To have cried!

[7dayslater]

I'm 19. DS is 18 months.

I live with DP & DS. I work hard, I have 2 jobs. DP works too. So, no we don't just sit on our arses, but we still need UC help to pay the bills. I want(ed) to train and work in the NHS. I'm also interested in politics.

So yeah, when I woke up this morning and saw the election result I cried. Austerity is very real, it's not a joke or a fictional story. With the way it is right now, I cannot afford an education. I cannot afford to study for a career. I'm stuck where I am.

Sadder still, others have it far worse. There are children in poverty, a homelessness crisis, the NHS is crumbling when people need it more than ever. I can respect democracy. I can respect the vote. But I have to ask, for people like me - what now?

It is true that the working classes voted for this. Many ' rich' socialist types around who didn't. It baffles me , but the 'working class Tory ' is real and they all voted in droves.

Anyway, OP , do not despair. Lots of good advice on here and I hope you will read them all and get what you want from life. My son is redundant now ( possibly Brexit related) and moping about the result! I told him to grow a backbone and try to get on (but gently! ) He needs to realise you can't mope forever.
The result is what it is and we can't change that.
I know it's harder when you have kids though. It is tough.

It's not easy and the young have been screwed but there are ways out of things and ignore the haters. Things were a bit easier years ago ; I think too many people have rose tinted glasses sometimes.
Good luck with things!

Young women or girls have babies and struggle because they have to means to provide for them.

Well maybe they shouldn't have babies then? At least not at that point in time.

OrangeTwirl

But why? Why can’t we look out for each other and do what we can to stop people from suffering?

What in God’s name did you think was going to happen if Lib Dem’s, or labour won. It wouldn’t of changed a thing for starters, Infact I lie, you would of been poorer.

No one has a right to great education, or a right to a lovely house or a right to a well paid job.

It involves work, motivation sometimes luck yes, but a positive attitude.

The British government is not there to give everyone a perfect life. Stop crying and adopt a positive attitude.

@7dayslater this might've been mentioned but I got depressed by all the shitty responses so haven't rtft. Boris said that they're bringing back the nursing bursary and it's going to be £5k, it's not great but it's a lot more than DS2 or his girlfriend got.

If you want to go into nursing look into access courses, some can be done online so theoretically you could still work while you study.

Don't be too downhearted. You can do and be whatever you want, don't let anyone tell you different. Make some enquires and appointments now and who knows by the time you're 25 you could be completely settled in a career. There's more than one way to live a life after all .

Good luck.

There are Govt schemes where you don't repay the loan til you're earning over a certain amount & many, many colleges & Universities have bursaries that help with the cost of studying. Social Work degrees get funding of fees & incentives other degrees don't etc. Check with your Colleges & course provider & do some googling. All is not lost.

Well maybe they shouldn't have babies then? At least not at that point in time.

But when I say "stuff happens", I mean they may not have a choice. Sometimes women find out too late to have an abortion or are opposed to abortions for some reason.

Sometimes women have babies when they have a decent job and feel able to provide for them, then something happens, like a messy divorce or serious illness and they no longer can

Tell yourself "that could never happen to me" all you like. You are closer to needing help than you probably think. We all are. Most people couldn't afford rent or mortgage if they lost their job. People lose their jobs all the time, sometimes unexpectedly. Unless you have a huge amount in savings, chances are you might struggle.

You are only 19. you chose to have a child first before studying. There will be plenty of time to study later when you are in a better financial situation.

No one has a right to great education, or a right to a lovely house or a right to a well paid job.

Why not? Why aren’t people entitled to a decent basic standard of living?

As the saying goes... give a nan a fish and he'll feed himself once. Give him a rod and he'll feed himself forever.

If the govt. Are not providing what you need.... Get a job and provide for yourself!

You have just misinterpreted your own quote. Who gives them the fishing rod? Is that not a hand out? Fucking scrounging fisherman.

But why? Why can’t we look out for each other and do what we can to stop people from suffering

Why can't people take responsibility for themselves?

Most of us started off in the gutter and work hard for a better life for ourselves and our children.

Plenty of people who are struggling work hard too, you know.

If there were no hand outs those without a job would find one.

And where are all these jobs supposed to magically come from? I find this statement breathtakingly naive - this ethos would only work if there was full (or pretty close to full) employment. Don't you follow the news, businesses are regularly closing down and making people redundant. There aren't anywhere near enough jobs to go round, so it's nowhere near as simple as 'finding one'. Sheesh.

Indeed! Bastards!

Why can't people take responsibility for themselves?

Quite often they can. Sometimes they’re dealt a hand that makes that very very hard.

Thread running too fast - that was a reference to the fisherman!

But when I say "stuff happens", I mean they may not have a choice. Sometimes women find out too late to have an abortion or are opposed to abortions for some reason.

I agree with this (although it seems to happen 'all the time' whenever this topic is brought up). There is nothing in the OP to suggest this is the case though, just that the (Tory) government should be 'doing more'.

Either way, they have two incomes (albeit one of them I assume is part time), subsidised housing and UC to top up their wages so it sounds like they already are getting support. It may not be a luxurious life but that's not the purpose of UC, it's a lifeline.

And in fact, would 'giving the fisherman a rod so he can feed himself forever' not be an education in the OP's case?

BeatriceTheBeast

Beat me to it! Education is a tool.

Why are people hung up on “net contributors”? So are only net contributors allowed to voice their opinions?

Well my parents would certainly fall into that category. Immigrated to the U.K. in the late 60s, already full trained and qualified as doctors, and worked as NHS doctors for about 40 years until their retirement several years ago. They have always contributed to the system and paid their fair share of higher taxes. They have always been, and still are, Labour supporters.

There will be people who think those less fortunate than them do not deserve a helping hand in life. And then there will be people, like my parents, who use their position and standing in society to help and give back to those less fortunate.

Time for some people to look past the end of their noses. Saddened by some of the responses on here.

Why not? Why aren’t people entitled to a decent basic standard of living

Of course you are....If you can provide it for yourself, without expecting others to pay for your lifestyle.

Why can't people take responsibility for themselves?

Can you really not work out why some people can't?

True @PBo83 and the conversation has moved on now since people started saying "no handouts for lazy mothers". But yes, the op does get some support, which I think is a good thing, as she probably needs it at the moment.

Surely the OP wanting to train to better support herself is actually asking for 'a fishing rod'? Honestly, the poster mutilating that particular cliche is just making themselves sound a bit dim.

Please go back into education, please. Don't be scared of the student loan or any of that, it will be worth doing.

And in a civilised society, a warm, safe place to live and an education counts as a basic human right.