why i believe that an untargeted slashing of the welfare budget is a false economy.

[applelover]

I'm going to argue the unpopular. I'm going to argue that the current plans to reform the welfare budget should be scrapped because the problems they cause will cost more to resolve than they will save.

I'm not going to argue for no reform. I hate the current system and agree with much of the new right critique of the welfare state. However I do not agree with the answers that IDS will be implementing this year.

Before I get on my shrimperzone soap box it would be interesting to know how much benefit zoners believe unemployed people are being paid under the current system. Please don't look it up this is about perception. If you already know please don't post.

By benefit I mean maximum total benefit/week. This will include housing/council/unemployment and child related benefit.

Single person 18 -35
Single person 35+
Singe person, one child
Couple one child
Couple 6 children

edit - if these people lived in southend

edit I have amalgamated under 21 and 21-35

Answers are in post #42

 

[Crabby Shrimper]

Have to confess I've no idea. I'd imagine it'd be different for different areas though.

for a single unemployed person, no dependants, renting a flat, and over 35, I'll have a stab in the dark at an average of £650-700 pcm

I wouldn't be surprised if that's wildly out though

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I was under the impression that a single person's (aged 21-35) SS benefit was circa 71/75 pounds per week.Frankly no idea what housing benefit/rent added to that would total.

 

[superblue24]

Whatever it is, it's too much.

Go and get a job and stop sponging off my wage!!!

 

[Earls Hall Blue]

Whatever it is, it's too much.

Go and get a job and stop sponging off my wage!!!

Are there currently enough vacancies for every person seeking employment? I ask because I do not know.

Also if any of these newly employed ex-spongers find their wage isnt sufficient to make ends meet, would it be ok to sponge a little bit of your wages to do so?

 

[OldBlueLady]

Whatever it is, it's too much.

Go and get a job and stop sponging off my wage!!!

It's an employers' market though. There are so many very well qualified people out there that they have the pick of who they employ. Those with the least experience and/or qualifications are still finding it very hard to get into employment.

I have not a clue about the benefits as set out by the OP. What I do know is that JSA for my son is pretty pathetic at about £35 a fortnight, that's in addition to the wages he receives for the part time job he has, which average out and total less than about £50 a week.

 

[McNasty]

Whatever it is, it's too much.

Go and get a job and stop sponging off my wage!!!

Unfortunately there are less jobs than the number of people wanting jobs so that buggers up your comment.

 

[Pubey]

It's an employers' market though. There are so many very well qualified people out there that they have the pick of who they employ. Those with the least experience and/or qualifications are still finding it very hard to get into employment.

I have not a clue about the benefits as set out by the OP. What I do know is that JSA for my son is pretty pathetic at about £35 a fortnight, that's in addition to the wages he receives for the part time job he has, which average out and total less than about £50 a week.

why do you get JSA if you have a part time job?

 

[superblue24]

Are there currently enough vacancies for every person seeking employment? I ask because I do not know.

Also if any of these newly employed ex-spongers find their wage isnt sufficient to make ends meet, would it be ok to sponge a little bit of your wages to do so?

No it's not. 10 years ago I found myself out of employment and had to take a job which left me short of making ends meet. So every Saturday, Sunday and late wednesdays I was stacking shelves in ASDA in addition to my 9-5 job. Hard work, but there's always money to be made.

I've never TAKEN the dole (despite being eligible once), my self respect stopped me from doing so. Everything should be on a case by case basis. I'm fed up of people taking the **** and losing motivation to go out and work because it's easier to collect a cheque.

I appreciate that there are people out there who want to do well and these should be encouraged. But people refusing to take the next job available because they feel it's "beneath" them should be given nothing.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

why do you get JSA if you have a part time job?

Surely you know people (I certainly do) who have had to settle for PT employment when they're looking for FT work?

 

[superblue24]

Unfortunately there are less jobs than the number of people wanting jobs so that buggers up your comment.

Chuck out the immigrants then.

 

[McNasty]

why do you get JSA if you have a part time job?

