I haven't committed any crime like this woman has, so why do I have to do 120 hours of unpaid work?

[DeadWomanWalking]

Woman sentenced to 215 hours of unpaid work for committing benefit fraud. I'm currently having to do 120 hours of unpaid work (30 hours a week for 4 weeks) or I'll lose my benefits. So what's my crime? Being unemployed? Being poor? Completely baffled by this governments policies.

[AThingInYourLife]

"I'd swop with you!"

What's stopping you?

Being unemployed is an option anyone can avail of at any time.

[JakeBullet]

I think everyone should try living on benefits before having any green eyed hissy fits. It's not all it's cracked up to be.

[loobloo]

Sadly I know it is true, as my next door neighbour is on benefits and receives the same as I do before tax. Taking into account housing benefit, child allowance, council tax. Etc. I know she gets more than I bring home each month. She was the one that could afford to go abroad with 3 DC's at Easter, not us. Oh and I have never read the DM. Just spoke to real people!

[BenjaminButton172]

Altinkum I work and I get housing benefit and free school meals. A lot of added benefits are not only for the unemployed.

[PeneloPeePitstop]

Loon loo someone always knows someone.

Cough bollocks cough

[PeneloPeePitstop]

Autocorrect oops.

[OttilieKnackered]

loobloo. NMW is NOT £25,000 a year.

40x52 = 2080

2080 x 6.19 = 12,875

Half what you suggest.

[OliviaMMumsnet]

Peace and love

[BenjaminButton172]

I have been both unemployed and now employed and i can tell you that I can no afford a holiday abroad on either amounts of money.

Do you know that the majority of people who can afford luxury things on benefits are probably on the fiddle.

[BenjaminButton172]

no = not. typo

[ihateveggies]

Hi Deadwomanwalking, can I suggest that you post your cv and application letters here on mumsnet, removing all personal details and we will see what you are doing wrong?

I will never, ever forget reading an article talking about a girl who applied to hundreds of jobs, did not get any and committed suicide. Her final message was so sad.

Please, let's not judge. I hate work shy people, but the willingness is there, dead just needs a bit of help.

Please do so.

[IfNotNowThenWhen]

But does she get a free goat loobloo?

[IfNotNowThenWhen]

And...EVERYBODY has a "neighbour" who...
Do it. Jack in your job, go for the life of riley "on benefits" (ignoring the fact that you already are on beneifts if you recieve CB) and see what a lovely doss it is. Go on.

[JakeBullet]

I wish I could afford to go on holiday .
Benefits means I cant. Dunno how your neighbour does it loobyloo. I'd say she was on the fiddle somewhere if she.brings.in that much.

[DeadWomanWalking]

loobloo where on earth do you get £25000 from? MW is £6.19 per hour. Working 40 hours a week that's £12875! I currently get £101 per week JSA for BOTH me and DH, plus £80 per week Housing Benefit, that's £9412 per year. Bloody hell I wish DH and I had ever earned £25000 a year, we didn't even earn that when we were both working full time.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

I know someone who manages a shop who use workfare. They no longer take on temporary workers over busy periods because they use "the free workers" from the jobcenter instead. Ditto part timers. The only staff they employ are now managers and a few full time staff.

Workfare staff have a a less than miniscule chance of being offered a f/t position. Why would they employ staff they must pay for when they get "free staff"?

[DeadWomanWalking]

Also loobloo if your neighbour can afford to go on holiday in the school holidays then she's on either on the fiddle, or someone else is paying for it. I haven't been abroad since I was 15, when I went to Spain with my mum and grandparents. The last holiday we had was a 3 night caravan holiday in North Wales. That was in 2009. I haven't been further away from home than Manchester in the last 4 years.

Altinkum I don't get full HB my rent is £100pw I get £80pw. That pesky bedroom tax. And before anyone jumps on me because we've got an "extra bedroom". It only became an "extra bedroom" 3 months ago when DSD moved out and in with her boyfriend. I don't get full CTB because they've changed the way it's worked out now. I don't get full CTC because of an apparent overpayment from years ago.

[usualsuspect]

Hahaha at the neighbour who goes abroad on her benefits. You couldn't make it up.

Oh wait...

[WannaBeANinja]

So you pay £20 a week rent??

if you worked you would not receive HB no?

Are you sure you actually want to find work op?