Leaving contract midway

[psychocandy]

You had, I believe, around 16K, or so you said on here. You used it to pay your credit card, thus making yourself skint, prior to claiming JSA.
I thought there was usually savings means testing to take in consideration, prior to claiming, but you cynically thought you would be smart and circumvent it.

Please don't tar us all with the same brush, it's pretty insulting.

You are always on about members of your family being "dole cheating scum", ironic really.

Cant remember exact figures and, at the time, I didnt have a huge amount of savings. But yes I did use some to pay off one of my credit cards which I was planning anyway.

But remember whilst not on the dole I am free to arrange my financial affairs as I see fit. If I want to spend £20K on cocaine and hookers in the last week of my contract then there is nothing anyone can do to stop it.

Maybe there is an argument that prior spending should be taken into account (sort of like they do when an elderly relative goes into care) but thats not the law at the moment. The legal requirement is to list your financial position at the time of the claim which I did.

So just scum then not cheating I think would be the correct term. :-)

I still find it hard to believe that contractors have the gall to criticise someone doing something legally. Will no-one admit that, if you explained to the average man in the street how we organise our tax affairs to pay minimal tax and, in a lot of cases, no NI at all, they would not be impressed at all? So come on MM, do you pay NI? Or are you an NI dodging scum? Like me I may add. :-)

And I've always said, I'm sure some of you live in utopia I'm sure. My LEGAL JSA claims are few and far between - almost 3 years since last one. In between, I do pay tax.

Take a drive around some of the council estates in the south wales valleys one day and see how they have no intention of ever working. That should wind you up a bit and cause a bit of indignation.

Bottom line is as always. If you don't want to do it then don't do it. If you want to be vegetarian and dont eat meat then don't - I don't care I'll still eat a few McDs. But that does not give you the right to give me grief about it in my world.

[psychocandy]

Where as I appreciate you need to defend yourself, the fact that you, and only you think you are right here speaks volumes. I think it's very disappointing and reflects very badly on you. The fact you probably won't care is even more of a shame. Pretty poor attitude all round.

Nothing wrong with doing something you have to but to be so proud of it isn't clever.

Almost a decent post there NLUK ;-)

But as we always say on this forum, don't take advice from random strangers on this forum. Talk to a professional be it accountant or whatever.

In my situation, I did this. Spoke to my account, spoke to job centre, read the rules. Considered things like the hassle involved, moral implications, whether it was worth it etc.

And when I last claimed I decided it was worth it. And I'm glad I did last time. If I was ever in the same position again, then I'd make the same considerations as last time.

Maybe my moral views on this are slightly tainted by my background and where I grew up etc. I appreciate that for some of you, claiming JSA is just not something that anyone ever does. (I did my sandwich work year in newbury - pretty affluent place. Coming from the valleys I could not believe that people could get jobs easily and when they wanted. It was a shock)

Im not proud of it. Being without contract is pretty crap on £74 a week. I never intend to be without contract and rely on JSA by any means.

Telling people you're not working and claiming dole is also crap and embarrasing. I will admit that. But it'd still be crap even if I didnt claim JSA.

[northernladuk]

Why not tell them you are the director of your own company but are just looking for your next gig then? Telling people you are not working and on the dole is of your own making.

[psychocandy]

Why not tell them you are the director of your own company but are just looking for your next gig then? Telling people you are not working and on the dole is of your own making.

Of course I do that. But family know.....

[SimonMac]

Of course I do that. But family know.....

On a serious note, do you lay yourself off each time, new P45's etc? Your accountant must love you

[TheFaQQer]

Which isn't what you said. You said "to tell newbies that you absolutely cannot is complete crap" - which I don't recall anyone ever saying.

Link?

[northernladuk]

Of course I do that. But family know.....

But do they know it's part and parcel and it's not a problem. Mine know I earn a lot but take the risk of being between gigs. At no point is it ever referenced as being out of a job or out of work, or being on the dole. Even when I've been on the bench for 2 months they don't relate my position to being out of work. Maybe that's a perception thing, their background or the way I've sold it to them over the years I dunno.

[psychocandy]

On a serious note, do you lay yourself off each time, new P45's etc? Your accountant must love you

Yes you have to get a P45, stop paying salary etc. I also stopped paying dividends but this is a grey area.

Only done it once if I remember but yes, if you get a gig in tow weeks its not worth all the hassle.

[psychocandy]

But do they know it's part and parcel and it's not a problem. Mine know I earn a lot but take the risk of being between gigs. At no point is it ever referenced as being out of a job or out of work, or being on the dole. Even when I've been on the bench for 2 months they don't relate my position to being out of work. Maybe that's a perception thing, their background or the way I've sold it to them over the years I dunno.

Yes maybe. But I dont tell people how much I earn or tell them how lucrative it is. So when Im not working the attitude is sort of "well thats a bit crap isnt it? I couldnt do that be without money for a month".

Of course, they dont realise that in the 11 months in contract you've far exceeded what you could earn in 12 months in a permie role.

[northernladuk]

Yes maybe. But I dont tell people how much I earn or tell them how lucrative it is. So when Im not working the attitude is sort of "well thats a bit crap isnt it? I couldnt do that be without money for a month".

Of course, they dont realise that in the 11 months in contract you've far exceeded what you could earn in 12 months in a permie role.

Maybe you should educate them a little better then and then you won't be embarrassing then? Why would you make yourself embarrassed about something just because you haven't made the situation clear? Sounds a bit ridiculous to me.