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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think every SAHM, low hour PT worker and carer should read this?

999 replies

Peachy · 10/11/2011 19:41

Well i am not but it matters to you so you must

here

Changes to system WRT worker hours

have a thread in chat and don;t want a debate, or at least won't participate iun one as petrified as we will now certianly lose our home and not up to taking flak. But if it affects you, you need to know.

OP posts:
Scorps · 10/11/2011 19:42

thanks for this - am looking now. (worried)

Foxinsocks · 10/11/2011 19:45

Can't click on the link (stupid mobile site) but really sorry to hear things might affect you so badly Peachy :-(

Original poster
Peachy · 10/11/2011 19:48

FIS thread in chat explains my situation a bit more, just didn;t fancy the traditional AIBU pile in when feeling shaky

OP posts:
ouryve · 10/11/2011 19:58

That's going to be bloody tough for people with childcare or transport problems :/

Purpleroses · 10/11/2011 21:15

The changes they're talking about are not for a year and a half, and they're still floating ideas around. They're not talking about removing benefits from anyone entirely, just making some more people have to attend jobcentre once a fortnight if they are working very part-time, so I wouldrn't worry for now.

Sevenfold · 10/11/2011 21:18

very scarey, I wonder how we will be affected, a teenager who needs fulltime care.
still ..... I refuse to worry

HowMuchIsTooMuchDietCoke · 10/11/2011 21:34

I don't really understand, can someone tell what what is happening in nice simple words?! Grin I read that other thread but didn't understand quite what they were discussing. I am a SAHM so don't know if this affects me at all.

Purpleroses · 10/11/2011 21:44

They're saying the new benefits that will replace tax credits from 2013 might be conditional on you looking for work, or looking for more work if you're part time and your kids are over 12.

WibblyBibble · 10/11/2011 22:09

God, it is so scary and they are so fucking repulsive and sociopathic, these tories.

RhondaRoo · 10/11/2011 22:17

So, just to clarify - as I'm a single mum working 16 hours a week, can't go back to full time due to mental health illness I've had the past year......this 'may' come in, they are 'plans' and there is nothing set in stone just yet.

I think I will have to seriously worry about this (and march/protest etc) when it is nearing the point of 'almost' being passed as law.

Otherwise, I just feel a bit sick. Working up to 20 hours - fine, but being made to work that when I have so many other issues going on.....and as for what they're saying about how it will affect 2 parent families, I can't think about it without getting a knot in my stomach.

It's Dickensian.

If I haven't read this correctly please feel free to enlighten me (genuine) or just stroke my hair and tell me everything will be ok as I rock backwards and forwards and say 'wibble' a lot!

PomBearAtTheGatesOfDoom · 10/11/2011 23:17

Isn't there an election due in 2013? So there may well be a totally different government in power who will do things differently. And having to look for work isn't quite the same as having to go to work, since there are hardly any jobs for able bodied "fully functioning" (for want of a better description, I can't think how to word it and apologise wholeheartedly if my choice of words upsets anyone) people let alone the people who struggle with various situations. That article is in the Guardian and they hate the Tories with every fibre of their being so are probably painting the worst possible scenario they can deliberately and scare mongering. The Tories say they want to stop scroungers and idlers sponging, not stop people in genuine need from getting help. Worry about it IF it happens, you can't spend the next 2 years in a state of nervous terror and anxiety over something that may not even happen, when you have no real idea what your own circumstances will be and what, if any, changes will be made.

musicposy · 10/11/2011 23:32

I'm not a Tory fan at all, believe you me. But I do need to point out that this was first instigated by the previous government a few years back. It was all put through a couple of years ago and the Tories are just following it through.

I know this because home educators have been fighting it for a few years now (it means that those who home ed and don't work enough hours will be effectively forced to put their children in school).

We did have the vain hope that if the Tories got in it might not go through. But it obviously still is because the whole lot of em are the same. Sad

higgle · 10/11/2011 23:37

Well from a the point of view of a manager who deals with recuitiment I'm sick and tired of offering people full time jobs and part timers extra hours only to have them whingeing on about not being able to di it because it will affect their benefits ( and we are talking about £9-£10 per hour here, not minimum wage). Those of us who are paying the tax are hot too happy about subsidising people who make a lifestyle choice out of working part time.

