Desperate jobseeker sets himself alight outside Selly Oak jobcentre

[Sysman]

Jobcentres are shockingly inefficient. Benefits frequently stop without reason, because of an error on their side, and the claimant has to jump through hoops to get them reinstated. Not surprised people become desperate.

How does this little lot work?

David Cameron's back-to-work firms want benefits cut more often

Private firms awarded multimillion-pound contracts to run the Work Programme have advised that there should be many more cases where claimants have their benefits stripped as punishment for failing to seek work.

...

In the first eight months of the government's flagship employment scheme, jobcentres agreed to cut benefits in about 40,000 cases. But figures contained in an internal Department for Work and Pensions analysis reveal private firms running the programmes actually referred almost three times as many (110,000) for sanctions. And critics say jobcentres are gradually upping the number of those denied benefits.

Richard Whittell from Corporate Watch said the Work Programme appeared to be focused on slashing benefit rather than putting people into work. "These figures give the lie to the government's claims its welfare reforms are about helping people into work," he said.

"By the time it's finished, more people will have been sanctioned by the Work Programme than properly employed through it."

So, private firms now have multimillion pound contracts to get folks back into work. How are they doing that?

It strikes me that this area is ripe for back handers. "If you want some free labour we'll add a few folks to the list for you."

Or have I got hold of the wrong end of the stick?

[doodab]

How does this little lot work?

Well, it's simple. Rather than paying lots of small benefit payments to lots of people call me Dave pays one big benefit payment to his mate who trousers it and buys a new yacht.

[escapeUK]

I'll mention that to my 50 year old brother, who is unemployed and has to live with his parents. He gets sent to 'jobs' where he is supposed to work for only his dole money in the hope that there will be a proper job at the end of it. Its just used by unscrupulous people to get cheap labour for a few weeks, then they get someone else in for free. Rinse and repeat.
He also does a lot of voluntary work to feel as if he has some purpose, so he's not sitting around doing sweet FA.

His parents, not our parents? Why shouldnt he have to work to get his dole money? The people that it was took from in tax had to.

[SueEllen]

His parents, not our parents? Why shouldnt he have to work to get his dole money? The people that it was took from in tax had to.

You are presuming he has never worked.

Lots of people get made redundant in their 50s and never work again. Before they changed the early retirement rules these people would retire.

[doodab]

His parents, not our parents? Why shouldnt he have to work to get his dole money? The people that it was took from in tax had to.

Why shouldn't the company that he works for have to pay him?

[escapeUK]

You are presuming he has never worked.

Lots of people get made redundant in their 50s and never work again. Before they changed the early retirement rules these people would retire.

The reason I have deduced this, is that someone 50 will have been 30 when houses were super cheap and jobs were plentiful, and then throughout the free money labour 15 years. So unlikely to be living with parents at 50.

Why shouldn't the company that he works for have to pay him?

Why shouldnt they be my slave, rather than me theirs?

[darrenb]

I didn't use any contacts... She works in the local (small town) supermarket on checkout. She went in to ask for a job (of her own accord), filled in the application forms and went for an interview. My only input was to insist that she went to the interview dressed smartly. It's been a steep learning curve for her e.g. the customer is always right even when they are a complete idiot, the boss is always right by virtue only of being the boss (they too are complete idiots). But she's earning her own money to save for university.

OTOH, my son has flatly stated that he does not want to work in a shop. He says there are no jobs. So he has no job and hence no money.

Q.E.D.

Well, girls are easier to push around I suppose. That doesn't imply that your son is lazy.

[escapeUK]

OTOH, my son has flatly stated that he does not want to work in a shop. He says there are no jobs. So he has no job and hence no money.

He's probably the sensible one, in that he wont go to uni, wont get lumbered with 50k of debt for a worthless peace of paper and will probably enjoy his life. All power to him.

[Sysman]

You are presuming he has never worked

It's a shame that earnings related dole got scrapped. While there are no doubt those who would use that to its limit, you were essentially claiming from contributions you previously made. I have seen it suggested that in other countries where earnings related payments still exist. freshly unemployed have a decent financial buffer with which to look for a new job rather than the UK style where you are flung off a precipice.

Let's forget contractor rates and look at what a typical person might earn. Wiki: Income in UK

In 2010, the median wage in the UK for all jobs was £20,801. A year later, a Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman defined £15,000 as “quite a good wage.”

Down from 300 to 400 a week (before deductions) to 50 a week on the dole is unarguably a precipice, especially if you have no savings.

Earnings related dole isn't a permanent thing, it tapers, so you do have the incentive to get back to work ASAP and keep your qualifying periods up.

Lots of people get made redundant in their 50s and never work again. Before they changed the early retirement rules these people would retire.

What happened there? I assume there are people who could have opted for early retirement but didn't and are now "penalised" for not grabbing it when they could.

[EternalOptimist]

He's probably the sensible one, in that he wont go to uni, wont get lumbered with 50k of debt for a worthless peace of paper and will probably enjoy his life. All power to him.

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