AIBU to think 'cheers for leaving me up shit creek, society'?

[ahfuckHelpme]

I've lost my job and used this username to ask for extreme budgeting advice (which I got, nothing but love for MN for that :D )
I have no kids, was TTC (hence using this site) of course this has now stopped.
Myself and DH are under 25.
I have had job breaks in the last 2yrs, where I lost my job and had to find a new one. In total I've spent a few months unemployed in the last few years. I always do my best to find a job quickly but its not always easy.
Anyhow.
I tried to claim JSA, My initial claim was refused (for income based JSA) with no reason given. So I tried to claim the other type (Think its called contributions based) And was told I hadn't worked enough, fair enough. so I demanded an answer to why I couldn't claim JSA (income based) was told its because my partner earns over 16k a year, barely mind, but does. He's on 15.6k (Per year) after taxes and NI. he's paid 4 weekly and gets 1.2k per pay. however before deductions is on about 17k.
AIBU to think this is fucking shit? Our finances are so badly at breaking point we've had to apply for a debt relief order (referred to as mini bankruptcy) work is hard to come by. as of today there are 4 jobs within a 10 mile radius I can apply for and some of those have over 100 applicants(of course I've still applied but I'm prepared to be unemployed for a few months minimum) yet we can't even claim JSA for me.
PS. I'm also annoyed I was told to apply for income support, which I am not eligible for (not a carer/disabled/in education/no kids) but I applied for it anyway and today was told I'm not eligible for that either!
can't get housing benefit, still waiting to find out about council tax reduction but unlikely, can't get JSA, can't get income support. I'm sorting this the best I can (Advice isn't what I'm looking for as such but is definitely welcome!) I'm just ranting really.
In what world is it ok to leave people this badly up shit creek? I campaigned against lots of welfare 'reforms' (read: cuts) and will contnue to do so but even I didn't realize it would be this bad :(

OP if you are in a town or city stick an ad on local selling pages for your services as a cleaner. I'm assuming youre already doing that for your dog walking services otherwise i would suggest it for that too.

Its usually Africa thats used as an excuse for the race to the bottom.

Lots of good ideas on this thread. Many of us on here have done residential domestic jobs, jobs in holiday resorts and the like. Yes it's not fun being away from family and a loved one but you just have to do it to get on in life and they will sometimes pay your fare to get to the residential job by the way,.

OhtheRoses i think you need to check your privilege.

What does this mean?

Because Roses is another one who has suggested the OP move. An interesting comment she also made is that she has found that British ppl were willing to do the kind of job she means back in the 80s but she said not so much in the past 20 years. I wonder why that is.

If you are only renting and you are unemployed and your husban walks elsewhere then living in a place where neither of you works is mad. Moving doesn't have to be expensive, you can hire a van. If your husband is spending a fortune commuting you'd soon get the money back.
If you didn't work hard enough at school to get qualifications to get you a good job I'm not sure why that is someone else's fault. Some people just like to blame other people for their poor life choices. It does sound as though you are living in completely the wrong area.

I am stunned by how little people seem to understand about living in rental property 2rebecca. Yes, they could hire a van, but only after securing alternative accommodation. That requires saving a deposit, plus first month's rent, plus agency fees. How are the OP and her partner supposed to do that when they are living on 50 quid a week? And that's before they 'just hire a van'. Oh and the dig about qualifications was really classy.

YY Rochelle And it would be agency fees included too. Because its unlikely that it would be social housing because that is in very short supply now.

As for ppl making digs about qualifications...........they are usually also the type who look down on checkout operators and care workers.

Cant wait for 20 to 30 years time when the more privileged have to wipe Grannys arse themselves because with the birth rate dropping there certainly wont be the staff to do it for you.

Some of you need to have someone you can feel superior too.

Youre talking the guts of a grand at least for a 1 bedroom flat when you add up deposit +1st month's rent+ agency fees. thats not easy to save on one low wage that is already supporting two people.

2rebecca, what an utter arse you sound, I'm glad I know no one like you in real life.

OP WHAT ARE YOU QUALIFIED TO DO?

Dont shout at the OP.

She might not have had access to the internet, and not Want to come back to this thread anyway

Some horrible responses on here. OP PM me if you are still here. I might be able to help.

2Rebecca That's a vile dig to make about qualifications. There are many circumstances, not involving lack of effort on their part, that could lead to someone having 'insufficient' qualifications. And just for your information, there are plenty of us around with PhDs who are struggling to find work, even at a much lower level (it is actually possible to be over qualified) and don't have wealth to fall back on. Did we not work hard enough for you?

Regardless of qualifications OP is in a difficult enough situation as it is; ill-informed judgemental comments like that are of no use to anyone other than helping those making them feel superior.

Properties are regularly let on 6-12 month contracts. All the op and her boyfriend need to do is give notice and find digs. If they have looked after the property their deposit will be returned. Or, don't pay the next rent, flee to London, rent a room off gumtree and find a myriad of cleaning, retail, bar work, etc.

