are furloughed people the new benefit scroungers?

[ghostmous3]

According to some posts that are doing the rounds on shitebook they are

Before lockdown people moaned about the 'feckless workshy' now the vitriol is aimed at the 'furloughed sitting on thier bums on beaches spreading germs, how dare they when weve got to work. We're paying for you're furlough'

I'm feeling bloody sensitive tonight. I didn't ask to be furloughed, I'm more than likely getting made redundant at the end of july and I dont go to beaches!

Tbh I do find it annoying that I have to work full time through this pandemic and my SIL is getting paid nearly double what I get to stay at home (yes she has gone to the beach) and my taxes will probably rise as a result and I won’t get a pay rise for years (NHS).
If they want to rise taxes to pay it back then they should just bring in a tax just for those who were furloughed.

I can't believe people are being so insensitive as to say such things, as if there was a choice in such matters. So many won't have jobs if this goes on much longer, I suppose that isn't considered. I wouldn't blame anyone for having a bit of relaxation if they can grab it during furlough, at least it takes their minds off the very real dilemma for a while, there aren't many perks in this time of uncertainty.

There's no room for resentment at the moment. It's an unworthy emotion at the best of times.

@Lololale Your comment was so Insensitive, although I don't condone people going to public places either, please do your homework before jumping on the bandwagon, the articles were discredited due to camara trickery none of which correlate to suggest a further rise. And yes I am a gap year medical student so I am fully aware of risk analysis. Also most of us currently furloughed do not wish to be furloughed and would love to work but there is no work available in comparison to the hundreds of thousands searching for work. I'm sorry you feel it unfair for your SIL to be off on double your pay, but perhaps use this as a stepping stone and gain a better job and qualifications long term so this won't happen to you again? Just like everybody else.

It's shit though

I'm so stressed with work. There was a thread on here about all the amazing things people have achieved on lockdown and it was like a kick in the teeth
I've had no chance to do anything at all
Plus my job will go, but in September, just as furlough finishes

It was always ridiculous to pay people's salaries for so long. That's what universal credit and esa are for. I'm only glad it won't be my taxes paying it back (sorry, key workers). I couldn't believe it when it was extended even longer. It's the government I am angry with about that, and everything else about their mishandling.

Many people don't see beyond the end of their nose and are sadly very selfish and self-absorbed. Hence stupid views on those furloughed. As if anybody would plan the economic uncertainty much less enjoy it!

@Lololale that's what I would suggest too. I don't think it's fair that those who have worked through this will be the ones that pay for those who didn't.
My whole family have worked through it and none of us agree with the level of furlough given. My dad was offered it and chose to work even though he isn't in great health - several of his colleagues have since died. The company are now fighting to get staff back who are refusing as they are 'too scared to leave the house' - these people have been seen multiple times out and about, off on day trips etc. Everything is in place now to keep them safe, but they refuse to return.
I know of quite a few people who are really enjoying being paid to sit on their arses and do not want to go back to work. These people are the ones causing the backlash against those like OP who want to work but have no choice but to be on furlough. It's sad that these people will suffer job losses through no fault of their own when there are so many refusing to work.

Both me and my DP have already been told that we will have pay freezes and probable job losses, coming after years and years of the same. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth that there are huge numbers of people being paid to do nothing or taking a second job while collecting furlough too. If the government asked for something in return from these people, the bad feeling towards them would be far far less. If you read the boards on here, a large number of people are much better off during furlough due to not paying for childcare and commuting costs. It doesn't seem fair that they are benefitting while the ones who worked through it will suffer long term.

My DP does have one relative who is furloughed and she is desperate to return to work and is furious with the work shy. She has no idea whether she will have a job (private school) when lockdown lifts. She's 69 so wouldn't really have a chance at finding another job and wouldn't be able to pay her mortgage.

My assistant is furloughed and I worry for his mental health. I spoke to him a few days ago and he sounded really down. He desperately wants to come back to work, he is bored, missing the routine and having purpose.

No envy from me.

Unless you're not planning on working or buying VATable goods for the next god knows how many years, @NoHardSell, your taxes will be paying for this financial outlay.

And it's not just key workers who pay taxes, despite your apology to them suggesting it is. We're ALL going to be impacted by this pandemic on an economic level.

The Chancellor clearly decided that keeping people employed was better in the short term than them all becoming instantly unemployed due to no work. I'm no economist, but the economic shock of a massive percent of the workforce losing their jobs would likely be greater than the effect of furlough.

And @Lololale, read the bloody room. 🤦‍♀️

@catfeets, you do know that most people aren't 'offered' furlough; it's forced on them? I'd suggest your dad's company may be abusing the scheme if the employees can pick and choose whether they take it or not.

Furlough, working, not working, shouldn't we be able to find time for a bit of relaxation?

A few nights ago, I had to go out for a walk even though I'm technically locked in until June 15 at the earliest. Omg, it was so nice, along with my previous escapes. I went for a long walk, it was lovely in quiet for a change and spent some time at the Thames.

There's always some moment of the day or night that it is possible, or at least was, to go out for a walk providing of course you know you can.

@ghostmous3 go for it, nothing to lose. I haven't checked since lockdown, but there were loads of free online courses that came with credits offered by loads of places. When I've been on bed rest over the years and wanting something to keep the mind ticking along, I did lots of them in various subjects. Probably got enough points from them for a degree.

