Is the Jobcentre making up reasons to stop benefits?

reply to post by TheGreatest


I wanted to join the Army 2 years ago as well. I had to really defend my decision to lots of people who thought I was selling my self out. Even my Northern Irish family would have disowned me if I went through with it, but I was prepared for that.

I've had your average crappy English life, stuck down south Brum, never really traveled, there are many estates near by...all that stuff...so I decided the Army was my ticket out of here, whether I agreed with the wars or not. I wanted money, travel, structure, a uniform lol.

Anyway I didn't get accepted on medical grounds, it completely bummed me out, now I'm in the dole que like most us youngsters.

However, looking back it was a blessing in disguise, I've had many friends join the Army since, at least 6 that have been posted to Afghan.....all 6 lucky to come back alive, all of them annoyed they can't physically go home, have proper relationships, they got loadsa money and no time to spend it...

I took the silver lining from that experience, at least I can stay with friends and family, have my own family, and take control of my own life.....

Just for you to ponder

Originally posted by Bixxi3

Originally posted by skitzspiricy
reply to post by Sinny

 

Bixxi seems to be from America. They probably don't understand that the majority of people in the UK pay in to the benefits system via National Insurance contributions for many years before losing a job and that not everyone is a scrounging lazy unmotivated person.

moved to america just a few years ago. I've lived my whole life in the good ole UK and very proud to be English thank you very much.

Good for you.

Not everyone has the same opportunities, not everyone on the dole is lazy, a scrounger, unmotivated, a drug addict, or an alcoholic or whatever you want to believe people on benefits are. Stop damning genuine people in need of help and stop believing everything you read in the MSM.

Also, As someone who hasn't lived in the UK for a few years, are you actually fully aware of the current unemployment situatuion here?

Originally posted by mr-lizard


Maybe you should readjust your blinkered views and climb off your rather patronising high horse and consider the notion that not everyone on benefits is a sponger, nor do they wish to be there.

Oh im sorry I missed the part where i said everyone sponges off the system.

Originally posted by Sinny
reply to post by Bixxi3

 

LOL you are making me laugh now I've fully read your posts.

Telling the man to remove his degrees so he can work for McDonalds? How degrading and morally wrong....and you would advocate this??

How much does it anger you that I've turned down 3 Apprenticeships because they only offer me £2.60 an hour??

Ohhhh does it hurt? Make your blood boil?

I believe me and the Sir mentioned are people of principle, and will NOT buy into the system, we shall resist and fight the system until it corrects its self in functionality!!

the only reason i get mad is because you make it harder on the people who actually need to be on the dole. you refuse jobs because of the pay. well you are are benefit scum because its against those rules for being on JSA. mature adults realize you have to take what you can some times.But you 2 are some how special.

Oh im not except that job to provide for myself because it so beneath me i'll just go sign up for the dole untill something better somes along.
your really fighting the system being on your computer all day doing nothing but collect money who havent worked for, send your CV to a couple places isn't work .

"Dole Scroungers"

Yea I would gladly call my friend, who's been on the dole for 4 years, a scrounger, she's never put anything into the system.

My last job which I left 5 weeks ago, Temp Bar Staff, I worked there for 4 months, in those four months I was on Emergency tax, being taked at the rate of £130 per month, total tax £520.

In 5 weeks I've been on the dole I've received 2 payments of £107, total £214.

Looks like I'm not a scrounger just yet aye?

And FYI I'm scum for refusing these "jobs" (slave labor more like) it says in FEKKIN WRITING what the minimum wage is, and yet with the TITLE "Apprentice" (which is what they are disguising these standard jobs as) they can get away with paying you £2.60.

Its the Government and corporations that are scum......and you Sir are aslo!! you Ignorant toss pot.

Originally posted by skitzspiricy

Originally posted by Bixxi3

Originally posted by skitzspiricy
reply to post by Sinny

 

Bixxi seems to be from America. They probably don't understand that the majority of people in the UK pay in to the benefits system via National Insurance contributions for many years before losing a job and that not everyone is a scrounging lazy unmotivated person.

moved to america just a few years ago. I've lived my whole life in the good ole UK and very proud to be English thank you very much.

Good for you.

