Reply to: So many of you "furloughed"?

[vwdan]

I've been really lucky so far and managed to pull in some decent rates doing remote access provisioning and juggling multiple projects, but while there was a huge flurry of activity it's gone very quiet now. In theory I have a project to cover me through April, but I'll be amazed if there's any more to do at the end of this week as it's reliant on somebody building out a datacenter in a COVID hotspot.

I imagine I'll be able to get dribs and drabs, and specialising in remote access isn't the worst place to be now but on the other hand nobody is interested in running big, complex projects - they just want something, anything, chucked in.

[psychocandy]

I was going to add this link to PS's new thread, but its closed so I can't.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Benefits

Note there are no in-person appointments because of coronavirus, so its all done remotely at the moment. No signing-on.

EDIT: Whoops, this is for Northern Ireland.. but I see NLUK has added some new links to the other thread, so all good!

ah good point about there being no appts or signing on.

[hairymouse]

When I was recently job hunting, I mainly used the sites below to job hunt.
If you create an account and upload your CV, the pimps will get notified and you start getting calls - hopefully.

LinkedIn
Glassdoor Jobs
SimplyHired
reed
Monster
TotalJobs/Jobsite
indeed
fish4jobs
technojobs
job serve
cv-libary
ZipRecruiter
CareerBuilder
jobs4.co.uk
jobs.co.uk
Google for Jobs

You can also add
Home - Uncle Bob's

[CheeseSlice]

I was going to add this link to PS's new thread, but its closed so I can't.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Benefits

Note there are no in-person appointments because of coronavirus, so its all done remotely at the moment. No signing-on.

EDIT: Whoops, this is for Northern Ireland.. but I see NLUK has added some new links to the other thread, so all good!

[psychocandy]

But by then you'll be 3 months in arrears and have not been able to live in between. Ridiculous argument.

Unfortunately, that is the benefits system in the UK for you.
OK, £1000 might be peanuts to those of us who are in contract. But £1000 is a lot of money towards something if you're got bugger all.


BUT, OK, my mortgage at the time was £600 or so. So almost half was paid using JSA. Better than nothing.....

As I always say, there are millions out there who make a career out of claiming JSA. Why shouldn't those of us (i.e. all of us) be able to claim a few quid when needs be?
Buy yeh long term you're gonna be screwed mostly until you get back into work. Its a small thing.

[CheeseSlice]

Have you not read my posts on this thread (I'm not even talking about other threads).

OK got it. Misunderstood the context of this thread

[tvr450]

When I was recently job hunting, I mainly used the sites below to job hunt.
If you create an account and upload your CV, the pimps will get notified and you start getting calls - hopefully.

LinkedIn
Glassdoor Jobs
SimplyHired
reed
Monster
TotalJobs/Jobsite
indeed
fish4jobs
technojobs
job serve
cv-libary
ZipRecruiter
CareerBuilder
jobs4.co.uk
jobs.co.uk
Google for Jobs

[northernladuk]

Are you signing up for writing this then NLUK?

Happy to try start a thread but all I can offer is some to try get people to think out of the box. I have no experience doing any of this. It would just have to start with trying to get people to search jobserve for any gig in your location starting with lowest pay first to get the unskilled work, applying to temp agencies and then throwing some random ideas like warehouse operatives, taxi'ing (but takes a while to get licence and costs)... Not very helpful, but then if people don't get this then I guess it will help.

I guess I can start for 10 and making an ongoing thread for people's ideas/experiences.

[northernladuk]

£70 odd quid a week over 3 months is still probably enough to pay the mortgage for one month.

But by then you'll be 3 months in arrears and have not been able to live in between. Ridiculous argument.

[cojak]

It's a long running argument from way back in 2012 (I think) when PC first mooted this idea. Ever since then he's championed the cause that £72 is worth it (cough). But anyway... in this current situation if people are eligible and it's their last resort then no issues investigating it and explaining the situation. No harm covering it factually whether we agree or not.

Quite.

What would be infinitely better is a thread on what type of work is available and help people get those rather than educate the feckless how to sit on their arses and claim benefits. Seventy odd quid a week is better than nothing but jobs like delivery drivers or temping roles in customer services or helpdesk would be better all round. It sounds ridiculous but even ideas like getting a taxi licence so you can pop in and out are within the realms of possibility if things are that bad that seventy quid helps you out.

Are you signing up for writing this then NLUK?

[psychocandy]

It's a long running argument from way back in 2012 (I think) when PC first mooted this idea. Ever since then he's championed the cause that £72 is worth it (cough). But anyway... in this current situation if people are eligible and it's their last resort then no issues investigating it and explaining the situation. No harm covering it factually whether we agree or not.

What would be infinitely better is a thread on what type of work is available and help people get those rather than educate the feckless how to sit on their arses and claim benefits. Seventy odd quid a week is better than nothing but jobs like delivery drivers or temping roles in customer services or helpdesk would be better all round. It sounds ridiculous but even ideas like getting a taxi licence so you can pop in and out are within the realms of possibility if things are that bad that seventy quid helps you out.

£70 odd quid a week over 3 months is still probably enough to pay the mortgage for one month.

[cojak]

And let's not forget all of those banking contractors who went permie, only to be made redundant a month later...

[psychocandy]

Absolutely serious - many have never been in this position before PC. They will have no idea where to start.

OK no problem. Happy to report on my experiences in the past.

[northernladuk]

I'm confused why anyone would go for JSA, unless they don't qualify for furlough. Was that a joke?

JSA is there to help someone to find work whilst giving them basic support. Those who are unable to work simply because the government has told them they need to 'stay at home' shouldn't be using that facility IMO, that is what the covid packages are for. Its not helpful to those that really do need JSA.

It's a long running argument from way back in 2012 (I think) when PC first mooted this idea. Ever since then he's championed the cause that £72 is worth it (cough). But anyway... in this current situation if people are eligible and it's their last resort then no issues investigating it and explaining the situation. No harm covering it factually whether we agree or not.

What would be infinitely better is a thread on what type of work is available and help people get those rather than educate the feckless how to sit on their arses and claim benefits. Seventy odd quid a week is better than nothing but jobs like delivery drivers or temping roles in customer services or helpdesk would be better all round. It sounds ridiculous but even ideas like getting a taxi licence so you can pop in and out are within the realms of possibility if things are that bad that seventy quid helps you out.

[eek]

I'm confused why anyone would go for JSA, unless they don't qualify for furlough. Was that a joke?

JSA is there to help someone to find work whilst giving them basic support. Those who are unable to work simply because the government has told them they need to 'stay at home' shouldn't be using that facility IMO, that is what the covid packages are for. Its not helpful to those that really do need JSA.

Have you not read my posts on this thread (I'm not even talking about other threads).

You can only be furloughed if there is likely to be work for you to return to in the future, which means that a lot of companies are not forloughing everyone as there is likely to be less work down the line.

And if you've recently changed job (i.e. you aren't on payroll and recorded in HMRC's systems on February 28th ) then you don't qualify for the furlough payments.

You also have a separate set of problems with umbrella companies who may not have the cash available to pay furlough payments (as you need to pay upfront and then claim back).

So in all those cases universal credit may be the only solution and if you are claiming UC you need to claim asap as they won't backdate claims.