Work-search' rule set for jobless

[gWaPito]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/TJHoeah5W6DeP0vrSck1vw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9Zml0O2g9Mjk-/http://l.yimg.com/os/251/2011/12/15/pa_165943.gif (http://www.pressassociation.com/)Press Association – 4 hours ago


http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/OEPzQoTDFfwLgY.AyE3ZQw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9ODI5O2NyPTE7Y3c9NjMwO2R4PTA7ZHk9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD0yNTE7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_uk/News/pressass/a130c7e0-34f3-11e3-a4d2-0a0c02230000.jpgView Photo (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/lightbox/esther-mcvey-said-claimant-commitment-marks-start-redefinition-photo-232928837.html)Esther McVey said the Claimant Commitment marks the start of a redefinition of the …




New jobseekers will have to sign a commitment from today setting out their efforts to find work to receive their benefit.

[Rosie1958]

Job Seekers Allowance is only around £56.80 per week on which many struggle to live and not all are lazy scroungers. In my opinion, this article would have been enhanced if it explained more about the role of the Work Coach too ........

[andy222]

Job Seekers Allowance is only around £56.80 per week on which many struggle to live and not all are lazy scroungers. In my opinion, this article would have been enhanced if it explained more about the role of the Work Coach too ........
:xxgrinning--00xx3: Obviously those who have not hit hard times wouldnt know rosie. I dont think they realise if they lost their jobs how difficult it would be to get another one.

[bigmarco]

I'm a little confused because we don't have enough jobs for the unemployed.
I wish the government would also set up a Tax Dodgers committee because there's far more benefit for the country in doing that. :NoNo:

[Rosie1958]

"Tax Dodgers Committee" would be part of HM Revenue and Customs, or at least it was when I worked for them. I agree it would be a good focus but sadly HMRC has seen severe cuts in their staffing too .......

Putting more effort/ incentive into the creation of jobs to lift the economy and reduce unemployment would definitely be of benefit to everyone :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

:xxgrinning--00xx3: Obviously those who have not hit hard times wouldnt know rosie. I dont think they realise if they lost their jobs how difficult it would be to get another one.

People don't know they're born these days. 68 years darnt pit...except for 4 years in the Army. :biggrin:

http://www.pontefractus.co.uk/focusyears/past_years_1955_012.htm

[gWaPito]

:xxgrinning--00xx3: Obviously those who have not hit hard times wouldnt know rosie. I dont think they realise if they lost their jobs how difficult it would be to get another one.

Don't know who you're aiming your comment at Andy. ..wish you name names. .would save time guessing. ....I for one have known hard time. ....I remember when I was doing my apprenticeship and married with 2 babies with a wife with a backbone ....While I was doing my studies wife and mother in law was in the fields cutting up wood to heat the house. ..couldn't afford coal. ..I remember mum gave us 10 pounds once to get some food in for Xmas. ...All our sweaters where hand made by our mums. ...when you've experienced life like that at ages 21 and 19 it either drives you or destroys you. ...We ended up both driven. .....I was off sick last week with a bad back. ..4 days I was back at work such was my guilt through not going in. ....I will work until I die. ..This will be by choice.......I know was being broke is all about. ......I also know what lazy is all about. .I got family. In the form of nieces who don't intend to work....'blood thicker than water' Not in my case. ...These are a different breed. .my dad would turn in his grave if he ever knew he had wasters in the family.

[gWaPito]

People don't know they're born these days. 68 years darnt pit...except for 4 years in the Army. :biggrin:


http://www.pontefractus.co.uk/focusyears/past_years_1955_012.htm

Similar to both my granddads. .They were both land workers working all their lives for the gentry where we were all born. ..Both served in the 1st great war. ..Both were on the somme on the first day. ..Both were stretcher bearers. .Both aged 25 yo. ..Small world. .

[grahamw48]

Likewise we had very little spare cash as a family. Armed Forces wages were very low when I was a kid, and dad had to send money home to support a wife, 4 children and a mortgage. No benefits except for the normal 'family allowance' (now child benefit). Our dad was away at sea much of the time of course.....as we actually had a navy with ships, plus a few far-flung colonies in those days.

