Aibu to wonder how you can claim JSA for years

[Talkativeparrot]

I know a couple who are in mid 20s. They have claimed JSA for five years plus one claims carers entitlement but does no caring. They get rent and council tax paid. Basically their lives seem to be one big day out. There are loads of jobs available locally so why do they not get made to try one. Doesn't make sense to me.

Afaik in a couple if one claims carers and therefor income support theres no need to look for work.

In theory you have to be caring for someone, but I do know someone that is officially caring for someone but she isn't. Her aunt gets high rate DLA/PIP and suggested to her that she could claim CA to 'help her out'. She then could claim IS, CT and HB. There are no official checks on Carer's, if the one in receipt of DLA signs to confirm they care for them it is job done.

Sounds good. You ought to get in in that action. Go on. Don't sit there being jealous and resentful. You too could live the dream.

Indeed. I think this everytime I see one of these threads tbh

I didn't expect to create such a debate and my intention was not to get at 99.9% of people on benefits. I've been there myself. It was more a question of a couple can get away with it. They told me they were both on JSA, and I know from the caree that the carer does no caring duties at all. And I know for a fact they are out most days - theme parks, drinking sessions, cinema. Maybe they do have another source of income.

The benefit system should be there for people who need it, not for people who take the piss. And yes, I do get annoyed about it, hence my post.

Sanctions are for not turning up to sign on.
Not true, they are implemented for a variety of often spurious reasons.

There are no official checks on Carer's, if the one in receipt of DLA signs to confirm they care for them it is job done.
Not true either.

What reason gilead?
I know people claiming dla for themselves then claiming carers for someone else, even though a third person was caring for them and recieving CA. How can you need care and give care-it doesnt make sense?

Gilead I am only speaking from my own experience. What sort of routine checks are made before the CA application is approved/processed to ensure that the carer is actually providing X amount of care hours? I assume if fraud is suspected they will do a surveillance check but cannot imagine that being routine.

Of course it makes sense, differing levels of care are required for different people. My dd doesn't claim carers allowance for me, however, she has to do up buttons, bras etc for me daily. I do get carer's for her.

stupid sanctions
imposing sanctions

Hate the tax evaders who do not contribute to the NHS and services despite being very wealthy, not the JSA claimants who receive £73 per week (£57.90 if under 25).

What Lisabel said.

I have been on JSA and ESA and believe me, the mess you get in financially , and with rent (because , believe it or not, nobody lives rent free in a house, some rent is paid from benefits) when they decide not to pay you ESA anylonger is a joke ,, 6 weeks wait then another 2 to get onto JSA, go in to job centre, sign on then wait a few days for a payment .
OP you know nothing.

I know from the caree that the carer does no caring duties at all. And I know for a fact they are out most days - theme parks, drinking sessions, cinema. Maybe they do have another source of income.

There is no Maybe about it .
They must have income from another source.

I nearly missed this one. I do like a good benefit bashing thread lol.

theme parks, drinking sessions, cinema and a BMW too!

Just a reminder that most people on benefits are working and if you are working and struggling you can claim benefits as a top up.

In order to claim though you do have to sign away the right to be criticise others so it might be too high a price for some.

To be fair pensioners have usually contributed to their pensions all their lives, they are just getting what the paid for !

Oh dear yet another benefits bashing thread.

Check this out

www.welfarerights.net/benefits-guides/Carers-Allowance

I don't know how they do it but they are out everyday thanks to Facebook

You mean you know they are out everyday thanks to Facebook?

It's summer, they don't work. I would hope they do go out every day. It would be miserable to be hiding away in the house all summer wouldn't it?

I assume you work. That means you get to have pay raise, you get to progress, change jobs, etc. Chances are that in ten years time you will have a good standard of living, they will still be on the equivalent of a few quid a week. And if the government suddenly decides to kick them off benefits at some point in their 40s/50s they'll be up shit creek. Funnel that jealous energy into doing something that will improve your life, don't worry about them.

Ignoring the factual issues (JSA and CA?) and judginess and answering only the title: A combination of poor employment prospects and doing the bare minimum.

I was on JSA back in 09/10. It was the depths of the recession, I couldn't relocate, I didn't have my own transport, and the longer I'm unemployed for the worse I look to potential employers. I was also a lazy fucker who'd do the minimum required job applications the day before signing on (something I don't think today's JSA claimants can get away with). The upshot is that over about a year of claiming (not continuous, I get a temporary job for a bit) I could count the number of interviews I got on one hand.

Oh, and the only reason I wasn't in crushing poverty and facing homelessness was that I had support from family. JSA is a pittance, and a pittance of a pittance for the young, and you're lucky if Housing Benefit even pays for the full rent.

Although the job market's improved since then, I still feel that it's in the interests of the rich and powerful to keep it an "employer's market" where many people must chase few jobs and finding work is hard, because that means employees won't risk losing their jobs over little things like laws and ethics.

Fast-forward a few years, and a friend of mine has been dismissed from one job for misconduct and didn't last a month in another before he was sacked for always being late. Unsurprisingly he's found it very difficult to get work, he's had some temporary and seasonal stuff but nothing ongoing.

Just one question - Yes I never understand how people on enhanced rates of PIP needing a carer themselves can then claim carers allowance for looking after someone for 35+ hours a week. If you are that disabled you need a carer yourself then how can you possibly care for someone else fr those number of hours. No-one regulates carers allowance , no one checks up. There are thousands of genuine carers who put in way more than 35 hours a week giving care 24/7 for the pittance of £64 a week. there are others who take the piss and no-one checks up. One thing that I have seen happen though is that if someone on DLA/ PIP claims to be a carer for someone else then it can go against them at their next disability assessment. It depends what care they are claiming to give. So if someone with physical health needs in a wheelchair ( for example) says that they prompt/ make decisions on behalf of their grown up child with learning difficulties then that would be accepted as valid caring. However if you claim for your Pip assessment that you cannot wash yourself then you are a carer and wash your disabled child then they may dispute that and it could go against you when you are re-assessed. I sat in on a PIP assessment for a lady with cancer - she was awarded highest rates of PIP- saying she couldn't walk etc. A few weeks later she put in a claim for carers allowance for looking after her elderly dad who lived the other end of the village. Pisstake.

I'm not jealous, just annoyed. But people will see it they way they want and that's their entitlement, much like I am allowed to be annoyed. Thank you for all the replies, it's been interesting to read them.

No-one regulates carers allowance , no one checks up.

Thats not true. DH was claiming carers allowance for me a while back and because someone reported us there was a huge investigation where it seems they watched out house for months Nothing came of it as we were clearly genuine, I mean I was on morphine just to have a kind of normal life and it still didn't take away my pain...I don't know if they only check on you if someone reports you, but we got checked.

Basically their lives seem to be one big day out.

Yeah, £75 per week to live on and pay bills, move aside Kim and Kanye

Viccky - Yes they check up if you get reported but otherwise not. That sounds really over the top having your house watched for months , just terrible. Glad it was a good outcome for you.

You might be claiming it for years yourself one day. You don't know what your own future holds. These jobs don't exactly grown on trees, do they

My dsis has just been awarded PIP. She has progressive supernuclei palsy and uses a wheelchair. Her dh has to be there 23/7. She needs help with every daily living activity. She has been awarded the lower benefit but I really think she should be on the higher rate. Has anyone any experience of this?

"Basically their lives seem like a big day out"

Are you taking the piss. Poverty is certainly not a life to be jealous of, FFS.
I think you need to turn your contempt to billionaire Tax.
Not a poor women or bloke who can't get a job.

Sorry should be 24/7.