Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think its no wonder people stay on benefits?

245 replies

ruledbyheart · 27/02/2013 12:29

My DP has started a new job getting the only job he has been offered after 1yr of trying, its only part time but we thought its better than nothing and at least he is willing to work.

He is working for a well known pizza franchise doing delivery and took the job on the basis he got a full 24hrs a week yet he is on week two and has only been given 16 so far.

He signed off job seekers to be told he won't receive anything other than the money leading up to sign off so we will have to survive for an entire month on my CTC and somehow live and pay billswith this.

He is eligible for WTC providing he gets the 24 hrs if not we aren't entitled to anything, without this we still have to pay extra on our rent and council tax out of his barely worth it wages.

However if we stayed on benefits we could afford to live no problems.

If his work doesn't give him the hours promised we will barely scrap by yet he couldn't leave and sign on again as he would be told he made himself unemployed.

So pissed off that we are worse off working.

There is no work locally and he struggled to get this.

I can't work at the moment as I'm pregnant and have 3dcs under 5yrs.

Aibu to think this is shit and we should have just saved the hassle and stayed on benefits?
No wonder people dont want to work.

OP posts:
youfhearted · 27/02/2013 14:24

we are worse off with dh now working(part time) than we were when he was unemployed. it sucks. really sucks.

ticketstub · 27/02/2013 14:24

I think some employers are very sly when it comes to zero hours contracts. I have a friend who was offered 30 hours a week and advised lots of overtime was available.

Again, he asked about a contract and they were reassuring and said yes, come in on your first day and we'll get it all sorted. He turned up on day one and they brought out a zero hours contract at lunchtime. He was shocked and felt under duress to sign it because they were saying that even though it was zero hours, he'd easily get at least 30 hours per week. Although they weren't willing to put it in writing! My friend is in the same situation as the OP, he rarely gets 30 hours per week, sometimes gets none, late notice about shifts etc truly awful! He has spoken to the manager about the conversation about it being a minimum of 30 hours and got nowhere. It isn't the job that was advertised or what he accepted but he is trapped in this contract.

LittleTyga · 27/02/2013 14:28

This is another way for the Government to massage the employment figures. They are technically employed but not working - it's a disgrace - Ruledby get a petition going. I would tell your husband to go back to the job centre and tell them he not getting any work.

Have you applied for Working Tax Credits?

Possiblyoutedled · 27/02/2013 14:28

It's truly shit. My ds needs a kidney transplant and so is quite ill. He works full time but is finding this really hard and also has a lot of time off for appointments. He would like to go part time but will not be able to live so has to now give up his job which is a shame as he's worked there for years and after his transplant he may have trouble getting another job. Crazy rules.

ticketstub · 27/02/2013 14:30

The one plus side is that there are more zero hours contracts jobs available than 'regular' jobs (probably because people don't really want to take them). If he could get 2 or 3 zero hours contracts jobs then he may be able to get enough hours to support the family each week until he can find a job with a proper contract. Like other posters say, it is easier to get a job if you have a job already and at least he won't have a bad reference from being sacked or something.

Hang on in there OP, its an awful situation and I'm angry about the system on your behalf. Wishing you all the best.

NC78 · 27/02/2013 14:31

I wouldn't take a zero hours contract so YANBU. Sorry to hear you are struggling.

plum100 · 27/02/2013 14:36

on the positive side though OP - because your dh is working some hours then at least he has something recent to put on his cv and the possibility of learning new skills that may be able to lead him to something else?
Hope things work out for you x

mankyscotslass · 27/02/2013 14:38

ticketstub, I think you will find that although the contract is for zero hours they expect you to be able to be called in at "reasonable notice" to do hours for them.

If you can't come in on more than a few occasions when they want, as lone as they have given you "reasonable" notice, they can discipline/sack you.

TheSecondComing · 27/02/2013 14:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter · 27/02/2013 14:39

Congratulations on your little miracle :)

YANBU - zero hour contracts should be made illegal. They're just a sneaky way for employers to sidestep employment law. I don't have any advice to offer I'm afraid, except try the CAB, or maybe USDAW - I think they are the union that covers delivery drivers.

malinois · 27/02/2013 14:40

mankyscottslass you don't discipline or sack people on zero hour contracts. You just stop giving them hours and hire someone else. Much cheaper and less risk. Sucks for the person who is technically employed but has no actual income of course.

BonaDrag · 27/02/2013 14:42

Someone on this thread actually questioned the OP's pregnancy.

Disgusting. Condescending.

