The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Rosemary on May 05, 2010, 03:02:10 pm
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I've just been chatting to a friend of mine about her son. Let's call him Jim. Jim is unemployed; he has two kids (15 and 12) who live with their mother, his ex-wife. He's a great dad, has them every second weekend and the boys adore him. Jim has some learning difficulties which restrict what jobs he can do. Nevertheless, he applies for lots of jobs, with help from his support worker. He recently applied for 18 - and didn't get a reply from any. Most of the local busineses rely on Eastern Eurpean labour now.
The only benefit he gets is 64 pounds a week; off that, CSA take 5 quid and he has to repay a benefit overpayment at 5 quid a week. His rent is paid, as is his Council Tax, but his water rates are 12 quid a week and it costs about 25 to heat and power his house (as you can imagine, he's not living in a good, well insulated house with efficient heating). If my maths is correct, that leaves him 17 pounds a week for everything else - food, insurance, holidays (ha,ha), clothes.
He has a car - bought by his parents - if he doesn't have a car, he can't see his kids. If he does voluntary work, he's not available for work, so his benefits stop. He missed signing on a few months ago because he didn't have any money to get to the office to sign on. He phoned and told them but they said he didn't gve enough notice, so they stopped his benefits.
He now suffers from depression. He went to the doctor who said he should get out more. Jim said he had 12p in his pocket, so where did the doctor suggest he go.
If his parents didn't subsidise him, he'd be homeless - he'd use the rent money for food and end up evicted.
I'm sure he's not the only one. Isn't this depressing? Have you heard any of the politicians mention it? Does it sound like a great life? It makes me weep.
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I'm sure he's not alone too. Do any of the politicians even KNOW? Has anyone told them?
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Of course they Know but it is cheaper to employ European labour Have you not heard and seen on the TV all the bother down Boston way.With the Poles I could go into employers names and what they do like buy a load of caravans from the Skeggy holiday sites where they are being replaced for new and install them as temporary accommodation for the migrant workers Don't tell me the Lincolnshire lads wont work, so the Gang Masters have to employ foreign labour.It's all BOVINE EXCRETEMENT ??? :farmer:
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As its a rented property he may not be able to change these - but its well worth looking at swapping to a no standing charge tariff for electric and gas if your single and don't use much, a water meter is harder to get installed as it requires the property owners consent, but well worth it again if your single.
His situation is similar or the same as hundreds of thousands of other people who rely on benefits to live. Its not much money really, its workable, but at the sacrifice of your quality of living. The benefit system is not really geared (though the media will have you think its a luxury living) towards continually sustaining someone on benefits anymore, though some people do find loopholes, mostly stress, back pain or addiction to drugs or alcohol for doctors notes.
I have friends who have to travel nearly an hour on a bus and pay £7 in fares just to go and sign on - and that comes out their pocket. This is just biased in my opinion towards people with facilities closer - just because they closed our local job center everyone from town has to travel so far and pay for it - not really fair. When I was a kid we had postal signing on.
They say that they have to get you in so you can look at the job boards and explain what you have been doing to find work - but that could all be done over the phone or by post imo - as for looking in the job center for a a job, its about the last place I would look, its crap. Rather pop down the shops every morning and use a paper to search.
It gets pretty grim when your young and broke, especially if you are trying to find work and not getting any. I hope he finds something soon.
Ta
Baz
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Thanks baz! Really appreciate the positive tips - I'll pass them on. At least it feels like doing SOMETHING. It's the feeling of being out of control and not able to fight the system - which just seems to kick you when you're down and you really need a hand up.
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Yes, benefit support is too low for those like Jim who are genuinely deserving. But if it were not for so called cheap foreign labour, there would be another scapegoat to blame. And surely, worth thinking about today of all days when you choose to cast your vote for a party who WILL NOT cut public spending as a first act in office (if they get there!).
