The joyful joys of Job Seekers allowance just got more joyful in the UK

Hello , i`m not a 'hardcore' ATS thread starter but i thought i`d open this one to let ya`ll know what has just been swept under our feet in the big old cesspit we used to call England.

Last year i was homeless and unemployed , so i started claiming jobseekers allowance and everything was picking up a little .... then ... i was forced into a month of unpaid labour (ILLEGAL and in direct violation of your human rights) after this i was forced on to the two year "work programme" and made to sign daily since i was homeless.

So i was living on the streets , hardly getting any sleep , going to work for free , and walking a mile and a half to the jobcentre every day after work , this was in december by the way . Yes , over christmas .

Needless to say i voiced my opinion , politley told them to **** off , and went on my merry way back to the dirty streets of Sunderland. Which brought a hefty 26 week sanction lasting up until the 19th of October.

I started work in June through an agency (against my beliefs) and was doing ok untill they refused to pay me after a week of 12 hour night shifts because my time sheet was supposedly handed in late by one of thier staff , i was told i could be paid the same day but would only get 70 % of my wages , or i could get the full amount the next payday.

Needless to say i took the next payday and politley told them to **** off .

So i tried to claim JSA straight away and was told my sanction was still active so i needed to wait . I was refused crisis loans and i eventually got the ball rolling on the 19th .

Today , the 22nd of October i attended my initial interview , and to my surprise i was handed a letter stating that from TODAY the rules have changed , i dont have a scanner so here :

------ Important changes to Jobseeker`s Allowance Sanctions from Monday 22 October 2012 ------

How will this affect me ?

From 22 October 2012, the law is changing. The amount of benefit you recieve will not change.
However , if at any time in the future you fail to meet the conditions attached to recieving
Jobseeker`s Allowance, the way your benefit is affected will change.

To qualify for Jobseeker`s Allowance, you must :

~ be available for employment
~ be activley seeking employment
~ have a current jobseeker`s agreement, and
~ comply with any reasonable conditions that your advisor asks you to.

From 22 October 2012 if you do not meet the conditions you are asked to, without a good reason,
your benefit could be affected.

~ You could lose your benefit for 13 weeks, 26 weeks or 156 weeks (three years), if you :

~ leave a job voluntarily or lose a job due to misconduct on your part
~ fail to take part in a mandatory work activity programme
~ fail to take a suitable employment oppertunity or
~ refuse or fail to apply for a job which your adviser has notified to you.

*cut*

So from that section alone you can see what direction this country is heading in , for starters you will get a sanction for three years , which still counts if you sign off ,then on top of that you have no other options for benefits , yes , AFRICAN poverty in Britain ....... great times.

During my interview today the slightly dopey woman that dealt with me brought up a screen on her magical box of anti - humanity , ratlled her communist keyboard , and told me that i still need to attend the questionably "mandatory" work programme .

She presented me with another letter which states , and i quote , that : " You must take part in the work programme until you are told otherwise or your claim for jobseeker`s allowance ends. "

The letter says nothing about the work programme remaining active once you sign off , she wanted me to sign an agreement to say i read the letter and understand i must attend .

Needless to say , i politley ...... ..... explained that i was not comfortable signing it as i would be agreeing to attend the work programme which i ended in February , and the letter she had shown me did not state that i still need to attend.

She told me i was wrong , obviously , to which i replied .... " is a P45 provided after the termination of a contract " ?

She said yes , so i told her that i recieved a p45 from the jobcentre when i terminated my claim and the begining of the year, which means all agreements between myself and the jobcentre under that contract , including those involving the work programme are now non - existent .

I thought she was going to explode , she was not taking no for an answer and wriggled away by saying "you dont need to sign it , i`ll just say i`ve gave you the letter " are these people for real or what ? have i woke up in an alternate reality ?

Are you seriously going to sit there and take this , my fellow countrymen , will you cower in the face of the facist tories ? your parents did not , your grandparents did not , so why are you sitting there waiting for superman to blow the problems away ?

Anyone got any input on my quite poor thread ? i dont want to look like a rambling physco talking to myself here

What work did you do before you became homeless?

Tsom87

My take on the situation is they are giving out community service to the unemployed as the tories probably think that if they are not convicted criminals, they must merely have not been caught.

I am not surprised though as they have recently halved my housing benefit when I have medical problems that have caused me to be on esa benefit and my total benefit ( hb and esa) does not even cover my rent. Infact I have spent time in a ymca before and my housing benefit doesnt even cover their rates.

Originally posted by TSOM87
What work did you do before you became homeless?

