Jobseekers doesn't cover rent? minus £30 per WEEK!

Wiggynut

lemontart wrote: »

apprently if you live in social housing all gets paid if in private rented set amount not all of it

and yet private housing is double the rent and is less space for the cost and landlords don't have to fix anything... we constantly have no water (let alone hot water), toilets blocked, washing machines broken (10 people using it ... so no wonder!)

my friend got a one bed flat with an housing association for £90 per week and he only has to find £5 extra from housing benefits (he recently had to sign on as well... he has family up north so he may move back up there) but it did take him 15 years on a waiting list to get that.. I have no chance... I have a dream of living in a one bed flat.. actually a studio would be nice... daylight, kitchen and a bath are my current dreams... I'm not joking either!!!

Errata

You'd probably be better off getting a job as a dishwasher on NMW and claiming HB and tax credits. I expect many single people who like to live in central London and can't find a job that suits them claim everything they're entitled to and do a few cash in hand shifts in a pub/bar/something similar.
Alternatively - find a squat, there are still plenty around.

Wiggynut

Errata wrote: »

You'd probably be better off getting a job as a dishwasher on NMW and claiming HB and tax credits. I expect many single people who like to live in central London and can't find a job that suits them claim everything they're entitled to and do a few cash in hand shifts in a pub/bar/something similar.
Alternatively - find a squat, there are still plenty around.

after 25 years in specialist jobs and degree etc I should hope I could get something a little better than dishwashing - and I have had cleaning jobs before anyone gets sniffy!! but I am applying for anything including admin/typing jobs as well...

I don't actually like living in central london it's just the rent doesn't drop that much when you move further out but add the travel costs on top and you might as well pay the same further in and walk everywhere which is what I do now.

cash jobs means commiting fraud!!! I think I'm the type that would get done after doing one hour of fraud... I've got fined for paying my travel fair on a bus... yet the 10 people who didn't pay just got off the bus... seriously not joking!

I'm definiately not living in a squat... I've moved 85 times (mostly as a kid) and at least having some laws on yourside means some safety! I also believe in paying for things and have never lived 'free' in any sense... even worked from the age of 7/8 doing babysitting/cleaning jobs.. yeah... I'm a moron...

Hammyman

Wiggynut wrote: »

which would take moving costs/deposit and rent to move?
I don't live in london for luxury or choice... I have no family and moved 30 plus times in care as a child...where should I live? some random place and then what? better chance of work in london... but the rent prices have shot up -
I would love to live somewhere else but to shove a pin in a map and then move would be childish!

My county has lower unemployment than most boroughs in London and is below the UK average. You can rent property cheaply and the LHA usually covers it or if not, the top up payment out of JSA is usually no more than £10 or so.

There are plenty of areas in the UK that are the same. Unfortunately because they're virtually exclusively not in the South East, people aren't interested.

Hammyman

Wiggynut wrote: »

tried that and I lived in Brighton for a while and Swindon (wanted Oxford but no car so live in swindon as it was close...!) but no work either...
I would love to move to bristol area but no jobs come up in searches and the rent is similar so no point moving! (I can't afford to move either... if I could I would bother going on jobseekers!)

So the reason you don't think it'll work is because basically the areas you have tried are expensive to live in and have reasonably high unemployment. Judging by the daily job roundup email I get, they're screaming for skilled people in my area because most of them migrated south.

Try looking anywhere north of the north south divide.

Here is a map to give you an idea where to look. You want to be looking in the green area.



Or perhaps you could expand your job search to ANY job instead of just in your field. 40hrs a week flipping burgers would give you enough to pay your rent. We have long since left the times where people can be picky as to what jobs they take.

relic

Wiggynut wrote: »

after 25 years in specialist jobs and degree etc I should hope I could get something a little better than dishwashing - and I have had cleaning jobs before anyone gets sniffy!! but I am applying for anything including admin/typing jobs as well...

I don't actually like living in central london it's just the rent doesn't drop that much when you move further out but add the travel costs on top and you might as well pay the same further in and walk everywhere which is what I do now.

cash jobs means commiting fraud!!! I think I'm the type that would get done after doing one hour of fraud... I've got fined for paying my travel fair on a bus... yet the 10 people who didn't pay just got off the bus... seriously not joking!

I'm definiately not living in a squat... I've moved 85 times (mostly as a kid) and at least having some laws on yourside means some safety! I also believe in paying for things and have never lived 'free' in any sense... even worked from the age of 7/8 doing babysitting/cleaning jobs.. yeah... I'm a moron...

So you don't like London, can't find any work in London, but are unwilling to do jobs that are not of your "skillset". So what exactly do you want?

spadoosh

Wiggynut wrote: »

tried that and I lived in Brighton for a while and Swindon (wanted Oxford but no car so live in swindon as it was close...!) but no work either... I'd rather work as I'm i can't stand sitting around doing nothing (I can do plenty of that in my own time lol!) and commuting into london costs a huge amount of money... it's actually cheaper to live in london and walk everywhere... I've done the maths! rent is similar elsewhere and enter the extra travel into it and it costs more so might as well live in london...

I would love to move to bristol area but no jobs come up in searches and the rent is similar so no point moving! (I can't afford to move either... if I could I would bother going on jobseekers!)

Think your being restrictive with were you could move. I live in preston and for £500 a month you can get a large 3 bed terrace so a room only would be no more than £50 a week. A friend of mine rents a room out for 300 a month but that includes everything, bills, sky, broadband, toiletries etc.

There will always be somewhere cheaper/more economical to live than london.

Hope it works out soon and you find the right job.

spadoosh

cash jobs doesnt mean commiting fraud. Its called self declaration. You inform the tax office of your earnings in cash and work out how much you owe them.

Blobby8_2

I cant find work in my field either, I am a coronation flag seller.

PCP_2

It seems like you'll HAVE to move to a cheaper place. I had to do the same recently after a housing contract came to an end.
Although my current place is FAR from ideal it's around £30 a week cheaper than my last place - and with the extra money I have enough to eat.

How much are you spending on food per week? And where?
Perhaps looking at your diet and where you shop might be necessary, as it's surprising how much you can spend on food without really getting much if you're not careful.