Not everyone has the same opportunities, not everyone on the dole is lazy, a scrounger, unmotivated, a drug addict, or an alcoholic or whatever you want to believe people on benefits are. Stop damning genuine people in need of help and stop believing everything you read in the MSM.

Also, As someone who hasn't lived in the UK for a few years, are you actually fully aware of the current unemployment situatuion here?

i never said they were


And yes i do but i've only read about i haven't been experiencing it so i can't fully understand, i get that. But if you really can't find any jobs then ok go on the dole thats what its there for. But if you can and you say to your self this job is beneath me then i have problem.

Originally posted by Bixxi3


you fit under benefit "scum" because you you've done what practically every other person has done and that is pay taxes and get a education, yet somehow you are entitled to not have to work and save to move?

No what your rather right-wing brain is failing to understand is the current system. Allow me to explain - I have had two jobs in the last three months (after returning from a brief spell in elsewhere), one in retail, one in catering - both those businesses have closed down, one due to store relocation and the second because the company is going bust and needed to alleviate some staff.

The reasons behind this is due to a local council budget being cut by £28M which has caused a reduced flow of visitors to our town, reducing the amount of shoppers and alongside that a huge supermarket has swallowed up any remaining local business, plus business grants and start up grants have completely dried up. In a nutshell in the town and surrounding areas - we are going through a recession. Business are having to cut staff, jobs that were available (even four or five years ago) are refusing to advertise in the public sector and basically there's record numbers of unemployment. No jobs are being created.

Now let's picture a funnel (assuming your irrational hatred allows you momentary glimpses of imagination) - but if you frown, I'm sure you can do it.

Imagine a funnel. Filled with sand - Now imagine each grain of sand represents a jobless person, the tube represents the flow of available job opportunities - now imagine the backlog of applications to all these jobs.

Clogged I think the word is.

The next options are agency jobs - a wholly unspecified , fluctuating job that could consist of 4 hours a week to say 32 hours a week, with NO confirmation of steady employment or steady hours.

Now imagine me (the benefit scum) having to debate whether it's worth abandoning my benefits (i.e a roof over my head and some food in my stomach) for a largely untrustworthy agency firm, offering no security (and trust me I've worked with agencies before - suddenly dropping staff at their whim with no pay out or compensation or even an alternative).

Instead, I intend to look elsewhere, in a town or city of my choice and slowly prepare my departure to a better opportunity, using the safeguard of the benefits (which i've paid for all my life) to transfer over to a new town / city.

But thanks for judging me.

Originally posted by Sinny
"Dole Scroungers"

Yea I would gladly call my friend, who's been on the dole for 4 years, a scrounger, she's never put anything into the system.

My last job which I left 5 weeks ago, Temp Bar Staff, I worked there for 4 months, in those four months I was on Emergency tax, being takes at the rate of £130 per month, total tax £520.

In 5 weeks I've been on the dole I've received 2 payments of £107, total £214.

Looks like I'm not a scrounger just yet aye?

edit on 29-3-2012 by Sinny because: (no reason given)

ok if your getting # all then why isn't accepted a #ty job better then getting # all?

reply to post by Bixxi3


I don't think the majority of people are not taking certain jobs because they feel they are too good for them, it's because the pay wouldn't even cover most of the rent, bills, let alone food. You also have to take into account travel fares or petrol money.

When i was on JSA a while back, i was expected to take a minimum wage job an hour and a half of traveling out of my area, i don't drive. It would cost me a fortune just paying for the travel fares alone. I would then have to pay rent, bills and feed myself, it just wouldn't cover it.

Originally posted by Bixxi3

Originally posted by skitzspiricy
reply to post by Sinny

 

Bixxi seems to be from America. They probably don't understand that the majority of people in the UK pay in to the benefits system via National Insurance contributions for many years before losing a job and that not everyone is a scrounging lazy unmotivated person.

moved to america just a few years ago. I've lived my whole life in the good ole UK and very proud to be English thank you very much.

So basically your calling me lazy scum, but your knowledge of the UK system is outdated by 'a few years' - and you live thousands of miles away in a different system?

Amazing.

reply to post by Bixxi3


Yea i can't make sense of that sentence, would you like to write it again with less or altered obscenities in it?

Originally posted by Bixxi3
reply to post by mr-lizard

 

SO instead of swallowing your pride and taking a "lesser job" while you look for better work (like im currently doing) you'd rather take tax payers money.

