Confused re attitude to benefits and work experience

[catontheroof]

Your thoughts please - why has it become so politically incorrect to suggest that fit adults in this country should be expected to work for a living?

I believe that we need a safety net but cannot understand why people should not have to take jobs that they are qualified for if those jobs exist. I also cannot understand why people "deserve" tax credits etc.

If large chunks of our population do not work then our GDP is low. The only way that we can afford to have so many on benefits with a relatively high standard of living is by importing goods from other countries where the workers live and work in atrocious conditions.

Why do we think that it is right and proper that people in this country sit around being paid not to work whilst tens of thousands all over the world work in sweat shops to provide them with a lifestyle?

If our fit population all worked then we'd increase GDP and have money to help people in other countries where there is real poverty.

there are NO jobs

there are some - just low paid. Why won't people in this country work for low pay? They expect people in other countries to do so.

Why aren't people on benefits ashamed to be living off strangers?

*A case in point, Peter Lilley defending tax credit cuts by saying 'I don't see why people can't work another 3 or 4 hours a week'

No, you wouldn't...... and therein lies the problem with this government.*

have you any idea how many hours people in the countries without deficits are working???

I think people have become snobby about what sort of jobs they should do in GB. I used to stack shelves in Sainsburys when I was in the 6th form and work on a til. I also did a retail job for 2 years' after this. isn't it better to be having a purpose rather than just sitting around watching day time tv or mooching around the shopping centre? at least if you go on workfare, you have to get up and get organised.

I suppose it is difficult though if you have young children not at school.

I don't know if Tesco is the right place but small businesses etc would be ok.

I think it is a bit late to sort this out as now have so many people chasing jobs but I wonder how people became like this in the first place.

I agree that is really bad that our young people cannot get a job

It sounds a cliche and harsh but 'beggars can't be choosers'. what would people do if the country went bankrupt and there were no money to pay benefits. Look at Greece.

I think cat does raise some important points.

2.6 Million unemployed
463,000 jobs.

so why don't we just have 2.2 million unemployed?

I suppose it is difficult though if you have young children not at school.

most in this position could work as childminders - this would make childcare more affordable as would increase the supply.

Why is it snobby to want to be paid? Lots of people couldn't get christmas jobs this year because there were no jobs because the jobs had become workfare. You should think yourself lucky you could get a job in the sixth form in a supermarket because lots of young people are now finding those jobs not available because of workfare.

But it takes a long time to become registered as a CM, and it also takes money. You cant just set up overnight.

When I was made redundant 4 years ago I took the only job I could get which was part time. I thought it was preferable to signing on. I kept pushing for more hours and job hunting for another job too. I didn't claim TC I skipped meals to pay bills and feed dd. Yet that makes me lazy and greedy does it OP?

I met DH and fell pregnant, we decided I'd take a short break from job hunting and hope things would be better in the job market after dd was 6months old. However DH was made redundant when I was 37 weeks. He has had no job hunting success, I haven't even had a reply and they won't increase my hours. We applied for CTC in desperation to avoid homelessness and starvation tiding us over during the job hunting. You'll be pleased to know OP that they rejected our claim even on appeal. DH's entitlement to CBJSA will soon expire and we will get nothing but CB. We do our best to job hunt yet people like you OP feel the need to judge. Greedy and entitled? Well gloat away from your position of perfection while we starve with fuck all support from the state, gloat away when my dds are taken into care.

Post's like your OP really piss me off. Do you really believe you know the reasons every part time worker works part time, or why unemployed people are unemployed? Considering the number of people in the above situations I doubt very much you do know.

".. if housing costs had not been allowed to get so insanely high ..."

What do you mean by allowed ?

How would you prevent this?

Would you advocate State intervention in the housing market? Are you advocating a large increase in the land available for building? Would you say that mortgages should be further restricted to force funds and thus prices down?

Presumably the reason there are 463,000 jobs is because at any one time, vacancies have to be advertised and then filled. It would be totally bizarre if at any point in time, no job vacancies whatsoever were in existence. There will be people going on maternity leave etc and creating those vacancies. Many of the jobs will be taken be people who are not classed as unemployed (students, SAHM etc) so the existence of those vacancies doesn't mean those jobs will go to unemployed people.

Folkgirl why don't you work as a childminder?

catontheroof Wed 07-Mar-12 14:46:51

i completely agree with this post.

"2.6 Million unemployed
463,000 jobs.

so why don't we just have 2.2 million unemployed?"

Say we did - what then?

Hecub I do think that everyone should have a roof over thier heads, basic health care and food. However beyond that I would rather that my money went to help though in other countries who are far, far worse off than anyone in the UK.

What I cannot understand is why anyone in the UK feels entitled to a standard of living that is so much higher than that experienced by the majority of people in the world

Oh and the reason there are those 450k ish vacancies can be explained by normal job turnovers.

Cat, you do seem to be out of touch. Many people who are on benefits can't work as childminders not only because of the qualifications required but also because their houses don't meet the minimum space or safety standards required of a child minding business.

The number of people registering as childminders is likely to go down because many work full time but don't get the minimum wage for doing so. Other universal credit rules they would thus be considered to not be working full time, so would be made to stop childminding to complete things like job seeking and workfare instead.

BINGO!

Bored now.

So because other countries have it worse I should lose my children? FUCK YOU!

what i think is very telling is how much 'the rich' are hated. but its the top 10% that pay 40% of all income tax.

So because other countries have it worse I should lose my children? FUCK YOU!

thats really hysterical.

My tenancy agreement doesn't allow a business to be run from home.. Never mind OP once I'm homeless maybe they'll let me CM from a cardboard box, then again......

Hecuba Why dont you stay away from threads like this, you posted the other day about how they make you feel awful so be kind to yourself and hide them.

Yeh I find it so fucking funny tilly.

"Why aren't people on benefits ashamed to be living off strangers?"

Dunno, why aren't you ashamed of all the free education, free medical care, child benefit, etc you've personally received from strangers, caton? And that you now receive on behalf of your family?

If you are ashamed at this, I can help.

Write out a big cheque - it doesn't have to be the full amount you've received from strangers - and I will use it install solar power and a borehole for a small-scale farmer I know in a developing country. She's desperate for irrigation: she lost most of her crops this year because of poor rains. By the way, her family don't get free education or healthcare: when one of the children gets ill she has to pay for the clinic out of the funds she's trying to save up for a pump.

Though mind you, then she'd be receiving money from strangers. Maybe she'd have to feel ashamed as well?

Who says I'm not ashamed?