All of our jumpers were knitted by my mother, and we had very few clothes compared to today. One set for school and of course, our 'Sunday Best'. No trainers, just ONE pair of shoes each...which we had to polish each morning before school.

Any rips or tears to trousers etc were sewn or patched, and of course, socks darned. Shoes repaired at the cobbler, if we hadn't grown out of them. Some clothes were also passed down.

No family car for most of my childhood...walk or bus.

No central heating (one coal fire plus hot water bottles). No telephone.

NEVER ate out....wouldn't even know what that was. Only 'takeaway' was fish and chips for us all each Saturday lunch. :smile:

We grew lots of vegetables in the garden. Each of us children had chores to do, and that included a lot of the gardening, weeding etc (which I hated).

Oh, and of course YES, we were happy ! :biggrin:

[joebloggs]

People don't know they're born these days. 68 years darnt pit...except for 4 years in the Army. :biggrin:

http://www.pontefractus.co.uk/focusyears/past_years_1955_012.htm

well some people had no food or heating in them days and guess what, some people don't these days , nothing changes hey :biggrin:

i don't need to go back 68yrs i can go back to the mid 70's when my dad died and my mom had to struggle bringing up 3 kids, i suppose there are no widows anymore :cwm25:

the good old days :wink:, we had nothing, didn't need to lock the doors, reminds my of a quote bush made ..

"We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons"



and the Simpsons response ..

"Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression too.":xxgrinning--00xx3:

[stevewool]

All of our jumpers were knitted by my mother,

i know someone who had swimming trunks knitted by his mum, before he went in the sea they looked great, when he came out , they looked like a trawler net hanging there:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

Yes, I remember those trunks. :icon_lol:

The really poor kids wore those brown plastic sandals from Woolworths, black pumps, or wellies (everywhere)...maybe before your time.

Sometimes you'd pass an empty council house, front door open, and someone would say 'done a midnight flit'. :biggrin:

[stevewool]

[QUOTE=grahamw48;466260]Yes, I remember those trunks. :icon_lol:

The really poor kids wore those brown plastic sandals from Woolworths, black pumps, or wellies (everywhere)...maybe before your time

they might have been before my time Graham but remember being one of the youngest of 13 there was lots of hand me downs, i remember my wellingtons, did everything in them , playing football:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:, was fun, kick the ball and off they flew, never counted for 2 goals scored though:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

My dad came home from leave and treated me and brother to a shiny new pair of wellies each (our first ).

So off we went to find a muddy place to try them out in...which happened to be on a farm track about 2 miles away.

What does brother do ? Steps into about 2 feet deep of mud and water, loses his welly and sock in it, and has to walk 2 miles home with one boot and one bare foot.

We sneaked upstairs and my dad never did find out. :icon_lol:

[les_taxi]

I remember those plastic brown sandles:xxgrinning--00xx3:
Big fashion for me and my mates were Baseball boots-posh pumps:biggrin:
Everyone wore wellies to school,remember damp socks drying on school radiator-fantastic memories:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

Yes, funny but those old-style black and white baseball boots came back into fashion a couple of years ago. My boy bought some, but not as rugged as the old ones we used to wear.

Anyone remember PROPER leather football boots....more like work boots ? Could really do some damage with those things. :biggrin:

What about 'Jubblies'... big block of orange-flavoured ice in conical cardboard packaging ?

Penny 'Dainties' toffee, Sherbut Dips, 'Black Jack' chews....4 for a penny...when you were REALLY broke ? :)

Smiths crisps with the blue bag of salt ?

No wonder I've got so many fillings. :(

[Terpe]

All of our jumpers were knitted by my mother,

i know someone who had swimming trunks knitted by his mum, before he went in the sea they looked great, when he came out , they looked like a trawler net hanging there:xxgrinning--00xx3:

:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:
That made me laugh..........as well as memories. Both me and my brother had those knitted trunks :icon_lol:

I've got a photo somewhere in amongst my dads stuff........must look it out and post it. What a laugh :wink:

[Michael Parnham]

I'm a little confused because we don't have enough jobs for the unemployed.
I wish the government would also set up a Tax Dodgers committee because there's far more benefit for the country in doing that. :NoNo:

We would have enough jobs if all the Poles went back home, my next door neighbour is Polish and he told me He's going back when his two kids are British so they can work and send money to him!:Erm:

[grahamw48]

What, you mean people would come here to take advantage of us ? :Erm:

[Terpe]

:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:
That made me laugh..........as well as memories. Both me and my brother had those knitted trunks :icon_lol:

I've got a photo somewhere in amongst my dads stuff........must look it out and post it. What a laugh :wink:

Found it :icon_lol: :laugher:

http://filipinaroses.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8543&d=1383146189

[grahamw48]

:icon_lol::xxgrinning--00xx3:

Now all we need is one of Rosie in her navy blue knickers. http://imageshack.us/a/img94/6311/2ug.gif

[Rosie1958]

Listen to all of your sob stories! :icon_lol: I wore hand knitted twin sets, cardigans and jumpers too …….. in fact, we all wore hand knitted garments as the manufacturing industry hadn’t really taken off then and it was cheaper to knit your own.


:icon_lol::xxgrinning--00xx3:

Now all we need is one of Rosie in her navy blue knickers. http://imageshack.us/a/img94/6311/2ug.gif

Hahaha You are one cheeky monkey, Graham! As it happens, I had THE most delectable beach attire ........ Guess who?! :icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag41/hab1958/Tobruk-mewithfriends_zps270738ed.jpg (http://s1298.photobucket.com/user/hab1958/media/Tobruk-mewithfriends_zps270738ed.jpg.html)

[gWaPito]

Likewise we had very little spare cash as a family. Armed Forces wages were very low when I was a kid, and dad had to send money home to support a wife, 4 children and a mortgage. No benefits except for the normal 'family allowance' (now child benefit). Our dad was away at sea much of the time of course.....as we actually had a navy with ships, plus a few far-flung colonies in those days.

All of our jumpers were knitted by my mother, and we had very few clothes compared to today. One set for school and of course, our 'Sunday Best'. No trainers, just ONE pair of shoes each...which we had to polish each morning before school.

Any rips or tears to trousers etc were sewn or patched, and of course, socks darned. Shoes repaired at the cobbler, if we hadn't grown out of them. Some clothes were also passed down.

No family car for most of my childhood...walk or bus.

No central heating (one coal fire plus hot water bottles). No telephone.

NEVER ate out....wouldn't even know what that was. Only 'takeaway' was fish and chips for us all each Saturday lunch. :smile:

We grew lots of vegetables in the garden. Each of us children had chores to do, and that included a lot of the gardening, weeding etc (which I hated).

Oh, and of course YES, we were happy ! :biggrin:

I remember when next door got a colour TV..it was for the 1970 world cup...I remember if it was yesterday..I was 10yo..I was one of the selected bunch to watch the tournament :biggrin:...Poor old Vic worked 7 days a week to retire early....here certainly retired early...he went to the grave at 64yo:NoNo:

Didn't get a phone until 1972.....Dad had an allotment where veggies were grown...I remember helping out most weekends....They didn't get central heating fitted until mum was 60 which was 22 years ago....it didn't do her any harm being without...she's still going strong

[gWaPito]

well some people had no food or heating in them days and guess what, some people don't these days , nothing changes hey :biggrin:

i don't need to go back 68yrs i can go back to the mid 70's when my dad died and my mom had to struggle bringing up 3 kids, i suppose there are no widows anymore :cwm25:

the good old days :wink:, we had nothing, didn't need to lock the doors, reminds my of a quote bush made ..

"We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons"



and the Simpsons response ..

"Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression too.":xxgrinning--00xx3:

Couldn't imagine it Joe

[grahamw48]

Listen to all of your sob stories! :icon_lol: I wore hand knitted twin sets, cardigans and jumpers too …….. in fact, we all wore hand knitted garments as the manufacturing industry hadn’t really taken off then and it was cheaper to knit your own.



