim partial benefits. I used to be, but im not any more.
Thing is things can happen to any one at any time.

Im not skint becuase i dont work. Im skint because im on my own becuse my husband was a cheating fuckwit.

The people that judge, well they could quite easily find themselves in a very similar position.

We were on HB when dp was unemployed. We were quite happy to relocate should he find employment in his field (IT) anywhere.

I mean anywhere... he looked all over the UK, he looked overseas and there was absolutely nothing for him.

He had two interviews in nearly three years of being unemployed and finally gave up and is currently retraining for something totally different.

It's all very well to tell people to move to where the jobs are, but what if there aren't any jobs?

Well yes Lollipop, and there isn't always the infrastructure to support jobs anyway: I have been offered a grad level job interview Monday. Do you think I can find half term cover for my disabled kids? 'Course I bloody can't!
Mum already looking after sister's kids, DH in exame, SSD can't help before 10am and then only for one.....