AAARRGGGHHHH

Andy B · June 2007

Just got back from my 1st interview, @ the dole office, not impressed...

If a job that I can do comes up on the system I have to apply for it, even though (at national minimum wage) it will not fully pay the bills & put food on the table. Would the government like me to starve just so they can say that there is one less person out of work?

I said that I had an interest in MTBing and would maybe consider going self employed, that idea was immediately shunned as a pipe dream, no help as to how to go self employed, nothing.

The benefit system sucks donkey balls big time, if you're a chav with 6 sprogs you can have loads of money, if you're single & have been working for years you get next to no help.

I am not a happy bunny.

/rant over (for now)

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Unknown · June 2007

Mmm "have to apply" does not have to be a good aplication.

ratty2k · June 2007

Hmm, I have this pleasure to look forward to. I've got 18 months left at my cuurent place of work.
I have to agree tho' with the sentiment.

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Andy B · June 2007

Maybe, I cannot refuse to apply for any job on the grounds of pay, if it meets national Minimum wage (œ5.35) I need at least œ6 just to run the house, without consumables (food, Diesel, beer etc!)

I suppose I could do a real bad job of applying for jobs, but it just sucks really bad.

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Capt. Jon · June 2007

You have to apply because they are giving you benefits and helping you find work. Are the monies you recieve in benefits more or less than a minimum wage job?

TyMBR

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Andy B · June 2007

Not sure what I'll get in benefits yet. I don't actually need the money, as I have my redundancy which should last a few months.

I only signed on to keep up with my NI payments & maybe get some retraining & some qualification's apart from my 'A' level & 9 GCSE's.

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Capt. Jon · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Andy_B

Not sure what I'll get in benefits yet.

I only signed on to keep up with my NI payments & maybe get some retraining & some qualification's apart from my 'A' level & 9 GCSE's.

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<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You'll want any job you can get after living on benefits for a while.

If there was no compulsion there would be a lot more (not you) lazy people on the dole living off the tax payer.

TyMBR

- Support the UK bike industry -
"You don't get that at trail centres"

Andy B · June 2007

I understand the 'push' to get people off benefits, it's just (IMO) unfair to those who are single with no kids & have been in full time employment for over a decade & have been unlucky enough to be made redundant, you seem to get a lot more help if you have several screaming kids & have lived on benefits for some time.

It seems that they would rather see me starve and have one less person on benefits.

I don't intend on being on benefits for long, but you never know.

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Kazoo · June 2007

Poor you, sympathise with you totally, you have to know how to play the systems to be able to get by.
I share your frustrations, I am a single parent,working full time when I eventually started to get maintenance from my ex, I was worse off 10 quid a week, thats a lot of dosh to me a month.
I would be better off giving up my job and pleading homelessness.
Hopefully you'll get something soon and not even have to go down that route.
All the best.

Wine is made to be drunk, I am drunk......

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Unknown · June 2007

Let you know how i get on soon.I should be redundant either this week or next.Great we havent even had anything in writing.Probably be in with my payslip when i receive it throught the letterbox on thurs.

Charge Duster Ti

When the going gets tough,The tough get going
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Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Andy_B

Would the government like me to starve just so they can say that there is one less person out of work?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Surely the idea is that it's one less person having to claim benefits and one more person earning their own crust...
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I said that I had an interest in MTBing and would maybe consider going self employed, that idea was immediately shunned as a pipe dream, no help as to how to go self employed, nothing.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
What business idea did you put forward? What self employed route would mtb'ing take you down?
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">if you're a chav with 6 sprogs you can have loads of money, if you're single & have been working for years you get next to no help.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I'm not saying I condone the system, but would you rather see babies/kids starve just so the singletons among the population had a bit of extra beer money?

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Unknown · June 2007

Perhaps not a bad idea cazz with the size of kids these days.hehe

Charge Duster Ti

When the going gets tough,The tough get going
www.flickr.com/photos/theninj

Unknown · June 2007

I am currently on JSA after being made redundant like you

They normaly let you be quite picky for the first 6 months
And will let you apply only for jobs like you did before for
the same amount of money

then they will push you to do any job at minium wage

after 13 weeks being unemployed they will pull you in
for a review where they start to apply the pressure

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Capt. Jon · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Andy_B

I understand the 'push' to get people off benefits, it's just (IMO) unfair to those who are single with no kids & have been in full time employment for over a decade & have been unlucky enough to be made redundant, you seem to get a lot more help if you have several screaming kids & have lived on benefits for some time.

