when my son left school he was advised by the dole to go to college and get a trade, he opted to do bricklaying, hes done 3 years and passed the course. after appling for jobs noone was interested so he went to sign on in september, still appling for jobs but not getting anywhere the dole has now decided that him working in a charity shop for the next 4 weeks, and not getting paid for it, will help. what help is this going to be for him in getting a job in the building trade.
i'm not against work experience and not getting paid but think it would be bettr in the work that you want to do, there's not going to be a job at the end of the course in a charity shop. and i can't see how it would benifit on his cv for building work.
you would think at least they could have found him a placement with a builder, but they said only work experience they have is in charity shops
he would have been very happy to go and work doing some building work and this would look good how his cv

Its a shame that there isn,t the work around,but look at it from the point of view that it will look good for a future employer to see that he didnt just sit at home doing nowt. He made himself usefull in the community doing his bit. Hope he finds work soon jackoe.

thanks, but hes not been sat at home doing nothing for the past 3 years, hes been at college, but this doesn't seem to be enough for a future employer

Its not that it isnt enough for a future employee, its a fact that there is no work out there and no one to employ him, I am sure he has done well at college and worked hard and I am sorry he cant find work now he as finished his course, but dont let him get dishearted tell him to take that charity job, it will look good on his c.v. and keep him in touch with real people, the more he interacts with people, you never know who you are talking to there maybe someone looking for a good bricky

Disgraceful...

I used to sub contract for Hughs Bros of Leigh, they do building work for the council,They took on lads on a trial basis working for their dole, and if they 'shaped up' they take them on full time, I don't know if they still do it, but he's nothing to lose by giving them a ring, and try a few other local builder too,

thanks, but its not really a job in the charity shop, he has to do 30 hours a week there and not get any extra money. it would have been better doing 30 hours unpaid work in the building trade.
someone told me that when they was signing on they asked could they take a voluntary job one day a week but the dole said no as they would lose a days jobseekers because they wouldn't be avaible for work that day

thanks tom, but hes been told he has to go to the charity shop or lose his dole money. but i will tell him

he should contact local building companies himself and offer to do a work trial for them, some do accept them. My boyfriend did that and he got taken on he will have worked there 12 months next week.

Ohhh that stinks, I agree with you I misunderstood what you were saying, doing voluntary work is one thing but to be dictated to is another and not to be tolerated, take tomplums advise, good luck to him..

jackjoe - if I am not mistaken, if they are on the dole, they can always ask for further training ie another course - maybe he could add another string to his bow - I know he has done the three years but when I came out of work once the job centre said I could go to college. Just a suggestion.

i'll tell him to ask about another course, wasn't sure if you could go to college and be on dole

yes you can go to college and get the course free just have to show the college proof of being on JSA

jackjoe - it is worth looking a several colleges - I don't think you are just limited to just Wigan. He should also qualify for any work gear ie: uniform. I would make an appointment at the Job Centre with an advisor. When I was out of work I went to College an evening a week - although I could have attended full-time ie: 3 days if I had wanted to.

its the advisor whats sending him to the charity shop

can he not ask a builder can he do four weeks unpaid labouring ? it would be better experience for what he wants to do.

my son is 24 since he left school he as had at least 6 jobs all been temporary 6 months hear 12 months there just been finished from another temp job a couple weeks ago .. good luck to the lad in his quest for work hope he as more luck than my son as ..by the way he is going on a course next week to gain a certificate so he can work on building sites . paid for buy the job centre tell him to ask about it may be it will help him get jobs on sight good luck..

My hubby wants me to into that bricklay training

I no how he feels jackjoe i was out of work two year ago so i went to work solutions who help you find work, also help you to no what to say & do in interviews that kind of thing,i hadn't told the job centre this after but after i told them they said the same to me as i was attending there to try & find a job i wasn't available for work bloody crazy.

fortunatley i have never had to go to the dole office and hopefully never will. by all accounts some of the staff are very rude and not very understanding which is very easy on there side of the desk. but im also aware that they must have to put up with some ignorent gits aswell but they shouldnt judge everyone the same.

rbilly could you ask your son the name of the course please

My son has had exactly the same problem. He spent 4 years doing an advanced electrical apprenticeship with a multi-national company but as soon as he qualified and the funding training monies stopped they finished him. He has had a few jobs through agencies but no work for 6 weeks now and it is driving him insane. He has asked the job centre to send him on another course which would allow him to apply for more electrical jobs but you are supposed to have been out of work for 6 months!! He's pushed it and they have applied for funding for him now and he is waiting to hear but he is hoping to get work in the meantime. He rings round agencies everyday and searches the net everyday so anyone out there needing a qualified electrician let me know.

