Ever signed on the dole?

[SueEllen]

That seems to be incompetence on the behalf of ATOS but I agree he should get a grip on that.

There are plenty of well documented examples of people signed on for depression, stress or grief though.

White Dee, the Rochdale swamp Donkey & hubby etc.

ATOS was doing what IBS asked.

The job centre staff are doing what IBS has asked in sanctioning people for stupid reasons. If they don't sanction enough people they lose their jobs and some of them are on temporary contracts.

In fact IBS was told not to do his benefit reforms by experts as there were more people who could claim for things than were actually claiming i.e. there are more people like Cliphead than PsychoCandy. , and doing reforms would lead to an increase in costs rather than a decrease.

[vetran]

In London the market is fed by foreign investors who buy central London property. This in turn pushes rich British people further out buying/renting at an inflated cost and so on down the pay scale.


The most expensive properties don't have any mortgages on them.

yes but if you remove the people having excessive mortgages you have solved one half of the problem.

If the houses stop going up or returning high rental income then foreign investors will be less interested in them.

[eek]

In London the market is fed by foreign investors who buy central London property. This in turn pushes rich British people further out buying/renting at an inflated cost and so on down the pay scale.


The most expensive properties don't have any mortgages on them.

There is nothing we can do about London. The current boom is very recent, and the consequence of being perceived as the friendliest safest place in the world while the middle east and Russia go to ruin and China looks at attacking corruption for the first time in decades.

However I fault you logic that changes at the top end of the market impact further down as that is recent and only explains the previous 2 year old boom. The two things pushing prices up for the past 15 years have been:-

1) Housing Benefit rules that ensured throughout the last Labour government that social rents rose year on year (the unintended consequence of the maximum benefit payable being above the 50 percentile of the local market).
2) Banks willingness to lend money as there is no downside for them. Can't pay that mortgage off and gone bankrupt. don't worry we can (and will wait)...

I would add population growth but that may make me appear to be a UKIP nut so I'll ignore that and stick to more complex economics...

[eek]

ATOS was doing what IBS asked.

The job centre staff are doing what IBS has asked in sanctioning people for stupid reasons. If they don't sanction enough people they lose their jobs and some of them are on temporary contracts.

In fact IBS was told not to do his benefit reforms by experts as there were more people who could claim for things than were actually claiming i.e. there are more people like Cliphead than PsychoCandy. , and doing reforms would lead to an increase in costs rather than a decrease.

As was specified above its IDS not IBS.

His reforms are supported across all parties and should have been implemented in 1998 when Frank Field was in charge of DWP. Gordon Brown vetoed the changes as it would cost money, IDS is introducing universal credit even though it will cost more money.

The fact things cost more money is not a reason to not to implement the changes. Currently its better to fiddle the system than to work. UC removes that from the equation as you will always be better off working (whether there is a job to do is a different question)..

The question of sanctions appears to be one of unintended consequences. From what I heard it appears to be that a report comparing sanction levels was sent to area managers who then questioned office managers. Office managers then took it upon themselves to tell their staff to resolve an issue that wasn't actually an issue. Unless things have changed the only thing that needs to be managed carefully locally is hardship funds...

[vetran]

I would like to see Sanctions monitored and benefit changes as that does seem to be forcing people into hardship.

I have no issue with people being sure its better to work than to claim benefit or that working on the black is not an option.

[eek]

I would like to see Sanctions monitored and benefit changes as that does seem to be forcing people into hardship.

I have no issue with people being sure its better to work than to claim benefit or that working on the black is not an option.

Yep. I continually see discussions on Sanctions being made for what cannot be fair reasons. CH's email address is an example of one that looks spiteful..

The problem is that most examples seem to be based on the inability of people to actually pick up a phone and tell someone that something has happened. You wouldn't keep a job if you always turned up late without warning so why should a job centre pay you if you fail to turn up on time once a fortnight..

[SueEllen]

The fact things cost more money is not a reason to not to implement the changes. Currently its better to fiddle the system than to work. UC removes that from the equation as you will always be better off working (whether there is a job to do is a different question)..
.

How many people are fiddling the system?

Also thanks to tax credits the people who you the DM class as fiddling find it's better to be doing the minimum number of hours to qualify than to be on the dole.

[eek]

How many people are fiddling the system?

Also thanks to tax credits the people who you the DM class as fiddling find it's better to be doing the minimum number of hours to qualify than to be on the dole.

1) I don't read the Daily Mail (although I will now treat you as utterly fair game so be careful in your future posts)..

2) I think I've already explained that I don't like working tax credits and would scrap the lot... However as
a) there is not enough work for the partly employed to all work full time
b) parents probably should be able to look after their children / relatives rather than being forced to work
I really don't know how you fix Gordon Brown's legacy in anything less than 15 years...

3) And for your first question sorry but I don't have the figures to hand. The fact that the unemployed have to wait up to 18 months before being placed on a training course should, however, be a clue as to how many there are (hint far too many)...

[GlenSausio]

Yeah that satisfying sound of the giro hitting the door mat on a Thursday morning. Unless one of your scratter house mates has nicked it and cashed it. The nash will issue you a replacement in such circumstances. Used to be 27 quid as far as I remember-Would buy a few ready meals, a lump of weed, some rolling baccy and some cans of beer. Rent was paid by cash in hand work for the landlord. Not happy days.

[MarillionFan]

So to claim do you have to be totally brassic? No savings, no equity, no dosh whatsoever.

I'm intrigued by the benefits systems but know **** all about it. If you've got savings do you get anything at all?