Sanctioned for a Year?

[vetran]

seems absurd that they expect them to pay travel expenses out of benefits and don't supply them with lunch money.


I'm all for workfare but this seems unfair, benefits are set at survival level for many.

[DaveB]

seems absurd that they expect them to pay travel expenses out of benefits and don't supply them with lunch money.


I'm all for workfare but this seems unfair, benefits are set at survival level for many.

There is very little about it that is fair. Follow the link and read the full article. They blogger rang the guys manager and tried to talk to him about Workfare. The reaction he got was a tad extreme.

While there maybe some "employers" that treat people decently there are far to many that do things like this.

[psychocandy]

Because of things like this

Pete the Temp

.

Since when is JSA £240 a month? Last I looked it was £73 per week (which is £300+). And thats the minimum if you're partner works. Lot more and things like council tax free if thats the case.

[psychocandy]

seems absurd that they expect them to pay travel expenses out of benefits and don't supply them with lunch money.


I'm all for workfare but this seems unfair, benefits are set at survival level for many.

Travel money fair enough. But lunch? Surely you eat if you're in work or sitting on the sofa watching jeremy kyle?

And no you dont have to buy food when your in work. Take sandwiches.

[d000hg]

why should they?

If they're throwing it away then why shouldn't they? It saves on refuse disposal costs, reduces the amount of land-fill, and acts as free advertising.

[d000hg]

Maybe Im naive but why do people need foodbanks?

Surely, assume your getting benefits, its more than enough to pay for basic food? What am I missing?

Benefit sanctions mainly, if you don't make it to the jobcentre in time to sign on or do anything they don't like, you get a sanction and reduced or no benefits for a while

This is one commonly cited reason although I don't know if the majority of foodbank claims are due to sanctions (foodbanks don't give you food week after week).

Another is councils being crap at actually sorting out benefits... it can take weeks or months from filing a claim until getting your first payment and for many Foodbanks act as a one-time stop-gap. Similarly if your circumstances change (girlfriend moves in/out, you have a baby), a crap council might make you start the whole process again.

[minestrone]

I don't think workfare is particularly nice and sanctions can be brutal ( for what it is worth she would not have got sanctioned for a year for one letter ) but some people need to be dragged back into productive life. They have been given time to find work, offered training, education and this is now the last resort.

People are wasting their life away, whole areas suffer and they have this drug addict reasoning that they should be left to do what they want.

[vetran]

Travel money fair enough. But lunch? Surely you eat if you're in work or sitting on the sofa watching jeremy kyle?

And no you dont have to buy food when your in work. Take sandwiches.

it was a concession to make it slightly more bearable.£5 a day is hardly unreasonable for workfare attendees.

[d000hg]

£5/day for food or food+transport? Because for food that is luxury for someone on benefits!

[vetran]

£5/day for food or food+transport? Because for food that is luxury for someone on benefits!

£5 a day for food.

We need them to realise that if they get a job then such things are within their grasp.


If it gets 30% of them into work its worth every penny.