Food Parcel

[Bloo Loo]

march 2010 Food parcel was £39.95

Todays food parcel is £40.00

whats down?

Big drops in Fairtrade bananas, sweet potatoes and apples--- the first two down by about a third, apples by about 5%

salad cream down about 15%

Fish down about 5%

fruit and veg other than these much the same.

Eggs the same

whats up?

Bread, pizza, chicken and cooked meats.

Sauce mixes

This is Sainsburies, so maybe they are feeling the competition.

Daughter now live in South of France....this basket is about 30% less than it would be down there.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Bloo Loo

[Patfig]

march 2010 Food parcel was £39.95

Todays food parcel is £40.00

whats down?

Big drops in Fairtrade bananas, sweet potatoes and apples--- the first two down by about a third, apples by about 5%

salad cream down about 15%

Fish down about 5%

fruit and veg other than these much the same.

Eggs the same

whats up?

Bread, pizza, chicken and cooked meats.

Sauce mixes

This is Sainsburies, so maybe they are feeling the competition.

Daughter now live in South of France....this basket is about 30% less than it would be down there.

Mon Dew Mon Dew

[Democorruptcy]

Daughter now live in South of France....this basket is about 30% less than it would be down there.

30% extra is £144 a year

Must be warmer so the heating bill is less?

How do property prices compare now?

[Bloo Loo]

30% extra is £144 a year

Must be warmer so the heating bill is less?

How do property prices compare now?

not really looked at property, but rentals are reasonable...but daughter looking at flats says the prices are just "amposeeble"

[Bloo Loo]

30% extra is £144 a year

Must be warmer so the heating bill is less?

How do property prices compare now?

dont even ask how much she gets job seekers...it will make you spit.

[rantnrave]

march 2010 Food parcel was £39.95

Todays food parcel is £40.00

whats down?

The credibility?

[Bloo Loo]

The credibility?

wot, you think I would fiddle the figures?

they are up about 28% from Feb 2007 when I started doing this.

[Democorruptcy]

dont even ask how much she gets job seekers...it will make you spit.

how much does she get job seekers?

[leicestersq]

wot, you think I would fiddle the figures?

they are up about 28% from Feb 2007 when I started doing this.

Bloo Loo,

just to confirm that I have this correct. Food prices of your randomish sample have not increased over the last year?

And those prices are a snip compared to the South of France?

And how much dosh does a jobseeker get in France?

[Bloo Loo]

Bloo Loo,

just to confirm that I have this correct. Food prices of your randomish sample have not increased over the last year?

And those prices are a snip compared to the South of France?

And how much dosh does a jobseeker get in France?

the total is 5p different...but some things are up, others are very down...near 30% for the sweet potatoes.

bread and meat are up, depending on the type, the better the stuff, the more its up.

as for the jobseekers for a single lady in the South of france....no...you'll spit.

[Democorruptcy]

the total is 5p different...but some things are up, others are very down...near 30% for the sweet potatoes.

bread and meat are up, depending on the type, the better the stuff, the more its up.

as for the jobseekers for a single lady in the South of france....no...you'll spit.

Everyone please cover your keyboards and put a hand over your mouth before he finally tells us how much job seekers she gets.

[leicestersq]

the total is 5p different...but some things are up, others are very down...near 30% for the sweet potatoes.

bread and meat are up, depending on the type, the better the stuff, the more its up.

as for the jobseekers for a single lady in the South of france....no...you'll spit.

Go on, spill the beans. I could do with havin a gob anyway.

[Bloo Loo]

well, she comes over here to use the doctors....its cheaper to fly back here and use our local than pay the french doctor and claim back a proportion of the fee.

she says she is skint, so I enquired of her efforts to get the French jobseekers, whatever its called..

She had an interview, then got sent a temporary card from some Paris Department, having proved she was an EU citizen, that she had indeed wotked 6 months in france and now had no job and was available to work.

We went shopping and she commented how things like egg, meat and stuff were all a lot cheaper here than their supermarkets...about a third she reckoned....except bread and water...water isnt on the food parcel and neither are baguettes, flutes etc etc.

As for eatingout, we met her and her other half at Paris, and they thought nothing of paying 22Euro for a buffet plus wine.

Anyway, she is having trouble with the following months payments of her JSA as the temporary Paris number doesnt match the local number, so she will get that backpaid when they sort it all out, in March they reckon, when the campsites open again.