@catfeets most people weren't "offered it" they were forced off by their employers and left with no pay and have had to beg their employers to sign to it. Do not blame the furloughed blame the business owners and General employers, do your homework.

There but for the Grace of god...

I'm an atheist and I think this is a great sentiment. All of us could be any of us .

I am planning on not working, yes. I fully intend to get my own money's worth out of this, seeing as the new plan seems to be to let half of society sit on their arse on nice salaries and refuse to return to work because 'frightened'
Ok
I don't agree with the majority of you, but if that's how it's going to be then I choose sitting at home on my arse rather than working to pay for someone else to sit at home on their arse on a higher amount of money than me
Once my job goes, I'm out

And I am sorry for key workers. They are the ones whose jobs are secure and who will be paying for this in public sector pay freezes and tax hikes.

I think this pandemic has certainly brought out the worst in some people. I’ve worked all the way through this, trying to keep a business afloat but don’t for one minute feel aggrieved at the furloughed. This situation has had few winners. There is a few people having a ball but I think very few genuinely are. They have their worries, financial and emotional and you can’t often tell what they’re going through when you only see a snapshot of their lives.
I have one friend who, on paper, looks like she’s having an easy ride through this when in reality she’s really quite anxious and depressed.
We need to all be kinder and not look sideways. People are often competitively outraged op, fuck em, take no notice. Hope it all works out for you.

@Aclh13 where did I say most people were offered furlough? I said my dad was. I also said I felt sorry for those who had no choice. No homework to be done at all so stop trying to find a way to be offended where there is none.

@NoWordForFluffy they aren't abusing the scheme, they just had to severely reduce employees. He's a key worker but they couldn't keep everyone on. And again, yes I bloody know most aren't offered furlough, I never said they were.

I wouldn’t go to that extreme at all BUT I have had moments of bitterness and envy. I’m emergency services and we’ve had some of our days off cancelled and I’d been having to get up at 3am and it does grate a bit when a friend on furlough for the foreseeable complains of being bored.

There will ALWAYS be people who will jave done well....and others who are finding it massively difficult...

All emergency schemes mean that some do better than others it's the nature of the beast. But they HAVE to be in place.

1. Furlough from well paying jobs +secure job+ a side hustle /days in the sun =brilliant!

2. Furlough from an economically dodgy industry + probable job loss + difficult mental health. = horrible

@NoHardSell you're deluded. I am not on a nice salary, I am on minimum wage so 80% of my wages is less than minimum wage. The majority of furloughed people are low paid - bar staff, retail assistants, beauticians.

And if you think that people are sitting at home refusing to work you're deluded. We can't do that. When my employer asks me to come back to work, I will have to go back or I will stop getting paid (I'm desperate to go back and I'd go back tomorrow if I could).

And who cares if furloughed people are going to the beach? Should we sit at home in the dark self flagellating because of something that's beyond our control?

Furlough does have to be agreed between employee and employer. You can't blame people for choosing it over redundancy though.

All my children's friends are on furlough. 16 and 17 year olds
What kind of stupid system is this?
We have a scheme in place already: universal credit
When was it agreed by the whole of society that we would just pay people's wages and not expect them to look for work?
You can't be surprised that not everyone agrees with it as a policy
Fine for a couple of weeks, but months and months and months? Actually, I don't agree with that.

@NoHardSell universal credit is for people who have no job and are looking for work. Furloughed people have jobs, they just can't do them at the moment.

Although I have to say I don't really agree with teens who live with their parents getting furlough pay. And there are definitely some employers out there who are abusing it. I hope those employers who are using the scheme to save money are investigated and made to pay the money back.

That's another thing that baffles me. Where do people think all this cash is coming from?
It won't be just a couple of select industries that will be paying it back. It will be everyone.

One of my dd's has had to go into work every day more or less since lockdown. She's thinking oh great. Don't know why I bothered, I'm going to be paying this shit off for the rest of my life.

My other dd, when all the furlough stuff started being mentioned, she job hunted for anything just to have a job. When her company put everyone on furlough, she said don't bother with me. I'm not coming back. There was a couple of weeks wait for inbetween ending and starting and of course, she was extremely lucky. Now she's thinking, I tried to do the right thing and fucked over. What annoyed her, workers wanted to work and it could have been done.

They are both in their early 20's. If things rise too much it will mean a massive step back for them. As it will with everyone else.

And yup, of course, there are those on furlough who are lapping it all up. Do you blame them really? It's the dream job for many. Think about the jobs some of them had, high stress, long hours, long commutes or only going home at weekends.

And when you MH isn't in a good place to begin with, when you've had a prolonged time away, many have those "nerves" And it will be harder at the moment because today we are told this, and tomorrow we are told forget about yesterday, we are now doing that.

I don't know the solution, and thankfully it's not down to me. I'd rather just take on loads more of the negativity.

I know most people on furlough would rather work. I also know that for many furlough just means redundancy (and universal credit...) is just pushed out a couple of months.
however, I do need to restrict myself from lashing out at people telling (well , writing on social media) about all the amazing things they’ve done with their kids/amazing movies they watched/how bored they are when i have had to reduce sleeping hours to under 6 just to cope with work (fulltime) and 2 kids.
I will be forever jealous of the ones who will just walk back into their job and basically had an extended holiday. And accrued holiday in the time as well, when I had to use mine hour by hour just to catch a bit more sleep.But I know the majority are a tiny step away from loosing their job, and are stressed.
Its hard for everyone in the moment, and stress brings out the worst