With all my years of experience at watching the politicians and captains of industry corrupting the system to suit them....I would go straight on the dole. I have been working since 1978....but its a fools game in this system.....
Regardless of my present age of almost 61 or whether I was a youngster again I would take a minimum wage job in a heartbeat rather than be out of work.
As I stated on another thread I started work on Youth Opportunities Scheme type money at £18.60 per week in 1978.
I just wanted to work, I always wanted to work.
I don’t understand the mindset of people who don’t.
Work always usually leads to a better opportunity.
With all my years of experience at watching the politicians and captains of industry corrupting the system to suit them....I would go straight on the dole. I have been working since 1978....but its a fools game in this system.....
At the age of 50 I found myself redundant for the second time and knew I was never going to get another job that needed my set of skills and the salary I had been used to. I immediately took a job that entailed me working 50 hours a week with no benefits of pension or sickness scheme etc and for an hourly rate that was a few pence over minimum wage. I did it for 13 years until I could take retirement at 63 wherein I lived off a works pension and savings until my State Pension kicked in. The job I took involved being spat at, sworn at and either being attacked or having to physically restrain some of the most hateful dregs of humanity. But I would do it all again rather than take handout and benefit.
I have always worked but totally understand those who won’t if they are no better off! You could say it’s not those individuals fault but the system! Make illegal immigrants work ( any job ) and stop the benefits of those who claim ( everyone ) if they reject a job they could be offered!
Close down every business who cheats the system ie businesses who pay less than the
minimum wage and businesses like Amazon who move their accounting around. All sales recorded in the U.K. should be taxed and not off set! Close all the loop holes like non dom status!
Fine people based on their annual income as a percentage!!!
I worked at Birmingham Magistrates Court as a Court Officer. Druggies, domestic abusers, *****s, horrendous cruelty to animals, petty thieves and pimps. It turned me from a person who thought everyone was ok until they proved to me different, to a person who believed every new person I came into contact with was a complete untrustworthy c*nt until they proved to me different. It was a total eye-opener as for 33 years I worked with many colleagues who became life long friends. Give me animals over people any day of the week.
Doesn’t matter where you start it’s where you end up that counts, sitting on benefits doesn’t do you any good long term, take the job and use it as a springboard.
People who work for the pleasure of it are a dream for employers and a means to pay minimum wage. They probably also treat them like peasants.
Two people by us are 71 and 68.
She still works in a care home for minimum wage, he says they treat her like s hit but she loves her job.
He was a car mechanic, he retired through ill health, because of his job, he has arthritic hands, one eye, and a bad chest due to asbestos in the brake linings.
He said he would go back to his job in a heartbeat as he idolised work.🤔 He spends his days now waiting for his lawn to grow so he can cut it, he said it kills him but you have to do something.
I have never claimed benefits but if they paid me as much to have a life of leisure and the same to go to work it would be a no brainer.
There is a massive financial difference between working and claiming benefits though. A quick google tells me you get about £77 per week JSA. Maybe you get more on Universal Credit and other benefits. But lets say by claiming you get £500 per month for arguments sake.
If you got a job working for £9 per hour for 38 hours per week, you'd take home £1368 pre tax. And you wouldn't be paying much tax on that as the first £12k per year is tax free. Lets say £100 tax, it means you would be better off by about £750 per month roughly working full time compared to claiming benefits. Your household is £1500+ better off if you are with a partner who is also working.
But if I got the same claiming benefits than what I took home now, then yes I'd absolutely do that. Why work if you don't have to? The truth is though, I can't see how anyone can think its financially beneficial not to work in this country - although some probably do.