It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

SDG31000

Morning everyone

Many, many thanks for all the hugs and get well messages. They seem to have done the trick as my fingers are feeling much better

I've now stopped watching the news or reading the papers as the neighbours get upset by me screaming at the TV and saying words that have to beeped out or replaced with *****. Although I did see the news this morning where the government have somehow magicked £250,000,000 out of thin air so that local councils can start running weekly rubbish collections again. Surely with all the other problems and cuts this should be low on the list. I'm going to stop now before DH has to come and tell me to calm down and that taking up voodoo would be a bad idea.
Today has started well. I got woken up by DS2 opening the front door to take in a parcel. I've won a gorgeous cake stand in a Waitrose comp. I have had a really slow couple of months comp wise and this has really cheered me up. Although I now have to resist the urge to bake and fill it. I've decided to give up sugar based goodies for a month in the hope of losing some weight and lowering my blood pressure. Breaking that news to the family is going to be fun. I'm not giving up sugar in my tea, so that should soften the blow.
Today I have to do more laundry, scrub the kitchen and make a Dundee Cake for a friend. It's her parent's 50th wedding anniversary next week and they don't want a decorated cake. I was lazy yesterday as I discovered a blog and spent a few hours reading it. http://thepioneerwoman.com/ It's an alien way of life to me, but the photos are stunning and the recipes look good. It is also very funny.
I've got some elderberry vodka and sloe schnapps maturing in the cupboard under the stairs and am happy to add those into the booze pile. Although they might be kill or cure rather than a source of pleasure lol.

Have a wonderful day everyone and hugs to those that want them xxxxx

Softstuff

SDG31000 wrote: »

I was lazy yesterday as I discovered a blog and spent a few hours reading it. http://thepioneerwoman.com/ It's an alien way of life to me, but the photos are stunning and the recipes look good. It is also very funny.

Don't make her cinnamon rolls, whatever you do. You'll gain 10 kilos just watching them bake.

I'm simply not understanding what's going on in the minds of the British government. That being said, if I was in their position, I wouldn't know where to start to dig the country out of the mess it's in right now. It seems that whatever they do it's a bit like moving the proverbial deckchairs.

taurusgb

redlady_1 wrote: »

Read the Telegraph today. EU is going to sue Britain because we are TOO STRICT with benefit tourists!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!! why am I busting my !!! working two jobs to pay for these people who get a damn sight more than I would if I didnt work??? I can't read the whole article as I feel the need to smash the screen into little pieces .http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/8798095/Brussels-threatens-to-sue-Britain-to-let-in-benefit-tourists.html

I know how you feel - I've had to stop reading online newspapers (never buy the real thing of course) because I didn't think my blood pressure needed the aggravation.

I've been off sick since July, I earn £1 per month under what is required to claim SSP, and My DH is gainfully employed in a job that stops me getting income based ESA. During the past 35 years we have claimed 1 weeks JSA when DH was made redundant in 2005. We can manage (just). I am not complaining. But I am sick and tired of seeing my parents (who have never claimed a thing and who worked hard for over 50 years each) manage on a pittance because of the amount of money being paid out to those who have never contributed a penny in their life. :mad:

and breathe...........


Sun still shining today. If the last week is anything to go by I will have enough energy to do something easy until about 11 O clock, so am debating whether to water the garden pots with a very small watering can (can't lift a proper one) or whether to do some Christmas sewing. Thing is, if I go outside I will see again the work that we should have done to keep the house up to scratch and weather proof (painting, etc) but which hasn't been seen to due to my health throwing all plans awry. Think I'll open the French doors and stay in :rotfl:

taurusgb

GreyQueen wrote: »

These encampments are totally in breach of the law but the police seem incapable of moving them out. Some of the camps have been there more than a year. No EU national has (currently) any right to be in the UK for more than 3 months without being subject to immigration control unless they have one of 3 statuses; financially independant, full-time student, a worker. If they've never worked in the UK they currently have no rights to benefits and no rights to apply for social housing or to be accomodated as homeless in dire emergency.

In theory, these unemployed and destitute europeans should be deported. In practice nothing happens. Heaven help us all if what is being threatened comes to pass- that they acquire equal rights with UK nationals as soon as they set foot on British soil. There's no way that the social housing sector can handle this, never mind how the rest of us can hope to pay enough taxes to fund the benefit bill.