Hahaha You are one cheeky monkey, Graham! As it happens, I had THE most delectable beach attire ........ Guess who?! :icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:



Got to be you on the right Rosie. ....very fetching outfit. :biggrin:

[grahamw48]

I remember when next door got a colour TV..it was for the 1970 world cup...I remember if it was yesterday..I was 10yo..I was one of the selected bunch to watch the tournament :biggrin:...Poor old Vic worked 7 days a week to retire early....here certainly retired early...he went to the grave at 64yo:NoNo:

Didn't get a phone until 1972.....Dad had an allotment where veggies were grown...I remember helping out most weekends....They didn't get central heating fitted until mum was 60 which was 22 years ago....it didn't do her any harm being without...she's still going strong

Easy to tell who had a colour telly when they first came out.

...The houses with the front room curtains drawn back so all the neighbours could see it. :icon_lol:

We didn't get one til they'd been out about 5 years (and I'd left home anyway).

That 8 shillings a week from Granada was pretty steep...or was that for a Black and White ? :smile:

[gWaPito]

Listen to all of your sob stories! :icon_lol: I wore hand knitted twin sets, cardigans and jumpers too …….. in fact, we all wore hand knitted garments as the manufacturing industry hadn’t really taken off then and it was cheaper to knit your own.





Hahaha You are one cheeky monkey, Graham! As it happens, I had THE most delectable beach attire ........ Guess who?! :icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag41/hab1958/Tobruk-mewithfriends_zps270738ed.jpg (http://s1298.photobucket.com/user/hab1958/media/Tobruk-mewithfriends_zps270738ed.jpg.html)

I remember seeing those costumes down at Weymouth and Bournmouth....All us kids looked the same back then :smile:

[Rosie1958]

The kids in my photo were in North Africa, Gwaps !! :icon_lol: ...... But I know what you mean, we all looked ridiculous in one way or another :biggrin:

[joebloggs]

Couldn't imagine it Joe

i was pretty young, one thing i do remember was a union guy from where my dad worked (Gardner engines) coming to see my mom and he gave her some money that they had collected from the workers :wink:

[Rosie1958]

i was pretty young, one thing i do remember was a union guy from where my dad worked (Gardner engines) coming to see my mom and he gave her some money that they had collected from the workers :wink:

It must have been so very hard for you, your brothers and your poor mum, Joe, sounds like your mum showed amazing strength of character. My own partner has a similar experience to yours too and at around the same time.

How lovely that your dad's colleagues did a collection to help your family ........ I always find it heart warming to hear about examples of human-kindness :smile: and I am sure it was really appreciated

[joebloggs]

my mom had been married 3 times and widowed 3 times :NoNo:
her first husband died of cancer at the age of 24 :cwm24: then my dad died of a heart attack at 58 and my step-dad died at 71 on my moms birthday :NoNo:

shes been thru some really difficult times

[Rosie1958]

My goodness, how terrible, Joe, I can't begin to imagine how this has affected her life, god bless her

[gWaPito]

The kids in my photo were in North Africa, Gwaps !! :icon_lol: ...... But I know what you mean, we all looked ridiculous in one way or another :biggrin:

I wouldn't say ridiculous....We all seemed to have that same, post war ration book, scrawny look about us:icon_lol:....I was looking at school pics a while back....we all looked related!!!!...all 30 of us :icon_lol:

That North African beach could well of been Weymouth Rosie :biggrin:...such was the lack of development on that part of the South coast in the 60s

[gWaPito]

My goodness, how terrible, Joe, I can't begin to imagine how this has affected her life, god bless her

And Joe and his siblings.....

[joebloggs]

And Joe and his siblings.....

if only you knew gWaPito :NoNo:

but thanks for your comments :wink:

[gWaPito]

I know I'm a Conservative at heart :biggrin:...it doesn't mean I don't have one :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[joebloggs]

I know I'm a Conservative at heart :biggrin:...it doesn't mean I don't have one :xxgrinning--00xx3:

:icon_lol::xxgrinning--00xx3:
unlike the iron lady :biggrin:

[lordna]