You wouldn't question the pregnancy of a banker's wife in Chiswick with F&B paint and a 4x4 in the drive so you have absolutely no place to speak about the OP's.

Thank fuck people's reproductive choices are theirs alone.

GregBishopsBottomBitch · 27/02/2013 14:43

Also, still keep looking for another job, now hes employed, it is more likely that he'll have better luck, just gotta keep trying.

Congrats about the baby, i was told i might be going through early menopause it was awful.

maddening · 27/02/2013 14:43

How pg are you? Just thinking if younare earlier pg then could your dp ask for evenings only and you look for a morning job? That way someone is always home for dc but between you you might get the money you need?

if you are too pg then agree he needs a couple of jobs - what about self employed cleaner? Also spring and summer are good for window cleaning and gardening ? I think with a bit if creativity you could be ok.

Ps what are you both qualified in? Any chance of setting up your own busines

MiniTheMinx · 27/02/2013 14:45

Having a look around the internet, all the unions are involved in countering this but they represent their members in certain sectors.

Could we compile a list of all the businesses we know who are hiring on zero hrs? I think democracy is broken.......the only thing that counts is profits. The only problem is that people on these mickey mouse contracts need these businesses to be open for business!! its a difficult thing.

FireOverBabylon · 27/02/2013 14:46

OP, happy to be told I'm talking bollocks, but if your DH now has some (limited) experience of delivery driving, could he focus on this, look in the yellow pages for other local small logisitics / delivery companies who might need a driver, local florists needing to deliver larger demand around mother's day, taxi driving etc?

Original poster
ruledbyheart · 27/02/2013 14:51

Thank you for all your positive words, your right at least its something on his CV Dp is going to continue looking around for something better.

I hope that in a few weeks and he started getting paid things will look brighter.

Due to health issues I am high risk in this pregnancy so have a lot of hospital appointments so unfortunately trying to find a job I can do around it is going to be nearly impossible especially as there really isn't anything about where I am.

OP posts:
INeedThatForkOff · 27/02/2013 14:53

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

INeedThatForkOff · 27/02/2013 14:54

Drip, I meant.

LibertineLover · 27/02/2013 14:54

Yes, OP, if he's really stressed, he could go on the sick until he can find a job? No, it's not ideal, but life is life and you have to feed your children. Good luck x

Original poster
ruledbyheart · 27/02/2013 14:58

I don't think DP being at home helps his depression though as he feels useless thats the bugger of it all.

I'm stressed because I need to try and figure out how we will live.

He's stressed if stuck indoors all the time.

Lose lose situation and we aren't going to win but fingers crossed this too shall pass.

OP posts:
LibertineLover · 27/02/2013 15:06

It will pass love, but when you say struggling, if it's impossible to feed/heat/clothe your kids, that is more important than your DPs depression, which by the sounds of it, is making it hard for him to apply for jobs, so maybe he should be seeking more treatment anyway?

It sucks shit that this is the position you are in, we are on one wage with 2 kids, and it's a killer when our neighbours are on benefits, (and claiming she's a single Mum) so are on easy street, keep your chin up, do what you have to, and yes, it will pass.

expatinscotland · 27/02/2013 15:12

Zero hours contracts should be illegal!

In your case, though, you can still work if pg. If he's not getting the hours he can do the childcare. Things like walking dogs or cleaning.

akaemmafrost · 27/02/2013 15:16

I live in London. Here you need references for cleaning and insurance for dog walking.

Dog walking and cleaning not always as easily doable as thought.

stickingattwo · 27/02/2013 15:17

He is doing the right thing, and of course he should work if he is physically able. Benefits should be taken off people who think working's "not worth it", it's supposed to be a safety net not for people to take advantage of.

Working will give him more opportunities, make him more employable - as an employer I can tell you know I'd rather take someone working a pizza delivery job than someone who's done nothing for a couple of years - give him some pride and show your children a proper work ethic. My parents worked and worked while around them families were bringing more home on benefits. We were proper poor. But those families are still in that cycle on a council estate with everything in the house on tick and so are their kids. My parents eventually got enough to have their own place, got off the estate, got better jobs, a bit more money, made us get Saturday jobs & stay in school. So we council kids ended up going to university, and having professions. Now we're able to help out our parents a bit, who still aren't massively well off but get by okay now.

And if my dad had sat around on his ass refusing low paid jobs way back when taking benefits cos he had little kids while mum had to stay home to look after us none of it would have happened.

Get your DH to talk to the boss again, and get him to show he's the best, friendliest, most willing guy there - he'll get his hours.

Swipe left for the next trending thread