How 1.75M Jobless Have Been On Benefits For Five Years

[Harry Monk]

I haven't been on benefits for the last five years but I can see myself being on them for the next five...

[northwestsmith2]

Housing benefit should be the same as what someone on minimum wage can afford.

[bomberbrown]

I haven't been on benefits for the last five years but I can see myself being on them for the next five...

Not if you've been feverishly squirreling away cash for a deposit on a house/flat that amounts to more than £16k you won't.

Talking of which, when was the last time that £16k limit was reviewed for inflation purposes? How on earth are people expected to save for an approx £35k deposit for a home/mortgage when savings over £16k render you unable to qualify for benefits?

Possibly the strongest argument and perverse incentive for buying and burying gold for cash savings > £16k.

[SarahBell]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315444/Workshy-Britain-How-1-75m-jobless-benefits-years.html

'Almost 1.75million adults have spent the past five years out of work

it doesn't help that there aren't many jobs out there.

If you couldn't find a job during the biggest boom in the UK ever then you are SO needing to be put down!

(Gawd I'm a right facist today!)

[_w_]

If you couldn't find a job during the biggest boom in the UK ever then you are SO needing to be put down!

(Gawd I'm a right facist today!)

Monster!

[council dweller]

Not if you've been feverishly squirreling away cash for a deposit on a house/flat that amounts to more than £16k you won't.

Talking of which, when was the last time that £16k limit was reviewed for inflation purposes? How on earth are people expected to save for an approx £35k deposit for a home/mortgage when savings over £16k render you unable to qualify for benefits?

Possibly the strongest argument and perverse incentive for buying and burying gold for cash savings > £16k.

I seem to remember that Harry Monk (last spring?) was asking for advice on where to hide his money. Sounds like he didn't take it and so has used his savings to pay his rent for 5 months. But wait, that's only 2,500 though....

Anyway, seems like the whole situation is changing and people will have to 'Universal Credit' to cover all expenses from next April. We shall see.

[council dweller]

adolf lives and he's in Oldham.

Yeah she's got the uniforms and everything.

[PopGun]

If you couldn't find a job during the biggest boom in the UK ever then you are SO needing to be put down!

(Gawd I'm a right facist today!)

What boom industry was this then?

Geez I hope none of you guys EVER have to experience the situation of deciding between public sector employment or the dole, I won't be able to move for the bridge jumpers.

[northwestsmith2]

This came out today and nothing in the media I could see.

March 2009 to March 2010

Businesses

Number of UK Businesses down

2009/2010 % change

Total 2,100,370 -2.4%

Biggest falls

Transport & storage (inc. postal) -5.13%

Construction -5.07%

Manufacturing -4.39%

Arts, entertainment, recreation and other services -3.08%

Only growth

Education 1.93%

Health 1.95%

Public administration and defence; compulsory social security 0.54%

Professional, scientific & technical 0.68%

Edited September 27, 2010 by northwestsmith2

[wonderpup]

Housing benefit should be the same as what someone on minimum wage can afford.

I think a lot of people on low wages qualify for housing benefit. The problem with being a 'flexible' labour force is that you wind up with employers that do not pay a living wage and the government ends up subsidising McDonalds to employ people.

It seems to me that some of the prime beneficiaries of the welfare state are employers and buy to let landlords. Maybe if housing costs had not been allowed to run rampant and globalisation not been given unconditional reign then people might be able to earn enough to pay their way.

[SarahBell]

adolf lives and he's in Oldham.

Oi! Less of the he!

[Harry Monk]

I seem to remember that Harry Monk (last spring?) was asking for advice on where to hide his money. Sounds like he didn't take it and so has used his savings to pay his rent for 5 months. But wait, that's only 2,500 though....

Still renting and sitting on the STR fund, not working now and in reality I get 6 months JSA based on contributions, logic would suggest I buy within that period to reduce my savings, what to do???

Edit, typo

Edited September 27, 2010 by Harry Monk

[douggggy]

Still renting and sitting on the STR fund, not working now and in reality I get 6 months JSA based on contributions, logic would suggest I buy within that period to reduce my savings, what to do???

Edit, typo

`accidentally` forget to add your middle name to your new address`s electoral roll and new bank account..................

you may find that works, I couldn`t possibly comment..

[R K]

This came out today and nothing in the media I could see.

March 2009 to March 2010

Businesses

Number of UK Businesses down

2009/2010 % change

Total 2,100,370 -2.4%

Biggest falls

Transport & storage (inc. postal) -5.13%

Construction -5.07%

Manufacturing -4.39%

Arts, entertainment, recreation and other services -3.08%

Only growth

Education 1.93%

Health 1.95%

Public administration and defence; compulsory social security 0.54%

Professional, scientific & technical 0.68%

That's called 'the private sector taking up the slack' that is.

There's a nail bar (dunno, girly thing apparently) recently closed down up the road re-opening shortly as, wait for it...............

a CUPCAKE shop!

Osborne and Digby (fatboy) Jones will be delighted.

I'll give you an update in another 12 months after that capital has been destroyed............

[crash2006]

Still renting and sitting on the STR fund, not working now and in reality I get 6 months JSA based on contributions, logic would suggest I buy within that period to reduce my savings, what to do???

Edit, typo

Maybe transfer money to childrens account, or open another account in another country or even take the money out of the banking system keep it at home, but you need to do this 3 months before you go on jsa.

[council dweller]

Still renting and sitting on the STR fund, not working now and in reality I get 6 months JSA based on contributions, logic would suggest I buy within that period to reduce my savings, what to do???