So shes had her first 4 weeks payment, all approved and paid

Edited February 4, 2011 by Bloo Loo

[Democorruptcy]

well, she comes over here to use the doctors....its cheaper to fly back here and use our local than pay the french doctor and claim back a proportion of the fee.

she says she is skint, so I enquired of her efforts to get the French jobseekers, whatever its called..

She had an interview, then got sent a temporary card from some Paris Department, having proved she was an EU citizen, that she had indeed wotked 6 months in france and now had no job and was available to work.

We went shopping and she commented how things like egg, meat and stuff were all a lot cheaper here than their supermarkets...about a third she reckoned....except bread and water...water isnt on the food parcel and neither are baguettes, flutes etc etc.

As for eatingout, we met her and her other half at Paris, and they thought nothing of paying 22Euro for a buffet plus wine.

Anyway, she is having trouble with the following months payments of her JSA as the temporary Paris number doesnt match the local number, so she will get that backpaid when they sort it all out, in March they reckon, when the campsites open again.

So shes had her first 4 weeks payment, all approved and paid

If we tell doccyboy to up your posts number by 50 will you just tell us the amount instead %^&**&^% about?

[Bloo Loo]

800

for the first month

single lady under 25.

[leicestersq]

800

for the first month

single lady under 25.

Is that it though? I mean on JSA you can get housing benefit, which bumps up the real total, after all, it is the total benefits you get that count.

Interesting how everyone trusts French Bonds. I dont have any.

[Deckard]

If we tell doccyboy to up your posts number by 50 will you just tell us the amount instead %^&**&^% about?

Seriously Bloo, you have a moral duty to share this information with us.

There's a lot of anger in this forum, from people who genuinely believe johnny foreigner is shamelessly taking advantage of the over generous UK system.

I am not for a minute implying that your daughter is abusing the French system, but knowing how much a young Brit in France is getting might well help many people on here feel less bitter about things in Blighty.

EDIT: I see you already replied

Thanks for sharing

Edited February 4, 2011 by Greener Pastures

[Bloo Loo]

Is that it though? I mean on JSA you can get housing benefit, which bumps up the real total, after all, it is the total benefits you get that count.

Interesting how everyone trusts French Bonds. I dont have any.

they dont have a house, or rent, they live with his parents.

he gets less, because the claims go down every year you claim....so she says.

still, thats around 1500 tax free per couple. She says thats just the unemployment....euros of course.

[Democorruptcy]

I thought they only got it for one year.

Is it means tested at any stage?

[Bloo Loo]

I thought they only got it for one year.

Is it means tested at any stage?

this is from a french website about what they get...she would be a special conditions seasonal worker.

PERIOD OF COMPENSATION

The period of compensation is the same as the period of affiliation to unemployment insurance according to the rule “one day of affiliation entitles a person to one day of compensation” This period is, however, limited to 24 months and, for employees over 50, to 36 months.

The amount of the ARE (Return to work credit) varies according to the wage received by the jobseeker during the reference period.

The gross amount of the unemployment benefit is equal to the higher of the following two sums: 57.4% of the SJR (reference daily salary) or 40.4% of the SJR + 11.04 € per day.

Specific provisions also exist for the over-fifties, seasonal workers or entertainment workers without steady employment.

so if a person works the 35 hours @ 8euro per hour, around minimum wage, the worker could get the 57.4% of the normal wage which is about 691 euros per month..

what does a single person under 25 get in the UK?

[Deckard]

they dont have a house, or rent, they live with his parents.

he gets less, because the claims go down every year you claim....so she says.

still, thats around 1500 tax free per couple. She says thats just the unemployment....euros of course.

Forget the fact she's without a job at the moment.

She had the balls to take the plunge and moved abroad, well done and best of luck to her.

Now her challenge is to make it stick. I hope she learns French fast and gets a decent job.

Young people in the EU are moving around: you have to go where the opportunity is.

Right or wrong, language skills, flexibility and mobility are the only way forward for most youngsters in Europe today.

Take a look a this: Auf Wiedersehen Cariño

Hardly surprising, with the way things are in Spain at the moment.

[Kilham]

Is that it though? I mean on JSA you can get housing benefit, which bumps up the real total, after all, it is the total benefits you get that count.

A much more sensible way of doing it though, and it encourages the recipient to be more responsible.

'Five hundred quid a month for this? you must be joking'

Compared to our

'Who cares? - as long as the council's paying all of it'.

[Bloo Loo]

Forget the fact she's without a job at the moment.

