Universal Credit for [merged]

BigAunty

Marisco wrote: »

...

I used to leave the house at 8am and get home at 5.30 ish, would I be expected to then travel an hour and a half to go to another job? So when are people supposed to have some sort of life?

So, not only are people incapable of juggling job applications with employment, they are also incapable of time management between two part time jobs...?

seven-day-weekend

Marisco wrote: »

If the conditions are as stringent as JSA (and I'm only going on what I have read on here re job searching, as it's donkeys since I claimed the dole) then quite a few people will be sanctioned! They have to prove they have tried for x number of jobs, willing to travel 90 mins each way etc, how can people with kids travel that amount of time for a second job? The cost of child care would be ridiculous, as maybe the partners work wouldn't "gel" with the other.

I used to leave the house at 8am and get home at 5.30 ish, would I be expected to then travel an hour and a half to go to another job? So when are people supposed to have some sort of life? Is that all there is to life, work? Thank god I'm retired! Maybe if employers paid living wages, there would be no need for all this juggling!!!

But that is a full-time job isn't it, so this condition probably wouldn't apply to you. It's people with part-time jobs who may need to look for extra work. People on workfare at 30 hours a week would still have time (5 hours if 35 hours is classed as full-time and they don't want to use 'their' time) to look for work.

I've had two part-time jobs (and done voluntary work at the same time), you just have to manage your time.

Like you I am now retired.

Weary_soul

BigAunty wrote: »

So, not only are people incapable of juggling job applications with employment, they are also incapable of time management between two part time jobs...?

Yeah, the working classes eh? What'cha gonna do. Good for nothing unlike our illustrious leaders who manage to do so much on such low wages too.

Marisco

BigAunty wrote: »

So, not only are people incapable of juggling job applications with employment, they are also incapable of time management between two part time jobs...?

That depends on their employer, not you. If an employer wants you to work different hours, then how can you juggle your time, no matter how good you are at time management? For instance, one week you might have to work 4 hrs per day variable, the next 5 hours for 3 days etc, etc. How could you fit another job in, when you don't know if you'll get called to your "original" job or not? The only way it would work well would be if you had a 9 to 5 job, then got bar work from 7 to whenever.

Oh's daughter has a job like that, her hours vary from day to day, they add a couple of hours here and there, depending on business needs. I don't think they'd like it if she had to say, sorry cannot do it as I'm working at my other job. She gets hours dependant on the needs of the business, not for her convenience.

My granddaughter got offered a job, that she would have loved to take, but because she had to catch the bus at a certain time to get there, she had to turn it down. She wasn't able to get childcare at that time in the morning, the after school club started too late, and her mother leaves the house at 7am to get to her own work. She now does Avon to get some money in, and as she has "the gift of the gab" she is doing well, but still wants a full time job, but needs to find a more "child friendly" job. So yes, I think it might be a good idea to tailor it to peoples' individual circumstances, a "one size fits all" is never a good idea.

Marisco

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

But that is a full-time job isn't it, so this condition probably wouldn't apply to you. It's people with part-time jobs who may need to look for extra work. People on workfare at 30 hours a week would still have time (5 hours if 35 hours is classed as full-time and they don't want to use 'their' time) to look for work.

I've had two part-time jobs (and done voluntary work at the same time), you just have to manage your time.

Like you I am now retired.

Not according to some it isn't! I used to work 34 hrs a week, with an afternoon off and Saturday and Sunday off. Would this mean I'd have to find work for one afternoon and Sat and Sun? No chance of a life then?

BigAunty

Marisco wrote: »

...So yes, I think it might be a good idea to tailor it to peoples' individual circumstances, a "one size fits all" is never a good idea.

So the state must produce tailored benefit plans on a household by household basis, adapting itself to the circumstances of each claimant, rather than having simple rules and conditionality in order that the claimant fits in with it?

And this includes factoring in the inability of some people to manage their commitments?

BigAunty

Marisco wrote: »

Not according to some it isn't! I used to work 34 hrs a week, with an afternoon off and Saturday and Sunday off. Would this mean I'd have to find work for one afternoon and Sat and Sun? No chance of a life then?

Why would those in full time employment be compelled to work an additional job...?!

Many people routinely work a 45 hours week which is something you claim you are unable to do without sacrificing quality of life...That's the equivalent of working 8am or 9am to 6pm, 5 days a week.

It's hardly slavery.

Marisco

BigAunty wrote: »

So the state must produce tailored benefit plans on a household by household basis, adapting itself to the circumstances of each claimant, rather than having simple rules and conditionality in order that the claimant fits in with it?

And this includes factoring in the inability of some people to manage their commitments?

That is not what I'm saying! The rules should be flexible so that people do not get sanctioned if the powers that be "decide" they are not making an effort! Circumstances should be taken into account is what I'm saying. Someone should be able to explain that they are having a problem getting another job, because the job they have is "funny" hours and they shouldn't be sanctioned because of it.

Weary_soul

But If this scheme ends up anything like JSA (which on the surface of it , it appears to be) the DWP staff will be looking for any old excuse to sanction people, be they trying to find work or not. The tribunals service is awash with complaints as it is.

I can see this is going to be a very complex system to run properly. So much for the whole 'simplifying benefits' bit.

NEH

A lot of the sick that were on non means tested benefits are going to get nothing as they're supposed to be supported by their partner, putting even more pressure on one very basic wage in some cases.

Those that were young when they got sick and who have had jobs on and off depending on their health condition have been given a reprieve and they will get the contribution ESA for a year even though they don't have enough NI......

In my support group as one person said who's gong to employ a lot of us that have varying symptoms, one day they can go in and then be off for a few days and so on. You can exactly regulate a varying condition to time restrictions! No employer in their right mind would take a lot of people with my condition....

Even a few years the job centre gave up helping me find a job as no-one would employ me as I could only do up to 10 hours then, given the current recession I doubt there will be a queue of employers beating a path to the job-centre just waiting to sign everyone up!