Tsom87

I was a site labourer before i became homeless.

i`ve had many jobs , i was an apprentice bar-fitter , an apprentice joiner , a chain boy (assistant civil engineer) , a bar steward , a handy man, and my last job was as an "Assembler" but i did more labouring/joinery than anything else. I`ve been painting/decorating for friends and family for about 5 years now with no complaints.

I`m 25 , have PPE and a few decent tools , if you know anyone that`s looking for a grafter.

Originally posted by lewman
My take on the situation is they are giving out community service to the unemployed as the tories probably think that if they are not convicted criminals, they must merely have not been caught.

I am not surprised though as they have recently halved my housing benefit when I have medical problems that have caused me to be on esa benefit and my total benefit ( hb and esa) does not even cover my rent. Infact I have spent time in a ymca before and my housing benefit doesnt even cover their rates.

They are trying to severely cripple the country , the tories want to sell us out completely to the Americans and the EU , but they want to suck as much money out of us as possible before they scatter.

The thing that confuses me is thier approach , "her who sal not be named" sold us out , put everyone out of work , then treat the unemployed (A.K.A everyone) like scum .

And our best mate "Dave" , is doing exactly the same thing , and it is mainly out of spite ..... he actually isnt that educated , he thinks he`s there to make jokes in PMQ`s and "look cool " with his hug a hoodie bull# .

If anyone needs proof they are born and bred liars , just look at them dodge that "pleb" incident .

The ymca is a soul destroying place , i worked in the local one for six months and got on well with everyone since it was for 16 - 25s or something so most of them were my age , great job really , just the constant tension isnt something i`d reccomend.

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH. I was going to go into a rant, but, I stopped myself and thought about what to say here. I was made redundent a couple of years ago and signed on for job seekers allowance. LOOK AT WHAT IT IS CALLED ........................... JOB SEEKERS ALLOWANCE............not doss around and expect me to pay for you allowance. I am a highly skilled furniture maker, I once made a confrence table that cost £64,000 ........ so I guess I can say I'm pretty much at the top of the game. Whilst unemployed I went to sainsbury's, tesco's, mcdonalds,you name it I went there to SEEK A JOB didn't matter what or where as long as I was earning enough to support my family (albeit modestly) . When in South Africa I made the effort to go to sowetto to see REAL poverty and was humbled. I live on an estate where the council throw all the junkies drug dealers and single mums, BUT I pay my mortgage, my taxes, and all my bills. As a home owner I wasn't eligable for help, but if I was renting the council would have paid it for me, Around me I see people that have not worked a day in the 6 years I've lived here but are more than capable of doing so, they have better T.V.'s than me because I can't afford a 42" plasma (because I'm paying for guys like you). Are we gonna take it dossers whinging because they are scared of work ....... NO ............. Is it time you got off your lazy arse and stopped EXPECTING us to pay for you ....... YES .......... You obviously have access to a computer and internet try looking for a sodding job whilst using it instead of whining that the rest of us are sick of paying for you to sit around on your lazy arse whinging the job seekers isn't enough to buy a 3D T.V. and the latest X-box. Make and stand against the government ? ........... HELL YEAH ......... TO CUT YOUR BENIFITS AND FORCE YOU TO WORK. Just athought the army is recruting. Ever thought of helping to protect the freedom you obviously enjoy, or is it easier to sit around complaining and let the rest of us die for your stupidity ? YES I am also an ex soldier/ If I'd known at the time that I was fighting for this kind of opinion I'd have laid down my weapons and let them in. If only to rid us of our self mede parasites. If you don't like then sodding well leave. You live in free country with free choice .................... the chice to leave is your's sir. Or don't you have the balls to take the consequences of your actions?
Peace

reply to post by cody599


Why don't you employ him? Highly skilled furniture maker.

Tsom87

Well first off, those nasty tories making it difficult to just sit on your arse giving no real effort towards getting a job is fine by me, considering I have to work my ass off, give most of my earnings away as tax and are still no better off than those claiming benefits. so its all fine by me, how can the state be expected to just give money away with no real end in sight when the country is bankrupt by all but name.

Secondly there is an easy way out of this, get a frigging job and when you have finally got one, don't walk away from it like you have previously. I'm glad they are making it difficult, I'm sick of paying through the teeth in Taxes for lazy #es to sit on their arses all day watching Jeremy Kyle.

Just stop and think for a moment..

Employers now have a free reign to treat their workers badly. Its not going to take employers long to realize that they can hold their workers hostage because of these new rules!

Lets say you get a job with decent wages that allows you to be able to drive to work each day because its some distance away. Now lets say that your employer after a couple of months decided to drop your wages to minimum pay and you can no longer afford to drive to work. You wont be able to quit your job because of the new rules!

