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Original poster

To be purple with rage over workfare

360 replies

HoneyandHaycorns · 19/02/2012 11:53

Sorry, I know there are loads of related threads on here, but I am getting really, really really upset and angry about the fucking workfare programme. It's an absolute outrage that my taxes are funding slave labour to line the pockets of huge tax-avoiding corporations, while the most vulnerable in our society are having their lifelines snatched away from them one by one.

I want to voice my protest, but apart from writing to my MP (which I have done) what is the best way of fighting this crap?

I simply can't believe that anyone in a civilised society could possibly think this was a good idea. Why on earth would a private company ever create any new jobs if they can have government-funded slave labour for free?

Will someone please come and tell me why the fuck anybody other than the boss of tescos would conceivably think this was a good idea?

And if you can't tell me why it is a good idea, please tell me the best way to protest.

OP posts:
Nilgiri · 20/02/2012 00:37

You came across well. The bloke and Katie made a lot of noise, but sort of rabid dog noise. Really showed what they were made of...

whydontwehaveasharpknife · 20/02/2012 00:38

KATIE HOPKINS looks like judy from punch and judy

Nilgiri · 20/02/2012 00:38

That's the one...

whydontwehaveasharpknife · 20/02/2012 00:39

carer when you said "because it was paid" noone knew what to say

carernotasaint · 20/02/2012 00:42

OMG Really I acttually silenced some journalists. Blimey Dont know what else to say except......Grayling you were warned.

cbem · 20/02/2012 00:42

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted

carernotasaint · 20/02/2012 00:44

i migh listen to it back tommorrow honestly not for vanity lol but cos i missed the first half hour when they were talking about Boots.

whydontwehaveasharpknife · 20/02/2012 00:48

this american gut doesn't know his AAASS fro his elbow

whydontwehaveasharpknife · 20/02/2012 00:49

OKAY katie twatkins Id like to see you stack shelves at 3 in themorning

carernotasaint · 20/02/2012 00:50

The American guy is seriously fucked up

carernotasaint · 20/02/2012 00:54

Wonder if the American guy is one of Camerons advisors Wouldnt surprise me.

Justwant2leaveit · 20/02/2012 01:00

Hi all, I am a regular but name changed. That was my dp on the radio, Katie is a horrid woman she makes my blood boil Angry

whydontwehaveasharpknife · 20/02/2012 01:03

the lovely man who had a nervous breakdown?

Justwant2leaveit · 20/02/2012 01:04

My dp was the one that got sanctioned when I miscarried

whydontwehaveasharpknife · 20/02/2012 01:06

woah Im sorry youve been throught this Sad

carernotasaint · 20/02/2012 01:08

Your dp? Please please dont hate me for asking this Are you the lady who had the miscarriage or are you the lady whose partner had depression?

Justwant2leaveit · 20/02/2012 01:08

Thank you whydontwehaveasharpknife, it was a terrible time as it was Sad they made it a billion times worse

Justwant2leaveit · 20/02/2012 01:09

I had the miscarriage carer Sad

whydontwehaveasharpknife · 20/02/2012 01:12

the suffering at the hands of people at the top makes me fear for the future of Britain

carernotasaint · 20/02/2012 01:14

Oh justwant im so sorry. This was Seetec wasnt it. they have form for this.I will try to do a cut and paste from an old e mail about what Seetec did to me in 2007 What i talked about on the radio was Reed/Pelcombe. Workfare has crossed my path more than once.

carernotasaint · 20/02/2012 01:17

Carers and New Deal
I am a carer for my husband who has heart disease and arthritis and have always been ineligible for Carers Allowance. Because of this I was having to claim Jobseekers Allowance three years ago. I had no choice but to do this if I wanted any money at all.During this time I was placed on New Deal with no thought for my caring responsibilities.I tried to explain the situation several times at fortnightly interviews but it always fell on deaf ears.In fact I distinctly remember the New Deal Advisor greeting me with the phrase ?Got a job yet ? on a couple of occasions which is nothing but insulting to a full time carer.
The same advisor told me my training could not be done in my home town of Braintree and would have to be done at Seetec in Chelmsford They were the providers of the New Deal programme.He then proceeded to tell me that my travel expenses would be paid back at the end of every day.He was lying. They paid back travel expenses every Friday.So I hoped and prayed that my husband didn?t get admitted to hospital yet again during this time as we simply couldn?t afford it!
So I began the course with much trepidation. I was right to be worried. Occasionally I had to sort out my husbands prescriptions which meant taking them to the doctors and picking them up but when going to Chelmsford it wasn?t possible. I could only go by public transport as I don?t drive. The surgery didn?t open until 8.30 am They wanted me in Chelmsford by 9.30 at the latest. I had to be there all day till 4.30pm so I also had trouble getting back to pick it up before the surgery closed. I tried explaining the situation to them.I also tried doing the prescriptions anyway and just going in late. Their answer to both scenarios was to get there on time or be sanctioned and kicked off the course and lose your benefits.
This isn?t the worst thing that happened while I was there. My husbands heart attack left him with memory loss. One day he had to phone Seetec in Chelmsford where I was because he had taken an accidental overdose.They were fine about letting me go straight home From leaving the Seetec building in Chelmsford to entering my flat in Braintree took two hours. I had to get the bus as travel expenses wernt paid back till Friday This was a Tuesday.No way could I afford a taxi.At home my husband couldn?t move. He was nauseous and sick and in pain. The following day I went into Seetec (didn?t want to risk losing benefits) to find they had already put me down as late. They had obviously assumed I was coming in despite what happened the day before.They knew I had no choice.I had constant IBS attacks while I was at Seetec and a particularly nasty bout of impetigo.I couldn?t take it any more It was making me ill. The GP agreed and signed me off.
Thankyou very much for showing your support for carers unlike other media who only seem to be interested in benefit bashing.
Carers Allowance needs to be increased but there is no point doing that if it then gets eaten up in council tax It needs to be increased without the council being allowed to touch it much like D.L.A.

carernotasaint · 20/02/2012 01:20

The above is from an old e mail of mine detailing my experience of Seetec. Its from an old e mail in support of a campaign that a newspaper ran for carers

carernotasaint · 20/02/2012 01:26

Justwant i think what they did to you and your partner was disgusting FUCKING INHUMANE. Please excuse the swearing but i despair at what is happening to this country.

Justwant2leaveit · 20/02/2012 01:34

Thank you for understanding carer, you can swear as much as you like, that's how I feel tbh. What they did to you was disgraceful they just don't listen or take anything into account. They look down on everyone, I hate seetec, I hate the dwp, I hate the government, and I now hate Katie Hopkins she is a bitch

FlangelinaBallerina · 20/02/2012 07:51

Well Mingo, thank you again for your vague and unverified reassurances. But unless you're someone who's in a position to enforce them, all you're doing is guessing. The rules do allow for what I have mentioned to happen. If they're not followed, well and good, but then why have them?