Jsa - A Ticking Timebomb?

[momert]

In Germany redundant employees get 90% of their salary for a year, part paid by their employer, and then I think it drops to 50% paid by the govt. Those who have never worked get a flat rate.

In Germany you get 60% of your net take home pay for 12 months (over 50, 18 months). As well as this you get your rent

paid (as a single only up to 45m²).

After 12 months you get €351 a month......about 70 pounds a week, or if the exchange rate had not fallen so much 55 pounds a week.

The german system is good for 12 months and after that it is NO BETTER THAN THE UK.

This 90% of net pay etc. is the danish system.

[lurker07]

Perhaps some knowledgeable folks can help me out here.

My job is literally hanging by a thread (tomorrow is likely to be D-Day).

My situation:

Currently rent.

Live with foreign partner. They are freelance which is a bit up and down (Mostly down right now!) they have no remit to public funds (which is fine by me until citizenship).

No kids.

Am I screwed? Have savings for about 6 months rent/bills.

Will the government arrive on it's white steed to fill my pockets with silver?

Or should I fall over and injure myself while looking for work? Ha.

</end of MSE post!!>

[detached]

If it was set at a level, say 70% of your income, so with a wage at 30k, you receive about 20k for a year - it then diminishes after a year, this should give you amble time to find another job at your previous wage. If you claim this via JSA, you cant apply for any other benefits (such as housing benefit, tax credits, etc)..it would simplify the system, with much less bureaucracy (you would hope so anyway)..

Good and sensible point.

Trouble is I fear the prospect of cutting other benefits would be quite limited as these are paid to millions of people who have not worked for years (if ever) and would therefore not qualify for an income-related JSA.

This is IMO what makes the UK's position far worse than many other EU countries.

It is even worse when you add people about to retire with a decimated private pension and who will have to rely on the grossly inadequate state pension.

Who will take to the streets first - pensioners or the unemployed?

[dissident junk]

All Dave has to do is register as "self employed" and spend 40hrs/wk trying to make a living doing something and keeping records of his activity. If he earns less than £5200pa He'll get about £1000/month in tax credits.

OMG.

I've just checked this. If I sacked my job and went full-time self-employed, and earnt £5K a year, I'd qualify for a package worth £21K a year.

Sh*t, that's more than I earn. I can see why people totally play the system.

[Danny Deflation]

Jenni Russell

I can feel a tide of anger rising inexorably

Looking at the bigger picture:

More unemployed = Less tax for government = More JSA payouts = Harder to get JSA due to tighter criteria = More crime = More discontent = Britian continuing to well and truly go down the sh1tter.

[bagsos]

In Germany you get 60% of your net take home pay for 12 months (over 50, 18 months). As well as this you get your rent

paid (as a single only up to 45m²).

After 12 months you get €351 a month......about 70 pounds a week, or if the exchange rate had not fallen so much 55 pounds a week.

The german system is good for 12 months and after that it is NO BETTER THAN THE UK.

This 90% of net pay etc. is the danish system.

My employer has just closed a plant in Germany, and was tangentially involved. I am pretty sure that 90% is what we were told part paid by the govt and part paid by us - the redundant employees move to become employees of what is called a Transfer Company, run by a third party and the local chamber of commerce, which helps them find another job and learn new skills, all the while paying them 90% of what we paid them for 12 m. We were told by our lawyers that this was the standard procedure.

It was a very expensive closure, costing about 3x the UK equivalent, where we lock the factory gates at the end of the night shift and send the day shift employees a text telling them not to bother turning up in the morning...........only joking!

[momert]

My employer has just closed a plant in Germany, and was tangentially involved. I am pretty sure that 90% is what we were told part paid by the govt and part paid by us - the redundant employees move to become employees of what is called a Transfer Company, run by a third party and the local chamber of commerce, which helps them find another job and learn new skills, all the while paying them 90% of what we paid them for 12 m. We were told by our lawyers that this was the standard procedure.

It was a very expensive closure, costing about 3x the UK equivalent, where we lock the factory gates at the end of the night shift and send the day shift employees a text telling them not to bother turning up in the morning...........only joking!

If you get made redundant from a good /reputable firm you can get a good redundancy and they will via a transfer operation, sponser/pay you for retraining and searching for another job. It is possible that the government helped and topped it up to 90% for 12 months.

