A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

Popperwell

They are doing a feature on the radio about the Olympic Torch relay and going on about the lorries supported by the sponsers. Most have said in not so many words "Rubbish" and over too quick. That you saw more of them than the torch...I hear they are handing out free coke a cola and tambourines...they didn't here!:mad:

GreyQueen

Evening all. I'm slowly bringing my brain up to speed after a gruelling day in the salt mine. Waiting for food and my last dose of meds to restore some functionality to what passes for a brain. Overdid it somewhat at the weekend (decluttering shed, details on Hoarders thead so won't repeat myself here).

What really annoys me about the proposed make-'em-go-back-to-their-parents-if-they're-under-25 malarky is the unutterable stupidity of it. I expect in Toryworld, everybody's mummy and daddy has a big enough home to leave Toryboy and Torygirl's childhood bedrooms untouched and unused. So, if the going gets tough, their offspring can go home to recuperate.

Meanwhile, back in the Real World, Ordinary Boy and Ordinary Girl's mum or Dad may have re-partnered and be living in a 1 bedroom flat with their new amour. Where will the kidults crash? People have parents who are dead/emigrated/dangerous to know/ totally unknown/incarcerated/willing but impoverished and having no space.....you name it, I've encountered it in the Real World.

I haven't seen any mention of removing the under 25s from the obligation to pay taxes and national insurance. So you're going to tax people when they're working, then hang them out to dry when they're unemployed or sick, just because they're under a certain age...........? And this is legal........? And people are going to just shrug and say, awright mate, let's go "home". Not. There will be hell to pay.

And, unless they're going to re-write the Housing Act whilst they're at it, they'll create statutory overcrowding which will entitle people to bigger Council and HA homes.........Doh!

Right, moving off politics as it's bad for my blood-pressure.:D

Hey, fuddle, you young person, you. I was in secondary school the year you were born............nearly out of it, in fact. I can remember the 1970s pretty well. Mum enjoyed the 3 day week (shame about the correspondingly-reduced pay packet). I can remember when petrol was 70p a GALLON. Gosh. And lots of really really naff music.......:rotfl:I always consider it The Decade that Taste Forgot.

Brown and orange swirly shagpile, anybody?

Have a good evening, GQ xx

Pooky

The situation we find ourselves in at Pooky Towers is one of having to rely somewhat on benefits. I left school at 16 and went straight into a full time job (had a weekend job from 12), married at 21, kids at 23/25 and had left full time employment in order to be a SAHM, we could afford for me to be at home, our mortgage was tiny (we brought a wreck). I spent the next 3 years doing the house slowly, my dad teaching me how to plaster, how to do the electrics and how to tile. Marriage broke down at 27 and I found myself a single Mum and having to claim anything in order to survive for a few months. I managed to get myself a job from home and then met my now wonderful DH. Fast forward a few years, the house was sold as part of the divorce, DH was working full time, I set myself up in business as a childminder and we both worked hard, paid into the system and had an idyllic life with our gorgeous daughters.

Fast forward another few years DHs career had progressed, I gave up my business to finish getting the kids through school and into secondary and was on the cusp of beginning to look for a job outside of the home when DH was a passenger in a car travelling to work (a fairly new job, a huge promotion), the car was involved in a nasty accident, which has left DH disabled, disheartened and has ruined his career. He's not been able to work now for three years and whilst my intent was to return to work, I simply can't, I need to be here to care for him.

This is what benefits are for, to help us come to terms with our new life, to enable us to be able to fund the basic things; a wheel chair, an accessible life, medication, hospital appointments which all lead to the start of a recovery process which we are both damn well sure will have us both back in work in the next couple of years.

I'd love to find an employer that's willing to let me work flexi time I order to get DH showered and dressed, rush home when he falls, get him to London to his hospital appointments and give me time off to attend school meetings etc. then we'd not be relying on benefits but the simple fact is that this is life for now, we've paid into the system for this help and we will use everything available to us to get us back into normal life.

It's a system that's abused by those who have no morals and no decency. Fortunately there's still plenty of people around with some.

grandma247

GreyQueen wrote: »

The Decade that Taste Forgot.
GQ xx

Me too!:rotfl::rotfl:

grandma247

(((((( hugs ))))) pooky

Byatt

I loved the 70's...:o:D

Pooky, I'm so sorry about your DH's accident. But your will to survive, both of you, is inspiring.

shegar

shegar wrote: »

Hi , Watch Panorama BBC1 at 8 tonight its all about scams.........

Sorry its 8.30 not 8 as I previously stated....

Popperwell

Pooky wrote: »

This is what benefits are for, to help us come to terms with our new life, to enable us to be able to fund the basic things; a wheel chair, an accessible life, medication, hospital appointments which all lead to the start of a recovery process which we are both damn well sure will have us both back in work in the next couple of years.

It's a system that's abused by those who have no morals and no decency. Fortunately there's still plenty of people around with some.

Sorry to hear your story, that's exactly what they are for but our PM and the media are turning people against the genuine claimants, the new rules are already seeing people who are really ill being affected, the new assessments don't even allow evidence from Dr's and Consultants to be submitted, only in the appeal process(crazy I know)and many benefits are being reduced or being made harder to get.

There are still people with morals and decency but they are not involved in making the decisions or they may like to help but are unable to because they have the new rules to follow.

And the main company doing the tests has a less than glowing reputation for being fair and understanding. They may be anecdotal but I have heard some real horror stories...

Popperwell

shegar wrote: »

Sorry its 8.30 not 8 as I previously stated....

Thanks for the heads up!

kezlou

Sorry to hear about your OH's car accident Pooky, its awful when you get into that state of feeling guilty just because your caring for your husband. The both of will come out stronger than ever !!!

Like you pooky i had two children by age 25, unfortunately we had a nightmare of events where we couldn't claim benfits due to dodgy employers. So ended up using credit card's etc to cover bills, rent etc. But now we have started our new business together and fingers crossed everything will go well. I wish all the best to you and your family.

Well i had the landlady round was so funny seeing the look wiped off her face when the guy she brought round actually agreed with me. Score one against a dodgy landlord, all of this just because i to pay for some lino so i can the plinths on then the kitchen will be fully finished yay.

Thanks for the link grandma i'm going to have a go and making some things for my little nieces.

Oh and a shock phone call off the school today, its good but scary at the same time. Got ds2's statement reading on Wednesday, this is it the start of one process and now i just have to sign the form and its off:D