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I know someone who lives here in France, has a house with 20 acres, horses, sheep,pigs. They pay nothing to the French in the way of taxes, although they are making attempts to claim various benefits, the back pay if they get it for a year is staggering well into 4 figures. On the other hand they are being asked to pay contributions as they have sold a lot of pigs/sheep etc. They are planning to take the French Government to the Court of Human Rights as they have been told by their German neighbour that they don't have to pay (unlike us normal folk).
The wife claims income support from UK, has a modified car (new every 2 years) and a 3 bedroom house all expenses paid for as she is officially unemployed due to her disability. They complain the whole time to anyone who has the misfortune to get stuck with them that they are mistreated, underpaid and that if they were of a different colour they would be able to claim so much more.
So for all the decent, honest Jim's there are always a few who abuse the system and give the media the opportunity and the excuse to hit out at the decent majority. Thus allowing politicians to continually attempt to cut the benefits by adding more and more rules, which of course the Jim's get caught out by being honest and the less honest use to manipulate even more money.
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It is shocking for the people who are really trying, if he was living here he would be getting 138.59 pounds a week, plus a health care card which would give him a discount on electricity. My husband knows how frustrating it is to look for work. He injured his hand in 2000 at work and eventually had it amputated in 2004. He started looking for work in November (we had other funds till then), people wouldn't even interview him once he said he used a claw. In January he started at a temping agency and was also given a job on a farm. He is now working all the time, so hopefully somebody gives "Jim" a chance like they did my husband.
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Kath and I hope so too. It's alright being on a better benefit but its better to have a job where one can get a basic + overtime then you can get extras Like beef on Sunday and a pint all sorts To say nothing of new shoes and such.That MP that lived on basic so-ch: for a week did people like "Jim" no favours at all ??? :farmer:
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The politicians should try a year, I am sure benefits would increase well no there would be some excuse. We weren't entitled to benefits, but at least we have a house to sell if necessary.
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I have just been watching UK Wife Swap, I know it is only television and they maybe actors? There was a couple in Rochdale on benefits with 8 children, their after tax income was 37,000 pound a year, while the couple who both worked their after tax income was 27,000 pounds. If this is true I think poor Jim needs to start asking questions. There was no mention they were actively looking for work, the husband had been out of work for two years, if he is actively looking for work fair enough. I think there should be added incentive for people like Jim who are genuinely trying.
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Well today is the day Anne-Marie Please if its a hung parliament can I pull the handle?Since Syd Dearnley is now dead.
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Well today is the day Anne-Marie Please if its a hung parliament can I pull the handle?Since Syd Dearnley is now dead.
And can I watch! ;D
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Yes lass I'll even let you have a go theres plenty of them. :D ;D :farmer:
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Apparently labour didn't get enough votes to mandate and the conservatives are looking at getting into parliament. Sorry Wizard I don't know who Syd Dearnley is. Not much for pollies as they all seem to promise the world and give nothing. The worst politician we had was Jeff Kennett the Victorian Premier. He sold off schools closed down hospitals and I know this can be a sore point but he took away the workers right to sue for negligence, but the next Premier brought it back in a limited capacity. I don't go for any party just a reasonable leader, but I don't believe there has been a decent leader here since Menzies. Anyway I hope the new Government is willing to govern well, that is all we can hope for.
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Wot about Bob Hawk.Wasn't he in favour of conscription.With next to a full house backing after he explained ??? ;D ;D :wave:
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The problem with our system is that we can have one main party in power for a while legislating all sorts of things, then people tire of them, and it swings back to the other main party. they than change a lot of the previous legislation and the whole country gets in a mess! So actually a 'hung' or shared parliament might be a good thing!
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well we are to have a hung parliament ....if they are short of rope , I have a big roll I am only too willing to lend them .....there are plenty of lamp posts round westminster , so we should be able to do the job properly ...which is more than the corrupt ar*eholes in parliament can !!! ::)
cheers
Russ
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This hung parliament is going to be terrible with major in fighting all the time. Oh it may be 'sweet' for the first couple of months but mark my words, the in fighting will happen as it did in 1974.