If you get redundancy pay you will not get any dole. It is the same as the Uk in that your dole is cut or stopped depending on what your bank balance is. It is also taxed very early regarding the sum and very heavily.

For most people in Germany that lose their job they will not get that generous redundancy as occurred at your firm.

Regardless after 12 months you are NO BETTER OFF THAN IN THE UK.

I work in engineering and last year an american firm whome my firm works closely with shed 2/3 of it's workers.

The redundancy package was ca. 1,5 months salary per year plus 80% wages and retraining for 12 months.

After that and no job they have to live off their redundancy or recieve €351,- per month.

[Saberu]

Do I have to have kids to get tax credits?

Put simply, yes. I just checked it out as it seemed pretty unbeleivable. And as I thought, that 1000 pounds/ month figure is only if you have kids.

Maximum weekly eligible cost for two or more children £300.00 (maximum payable £240.00)

And the parent will get £1,890 for himself (160/ week which is almost as much as JSA for under 25s).

So a couple or single parent with two children will get 1360/ month, and on top of that may be eligible to not pay council tax and if they are self employed it will be easy as pie to lie about their income in various business sectors.

But hey..it's not like they need to work. 1360/ month (untaxed income) is more than enough for a family of four in my opinion.

Our benefits system is screwed, on top of all this all the people who know how to 'play' the benefits system get a council house. I knew a girl who happily told me she pretended her boyfriend beat her up so she was able to jump the queue for social housing and got a 3 bedroom semi detached house for her and her child. It's not like she needed a house with 3 bedrooms, hell most families in China live in apartments as from what I can see in the cities

Think when I get married I will just go back to the UK and have children then retire

As to the OP, basically your partner needs to quit her job, then you will have 1360/ month free money

Edited May 21, 2009 by Saberu

[Saberu]

Am I screwed? Have savings for about 6 months rent/bills.

You'll be fine, hope you like kids though. This government doesn't award childless couples and has even more disdain for childless singles.

[geoffk]

But for the last twenty years people have told me life on the dole was a great life and you got loads of free money..... reality time for so many........about time some people got the idea that life on the dole is a nightmare unless you are brain dead...

[self]

I'm 19 and I've been claiming JSA for around 3 months now. Man, I must have applied for about 70+ jobs now, everything from cleaning to retail. I think my best bet is getting an apprenticeship now. I went to uni for one year but left because my course was crap and I've had hardly any work experience. It's hard some days, but I've learnt to keep my chin up and not get too down about it.

The one thing I've learnt:

School is a con. They tell you, do the Duke Of Edinburgh Award, become a Prefect and you'll end up with the job of your dreams and everything will be amazing. What a joke! They tell you that so you sit down and shut up and do the work. Even though I've been through some rough patches thus past year, I'm glad I left uni because I now know what real life is like in this country, shite. Just my experience. Good luck to all on here who are unemployed and I hope you find something soon, it's bad enough being unemployed when you live with your parents, it must be so much harder when you have a family to provide for.

Edited May 21, 2009 by self

[eightiesgirly]

I'm 19 and I've been claiming JSA for around 3 months now. Man, I must have applied for about 70+ jobs now, everything from cleaning to retail. I think my best bet is getting an apprenticeship now. I went to uni for one year but left because my course was crap and I've had hardly any work experience. It's hard some days, but I've learnt to keep my chin up and not get too down about it.

The one thing I've learnt:

School is a con. They tell you, do the Duke Of Edinburgh Award, become a Prefect and you'll end up with the job of your dreams and everything will be amazing. What a joke! They tell you that so you sit down and shut up and do the work. Even though I've been through some rough patches thus past year, I'm glad I left uni because I now know what real life is like in this country, shite. Just my experience. Good luck to all on here who are unemployed and I hope you find something soon, it's bad enough being unemployed when you live with your parents, it must be so much harder when you have a family to provide for.

Have a look at some temp work, they don't look too closely at qualifications and stuff and it may get you some of the job experience you need. Hope you get something, it's pretty rough out there at the moment.

[self]

Have a look at some temp work, they don't look too closely at qualifications and stuff and it may get you some of the job experience you need. Hope you get something, it's pretty rough out there at the moment.

Yeah thanks man, I appreciate it. Anyway, got a couple of options left and I'm looking into doing some voluntary work in a charity shop for a few weeks to help my C.V. Not exactly a "cool" thing to do but hey, needs must I suppose. Maybe I should look at some jobs abroad or something.