Adult JSA is £71 per week.

If someone does 6 hours a week part-time work @ minimum wage they would earn about £37 a week. The DWP disregard the first £5 of earnings and reduce the benefit payable pound for pound of earnings.

So someone working the above hours would receive £37 wages and £39 benefit. If anyone does 16 hours a week part time their claim would cease.

 

[McNasty]

Chuck out the immigrants then.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Pubey]

Adult JSA is £71 per week.

If someone does 6 hours a week part-time work @ minimum wage they would earn about £37 a week. The DWP disregard the first £5 of earnings and reduce the benefit payable pound for pound of earnings.

So someone working the above hours would receive £37 wages and £39 benefit. If anyone does 16 hours a week part time their claim would cease.

Ok got it. Cheers

 

[superblue24]

Thanks for your input.

Anytime. Put me in charge. There'd be some changes around here. I wouldn't be liked by foreigners or slackers, but I'd get things straightened out.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Anytime. Put me in charge. There'd be some changes around here. I wouldn't be liked by foreigners or slackers, but I'd get things straightened out.

You'd make the trains run on time,eh?:winking:

 

[Cricko]

Anytime. Put me in charge. There'd be some changes around here. I wouldn't be liked by foreigners or slackers, but I'd get things straightened out.

Out of interest, what exactly would you do?

 

[OldBlueLady]

why do you get JSA if you have a part time job?

Ken's explained the money side to you. My son is 21 in a few months, he is being squeezed out of his part time job because he will become too expensive for them to keep on when they can equally well take on a 16 year old for far less wages. Shop manager had increased his hours, but Area manager reversed the decision hence going back to the Jobcentre. He's finally realised he owes them no loyalty and it's time to really push on for different employment.

 

[Earls Hall Blue]

No it's not. 10 years ago I found myself out of employment and had to take a job which left me short of making ends meet. So every Saturday, Sunday and late wednesdays I was stacking shelves in ASDA in addition to my 9-5 job. Hard work, but there's always money to be made.

I've never TAKEN the dole (despite being eligible once), my self respect stopped me from doing so. Everything should be on a case by case basis. I'm fed up of people taking the **** and losing motivation to go out and work because it's easier to collect a cheque.

I appreciate that there are people out there who want to do well and these should be encouraged. But people refusing to take the next job available because they feel it's "beneath" them should be given nothing.

How on earth can you compare the job market of 10 years ago to today? There's a million more people out of work now than there was then. But let's use your example and apply it to today:-

All 2.5 million people to take a job even though there isn't that many job's available. If said job leaves you worse off then you need to take a second job that doesn't exist to make ends meet. It's at this point your losing me.

You say people that want to do well should be encouraged so here's one for you. My then 18 y/o daughter signed on in September last year & has claimed £56 a week in JSA since then. She has applied for a multitude of jobs since then in many area's, she's not too proud to take something that would be beneath the qualifications she achieved, but alas nothing, until now. She has taken a government backed 'apprenticeship', or as I like to call them government subsidised cheap labour. However it will get her into a working environment and put something extra on her CV. For this she will recieve the princly wage of apx £100 pw, not a great deal but she is single. I believe half of this is paid by the government so are you OK with her taking £50 a week of your wages in this instance or would you prefer she took it doing nothing but getting up late and sitting around?

I'm proud of her for taking something she didn't necessarily want to do, but appreciates that she has to do something to give herself even the tiniest of edges over other candidates in future job applications.

It's a tough place out there for yoooof.

 

[Cricko]

Whatever it is, it's too much.

Go and get a job and stop sponging off my wage!!!

What for example if it is a guy who say worked for 20-30 years and lost his job through no fault of his own and had to seek help. Would the fact he had paid tax all those years mean he was still sponging off your wage or are you just picking on the kids?

I would agree there are a certain element who do not want to work and would rather sit on their bum all day and these people are generally unemployable in today's market. The bottom line is there are not enough jobs in this country for the amount of people who now live here.