Who would be willing to work for benefits?

minnie123

Why do you feel shame at going into the job centre every two weeks? I claimed JSA a few years ago I didn't feel shame going into the job centre. They did try to make me go for unsuitable jobs but I didn't mind too much because I was getting the money and in the end I actually got a job through the job centre. It was as an admin assistant at an accountancy practice. After 6 months I asked if I could do my accountancy qualifications. I'm now a senior accountant their.

If I was made redundant I would be picky at first but then if their was nothing suitable I would take something not 100% right and then job seek whilst in work for a better role.

patskier

I agree with what someone else said here only if i were to get the minimum wage for doing so.
I wouldn't mind working a few hours in the community or for charity just to keep the cogs ticking over whilst waiting to find a permanent job, i think thats a great idea.

starsinmycrown

The difficulty that i think steve london is talking about is that some people who are quite genuinely out of work and want to return to the workplace are facing is that they CANT do a minimum wage job, and now jobs with decent salaries are few and far between and many people are trapped, and people have to try and focus on ways to get back something approaching what they had before. My OH lives in london, and has worked always since 17 and was earning a good salary, then, bam! redundant. A minimum wage job would simply not cover all of his outgoings, as he is eligible for housing benefit at the mo, which he was told can be up to £250 a week in his area. Now for rent alone, £1000? many people, especially in the south, cannot afford to take any job for fear of going under and instead have to aim at a certain salary in order to manage rent, bills, repayments, council tax etc..

ceridwen

True. I can certainly see that. I've been unemployed before now and had to have a certain level of salary from a job in order to be able to get back into work - as otherwise my rent simply wouldnt have been covered. Fast forward a lot of years and I am now in a mortgage-free house and COULD manage (just about) on a NMW job - so could take one if I had to, whilst I kept looking round for a job that pays "my" level of salary.

BigSteveLondon

starsinmycrown wrote: »

The difficulty that i think steve london is talking about is that some people who are quite genuinely out of work and want to return to the workplace are facing is that they CANT do a minimum wage job, and now jobs with decent salaries are few and far between and many people are trapped, and people have to try and focus on ways to get back something approaching what they had before.

That's exactly what I was tryna say - can you read minds? Another job prospect there :T

I understand what minnie123 was saying as well.
At 1st it was really shameful for me. I've been in work since 14 (part time through college and uni though). There's always been in my experience work out there. So to the unskilled, I was 1 of those judgemental people that screamed 'Get a job you lazy bstd' without knowing their particular situation. But I did know quite a few lazy ppl that thought I was an idiot working hard all these years with not much to show for it. They all have council houses, paid for childcare, etc, so they think I'm the silly one.
Then BAM, redundancy. No work in my field out there. Cut backs galore. So filling those forms and getting the 3rd degree by the JC+ was cringing. I met lots of ppl down there in the same position, 1st timers.

I'm trying to use this as a positive sign to do what I really want to do, so I'm retraining (tutor/lecturer in college) - PLUS upgrading my skills in my current profession (art director/graphic designer). But in the end I know the salary will be much less, and also there may not be jobs at the end. But I'm thinking I could teach & freelance, so get a good balance.

On topic - I would work for free in a college or school for the experience, but the JSA benefit will stop - as they would add up my college time with my work time - and both in total must be under 16hrs a week.

jacklink

yes i would most definatly do voluntary work and i do , im gaining new skills, however im only allowed to do so many hours a week, which is a bit of a bummer and a waste of time of wasting time at the moment as there are no jobs (not my area really) and i could be using the time to gain even more skills, but the government wont allow it.

and yes i am still activly seeking employment

onlyforboards_2

BigSteveLondon is right!

If you are made redundant and looking for a job but cannot find one so need to claim benefits if someone can find some work for you to do while you claim it would be better for everyone for them to make a job out of it!

I am loathe to see councils "giving away" work they previously would have employed someone to do with all the benefits of being unemployed.

Those sort of measures just damage those people who are genuinely unemployed rather than those who do not want to work.

Also in hard times such as these job hunting can take up most of your day and the voluntary work you are allowed to do is limited.

Having said that, working through unemployment is so good for you! When I have been unemployed I have done voluntary work, but not much as serious job hunting is very time consuming! It is good to keep a routine and to keep feeling useful to stop slipping into depression and to keep your cv good. You do get busy bodies who think you are fiddling though! And explaining what you are doing to the DSS could be easier too.

I come from an area of permanent high unemployment. The crisis everyone is currently facing has been here since the 80s.

onlyforboards_2

starsinmycrown wrote: »

The difficulty that i think steve london is talking about is that some people who are quite genuinely out of work and want to return to the workplace are facing is that they CANT do a minimum wage job, and now jobs with decent salaries are few and far between and many people are trapped, and people have to try and focus on ways to get back something approaching what they had before. My OH lives in london, and has worked always since 17 and was earning a good salary, then, bam! redundant. A minimum wage job would simply not cover all of his outgoings, as he is eligible for housing benefit at the mo, which he was told can be up to £250 a week in his area. Now for rent alone, £1000? many people, especially in the south, cannot afford to take any job for fear of going under and instead have to aim at a certain salary in order to manage rent, bills, repayments, council tax etc..

To be honest this attitude really annoys me. People expect people in poor areas with little opportunity to suck it up and live in terrible housing and make do but those people who have had opportunities must be excused from minimum wage jobs and not forced to down grade!

minnie123

onlyforboards wrote: »

To be honest this attitude really annoys me. People expect people in poor areas with little opportunity to suck it up and live in terrible housing and make do but those people who have had opportunities must be excused from minimum wage jobs and not forced to down grade!

I do agree with this to some extent. I think it's fine to be more choosy at first but if their are no jobs with a similar salary to what you were on then I suppose you just have to accept that and like I said earlier take a lower paid job (there is nothing to stop you applying and looking for better jobs whilst in work). It's all about cutting down on your outgoings isn't it. It can be done I know this because of having a baby and going from full time to part time with extra things to buy for baby our income is now down by £500 per month and outgoings up by £200. We just had to adjust our lifestyle and believe me it wasn't wild before by any means.

My local supermarket is recruiting and I am considering applying for a weekend job to supplement my part time weekly work. I'm an accountant so supermarket wages are less than I am used to but such is life.

I also think if you go for an interview and are already working it makes you more employable - if that makes sense.

It's ridiculous you can't do voluntary work though - what a stupid rule.

racheyg

There is a good point in the last post.

Many people take on lesser paid jobs with less responsibility once they have children. The jobs on offer for 'child friendly' hours are usually support roles.

Which leads me to another question which I will post.