I do benefits stuff at work among other things and talk to people every day who've lost ESA and are appealing- some will suceed and some will be on JSA, with chronic illnesses and/ or disabilities which will mean that they are probably going to be at the bottom of the pile for any kind of job they go for. I can handle a desk-based job for a few hours a day but there's no way I could handle anything manual like I used to do on production lines, or driving gigs, or even be on my feet for hours like shop-work, waitressing or bar-work. Watch GQ go white as a sheet with exhaustion and collapse on the job- it has happened before and scares the sh*t out of employers.

People on benefit who rent privately get Local Housing Allowance and as these are coming up for renewal (it's annual if you stay in the same address) seem to be ending up with less LHA as the rates for each tariff of home-size are lower than last year and they have to make up the difference themselves. People say, "How can I manage?" to me and mine every day of the week.

What can we say? The benefits assessors are applying rates set by central government in terms of what is humorously-called "excess income" and the LHA rates are set by the Rents Service. Either way, we ain't got no flexibilty. More and more people are applying for Discretionary Housing Payments (a top-up of a few quid a week for a few weeks on your benefit) but even if they get it, it only postpones the crisis. It's a finite fund each financial year and when it's gone, that's it until the next year, no matter how needy the applicant.

I've often thought that it is ONLY the benefit system which has stopped there being blood on the streets over the terrible levels of pay and conditions for the employed (i.e. top-ups via tax credits) and the unemployed and sick alike. Take those away and the Gubment could be in for a very bumpy ride.

Mind you, it's about time that the Powers-that-Be were made to face the music over what their policies (or lack of them) mean for the rest of us. Perhaps rioters need to be a bit more specific and find out where the beggars are living and head there, instead of down to the shops to do a bit of retail therapy. Ahh, but that would suppose that they were politically-motivated, and most people seem so ground-down and dispirited that we can't muster the effort.

As ever - GREAT POST QC :T

mardatha

The biggest thing that strikes me about this govt is how they are trying to divide and rule and nobody can see it. First it was people on incapacity who were caught fiddling it and always in the paper or on TV. But they never show you the thousands of poor sods who are living really miserable lives because they were refused incapacity !
Then it was people in council housing - what started as homes for those who could never afford a mortgage because they lived on low/minimum wages is now seemingly a vast ocean of lazy shiftless people who lie about all day on benefits watching plasma tellies & getting free houses.
Younger people and lazy people who cant be a$$ed to think for themselves seem to believe all this propaganda - lookat some of the forums on here for proof of that! The danger is the divide. Once they tie things up so securely that you can never untie them then the ordinary person is lost. Look at utility companies - vast foreign owned with no ties to this country only shareholders mainly abroad... yet your very life depends on paying their bills to keep warm.

skint_taffy

hi, dont post very often but avid lurker lol am i right in believing the change to under occupancy in homes does not come into force until april 2013 and does not affect pensioners? thanks

redlady_1

But that's my point, it is not our government (whichever shower it may be) who is making the rules now. It is the EU. They are dictating what our policies must be and if we dont fall into line then they are going to sue us! I mean, just how bloody nuts is that?

I know there is more to this than meets the eye and I have no doubt there is a reason we are in the EU but really, this is just madness.

rachbc

sdg - I'm hooked on Pioneer Woman - read the Black Heels to tractor Wheels posts! I alwasy fancied being a cow girl! once once you are back on sugar - try her donuts!!

mardatha

Anybody who sticks to a group whose policies dont make sense is an eejit. We voted this lot in, the EU didnt. Is up to us to vote them out again.
Oh thankugod for Alex Salmond !!!!

Mrs_Chip

I have always had a sneaking feeling that our national finances were not quite as parlous as was made out when this lot came to power (not saying the other lot were not being profligate!). Its the classic trick - make things seem far worse than it is, make yourself out to be having to make hard decisions that allow you to nail the parts of sociely that in normal circumstances you would not get away with attacking, then, because of your financiall savvy (not) find money to spend on the things you were pushing when out of power.

I have no time for any of them, I want to live on a hill with cats and a veg patch!