It seems that they would rather see me starve and have one less person on benefits.

I don't intend on being on benefits for long, but you never know.

<hr noshade size="1"><center>Official Forum Potty Mouth 2007</center><hr noshade size="1"><center>My Flickr Album, With new updated bike pics
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<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No offence but life ain't fair. I'm doing a PhD and my funding runs out in Sept, after that i'll have no income other than a bit of teaching here and there. I can't claim benefits either.

You seem like a clued up guy so will find a job. If there is a job you can do then i'm sure most tax payers would want you take it so their taxes can go on schools and hospitals rather than paying for you to be unemployed.

Also, it isn't the job centre's job (ha!) to give you advice about setting up your own business. That is the responsibilty of another govt. organisation: Business Link. If you genuinely want to go your own way, go and see them.

TyMBR

- Support the UK bike industry -
"You don't get that at trail centres"

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Andy_B

If a job that I can do comes up on the system I have to apply for it<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I hate to be potentially controversial, but I don't think this is a bad thing. Surely ANY job is better than NO job. Benefits shouldn't be considered a right, they should be considered a last resort and a provision by the government that we should all be thankful for.

Can you imagine if more people got off their lazy backsides and worked ANY job they could get, there'd be truck loads more money to put into education and the NHS etc... But no. people are able to stay on benefits way longer than they need to so if the goverment's gonna give you money for nothing, why not take it?!

It's a farce.

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Unknown · June 2007

Dammit, it took me so long to type that out that Jon got in first!

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Capt. Jon · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cazzdevil

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Andy_B

If a job that I can do comes up on the system I have to apply for it<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I hate to be potentially controversial, but I don't think this is a bad thing. Surely ANY job is better than NO job. Benefits shouldn't be considered a right, they should be considered a last resort and a provision by the government that we should all be thankful for.

Can you imagine if more people got off their lazy backsides and worked ANY job they could get, there'd be truck loads more money to put into education and the NHS etc... But no. people are able to stay on benefits way longer than they need to so if the goverment's gonna give you money for nothing, why not take it?!

It's a farce.

<hr noshade size="1">Stuff TyMBR In my dreams Myspace My flickr photos
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I always knew you were a Tory!

TyMBR

- Support the UK bike industry -
"You don't get that at trail centres"

Unknown · June 2007

It just bugs me that people take advantage of a system that was put in place to try and bring a certain minimum standard of living to the whole country at a time when the standard of living was far lower than it is now. It wasn't designed to be relied upon as heavily as it is now.

A lot of UK citizens need to learn that if you want money and you want a certain standard of living you have to bloomin well work for it.

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Capt. Jon · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cazzdevil

It just bugs me that people take advantage of a system that was put in place to try and bring a certain minimum standard of living to the whole country at a time when the standard of living was far lower than it is now. It wasn't designed to be relied upon as heavily as it is now.

A lot of UK citizens need to learn that if you want money and you want a certain standard of living you have to bloomin well work for it.

<hr noshade size="1">Stuff TyMBR In my dreams Myspace My flickr photos
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

OMG, you're not a Tory, you're a US republican! [;)]

TyMBR

- Support the UK bike industry -
"You don't get that at trail centres"

Unknown · June 2007

Lol [:D] you got me!

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Andy B · June 2007

Cazz no-one should have to suffer on benefits, but the job centre pushing someone to take a job that doesn't even pay all the bills, let alone have any left for food is wrong.

If I wasn't single and there were 2 incomes into the household than minimum wage would be ok, but as I'm single it isn't enough to live on, it's either no house, or no food.

I am not an extravagant person spending willy nilly, I don't go out much & only spend money when I have to, I have cut back on all of the superfluous expenses.

I didn't put a business plan forward as I don't have one, I just expressed the fact that I have a lot of experience with bikes & repairs etc, it was shunned instantly as a pipe dream.

Capt. Jon I agree, life isn't fair all of the time, you do get dealt crappy cards in the game of life!

I would have thought that the job centre would have maybe suggested some places to go for help if I wanted to go self employed, but no, nothing at all, just the routine Q's and paperwork.