I have a feeling that these new rules are just part 1 of a larger plan that is going to totally screw over the job seekers and workers in this country so that the richer can keep getting rich. So all you people who think "well stop being lazy and get a job!" should realize that these new rules are going to effect you as well. Your wages could be dropped because of these new rules and you wont be able to leave your job because there will be no support while you look for a new one. Believe me good jobs are hard to find these days.

So you loose your decent job and go to job seekers for help while you look for another, they force you to apply for a job that is minimum wage, you get the job and you can no longer afford the payments on your house or car. You are not allowed to refuse the job and you are not allowed to quit once you get it!!!

So everyone who currently has a job think twice before backing this set of new rules because you think everyone who hasnt got a job is just lazy. No one has a job for life these days and you could find yourself in a terrible position in the future because you believe the governments BS that this is good for the country and all jobless people are delinquent bums.

A. I'm not the boss
B. I wouldn't employ any that expects money for nothing

reply to post by cody599


I'd give you 10 stars for that if i could.

reply to post by cody599


Sounds like a rant to me, but the fact is, the statement "we are all born equal" as that famous slave driver once said, is simply not true. The bloke who made the thread stated that he was homeless and he lives in Sunderland. So how was he supposed to turn up all smart for an interview in a place with one of the lowest amount of job opportunities in the whole of England.

He also sounds like he has had numerous jobs in his life at the age of 25.

reply to post by michael1983l
Cheers buddy just being honest. ................ Be special ............ Be yourself. Angels on your pillow.

reply to post by cody599


Ask your Boss then. You want him to get a job?

Tsom87

reply to post by lewman


UMMMMMMMMM yeah kinda turned into a rant for which I apologise profusely. However if you log on to the jobseekers web site there is plenty of work ................. even if it isn't what you want................. it is work and it is money. My pride doesn't allow me to scrounge, it's not the way I was dragged up. Work hard, be true to your family and friends and above all love your kids.
Peace

I think the whole welfare system is screwed and I know many agree. It is too easy for people to sit in their home (payed for by the tax payer) watch mind numbing daytime TV (which they bought with their benefits = tax payer) and go to the Job centre once a week to sign a form that says they are looking for a job. Alternatively, there are the parents out there who can afford to have 6 children, all payed for by the state who then complain that they are living in poverty. I am married, both of us are on a decent salary each, we have a mortgage and bills to pay and WE can't afford one child!!! Life is tough when your jobless but it's tough and frustrating when you're working all the hours god sends to pay for other people to sit around all day whinging!

My gran has a neighbour who has been out of work for two years. He cannot find a job, try as he might. The reason he can't find a job is because there aren't any companies hiring fork lift drivers. My answer to this (in my mind) was "Well open your narrow lazy mind to a different job!" What's wrong with cleaning, stacking shelves or picking cabbages for gods sakes? There are plenty of jobs out there but people are so stuck in this welfare system with the choice to either claim or do a job they don't like. Obviously they are going to choose the former. This mandatory job scheme SHOULD be enforced and everyone who is claiming, as long as they are able, should be forced to do whatever job is available not let us hard workers pick up the tab.

I'm sick of paying for the Jeremy Kyle nation and if anyone should be moaning about the government it's us slaves to the tax system!

reply to post by TSOM87


WHY ? We all work hard and enjoy helping each other. Why would we want a dosser to bring us down ?

Originally posted by cody599
AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH. I was going to go into a rant, but, I stopped myself and thought about what to say here. I was made redundent a couple of years ago and signed on for job seekers allowance. LOOK AT WHAT IT IS CALLED ........................... JOB SEEKERS ALLOWANCE............not doss around and expect me to pay for you allowance. I am a highly skilled furniture maker, I once made a confrence table that cost £64,000 ........ so I guess I can say I'm pretty much at the top of the game. Whilst unemployed I went to sainsbury's, tesco's, mcdonalds,you name it I went there to SEEK A JOB didn't matter what or where as long as I was earning enough to support my family (albeit modestly) . When in South Africa I made the effort to go to sowetto to see REAL poverty and was humbled. I live on an estate where the council throw all the junkies drug dealers and single mums, BUT I pay my mortgage, my taxes, and all my bills. As a home owner I wasn't eligable for help, but if I was renting the council would have paid it for me, Around me I see people that have not worked a day in the 6 years I've lived here but are more than capable of doing so, they have better T.V.'s than me because I can't afford a 42" plasma (because I'm paying for guys like you). Are we gonna take it dossers whinging because they are scared of work ....... NO ............. Is it time you got off your lazy arse and stopped EXPECTING us to pay for you ....... YES .......... You obviously have access to a computer and internet try looking for a sodding job whilst using it instead of whining that the rest of us are sick of paying for you to sit around on your lazy arse whinging the job seekers isn't enough to buy a 3D T.V. and the latest X-box. Make and stand against the government ? ........... HELL YEAH ......... TO CUT YOUR BENIFITS AND FORCE YOU TO WORK. Just athought the army is recruting. Ever thought of helping to protect the freedom you obviously enjoy, or is it easier to sit around complaining and let the rest of us die for your stupidity ? YES I am also an ex soldier/ If I'd known at the time that I was fighting for this kind of opinion I'd have laid down my weapons and let them in. If only to rid us of our self mede parasites. If you don't like then sodding well leave. You live in free country with free choice .................... the chice to leave is your's sir. Or don't you have the balls to take the consequences of your actions?
Peace

