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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder why unemployment is falling?

75 replies

wetaugust · 22/01/2014 18:07

When shops around here are closing and some of the big chains were virtually empty last weekend?

Where are all these jobs coming from?

OP posts:
wetaugust · 22/01/2014 19:13

It's Sep-Oct-Nov 13 anyway.

OP posts:
CinderellaRockefeller · 22/01/2014 19:18

Company I work for is growing and recruiting, DH is out of work and he sees more jobs appearing on job boards and that is looking more hopeful. We're midlands based, I can definitely see things getting a bit better here.

DontmindifIdo · 22/01/2014 19:22

Yes, it varies massively region to region, so it might feel like unemployment is increasing to you, but overall it's improving. That unemployment is only reducing in more affluent areas of the country is a problem, it's going to draw more people to the SE (house prices and rents are so high that low paid people have a very low standard of living compared to other parts of the country) and it masks the challenges.

I'm living in the SE and currently on mat leave from a London based job, I was looking vaguely for more local jobs as was toying with the idea of cutting out the commute, and have been surprised by the large number of part time jobs I've found. (Still holding off applying as waiting to hear what my current job offer me) there does seen to be a lot of work around here, which wasn't what I was expecting given the bad news I've been hearing.

RhondaJean · 22/01/2014 19:26

People are being sanctioned.

People are being sent on work placements.

People are being put into 6 month minimum wage contracts funded by the government (Scotland and not necessarily a bad thing)

People are being signed up to part time and zero hours contracts.

People are being encouraged to set up their own business and put onto enterprise allowance (this in itself isn't bad)

It's going to get even worse in terms of true representation when/if universal credit is introduced I reckon.

I am in Scotland but here, factories are closing, shops are closing, I know more people out of work, in part time work, or struggling than I ever have.

IneedAsockamnesty · 22/01/2014 19:27

Sanctions

Allthingsprettyreturns · 22/01/2014 20:23

More people on workfare and hoe they are classified, are they counted in the official unemployment stats?

Darkesteyes · 22/01/2014 21:07

Allthings the ONS classes workfare as being in work.

IneedAsockamnesty · 22/01/2014 21:09

Shame they don't class it as a job as that would be subject to nmw

wetaugust · 22/01/2014 21:11

The SW is a relatively prosperous area but it's up 15,000.

OP posts:
Darkesteyes · 22/01/2014 21:49

YY Sock

ilovesooty · 22/01/2014 22:15

People coming out of prison are now supposed to be referred straight to the work programme on release. Conveniently these unemployed offenders don't appear on the jobless statistics.

TamerB · 22/01/2014 22:31

When my son was unemployed he wasn't on any statistics, there must be many like him.

HauntedNoddyCar · 22/01/2014 22:37

As well as unemployed statistics you need to be looking at underemployed statistics.

longfingernails · 22/01/2014 23:38

It's because the deficit is coming down (albeit tragically slowly, because of the miniscule level of public sector spending cuts), increasing internal and international confidence in the UK. Cutting the unproductive public sector allows the more productive and more job generating private sector to thrive.

It's because even the pathetic welfare cuts the government are making are making work a more attractive alternative.

It's because of Britain's labour market flexibility (despite Labour's best efforts to stamp out any vestiges of it). Lower pay is never great, but they mean more people keep their jobs when things go bad, and companies create jobs much faster when the recovery takes effect.

It's because we're not in the Euro, and the pound has taken part of the burden of the recession.

It's because corporation tax and the top rate of tax has been cut, thereby attracting job creators and international companies.

Cameron and Osborne have not been nearly ambitious enough in their pruning of the dead weight of the state. The Tories should be far more savage towards the bloated mess left by Labour (together with the Labour shadow state of quangos, public bodies, "charities" who only work on "policy" funded by the taxpayer, etc). They need to be far more Thatcherite (and Lawsonite) in their approach.

But it's hilarious to watch the Guardianistas at MN falling over themselves to make try to discredit what is, however you spin it, pretty good news.

MatriarchMommy · 22/01/2014 23:48

Maybe its because a lot of people are having benefits stopped, that way they are not counted as claiming yet they are still unemployed

RhondaJean · 22/01/2014 23:54

Shite. I smell shite.

Ahhhhhh.

longfingernails · 22/01/2014 23:57

It's not just unemployment coming down. Employment (including full-time and youth employment) is higher.