[this_prisoner_is_opting_out]

In Germany redundant employees get 90% of their salary for a year, part paid by their employer, and then I think it drops to 50% paid by the govt. Those who have never worked get a flat rate.

In Germany you get 60% of your net take home pay for 12 months (over 50, 18 months). As well as this you get your rent

paid (as a single only up to 45m²).

After 12 months you get €351 a month......about 70 pounds a week, or if the exchange rate had not fallen so much 55 pounds a week.

The german system is good for 12 months and after that it is NO BETTER THAN THE UK.

This 90% of net pay etc. is the danish system.

It IS MUCH better than the UK! It means you have 12 months to climb out of any potential holes... e.g., for me, I'd finish my lease in my more expensive rental property and find something far more manageable that could be handled within my new means. Rather than 3 weeks redundancy then peering in to a black hole.

[Guest eight]

I'm 19 and I've been claiming JSA for around 3 months now. Man, I must have applied for about 70+ jobs now, everything from cleaning to retail. I think my best bet is getting an apprenticeship now. I went to uni for one year but left because my course was crap and I've had hardly any work experience. It's hard some days, but I've learnt to keep my chin up and not get too down about it.

The one thing I've learnt:

School is a con. They tell you, do the Duke Of Edinburgh Award, become a Prefect and you'll end up with the job of your dreams and everything will be amazing. What a joke! They tell you that so you sit down and shut up and do the work. Even though I've been through some rough patches thus past year, I'm glad I left uni because I now know what real life is like in this country, shite. Just my experience. Good luck to all on here who are unemployed and I hope you find something soon, it's bad enough being unemployed when you live with your parents, it must be so much harder when you have a family to provide for.

Hats off to you self; you seem to have your head screwed on. Hope it works out for you.

eight

[eightiesgirly]

Yeah thanks man, I appreciate it. Anyway, got a couple of options left and I'm looking into doing some voluntary work in a charity shop for a few weeks to help my C.V. Not exactly a "cool" thing to do but hey, needs must I suppose. Maybe I should look at some jobs abroad or something.

I'll tell you straight, I'm 52 and have health problems. If I was young fit and single me name'd be goff and I'd be off. Oz, USA, NZ, Canada any flippin' where but here. I missed the chance to go a few years back, one regret of my life. (well that and whatever I can't remember on an 18-30 hol in Ibiza when I was 20)

[Bloo Loo]

I'm 19 and I've been claiming JSA for around 3 months now. Man, I must have applied for about 70+ jobs now, everything from cleaning to retail. I think my best bet is getting an apprenticeship now. I went to uni for one year but left because my course was crap and I've had hardly any work experience. It's hard some days, but I've learnt to keep my chin up and not get too down about it.

The one thing I've learnt:

School is a con. They tell you, do the Duke Of Edinburgh Award, become a Prefect and you'll end up with the job of your dreams and everything will be amazing. What a joke! They tell you that so you sit down and shut up and do the work. Even though I've been through some rough patches thus past year, I'm glad I left uni because I now know what real life is like in this country, shite. Just my experience. Good luck to all on here who are unemployed and I hope you find something soon, it's bad enough being unemployed when you live with your parents, it must be so much harder when you have a family to provide for.

go door to door and offer cleaning services (offices). work out a rate to do the job and do it on your own account.

You'll be a milyonaire in months.

[smiffy1967]

Yeah thanks man, I appreciate it. Anyway, got a couple of options left and I'm looking into doing some voluntary work in a charity shop for a few weeks to help my C.V. Not exactly a "cool" thing to do but hey, needs must I suppose. Maybe I should look at some jobs abroad or something.

Good on you regarding voluntary work - main thing is to keep posative - maybe if you smoke quit - it's expensive, join a local authority Gym - its cheap so you can work out and then swim. It will make you feel great, also try and do a community college course but dont do it for more than 16 hours a week they will fluck you with your benefits. If you have a garden grow some food, lettuce toms, rocket you will be amazed at how much money you will save and it is also very calming watching your labour turn into something tangible. Things will work out fine for you - dont worry. This economic shite storm will not be the end of the world.

good luck

[winkie]

go door to door and offer cleaning services (offices). work out a rate to do the job and do it on your own account.

You'll be a milyonaire in months.

Avon calling...hey ho hey ho it's self employed I go.