I became a widower in 2002 after my wife died in 2002 after being very ill for about 3 years with Breast cancer. During this time and after i looked after my 3 kids the youngest of which was only 7 when she died on his birthday. I chose to take redundancy in order to continue to look after my kids and help them get over it. My eldest daughter was 15 at the time and after the death of her mother life became hell for all of us in different ways you could never imagine.
My decision NOT to work at the time wasn't taken lightly, we didnt have much money but at least i was there when needed. It was the right decision at the time although also financial suicide.
Things don't suddenly improve after someone in a family dies, the ripples from that stone dropping in water continue for years and years. Eventually i managed to do part time low paid work again and then work full time again but NOT doing the work or getting the money i was used to. I now earn less than half what i used to with little prospect of ever earning a decent salary again due to my age.
That maybe illustrates how devastating a family death can be years after without even going into how it still affects my children now in some way. Without welfare payouts we would have been in an even more difficult situation at a time, as a family, we were at our absolute lowest. Please don't underestimate how devastating something like this can be both at the time and later. Making it even more difficult for families in such difficult circumstances by making it impossible to get financial help is not the right way to go. Several times when i wasn't earning, i had to travel miles just to be interviewed by various "experts" to make sure i wasn't faking any claims and i can assure you they don't make it easy.
Thankfully all of us in my family are experiencing happy times again, obviously i remarried but even that was met with some suspicions by my children initially. Without the state help maybe myself and my children wouldn't of made it. Having money worries at times when your at your lowest can only make matters even worse. It was no picnic but thanks to some very good neighbours and friends and the fact no claims were never refused, both myself and all my kids are still here to tell the tale.....and i can assure you there were times with all 3 when they very nearly gave up completely.

So when you all start moaning about benefit scroungers please think carefully as you might not know the full story behind the family and what has led them to seek benefits.

[Rosie1958]

So sorry to hear what you have been through, Lordna and thank goodness you are here to share your experiences. An excellent post, well done! :xxgrinning--00xx3::xxgrinning--00xx3:

[gWaPito]

So sorry to hear what you have been through, Lordna and thank goodness you are here to share your experiences. An excellent post, well done! :xxgrinning--00xx3::xxgrinning--00xx3:

I agree Rosie...Thanks for sharing Lordna...it certainly gave me something different to think about coming home from work this morning

[joebloggs]

So when you all start moaning about benefit scroungers please think carefully as you might not know the full story behind the family and what has led them to seek benefits.

:xxgrinning--00xx3:
i was 11, my sister 13 and younger brother only 7 :NoNo: but time is a great healer lordna, and its good that your family are experiencing happier times, long may they continue :biggrin:

[Michael Parnham]

I became a widower in 2002 after my wife died in 2002 after being very ill for about 3 years with Breast cancer. During this time and after i looked after my 3 kids the youngest of which was only 7 when she died on his birthday. I chose to take redundancy in order to continue to look after my kids and help them get over it. My eldest daughter was 15 at the time and after the death of her mother life became hell for all of us in different ways you could never imagine.
My decision NOT to work at the time wasn't taken lightly, we didnt have much money but at least i was there when needed. It was the right decision at the time although also financial suicide.
Things don't suddenly improve after someone in a family dies, the ripples from that stone dropping in water continue for years and years. Eventually i managed to do part time low paid work again and then work full time again but NOT doing the work or getting the money i was used to. I now earn less than half what i used to with little prospect of ever earning a decent salary again due to my age.
That maybe illustrates how devastating a family death can be years after without even going into how it still affects my children now in some way. Without welfare payouts we would have been in an even more difficult situation at a time, as a family, we were at our absolute lowest. Please don't underestimate how devastating something like this can be both at the time and later. Making it even more difficult for families in such difficult circumstances by making it impossible to get financial help is not the right way to go. Several times when i wasn't earning, i had to travel miles just to be interviewed by various "experts" to make sure i wasn't faking any claims and i can assure you they don't make it easy.
Thankfully all of us in my family are experiencing happy times again, obviously i remarried but even that was met with some suspicions by my children initially. Without the state help maybe myself and my children wouldn't of made it. Having money worries at times when your at your lowest can only make matters even worse. It was no picnic but thanks to some very good neighbours and friends and the fact no claims were never refused, both myself and all my kids are still here to tell the tale.....and i can assure you there were times with all 3 when they very nearly gave up completely.

So when you all start moaning about benefit scroungers please think carefully as you might not know the full story behind the family and what has led them to seek benefits.

Excellent!