Luckily I know a few people who are self employed, so they will be of more use than the official channels

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Kazoo · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cazzdevil

It just bugs me that people take advantage of a system that was put in place to try and bring a certain minimum standard of living to the whole country at a time when the standard of living was far lower than it is now. It wasn't designed to be relied upon as heavily as it is now.

A lot of UK citizens need to learn that if you want money and you want a certain standard of living you have to bloomin well work for it.

<hr noshade size="1">Stuff TyMBR In my dreams Myspace My flickr photos
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
The problem there cazz is that some people find themselves in situations that are beyond there control, it is then that you try and get assistance untill you are back on your feet and quite often it's just not there. And where people can sometimes feel hard done by is that you do have people that have done naff all with their life and have a lot more disposable cash than us who do work for living.

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Unknown · June 2007

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not launching a personal attack on Andy_B, and I'm neither condemning or condoning the system, I'm just saying that if more people actually put the effort into getting off benefits the country would be in a better state.

Andy - I hear what you say about the gov making you take a job that doesn't even pay the bills but surely it pays more than benefits which has got to be better than having no house or no food!

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Unknown · June 2007

When I was 17 I left school, couldn't get a job straight away (despite constant trying), but because I wasn't 18 I wasn't allowed to sign on properly so I was entitled to a whopping œ15 every fortnight for a maximum of 6 weeks, this was called "bridging allowance". My mother had her child allowance stopped because I wasn't in education anymore but I wasn't entitled to any kind of benefits because I wasn't 18.

That was a horrible few months until I got a job.

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Andy B · June 2007

Cazz, if I did take a job that didn't cover the bills etc, it would only be a matter of time before I lost the house, so in essence it's almost the same result as being on benefits.

I only signed on to claim my NI payments, I hope to be back in work in the next month.

PS I know you're not having a go at me personally [;)]

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Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Capt. Jon

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Andy_B

I understand the 'push' to get people off benefits, it's just (IMO) unfair to those who are single with no kids & have been in full time employment for over a decade & have been unlucky enough to be made redundant, you seem to get a lot more help if you have several screaming kids & have lived on benefits for some time.

It seems that they would rather see me starve and have one less person on benefits.

I don't intend on being on benefits for long, but you never know.

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<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No offence but life ain't fair. I'm doing a PhD and my funding runs out in Sept, after that i'll have no income other than a bit of teaching here and there. I can't claim benefits either.

You seem like a clued up guy so will find a job. If there is a job you can do then i'm sure most tax payers would want you take it so their taxes can go on schools and hospitals rather than paying for you to be unemployed.

Also, it isn't the job centre's job (ha!) to give you advice about setting up your own business. That is the responsibilty of another govt. organisation: Business Link. If you genuinely want to go your own way, go and see them.

TyMBR

- Support the UK bike industry -
"You don't get that at trail centres"
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Jeez Capt, just reading that sent one of those scary shiver memories down my spine. Are you writing up yet?

You Beauty
Very Cross
Twenty Too
It is big and it is clever

Well, it is in that they both wish they were Irish

Kazoo · June 2007

Aahh all friends again!!
It is pants, and Cazz that scenario makes no sense, stopping your mums payments but not allowing you to claim, it's soo frustrating, but unfortunatly things still remain very much unchanged.

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Am I wine?
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Unknown · June 2007

One thing i have learnt today,if i have to sign on i aint telling nobody on here.Hope you aint suffering from depression andy.

Charge Duster Ti

When the going gets tough,The tough get going
www.flickr.com/photos/theninj

Andy B · June 2007

Depression, nah, not yet, just frustration and anger so far.

Shame a I had a great weekend at a local festival, my best mate asked me to be his best man!

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Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Andy_B

PS I know you're not having a go at me personally [;)]<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Good [:)]

I think for the vast majority of the country the system seems to work relatively well, but for an unfortunate few it's all screwed up. I hope you find something soon Andy, don't forget to keep eyes peeled on the job websites and send in your CV to all the local bike shops etc.

Something will come up before you know it [:D]

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Unknown · June 2007

Remember my dad being made redundant after driving a lorry most of his life.Treated him like a dog ended up in a mental hospital.

Charge Duster Ti

When the going gets tough,The tough get going
www.flickr.com/photos/theninj

AAARRGGGHHHH

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