Edit, typo

Sounds like you're married (have a partner) to someone who's working? If not you can switch to non-contributary JSA after 6 months. I'm sure you know that but many don't. I'm sure many will empty their accounts at the start of the 6 month period as you are only asked to provide bank statements for the previous 6 months.

As for buying, I wouldn't do anything now, just watch the situation at far as benefits and government cuts are concerned. These could cause a death spiral.

I'll add a DM artical about possible benefit changes in a moment or two. It's possible that these will be non-means tested? (Btw, I don't get benefits at the moment, for me they're something to aspire to!)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1213747/Time-revolution-welfare-Iain-Duncan-Smiths-benefits-challenge-David-Cameron.html

Can anyone work out what will happen from the above article?

Hints at something bloody to me.

Edited September 27, 2010 by council dweller

[bomberbrown]

`accidentally` forget to add your middle name to your new address`s electoral roll and new bank account..................

you may find that works, I couldn`t possibly comment..

Maybe transfer money to childrens account, or open another account in another country or even take the money out of the banking system keep it at home, but you need to do this 3 months before you go on jsa.

I have actually heard on good authority (someone that actually was responsible for processing benefit claims first hand) that they do not go looking into peoples finances other than what's declared on the forms, so if you mention you have this and that account, that's when they dig further. If you just declare whats in your current account, then that's it.

Obviously, to not declare any savings > £16k you might have is to commit fraud, but clear that with your own conscience as you see fit. Personally, I find it a bit perverse that you can fill in your claim form with a £50k gold chain round your neck, a £30k car on the drive and £16k in cash savings and still be entitled to benefits, yet if you have £17k in savings having scrimped and saved for years, you are entitled to nothing.

[smiffy1967]

If you couldn't find a job during the biggest boom in the UK ever then you are SO needing to be put down!

(Gawd I'm a right facist today!)

Have to 100% agree with you

if it was not possible to find a job in the last 10 years of economic boom, then those people are obviously not fit to have been born, or were born to such disfunctional parents that those parents should never be allowed to breed and there off spring should wear norplan.

It was almost impossible not to find a job in the good years, it's even not that impossible today either, i had 5 interviews and had one successful offer after 5 months unemployed of which 3 months was a long holiday.

Jobs should be found for these people and any refusal should be met with instant benefit disqualification

[shipbuilder]

if it was not possible to find a job in the last 10 years of economic boom, then those people are obviously not fit to have been born

[Harry Monk]

I have actually heard on good authority (someone that actually was responsible for processing benefit claims first hand) that they do not go looking into peoples finances other than what's declared on the forms, so if you mention you have this and that account, that's when they dig further. If you just declare whats in your current account, then that's it.

Hmmm, I'm not so sure, there are people in my local paper every week getting nicked for claiming jsa while having savings above the limit. Perhaps they are bubbled up but I was imagining the DWP had access to bank details.

It's increasingly looking like the best thing to do with my STR fund is to sod off to Thailand and use it to see the rest of my life out spending it on cocaine and ladyboys.

[neil324]

Hmmm, I'm not so sure, there are people in my local paper every week getting nicked for claiming jsa while having savings above the limit. Perhaps they are bubbled up but I was imagining the DWP had access to bank details.

It's increasingly looking like the best thing to do with my STR fund is to sod off to Thailand and use it to see the rest of my life out spending it on cocaine and ladyboys.

Very much in the same positon as you. High savings, bricklayer with no hope in finding work. I would be better of buying, i could sign on, council tax paid. Kicking myself at the moment, house at auction that went cheaper than i expected i could have paid cash and done all the work myself and left a good cushion for the coming crash, There is no way i can wait 3-4 years with my circumstances.

[council dweller]

Hmmm, I'm not so sure, there are people in my local paper every week getting nicked for claiming jsa while having savings above the limit. Perhaps they are bubbled up but I was imagining the DWP had access to bank details.

It's increasingly looking like the best thing to do with my STR fund is to sod off to Thailand and use it to see the rest of my life out spending it on cocaine and ladyboys.

The people they catch are just the tip of the iceberg, they just need to catch a few to put off the easily scared. Just read those cases and you'll usually find that it's people with 3 or 4 houses or some such.

Ah yes Thailand, the way of Parry.....try a 3 week holiday first though.

[douggggy]

Hmmm, I'm not so sure, there are people in my local paper every week getting nicked for claiming jsa while having savings above the limit. Perhaps they are bubbled up but I was imagining the DWP had access to bank details.

It's increasingly looking like the best thing to do with my STR fund is to sod off to Thailand and use it to see the rest of my life out spending it on cocaine and ladyboys.

.. perhaps our resident correspondents could confirm that doshed up Brits with bars and new wives are `still` having sudden unexpected fatal heart attacks on a `surprisingly` regular basis........

[council dweller]

Very much in the same positon as you. High savings, bricklayer with no hope in finding work. I would be better of buying, i could sign on, council tax paid. Kicking myself at the moment, house at auction that went cheaper than i expected i could have paid cash and done all the work myself and left a good cushion for the coming crash, There is no way i can wait 3-4 years with my circumstances.

Money but no house or house but no money?

In 1932 or 2011 I'd go for the former....strangely enough.

[council dweller]

.. perhaps our resident correspondents could confirm that doshed up Brits with bars and new wives are `still` having sudden unexpected fatal heart attacks on a `surprisingly` regular basis........

Yep, the wife or relatives will kill you. (not resident though!)