Has anyone pin pointed why the contract has gone tits up - been a while

[hobnob]

One other thought about mortgages. When I spoke to my lender a while back, they said that I wasn't eligible for a payment holiday. However, they were able to move my direct debit from the start of the month to the end of the month, which effectively gave me a month off.

Obviously that won't help if you already pay at the end of the month, but this might give you (anyone who's struggling) a bit of extra time.

[Fraidycat]

I always budgeted for the rainy day and tried to keep my commitments at about 70% of my income.

Given that you cant cover most of your living expenses on just your spouses income. You needed a very large war-chest. Probably a 100K war chest at least.

Where a partner has a recession proof job that can cover most of the monthly bills, like a teacher, then such a large war chest is not as important.

You mention senior roles, if i was in your position, on the bench for 9 months and zero war chest, i would also be applying for mid level permie roles as well, those in the 40K to 60K range.

[Cookielove]

It’s dire at moment.
I’ve been on bench since the end of April, at wits end.
Mortgage shot up by £800 per month.
Perm jobs drawing a blank same old don’t want ex contractors.
No contract jobs to be had…
Never been as bad as it is lost count of jobs applied for …agencies not helpful.

[SussexSeagull]

If you are the only source of income in your household and still have a mortgage it becomes difficult to stay ahead if you have extended breaks between contracts.

[dsc]

Ok so we know the market in the UK is gone to tulip, what about the rest of Europe? Is it as bad? I mean it's mostly English in IT / engineering so perhaps that's an option?

[avonleigh]

Ok so we know the market in the UK is gone to tulip, what about the rest of Europe? Is it as bad? I mean it's mostly English in IT / engineering so perhaps that's an option?

Don't think it's so easy to work in Europe now since Brexit. Don't you need a visa now to work? I have seem some adverts for EU Nationals only.

[PCTNN]

I sympathise with the OP.

The issue is the irresponsible and clueless government, who we can thank for Brexit, IR35 reform, mishandling of the pandemic and printing money like crazy. Nobody could predict that.

Ok, I don't want to kick someone when they're down, but both brexit and the ir35 reform happened a few years ago and there was a lot of talking years before they even happened. What did you do from then up until now? Wasn't there enough time for you to understand how brexit and ir35 could have impacted the market?

Also, maybe I'm wrong but I struggle to believe that your skillset all of a sudden has become obsolete and not wanted. Like that, out of the blue...gone. I'm sure if you had kept an eye on the market you may have noticed a gradual decline in the demand for your skillset and maybe you could have been more prepared. Am I wrong?

I mean, honestly good luck to you, but it's way too easy to blame someone/something else for your own shortcomings.

[Fraidycat]

Also, maybe I'm wrong but I struggle to believe that your skillset all of a sudden has become obsolete and not wanted. Like that, out of the blue...gone.

Not gone, just there will 100+ other contractors chasing every Javascript contract. Really wettowel needs to talk to his previous agents that have got him contracts over the last ten years, that is the only way to get ahead of the crowd as agents are rarely answering emails or returning phone calls from strangers these days.

[Cookielove]

It is the level of competition/number of applicants jobs I've applied for over 100 plus applicants regulatory the umbers are well over 100...

Spoke to an agent earlier and was told that lots of people have been made redundant so they are also turning to the contract market so there are so many people looking...however when a contractor tries to get a perm job that is v difficult they don't want contractors.

It is a very difficult situation all round...lack of roles, number of people in the market is very high and rates being cut. One I went for that was outside IR35 went to someone who quoted to £200 p/day....

[dsc]

Don't think it's so easy to work in Europe now since Brexit. Don't you need a visa now to work? I have seem some adverts for EU Nationals only.

tulip, sorry, you are right, forgot as I have an EU passport and this would be an option :/

I'd agree that going back to previously used pimps would be a good idea, although, having done that in the past when there was no work, it's not very helpful in most cases.