7.1% unemployment is still too high though.

More needs to be done on both supplying the conditions for economic growth (for example, by further cutting public spending and using the proceeds to cut taxes). But fare more important is cutting welfare for those living on "Benefits Streets" up and down Britain much, much further and faster. Labour made a client state out of these people (no wonder White Dee votes Labour) but in doing so, they condemned them to a life without self-respect - benefits as a lifestyle choice.

Cutting welfare is not just economically sensitive. It is a moral imperative. There is no question that Labour are the welfare party (they even voted against a £26K benefits cap!) but Cameron isn't fighting the good fight with nearly enough vigour.

Custardo · 23/01/2014 00:01

bollocks. if the welfare bill was the problem - they should take away pensions - for it is the pensions that are the biggest drain. if cameron was serious at all about austerity he wouldnt introduce across the board free school meals, if he was serious he would collect the 65 BILLION in uncollected tax and tax loop holes.

the welfare debate is a ruse, a stinking ruse.

these figures are total bullshit
lies
damned lies
and
shit bastard statistics

you try working with families who can't fucking eat becuase of it

longfingernails · 23/01/2014 00:08

The universal free school meals are a bad idea, I agree. No idea why Cameron is doing it.

Pensions are different. Almost all pensioners have contributed to the state their entire lives. It's not welfare, it's an earned pension.

Actually that is a generic point. Far more of the entire welfare state should be made contributory; no-one begrudges compassion to those have fallen on hard times, but who have a history of good citizenship. Those who are out of work through temporary misfortune, but who have contributed for several years, should be treated with respect and dignity. Those who choose to leech; those who are on benefits as a lifestyle choice should be subject to tough love (food stamps instead of money would be a good start).

etoo · 23/01/2014 00:18

Pensions are different. Almost all pensioners have contributed to the state their entire lives. It's not welfare, it's an earned pension.

There's probably a lot of women who have never worked, or worked only sporadically who are claiming pensions. And people who just couldn't be bothered to work as well. The fact is that the contributions made by your current average pensioner don't equate to nearly as much as the amount they will typically take from the state in retirement. Don't forget that taxes pay for police, roads, NHS while you are working as well, they don't all get saved up to pay for a pension 40 years down the line.

It is correct to say pensions are the biggest welfare expense, it's a total nonsense that pensioner benefits, including those going to wealthy pensioners, are totally ringfenced from the cuts. Except of course if you're a politician trying to bribe your biggest voting block.

Custardo · 23/01/2014 00:22

those people are minimal - and focusing on them detracts from real issues like bullshit employment statistics, forcing families to not have any food.

the percentage of 'leechers' is so tiny, that this is purely an ideological standpoint. if austerity were the real issue, tax would be collected from those who refuse to pay it

including ATOS who havent paid tax - and G4S

if austerity was the issue then the MPs shouldn't get subsidised alcohol - with my tax and subsidised breakfast dinner and tea - from my money

i shouldn't be paying MPs mortgages either or for their swanky second homes - when a travel lodge would be half the price

why other universal benefits - winter fuel allowance? if you cant afford to heat your home - move.

RedToothBrush · 23/01/2014 00:22

Just because some one is employed doesn't mean they are working as many hours as they would like. I think they have looked at this before and discovered that whilst people are employed they are effectively 'under employed' so it gets them off JSA but not really better off.

The figures don't necessarily reflect the real picture of employment and certainly not whether households are better off.

Custardo · 23/01/2014 00:28

and the old people have not paid in what they got out - i am subsidising them, think nhs bills, longer life expectancy

then we get a classic announcement ...triple lock pensions to continue expected to cost the Government an extra £45billion over the next 15 years.

they would rather screw over the poor than actually think about the future of the country and how the fuck we can afford this - becuase oldies usually vote tory

so if you work in the public sector - you get shit all pay rises for years, but the pensioners get this?

becuase if this was changed linking state pension rises to average earnings could see pensioners £600-a-year worse off in 2026.

whats more - we now have auto opt into pensions - which in my guess, wont even exist when i retire

Custardo · 23/01/2014 00:30

or will i retire? my guess, the retirement age will increase again - at least twice, becuase we cannot sustain the pensions budget

Custardo · 23/01/2014 00:32

well put etoo

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