You are allowed to do voluntary work whilst claiming JSA but it has to be for a recognised charitable organisation and you still have to be available and looking for full time work. When you first sign on you are usually given thirteen weeks to find the job you want and after that you have to broaden your horizons - hence sending people on training courses etc.after 13 weeks. It used to be the case that if you found your own placement you could ask your advisor at the Jobcentre to approach them to organise it under the training scheme, but it isn't that simple - health and safety checks have to be done and training plans etc have to be sorted out, that's if you can actually find someone willing to take you on in this climate. It's always worth registering with the Careers Service to ask about apprenticeships (I think it's called Connexions now).The more often you contact them, the more keen they see you are.

I do believe Connexions has now gone.

No, it's in the Skills Shop in the Grand Arcade in Wigan. An adviser is in there every day.

Ah, so it has gone from where it was then?

Yep, ok you can have that one - but it's still there somewhere!!

SOC Code:5241
WageEXCEEDS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE
Hours37.5 HRS OVER 5 NIGHTS
LocationST. HELENS, MERSEYSIDE WA10
DurationTemporary
Date posted01 December 2011
Closing date07 December 2011
Pension detailsNo details held
Description
CIS 4 Electrician Electricians Mate Apprentice or Team Required. Must have own transport and tools. Duties will include Isolating power supplies, Upgrading SWA cables, Isolator's and Tails within retail units. Works to be carried out over night and system must be fully operational for next working day. Electricians must have Inspection and Testing, 17th edition as a minimum. Electricians mates apprentices must have basic knowledge of electrical systems as a minimum. This position will exceed national minimum wage. It is a temporary position for 2 weeks, with potential further works after the new year.
How to apply
You can apply for this job by sending a CV/written application to Dave Curzon at Dave Curzon Electrical Services, Alexandra Bus. Park, Prescot Road, St. Helens, Merseyside, WA10 3TP or to Dave@DaveCurzon.com.
Try this pippa

Boycott Workfare is a UK-wide campaign to end forced unpaid work for benefits.

Most schemes are two or three year excuses for large companies to exploit cheap labour, rarely do people get full time employment from these schemes.
They also aid the government in hiding the TRUE jobless figures.

The Skills Shop has now moved from the Grand Arcade into the Wigan Life Centre and was Conexions for young people only, but the Skills Shop is for all ages

my son has been out of work for two years he has applied for about 200 jobs and last week he had his first interview.sadly he didn't get the job but he was made up getting the interview.he went doing voluntary work and the dole told him he had to pack it in as the time he spent doing this work would be better spent looking for a job.he also applied for a job and was told they had rejected his c.v. because he had been out of work for more than a year. how bad is that ?

It sounds more like an obnoxious advisor than a policy. I would question that decision if I were him. Sometimes young ones don't feel confident enough to question those they think are in authority. Just a suggestion.

My heart bleeds for the young ones who want a chance in life and can't even get decent advice.

You are allowed to do voluntary work as long as you're still actively seeking work, so it sounds as though he may have been given incorrect information there. Also, make sure he puts his voluntary work on his C.V. as it's still work, even though it's unpaid.

as any prospective employer will tell you, the prob with brit kids is that they cant get outa the cot in the mornings.
tesco has started a gov backed scheme to take on benefit kids. this aint cheap labour, its simply getting em outa their cots and go to work for their benefits. nowt wrong wit dat iffn it gets em up in the morn and get work exoerience, or am i missing something here?

Surely a company with the profits of Tesco can afford to pay for that labour, should we the tax payer be subsidising them for that labour?

yout subsidising them laid in bed doing naff-all/this way they have to get outa their bunks and get work experience.

The ones laid in bed will always find a way to lay in bed,
the ones out doing unpaid work are the ones who want work.

Why on earth people demonise the unemployed is beyond me. Can't people see that it suits the government down to the ground to have the country's anger aimed at the most vulnerable sections of our society.
It stops people focusing on who is to blame for the high levels of unemployment. And forcing people to work in charity shop is not going to solve anything other than to make people resentful.
I agree there is an element that don't want to work but that has always bee n the case.

I agree jathbee... im sick of hearing how we could punish the poor even more than we do already... lets take away the last bit of dignity they have... throw em in the workhouse and feed them on gruel....

I've up to now heard of 2 separate people who had to do some work to be able to keep claiming benefits, and last week one got over £500 tax back, and the other got over £400. tax back, as they were emergency taxed at the time. I don't call that punishment do you.