If i worked in a job center i'd probably be pissed having to waste my time on people who don't want to help them selfs. I was brought up in a poor area in london and i know the majority of people abuse the system. It makes me sick.


Dont search for a job at home what a ineffective way of looking for a job.Get up, put something decent on, look presentable and go to every shop ask to speak to the owner or manager, if there not there come back another day, shake there hand and ask if there our any available jobs. Even if its sweeping the floor you'll feel better about your self.

IM early twenties and i've had a job since i was 16,first job out of school was cleaning at the school after hours i worked 2 hours after school 5 days a week and got 60 pound a month. while trying to contine my education. Sorry if i seem mad its just lazy people make me sick.

edit on 29-3-2012 by Bixxi3 because: (no reason given)

edit on 29-3-2012 by Bixxi3 because: (no reason given)

I wouldn't accept a lesser job until benefits run out. Once you have that lesser job how the heck are you going to keep looking for work. Are you suppose to ask your new boss if you can have time off to go to job interviews? lesser jobs tend to have less flexibility for such tasks. That is the whole problem with your take on things.

I could see forcing people to train for a new career once they have been looking for a prolonged time, but forcing them to sabotage their own chances of gainful employment flies in the face of why we have unemployment benefits in the first place.

I'm going to put some recent and semi-local news links - for our distant, ignorant friend.

www.sthelensstar.co.uk...

JOBCENTRE staff across Merseyside, including St Helens, are taking strike action for the second time this month tomorrow (Friday, March 30) over plans to move them into a call centre.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) alleges that the forced moves would amount to a reduction in administrative grade staff in the area of around 28 per cent.

Yes you read that right. The STAFF are protesting because their jobs are threatened. The strike is tomorrow March 30th.

bloodandproperty.blogspot.co.uk...

www.southport.gb.com...

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk...

WORKERS at Merseyside job centres went on strike over the decision to move staff out of local offices and into call centres.

Staff walked out at around 9am yesterday in the industrial action organised by the Public and Commercial Services Union ).

The union is concerned that by moving around 100 administration staff from job centres to central call centres, staff remaining in the local branches will not be able to cope with the rising numbers of unemployed people.

So please, by all means tell us we're lazy. Will you be saying that to the former staff at the job centre when they have to find work or claim benefits too?

I think you're an out-of-touch, out-dated, wholly pretentious and judgemental bully with no clear vision of the facts, the truth and the grimness of the situation.

Thanks for your time, it's been 'interesting'.

Originally posted by skitzspiricy
Good for you.

Not everyone has the same opportunities, not everyone on the dole is lazy, a scrounger, unmotivated, a drug addict, or an alcoholic or whatever you want to believe people on benefits are. Stop damning genuine people in need of help and stop believing everything you read in the MSM.

Originally posted by Bixxi3
i never said they were

In a sense you did. By saying what you said to Mr Lizard, you pretty much gave away your stance on the situation.

Originally posted by josephamccoy
i have been claiming jobseekers allowance since december 2010 and i have never missed an appointment except for today. i walked into the jobcentre to sign on and i was greeted with "you should have been here this morning!" well i was never given a letter, i never recieved a text and i was not told verbally that i had an appointement. so anyway i sit down to have the little interview that they make you have when you sign and the assistant advisor asks why i missed my appointment? "because i was unaware of it, i recieved no text, no email and i wasn't told", to which the advisor replied "these are not guaranteed ways of informing you" WTF!!!!! so i can have an interview and not know about it!?! i then was told that because i'd missed the interview that i would be given my one and only warning and if it happens again i'll be sanctioned and loose benefits for 6 weeks and all over something that i had no control over. when i returned from the jobcentre i explained what had happened to my brother and he informed me that one of his friends had recently been sanctioned for missing an appointment- that he didn't know he had!! i believe that with the lack of jobs and the increase in unemployment add to the fact that they have just increased the benefit rate i wouldn't put it past our government to make up ways of kicking people off the dole. although that is just my opinion.

Yeah, I think they make it up. But don't worry about it. I did not attend the stupid, mandatory how to dress for interviews and read a bus timetable session and I had my benefits stopped. After three attempts at bullying me to attend, I was then placed under closer scrutiny (sorry, I cannot recall the official title for this) at signing. Then I had my first 'Diagnostic Interview' (read, attitude adjustment!!!) at which I was advised that I must apply for anything 'reasonable' within a 90min travel distance of home and be prepared to work for NMW.