Original poster
Peachy · 10/11/2011 23:38

2015 for next election surely? I wish otherwise!

this is wtc portion of what will be UC: so basically if you work 25 hours as my Dh may well you won;t be classed as working and will have to do voluntary work, presumably instead of expand his business Confused and not get the 'top ups', just be on absolute absics: for us that means not a hope of covering our rent.

I don't care which party wants it, I just want it to stop. I knew about 24 hour plan just after DH graduates in june and we worked towards that: jumping business up another level whilst still maintaining the required equipment investment might be a step too far. Financially we'd be better off apart (me being a Carer), which is ridiculous.

OP posts:
Original poster
Peachy · 10/11/2011 23:39

higgle do you think carers / people starting up businesses are quite in the same league as someone looking to make time for Jeremy Kyle?

OP posts:
bigwheelsturning · 10/11/2011 23:40

election is due in 2015 I think, more than enough time for them to get this through.

IdRatherBeInBed · 10/11/2011 23:49

another great fuck up by the Tories.

Thank you to ALL who voted for them, you did well!!!

BertieBotts · 10/11/2011 23:53

FFS! Because penalising those who can't find work for whatever reason is going to make jobs magically appear for those people! Hmm

Original poster
Peachy · 11/11/2011 00:02

That's it bertie

I expect within 5 years DH will have one or two employees, me maybe one to help with admin, we will see.

But if we are taken out of the game becuase we can't make the deadlines and DH has to get a job soldering somewhere, unlikely in Newport but worth a shot rather than be evicted, then that's 2 or 3 potential jobs gone: more long term in fact. plus Dh never intends to have a retirement so again saving ££££££ into old age.

Indeed we've been trying to work out ways we could help autistic ds3 gain some employment with us long term, even if it's 'token'- he'd enver cope with anyone else.

Well done Tories- own goal there! Not as if we need job creation is it? Plenty about.

Also- my field is carer support: I am thinking there might be BIG ethical issues in setting up now knwoing I might have to pull out and try and find something else in a year's time. Is that even fair?

OP posts:
AnneTwacky · 11/11/2011 07:46

This doesn't affect me yet but does make me angry because:

  1. It's anti family. Well anti less well off families anyway.
  2. Where are all these full time/ well paid jobs going to magically come from.
  3. Childcare costs can be prohibitive in some areas of Britain, especially with Local Authorities having to close down Sure Start Centres to save money.

Let's not forget that the Tories didn't win the election, they only managed to form a coalition government with the Lib Dems, who seem unable to say boo to a goose.

HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 11/11/2011 07:48

That's what I don't understand too, Anne.

There are no jobs. Simply telling someone who's already got one to get another one is bonkers! And increase your wages? How? How do you do that? Who's that person who's in charge of that? Oh yes. The employer.

"Hey boss. I must insist you pay me more, right now"

I wonder how that will work out.

I also wonder at what point the tories will start building the workhouses...

Abra1d · 11/11/2011 07:50

'another great fuck up by the Tories.

Thank you to ALL who voted for them, you did well!!!.

And the alternative was ...?

Oh yes, we could have reelected the lot that got us into most of the mess.

HecateGoddessOfTheNight · 11/11/2011 07:51

Oh, and as for congrats to those who voted tory - I seriously doubt they're the same people who'll be affected by any of this. Less breadline and more 'have they no cake', iyswim...

What does amaze me is that the libdems are going along with this.

Seems it's true that once you have power, all that matters to you is hanging onto it...

hairylights · 11/11/2011 07:51

Having to look for work if you are claiming benefits and your kids are over twelve is absolutely right!

If you are choosing to work part time and claiming benefits and your kids are over 12 then if course you should tKe help to find mire hours per week.

hairylights · 11/11/2011 07:54

"I know this because home educators have been fighting it for a few years now (it means that those who home ed and don't work enough hours will be effectively forced to put their children in school). "

Only "forced" to send kids to school if you expect the state to support your living costs so that you can home educate.

The benefits system is there to support those who can't work, not those who won't. Your choice.