Actually i`ve called in to my mother`s for my post since it is my care of address , i`m using her computer , and i dont expect anyone to " pay for me " . It`s ignorant barstewards like yourself that are destroying this country , you think everything is rosey because you`ve got a bit security , well that`s nice but poverty is closing in and soon enough you`ll be it`s victim. We`re all getting shafted mate , like it or not you are no different from I , you are a "pleb" too.

Three weeks from leaving school i was on a factory floor learning what i consider to be the "art" of bar-fitting , i say art because this was not your average MDF 2X2 barrfitter company , everything is done by hand.
After that i got an apprenticeship in joinery , on the sites , learning a lot from joiners as well as the brickies , plasterers , plumbers and sparkies i had the pleasure to work with.
I then became an assistant civil engineer , learning how to use theodolites and read blueprints , i was put in charge of all concrete entering the site after two months , and before leaving was offered the oppertunity to go to university and become a civil engineer.... being young and stubborn i declined.
I then began labouring on the sites , learning more useful "tricks of the trade" and gaining experience in ground works / blades / and diggers .
I did a little bar work here and there , I then did a spell at Nissan moulding rear seats .
Then i was hired as a handy man for the YMCA .
Then i was an " assembler ", making bespoke counters and units for starbucks , asda , morrisons , tesco , argos , and benson`s beds.

And all the time ........... i`ve been paying taxes , so i`d say that i`m entitled to the JSA since i payed my own contribution .

By the way , your loose comment about being an " ex soldier " , (which is an odd thing for a squaddie to call himself) , who exactly where you stopping from "getting in" ?

Them blokes riding camels in the desert ? ....... hhhhmmmm

I agree with many of the posts here, something does need to be done about the benifit culture, there are many people taking the p**s at the moment, and have been for many years, something does need to be done about it, but they are targeting the wrong people, and hurting many who are trying their hardest to get out of the JSA. What they are doing about is completly wrong and immoral. They are bassicly forcing people to work for free, for huge companies such as Tesco. This then causes fewer job vacancies, because why the hell would Tesco want to pay for someone to do a job, when they could get someone to do it for free? And they will HAVE to do it for free! What would make much more sense, would be for Tesco to HIRE these people, not to force them to work for free.

It first came out as "Voluntary work program", I can see how now, once everyone has got used to the idea and what not, they've changed the wording to "Mandatory Work Porgram", the trapped door has closed.

I had a friend before who had bad experience with this program. A year previous he broke his back, he had recovered and was seeking work, so applied for JSA. He found it hard to get a job, he had previous experience before in warehouses and factories, however due to his back, they were reluctant to re-hire him. So he had to go on the work program, getting experience stacking shelves in PoundLand. After 3 weeks, they said they will hire him once they get a medical report, which they stated the Job Centre would pay for. The Job Centre, however, was certain that PoundLand should pay for the medical. The two both reffused to pay for a medical, so he was put back on the JSA.

Not long after, he decided to give an apprentiship a try, got half way through, then it got cut (the Torrie cuts have affected many trade apprentiships), so he decided to go for another one, that got cut 3 weeks later.

Him and his girlfriend both live in a flat and a struggling to keep themselves up, and they are under 25. Next year, under the new regulations to the benifit system, they could easily loose their flat. His girlfriend can not go back to her parents (can't get into it, it's legal).

It's people like this that are really getting hit hard. When people mention 'Benifits', they instantly think of people scrounging as much as they can, the reality is that not every person is scrounding, people are trying to get back on their feet, but keep getting pounded back down until they get to the point that they are trapped in the system that is making it harder and harder to get hired.

Originally posted by cody599
reply to post by TSOM87

 

WHY ? We all work hard and enjoy helping each other. Why would we want a dosser to bring us down ?

Ok pal..no need to get mean.


Tsom87