[Minos]

I'm 19 and I've been claiming JSA for around 3 months now. Man, I must have applied for about 70+ jobs now, everything from cleaning to retail. I think my best bet is getting an apprenticeship now. I went to uni for one year but left because my course was crap and I've had hardly any work experience. It's hard some days, but I've learnt to keep my chin up and not get too down about it.

The one thing I've learnt:

School is a con. They tell you, do the Duke Of Edinburgh Award, become a Prefect and you'll end up with the job of your dreams and everything will be amazing. What a joke! They tell you that so you sit down and shut up and do the work. Even though I've been through some rough patches thus past year, I'm glad I left uni because I now know what real life is like in this country, shite. Just my experience. Good luck to all on here who are unemployed and I hope you find something soon, it's bad enough being unemployed when you live with your parents, it must be so much harder when you have a family to provide for.

Keep plugging away. Something will come up. And you have youth on your side.

[OnionTerror]

Have a look at some temp work, they don't look too closely at qualifications and stuff and it may get you some of the job experience you need. Hope you get something, it's pretty rough out there at the moment.

The only trouble with temping at the moment, is that the agencies are incredibly fussy about who they take on, as there's such a glut of people looking for work. For instance, you may be a high level manager who's been made redundant, but if they go for some straight forward admin job, they'll get knocked-back, even if they could do the job with their eyes closed, as they can take the pick of the bunch..

Volunteering is an excellent way of keeping your CV ticking along (as well as giving back to the community of course), although you better watch the Job Centre, as they can get very fussy about who its with, and whether you should get paid for it, even though your not (ie. the organisation may have a mixture of voluteers & paid employees)..they can deduct the minimum wage per hour (up to 16 hours a week I think) from your benefits if they think this...they are so crafty..

Edited May 21, 2009 by zagreb78

[self]

Keep plugging away. Something will come up. And you have youth on your side.

Cheers for all the advice guys. Yeah, it's definitely important to keep positive.

Also, Jobcentre = complete waste of time.

Edited May 21, 2009 by self

[eightiesgirly]

The only trouble with temping at the moment, is that the agencies are incredibly fussy about who they take on, as there's such a glut of people looking for work. For instance, you may be a high level manager who's been made redundant, but if they go for some straight forward admin job, they'll get knocked-back, even if they could do the job with their eyes closed, as they can take the pick of the bunch..

Volunteering is an excellent way of keeping your CV ticking along (as well as giving back to the community of course), although you better watch the Job Centre, as they can get very fussy about who its with, and whether you should get paid for it, even though your not (ie. the organisation may have a mixture of voluteers & paid employees)..they can deduct the minimum wage per hour (up to 16 hours a week I think) from your benefits if they think this...they are so crafty..

Typical no-win situation. Is it any wonder people get depressed as hell and end up on the sick.

[self]

Things are looking up guys, I just got a phone call to deliver phone books for a few weeks next month, maybe it's fate. Anyway, its something at least.

[Son of Fred]

I went to the jobcentre to sign on today - first time ever.

Very busy- standing room only.

The corner I got wedged into stank of piss.

After 30 mins of waiting for my name to be called out I started to feel like a slash myself - couldn't see a toilet anywhere but I managed to hold it in.

The guy next to me got called and was replaced by another guy whose armpits reeked.

The combined odour of piss and B.O was too much to bear so I shimmied my way to another corner where I bumped into Brian, a guy I last worked with in 1986. We were both made redundant back then and we both applied for a job at the Ford Transit plant. I got the job - he didnt and went to work for a printer instead. Now, 23 years later we have both been made redundant again at the same time. He came away with nothing as the business had become insolvent, at least I got a pension and a bit of a 'handshake'.

In fact I began to wonder if my pension income is greater than the salary of the Jobcentere staff lording it over us as they strutted around with ID cards attached to lanyards dangling round their necks. ( This ubiquitous piece of sh*te must surely be the office equivilent of a Hi-Viz vest.)

They seem adamant I can qualify for JSA - I just don't see how.

By this point the room was begining to resemble Groucho's cabin in a 'Night at the Opera'.

Luis Bunuel could have made a nice movie here- we are all trapped inside-unable to leave and are forced to eat the Jobcentre staff.

I overheard one of Security Guards telling somone that the Totton office (Where most local claims are processed) are so busy at the moment they are working 7 days a week.

JSA a ticking bomb?

I reckon by the time summer is here they are going to need more than just a couple of security guards to keep that lot in order.

edit: clarification

Edited May 21, 2009 by Son of Fred