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Russ - WinslowPorker knot tying and ladder hire services are on standby :o :pig:
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Aw WP Ladder hire It is to be hoped you will loan them free on a £100 deposit refundable of course when they return the ladder.Now Miri's Land Rover is working she may lend it and they could stand on the tail gate get the noose and we could take it in turns to slap the back of the truck and it drives away with them left dangling Without some one insists we use their horse like in the Western films He he he :farmer:
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yep ..all hands to the pump ...as they say ... Landrover tailgate , horse , stool , or I have a really nice hand winch that could be used for that ' Hands on ' personal touch .... ::)
What a total cock up the whole thing was ...Brian Rix should have been involved , it was a complete farce !!
People being turned away from polling stations from 9 pm onwards , others staying open after 10 pm .
Pissups and breweries spring to mind ...
Think I am going to move to Greece for some calm and stability .. ::) ::)
cheers
Russ
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You know Russ they never had this trouble in Rome If they argued with the ruling power the buggers got chucked into the lions or hung or both ??? ;D :farmer:
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from an article in an open europe email :
Nick Clegg made €362,550 profit on his Brussels home while receiving Brussels accommodation allowances. Official documents obtained by Open Europe show that Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg made a profit of €362,550 on the sale of his home in Brussels he bought while receiving thousands of pounds in accommodation allowances as an MEP.
During his time as an MEP and Commission official Mr Clegg could have received a total of up to €278,346 in allowances meant to cover living and housing costs in Brussels and Strasbourg - of this amount €110,000 could have been claimed in daily accommodation allowance between 2001 and 2004, specifically for the time he spent in Brussels (excluding the days he could have spent in Strasbourg) when he was an MEP and owner of the house.
Looks like 'Snow white' had his hands in the cookie jar too then !!! But no doubt , he has done nothing wrong either !!! ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££
cheers
Russ
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This made me laugh...
The Sun is really not terribly impressed by the turn of events as the UK deals with a hung Parliament. It's front page headline is "Squatter holed up in No 10" over a picture of Prime Minister Gordon Brown. "Man, 59 refuses to leave house in Downing Street" is the paper's take on Mr Brown's decision to use his constitutional right to stay on as PM.
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Gordon Brown has just announced he will resign as leader of Labour!!
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James ah ah ah !
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I find it very strange that the 'Key words' at the moment seem to be 'In the National Interest' . Funny how they all seem to be saying this now ...I thought that the whole idea of being a politician WAS to act 'In the National Interest ' !!
What have they been doing all this time ....? oh yes I forgot ... acting in 'THEIR OWN INTERESTS'.
Way to go guys ....
Another funny thing ... that they are all saying that the people should have their say in PR or AV ..in Political reform , it is our right !!...yes great ...
But why didn't we have a say in an even more important act like giving our country away to the EU (AKA Germany!!) . Perhaps that wasn't in the countries interest ? (or more importantly , in the interests of the politicians bank accounts !!! )
cheers
Russ
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Well said Russ. I think it unbelievable that a man who lost seats in this election (Nick Clegg) thinks he holds so much power. This man was ahead in the opinion polls for god sake only weeks before voting day - he should be loosing his job with such disastrous voting. I have no respect for him the way he is playing the other 2 parties off one another - not for national interest but to convince his party he did well in the elections when infact they did not. Rant over!
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Well Gordy has gone David is in let's see where we get. Please god we see some financial stability for the sake of our country now.
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I would say hang on to your hat.... in fact ... get a good crash helmet and put it on tight ...and keep it on ....we are in for a bumpy ride to say the least .. not the making of DC or NC or even totally down to GB ... (although he was one of the fiscal experts that has created the mess !! ).. You have the EU , who have just chucked 950 billion euros at trying to stabilize the euro ? the EU has nothing to back that up with ... we have done the same backing up the £ to the sum of £200 billion , once again nothing to back it up with ... quantitative easing they call it ... just printing money in reality !!! The USA has done the same to the tune of $ trillions .
Greece looks set to go down the pan even with the 195 billion euros they have been lent (10 billion of which we will be paying ..and we ain't in the eurozone ) , and now we are going to pay another 10 billion to prop up the euro ?