2rebecca can't be for real surely? I can't believe that any rational person thinks that the only reason someone would be unemployed is because they didn't work hard at school.

As for the 'just move' advice, I have no words. People suggest this all the time, and make digs about it being lazy not to, bad attitude etc. When my dh was unemployed (despite his degree and professional qualifications ) we were skipping meals because we couldn't buy food. We were running out of electricity for the meter. The idea of having money spare to hire a van and move (and in our case book flights, because we're in N Ireland and would have needed to relocate to England to access more jobs) was as unrealistic as flying to the moon.

Roses 'All the op and her boyfriend need to do is give notice and find digs.'

Are you a troll? I can't believe someone could be this willfully ignorant. Have you not read any of the posts which explain that finding 'digs' (though I prefer the term 'a new home'), costs a lot of money? Rental deposit isn't returned until after you've moved out either, so no, it can't be used as deposit on a new place.

No, I'm not a troll.

DH's grandad was sent down the mine a 14. At 18 he walked 30 miles to Cardiff and signed up. Never looked back.

The op and her boyfriend need to see out their tenancy if they can and then find cheaper accommodation, preferably closer to work.

None of us know enough details. We don't know what the op's skills are, whether she or her boyfriend have families who could take them in for a month or two to get them back on their feet. also we don't know if they need a van to move. If it's a rented flat they might have very few possessions and possibly could walk away with a couple of suitcases.

What we do know is that they are under 25, I believe fit and healthy and have very few ties. Therefore they do have options and should be taking them. If they can survive (just) with no extras on one pay, albeit minimally, if the op was working until recently and bringing I another, £800-£1000 a month, I'd be quite interested to know what all that money was going on and why they weren't putting £100pcm each into emergency funds. I don't think that's unreasonable.

I have a 21 year old who has always been able to earn £60pw in the holidays, often more and on coming him from his first year had a job sorted out in three days. Likewise my DD has babysat from the age of 15 just through neighbours and volunteering for things like brownies. She earnt £70 last week and is booked for £100 next week.

The op and her boyfriend need to see out their tenancy if they can and then find cheaper accommodation, preferably closer to work.

This is the last thing that the OP and her DH need to do right now. Her DH has a job that doesn't pay too badly although it by no means pays well.

This post was originally about the fact that the OP is not entitles to either JSA or IS and she was surprised. I think that she received some poor advice from her job centre but that is over and done with now.

Also the OP was angry that they are not entitled to any Tax Credits because they are under 25, well even if they were entitled they would only receive an additional £16.59 a week, so that would hardly pay for very much.

What I am more concerned about is the fact that (correct me if I am wrong) but it seems as if the OP and her DH are spending a lot of their income on debts, she mentioned a Debt Relief Order.

I think that she needs to get some professional FREE debt advice as soon as possible. I am sure that the CAB would be able to help her with this but I think that they may advice her in this situation to come to some kind of agreement with the people she owes money to whilst she is unemployed.

This needs to be sorted out urgently, there is no point paying off non-priority debts and being left with nothing to live on. Also (this is going to sound a bit harsh but) benefits are not supposed to be able to cover you paying off debts that you have already got. Benefits are meant to pay for people living costs day to day and nothing more.

Therefore I think that without her debt repayments the OP and her DH would find it a lot easier to cope on the £16000 a year.

To the OP: Please get some free professional debt advice and keep in touch.

OP I was in a similar situation in my twenties, this is what I did:

Short term: Temp work in factories, production lines etc while I got my degree
Turned up at the university and got casual work through their labour exchange (no one asked if I was a student, just assumed)
Worked in bars
Cleaned for family friends cash-in-hand

Medium term: Sold things I had of value eg old clothes on eBay
Organised my home so once I was working it would all be easier
Got library books about interviewing, earning at home and job skills so I didn't get despondent
Volunteered so I brushed up my relevant skills and made contacts/had references

Eventually: moved somewhere with better prospects

You're NBU to rail at society, YABU not to make the changes within your grasp.

Actually, the university job shop is a good idea. Admittedly it's often minimum wage and zero hours, but it's better than sod all which is what you're getting now. And it can lead to more permanent work. They may list jobs on their website or the student union's website.

If rent is an issue can you register for council housing/housing association? That way you wouldn't need a massive deposit and may be closer to work. Obviously it depends on the availability in your area, but it can be a good option.

And yes, seek further debt advice.

Good luck!

We are all groping in the dark when the OP has not given the merest clue as to what job she has been doing and what she aspires to do. She says there were only four jobs she could do in a ten-mile radius. We don't know if OP is being picky or truly there are a complete lack of local jobs.

I would tell my (under) 25-year-old self to take a gamble on life and move elsewhere, take a job on a ship (as others have suggested), join the circus... For a huge portion of one's life one is tied down: schools, later on jobs, property, schools again... and then one is too old for adventure.

OP in my late 20s i worked in a sex chatline office. It was taking payments and talking on the phone. Just talking.

Would this be an option?

I've replied to your PM with as much info as I could, OP.

I hope it's of some use to you!

Yes Roses They used to send kids up chimneys too. The good old days eh.