Three months later, I received backdated JSA for the periods that I had been penalised for not attending the idiots guide session.

Today I had my second attitude adjustment interview and was advised that as I have been claiming for a year, JC+ would no longer be helping me seek work(?) and that I was to be referred to the workfare programme, a company by the name of SEETEC. I said I would not be participating in any workfare programme and was advised that I could lose benefits.

Thing is, if you have no money coming in, even if this is because the state has penalised you for not complying with their dictat, you still have a social welfare right to access the Applicable Amount, ie the amount the government says you need to live on, ie breadline income, ie Income Support.

Back to your comments that the DWP/JC+ conjure up spurious reasons for stopping people's money. Given as that they can only threaten 'your money may be stopped' and that penalties are not mandatory, who gives the extra bs order? Does the DWP received notification from the Treasury that national cashflow has bottlenecked and so begins a game of pass it on with each job centre being advised to start sanctioning people?

Bixxi, your points would be better recieved if you didn't appear to be so rude, judgmental and always jumping to conclusions.
Maybe you should try meditating to calm your mind a little.

No offence, just trying to help you see the big picture.

Originally posted by illuminnaughty
The govt should get its finger out and try to solve these problems, that they and their rich banker cronies have created.

People were encouraged to go to college/uni. So that they could better them selves.

Kaaching! Particularly nasty trick that one. Appeal to the natural human desire to better oneself, make it impossible for the majority to pay for further and higher education without incurring debt, draft partership deals with banking cronies to stitch up the student loan income stream and let the money come rolling in.

Originally posted by _Phoenix_
Bixxi, your points would be better recieved if you didn't appear to be so rude, judgmental and always jumping to conclusions.
Maybe you should try meditating to calm your mind a little.

No offence, just trying to help you see the big picture.

edit on 29-3-2012 by _Phoenix_ because: (no reason given)

Yeah on my drive home i thought about it and i realized i did not handle this well at all. just finished tending to my plants and am enjoying some fruits of my labor.
Honestly sorry guys i've always had a problem in life of getting my point across
What i was trying to to put across and i guess i failed horribly was that- the JSA rules say you can't just turn a job away because of the wage. And I agree, if you can work but you choose not to because of wage then its not right. Life can be tough but you have to stay focus and take it one step at a time eventually you'll get that break (im still waiting for mine)
That was it just my opinion. Maybe it one of those thing like people either see the glass half full or half empty
And skitz thank you for your replys i really didn't know they could make you take a job so far away. that seems like it could do more harm then good.

cheers Phoenixfor the wise words

reply to post by Bixxi3


I was unfortunate enough to be made redundant from my last job, in some ways it was a blessing. It was a minimum wager job 40+ hours a week, and I have a family to feed. Do you not find it shocking that now I am on benefits (housing benefit, council tax benefit, jobseekers and child taxes), that I'm actually £100 better off each month from being on benefits!? Thats right £100 extra in our pocket each month, plus I get the bonus of seeing my young daughter grow up.

If the government want to get people back into work and off the dole then maybe they should 'up' the minimum wage and make it more appealling to go back into work. As it is, I will quite happily refuse work that pays less than benefits. Why should I (or we for that matter) go out and work our arses off in a 40hr+ job that pays less than benefits when I can sit at home with my daughter and see her grow up!? Call me a scrounger or whatever you like it doesnt bother me I still get to enjoy life with all my comforts and a little more, the fact of the matter is that our government has fked up and should sort things our for the better, your comments disgust me.

SIX weeks???

Good grief.

That sucks on the highest level.

Seriously, JobCentre needs to fix up..& I don't mean renovating.

Not only this story, but when I used to go sign on, the amount of help I would receive was very little.

IMO, they do not do enough to find everyone jobs.

The appointments with the advisor is pretty useless, as he/she will offer the same recycled jobs to you, which 100's of people will be applying for.

reply to post by Bixxi3


I was not expecting such a reply.

You've got my respect, High 5!

Myself I get carried away on ATS sometimes, this place can be stressful at times. A nice walk outside also fixes that for me.