Spain can go t*ts up too , along with Portugal , Italy oh and us ... we are in the worst position out of all the 27 nations in the EU ...according to the EU commission...
Now what was it that the EU said about the Euro ? oh yes .. if we have one currency it will eliminate monetary ups and downs and create a stable footing for all EU member states ....WTF happened there then ? :o
Well , looks like the euro's days could be numbered , and maybe even the EU too !!!
The UK is looking more likely to pull back from the EU, as the wheels start to slowly fall off the roller coaster , yet it still keeps increasing in speed . Will we get off before it is going to fast ? only time will tell. But with 80% of Germans very unhappy with Merkel , and about the same not wanting to be in the Euro , or be part of the EU even ... maybe the end of the EU is in sight.
All in all some very worrying times ahead for everyone ... no one is immune, the new former government of the former UK will take the flack for what is about to happen . Maybe GB ducked out just in time , as did the other arsh*le TB , when he gave the sh*t end of the stick to GB .... Now he passes the same even sh*ttier stick on to DC and NC . So like I say ... get a good crash helmet ...oh and a good visor too, when TSHTF it will go everywhere !!! :o
cheers
Russ
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I'm with you on this Rusty, we should NEVER have joined the EU in the first place.
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I said this before we joined "There is nowt init for me " ??? :'( :farmer:
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I'm with you guys all I can see we've got from it is a whole load of economic migrants.. Hasn't that helped the country.. NOT
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I was late getting to this posting but it's good to see Rusty getting back on his (high) horse.Lets campaign for a referendum to come out of the E.C
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Like Austin Mitchell he declared in the Grimsby Telegraph he wouldn't be standing for reelection next time.Who is Gy's MP? Bet you cannot guess They won't come out the EU either, to many on the gravy train.Shouldn't think they will allow a referendum ??? ::) :o :farmer: :wave:
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Well the only person to go in to parliment with good intentions was Guy Falkes ;D ;D
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Perhaps we should ask Dr Who to get Guy Fawkes in the Tardis and bring him to today, i am sure we could all muck in and help him do it right this time
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Or hire the Jackal ??? ::) :o :farmer:
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now steady on there lads..... under the new anti terrorism laws ....you have most likely just become suspected terrorists, by making those comments !!! .
Under such laws , you can be arrested and held indefinitely , without charge !!!
Great living in a free country ain't it ? :o ::) ;D
It is also against EU law to speak against the EU , or to talk it down in any way !!!! So if you chaps at Europol are reading this .. come arrest me you goose stepping , Nazi arseh*les :o :o ;D. The EU commission and EU government are even more corrupt than the former UK parliament .
Hopefully someone will blow them up soon ...and if there were a fund towards such an act , I would gladly contribute ... F***it ...I'd light the fuse !!! ;D ;D
cheers
Russ
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Now Rusty I'm sensing you may be one of those euro sceptics you hear about.. LMAO!
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I can't imagine what gives you that impression at all .... ::) ;D
cheers
Russ
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I'm with you Rusty. Call and pick me up on the way!
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It woudl be interesting to hold a referendum on membership of the EU. It's not what it started out as, is it? It was trading partners, now it has taken over everything.
There was an letter in the Sottish Farmer a coupel of weeks ago saying the auditors have refused to sign off the EU accounts for the FIFTEENTH year in a row because of the corruption and mismanagement. The letter listed examples. Now, it was from a UKIP candidate so it has a particular slant, but there must have been some truth in it.
I was going to reproduce it here, but I didn't want to give anyone apoplexy.
I think I'd vote to come out but no-one will ever ask us 'cos they're too worried about "the markets" and the money men.
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Plus Rosemary we let down our real allies the Dominion of Would they want to know us?Do you know where it all went wrong in my opinion ?
Sir Antony Eden and the Suez Crisis was the start of the rot. ??? :farmer:
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I don't remember the suez crisis but what I can say is Im lucky enough to have a very wide circle of friends and business colleagues and I don't know 1 single person who wouldn't vote to leave the EU. Maybe we should start a thread vote if you support the EU. How many posts would it get.. ?