She had the balls to take the plunge and moved abroad, well done and best of luck to her.

Now her challenge is to make it stick. I hope she learns French fast and gets a decent job.

Young people in the EU are moving around: you have to go where the opportunity is.

Right or wrong, language skills, flexibility and mobility are the only way forward for most youngsters in Europe today.

Take a look a this: Auf Wiedersehen Cariño

Hardly surprising, with the way things are in Spain at the moment.

thank you...I beleive also she has landed on her feet. Her BF and his parents are running the catering franchise on a campsite down there. great food, but we cant afford more than one of their meals a week.

Now, while I am pleased she is getting benefits, I always thought that seasonal workers were paid more to cover for the inevitable off season times...

[ccc]

this is from a french website about what they get...she would be a special conditions seasonal worker.

PERIOD OF COMPENSATION

The period of compensation is the same as the period of affiliation to unemployment insurance according to the rule "one day of affiliation entitles a person to one day of compensation" This period is, however, limited to 24 months and, for employees over 50, to 36 months.

The amount of the ARE (Return to work credit) varies according to the wage received by the jobseeker during the reference period.

The gross amount of the unemployment benefit is equal to the higher of the following two sums: 57.4% of the SJR (reference daily salary) or 40.4% of the SJR + 11.04 € per day.

Specific provisions also exist for the over-fifties, seasonal workers or entertainment workers without steady employment.

so if a person works the 35 hours @ 8euro per hour, around minimum wage, the worker could get the 57.4% of the normal wage which is about 691 euros per month..

what does a single person under 25 get in the UK?

Well they get a one bedroom flat (Or a bedroom in a flat), council tax paid for and free medical treatment. Whether they have worked before or not. Comparison to previous earnings not required. You don't have any previous earnings ? No biggie.

So in my area that is about £1600 PM rent. Plus perhaps £120 council tax. Plus whatever the medical care costs that they receive. Plus of course the £240 per month for jobseekers.

Not exactly shabby. Of course if the French amounts do not include all thise stuff - AND they can get it too -then yes it seems bettter over there. Highly unlikely though. There is a reason why so many in Europe gravitiate to the UK for our benefits system...

[Bloo Loo]

Well they get a one bedroom flat (Or a bedroom in a flat), council tax paid for and free medical treatment. Whether they have worked before or not. Comparison to previous earnings not required. You don't have any previous earnings ? No biggie.

So in my area that is about £1600 PM rent. Plus perhaps £120 council tax. Plus whatever the medical care costs that they receive. Plus of course the £240 per month for jobseekers.

Not exactly shabby. Of course if the French amounts do not include all thise stuff - AND they can get it too -then yes it seems bettter over there. Highly unlikely though. There is a reason why so many in Europe gravitiate to the UK for our benefits system...

I dont know if they could get any other benefits.

I thought that 800 Euros cash in hand for a live at home with mum situation was pretty good.

The doc fees they pay up front but claim part back. She doesnt trust the doc though, although they havent actually prescribed any suppositeries...yet...

Looks like they can get housing benefits too...means tested, here from an expats blog:

When unemployment benefits cease, this doesn't mean the claimant isn't entitled to other state support. Assuming your friend isn't turning down job offers, has previously worked for a long enough period, hasn't alternative sources of income, and doesn't have any other dispute with the authorities that disqualifies her from applying, she will be sent a form a month before unemployment benefits cease to claim the ASS (Allocation de Solidarité Spécifique). That's how things worked a couple of years ago anyway. If she is not entitled to that, there is the RMI (Revenu Minimum d'Insertion) safety net. Not massive sums, but there is additional housing benefit support and child support (if applicable).

There is also a system, when a tenant (who fits the criteria) is unable to find a rental deposit, where a third party non-profit organisation lends this free of interest, paying the landlord direct. Obviously s/he needs to demonstrate that s/he hasn't the funds sitting in the bank.

As Bev suggests she should go and see the Assistante Sociale at the local Mairie. (In small towns this is often just one morning or afternoon per week - they move around a larger area).

If a friend is telling you that she has no entitlements after her unemployment benefits cease, then that is simply not true. However it may well be the case that reduced entitlements mean that she can no longer afford her current home, and will have to look for either cheaper privately rented accommodation, or the local authority equivalent of council accommodation (the subsidised HLM, Habitation à Loyer Modéré).

People in France are far more inclined to rent in the first place, rather than buy. Getting a property loan is particularly hard here. If you're not employed you've no chance.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Bloo Loo