Govt expect me to work for £1 per hour!

shagzdan

Hi all, I have just been on the phone to my jobseeker liason person who informs me, that I may have to work for up to 30 per week in order for my £30 odd, jsa to be paid.:eek:
Not only have they made my appointment on a morning school run, when I asked to change it, they changed it to an afternoon school run! and said take it or leave it.

I have been out of work for 1 year after a lengthy illness and my g/f only has 12 hours paid work per week,and whilst we get some of our rent/ctax paid at present we are left with nothing in the pot.

I am looking after my 1 y/o all day and I have three other young school aged children aged between 6-12 who need taking school and picking up and now as well as struggling to pay the bills I have been told that I may have to commit to working links 30 hours unpaid work per week with NO childcare cost help!

If I had a 'proper' job, I might be able to claim some childcare cost back from tax credits, but alas, I seem to be the only person in the UK who has been off work for more than a year!

I recently asked for training from the jobecentre, but was told that "there is no money left for that anymore"

I am thinking I may just ditch the jsa claim and beg/busk on the street, for what its worth, 30 hours per week at lets say £2 per hour wow! £60, I could even take my daughter!

I get so annoyed at thinking all these years I have put funds in, I even fought and served in the armed forces and to be treated like a second class citizen in these austere times, what a joke!

Please help,

HappyMJ

I don't understand....What's the problem? Busking is quite a good job and as you say you can take your daughter which will save on childcare. I wish you luck.

I work for 30 hours for less than £1 per hour so it's the same for everyone. Work earn money and lose almost the same in benefit.

KiKi

They're not paying you £1 an hour. They're saying that to get you back into work, it will a) help to have some recent experience and b) get you back into the pattern of 9-5 working. The government feel that if you can't get a job after being unemployed for a year, they're going to help those who need the experience, and scare those who just can't be bothered into getting a job otherwise their benefits will be sanctioned.

If your gf only works 12 hours a week, then you don't have to have the 1yo all day, every day, surely? Or is the 1yo not your girlfriend's?

If you head over to the Benefits board they may be better able to advise.

KiKi

relic

Why do you think you should have "money in the pot" leftover, when only one of you works 12 hours a week..?

You get HB, CTB, CTC, CB yet seem to think you are hard done by, interesting.

pinetree

Hi It said in your post you are an ex serviceman, maybe the british legion maybe able to help, good luck, hope this helps

ALIBOBSY

From a benefits point of view you are either available for work or not. If you have to do childcare then you aren't?

They could argue what would you do if you have to start work next week, very few childcare providers would take a child at short notice and with no deposit/upfront fees.

We have 4 children, but OH works and i look after them the house bills etc etc, I wouldn't expect jsa as i am not available for work as i have other responsibilitys.

Best bet would be for GF to ask for a few extra hours to get you over the limit for tax credits as a couple surely?

When my Oh was out of work last year he worked hard every day to get back into work as benefits aren't "pay" they are a fall back to help you get back into work and a safety net for the very small percentage of vunerable people who cannot do any work at all.

ali x

shagzdan

relic wrote: »

Why do you think you should have "money in the pot" leftover, when only one of you works 12 hours a week..?

You get HB, CTB, CTC, CB yet seem to think you are hard done by, interesting.

My bad,Obviously I didn't quite explain 'the pot'

My g/f works 12 per week as the Post office cut her hours down from F/t to p/t.

Thanks for your comment, always nice to see a little compassion in the early afternoon.:T

Whilst we get a small element of CTC and CB, Our HB and CTB isn't all paid for and I am one of the many family's being squeezed to juggle clothes or food for my four kids.

Just because I am an out of work parent, with the same rights as any other UK citizen,doesn't mean I can't treat the family to luxuries such as um,,,food,,shelter and warmth.

I look for work every single day and try my utmost to keep my family fed and watered on the meagre rations I am left with, I am not the only one not working and would still have a job had 'cuts' in LOCAL authority not been made.

Thanks again,

adouglasmhor

I have a mate who busks in Glasgow most days and makes well more than £2 an hour, he is an Ex Scots Guards Piper though. He plays weddings and gigs too.

shagzdan

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

From a benefits point of view you are either available for work or not. If you have to do childcare then you aren't?

They could argue what would you do if you have to start work next week, very few childcare providers would take a child at short notice and with no deposit/upfront fees.

We have 4 children, but OH works and i look after them the house bills etc etc, I wouldn't expect jsa as i am not available for work as i have other responsibilitys.

Best bet would be for GF to ask for a few extra hours to get you over the limit for tax credits as a couple surely?

When my Oh was out of work last year he worked hard every day to get back into work as benefits aren't "pay" they are a fall back to help you get back into work and a safety net for the very small percentage of vunerable people who cannot do any work at all.

ali x

Yes , thanks for your help, we have tried getting more hours for my g/f but can't, the Jobcentre won't retrain me either as there is no money left, I won't get paid for my ex military skills out here, as no civvy job exists!:rotfl:

Thanks again,

shagzdan

Thanks to all for your comments.

relic

shagzdan wrote: »

Yes , thanks for your help, we have tried getting more hours for my g/f but can't, the Jobcentre won't retrain me either as there is no money left, I won't get paid for my ex military skills out here, as no civvy job exists!:rotfl:

Thanks again,

No security jobs out there? Strange, literally over-run with them here!