Anyone signed on the dole while benched?

[Cyberman]

Your mother-in-law has not grasped the difference between you the resouce of the company being on a contract of the company with a client, and you the employee of the company being paid a salary from the company's funds (not from the client's funds).

I'd guess that the dole office will grasp the difference.

Also agree with Ardesco: if you did claim, it would be a fiddle: you are still employed. If your company can not afford to pay you, it should not be in business and should fold, not lift from the State to pad its payroll.

They shouldn't. But why should the burglars get all the free flat-screen TVs? OK, I'd better go out and nick a few myself.

They do not ask you what is in your company, so don't tell them. Just make it dormant. I did however, run the funds down in my company. It is not a fiddle because you are entitled to claim contributions-based JSA.

[EternalOptimist]

Why not make you mother in law dormant and put a wig and dark glasses on to collect her pension ?

[Ardesco]

They do not ask you what is in your company, so don't tell them. Just make it dormant. I did however, run the funds down in my company. It is not a fiddle because you are entitled to claim contributions-based JSA.

You really are a wonderful piece of work aren't you. Constantly whining about Labour policies and then living like a little labour bitch to get every free penny you can when you don't deserve it and encouraging others to go on the take.

Congratulations you are my second ever ignore!

[Cyberman]

All wrapped up within 20 minutes - thanks CUK!

I can't make the company dormant as my wife is using it

Just resign as a director, leaving your wife as director, and then claim.

[d000hg]

When I was younger benefits were seen as dishonourable and a last resort, not something to pick up when you go through a slow period. I wish that view still remained....

Lots of people were brought up that way, believing that taking any form of 'charity' is embarrassing.
What a load of rubbish. What's the point of paying taxes for decades if you don't take advantage when you're on the other side of the fence. That's the whole POINT of the welfare system.

[Cyberman]

You really are a wonderful piece of work aren't you. Constantly whining about Labour policies and then living like a little labour bitch to get every free penny you can when you don't deserve it and encouraging others to go on the take.

Congratulations you are my second ever ignore!

I see, so only Labour supporters are entitled to benefits when they hit hard times.

[Cyberman]

Lots of people were brought up that way, believing that taking any form of 'charity' is embarrassing.
What a load of rubbish. What's the point of paying taxes for decades if you don't take advantage when you're on the other side of the fence. That's the whole POINT of the welfare system.

WHS !!!

[Ravello]

Lots of people were brought up that way, believing that taking any form of 'charity' is embarrassing.
What a load of rubbish. What's the point of paying taxes for decades if you don't take advantage when you're on the other side of the fence. That's the whole POINT of the welfare system.

I thought the whole POINT of the welfare system was to provide support to those who otherwise couldn't support themselves. Not to "take advantage" of the system because you happened to have contributed towards it.

[BrowneIssue]

I've been benched for 4 weeks now, and my mother-in-law is badgering me to sign-on to get the benefits.

Go to the Job Centre (or whatever they are called this week) and explain the situation. They'll give you the forms to fill in.

Tell them you are a director of a Ltd Co but there is no work coming in and it is deathly quiet and that you have a low expectation of getting work for some time.

I expect you will be entitled to no money, but, it does no harm to ask. (However, when you get to the bit about still getting a salary, you will be shown the door.)

You are not employed by your Ltd Co's clients. You are employed by your Ltd Co.

While you are at home trawling Jobserve and going to interviews you are undertaking marketing and sales activities for your Ltd Co. You are still an employee doing work. That is why contractors get a higher hourly rate than permies: we are also being paid to seek contracts when on the bench.

Note: you are not unemployed just because your Ltd Co has no clients.

However, when Ltd Co has no money left to pay you a salary, you can cease to be an employee and can sign on.

When you sign on, if you personally have plenty of savings, you won't get any money. You will, however, be entitled to the job-seeking non-financial assistance they can give (travel expenses, advice and training).

When your savings start getting low, you will get some form of allowance.

Note that the Job Centre will be expecting you to seek employment for yourself, as opposed to for your Ltd Co exclusively. That includes shelf stacking in Tesco's.

So, to get your mother-in-law off your back - which was the purpose of the question - just go to the Job Centre and get it from the horse's mouth. Then you can shut the old girl up.

[Ardesco]

Lots of people were brought up that way, believing that taking any form of 'charity' is embarrassing.
What a load of rubbish. What's the point of paying taxes for decades if you don't take advantage when you're on the other side of the fence. That's the whole POINT of the welfare system.

The whole point of a welfare system is taking benefits as a last resort. If people need to see taking charity as embarrassing for that to happen then so be it.

The welfare system is designed to help us out if we cannot earn money in any other way and we have no income, it is not designed to give us free beer money when we can't be arsed to work and then justify it by saying "Well I paid my taxes".

If we got rid of this mindset maybe we wouldnt have such high taxes and maybe this country wouldn't be as screwed as it currently is.....