No I call it a right if they where owed it.... unless by being unemployed you forfeit all rights

If they were put on emergent tax they had been paying too much money, it was owed to them, they had been working for it, it was not a gift from the taxpayers. And the good people who give up their time to do voluntary work in charity shops, most probably are not happy at being forced to work with people who don't want to be there. So two sets of people being punished.

let the darlings stay in kip. shame having em get up to find out what its like to earn a buck.
tooooo reliant on the state and the taxpayers contributions.toooo much time spent hiding under hoods, and getting their cash the easy way.
keep ya eyes open when collecting ya pensions, ya could just change ya tunes.
iffn ya want a job and ya aint tooo picky, theres a helluva lot going fer ye out there. i see staff wanted all the time, and i"m blind.

Ido despair at paying tax on my state pension,especially since i have a good few years bofore i'm 65 but the tax man won't have it

my son not being picky at all, even applying for kfc and mcdonalds, when hes done a briclaying course for the past 3 years. hes appling for all kinds of jobs every week but not having any luck

I hope that when these people had to work for a while to keep their benefit money, and earned enough money to pay some tax, that they had to pay for their own rent, dentists fees, prescription charges and everything else us tax payers have to pay for on a daily basis. I bet they still got them all for free, I bet these benefits weren't frozen at the time.

dont you worry my son is not backwards at coming forward he will open his mouth.the trouble is you have to be careful what you say at the dole they stop your money at the least little thing. an example of this is one young lad went to sign on and because he hadn't filled his job book in properly he was told his dole would be stopped.surely the whole point is to see if they are looking for work not how well they fill their job book in.my son had to go to some place in Leigh about getting back to work the day he had his interview. he rang them to explain why he couldn't go and they said that's fine we will make you another appointment which they did. he signed on last week and his money should have gone in the bank on Thursday but it didn't go in.he was told this was because he hadn't been to Leigh.he explained what had happened and that they had made him another appointment.he now has to wait till Monday to get his money.he is not a teenager he is 30yrs old with 4 kids to look after.not all people on the dole are lazy a lot want to work its just the few who are bone idle that give them all a bad name

they should be made to do things like this after 12 months on the dole, or possibly be told if you don't find a job then they will find one for you , not neccessarily in the trade you want to be in, i know one bloke touching 50 now, who claims he is proud that he has been on the dole all his life, but he always seems to have plenty of money for his beer and fags - and it's people like him that need to be targetted, there are man many genuine people out there who are unemployed through no fault of their own and who want to work and we should give them all the help we can to get them back into work, but by the same token there are a lot of bone idle shysters out there with no intention of working as well, and the latter need a large boot up the backside

There's a lad I know he had a flat and always had money in his pocket. He decided to get a job as was bored at home. He got a job. About 6 months later I saw him and asked how his job was going. He said it was the worse thing he did getting a job as he couldn't afford his flat anymore and had to move back in with his parents. This tells me that the dole are making it too easy for the (as mick dorset said) bone idle shysters. The future generation are growing up thinking there is only one 11 o'clock in a day and its not am.

he would have got housing benefit if his wage was that low.....nothing to do with unemployment benefit being to much....its £67 per week anything above that has to be paid in rent and council tax... they have a disregard but I dont know what it is..... how many on here could live on £67 per week... and keep a house warm and electric on thats not including things like TV licence, clothing. food and work expenses.....

It looks like your all in favour of slave labour...

Not not in favour of slave labour, but also not in favour of layabouts being paid to do nothing all day. And as you've quoted in expenses work expenses I'm sorry but they have to go to work first to have to pay these. And clothing expenses they all wear branded clothing, I have to shop in Primark or Matalan for my clothing. They all have top of the range mobile phones and never off them, I have a basic £10 per month Nokia phone. So they're not doing too bad on their £67.00 per week. If they're not happy with their £67.00 per week, the answers simple look for a job. There's plenty out there. I'm in my 40's and have never claimed benefits. I've had a few jobs and have never been unable to find a job, if I can find them then so can others.

It all boils down to this, no if's or but's or maybe .....

1 - ATTITUDE. ATTITUDE. ATTITUDE !!
2 - TO GET ON IN LIFE YOU NEED MONEY,
3 - GET A JOB AND THAT GIVES YOU MONEY.
4 - SPEND IT WISELY AND CUT YOU SUIT TO FIT YOUR CLOTH.
5 - STOP EXPECTING OTHER PEOPLE (THE TAX PAYER) TO GIVE YOU MONEY FOR DOING NO WORK TO EARN IT.
6 - STOP EXPECTING COMPANIES TO GIVE YOU WORK... GO "SELF EMPLOYED" AND DO SOMETHING YOU ARE GOOD AT.
7 - IF YOU ARE NOT GOOD AT ANYTHING BLAME YOUR PARENTS.

There is work out there, not as much as years past granted, but there is work out there for people with the right ATTITUDE !!

Yeah well done Turbo you've just hit it on the nail. I'm self employed and youngsters have been to me for a job, walked in chewing gum and said "Have you any jobs" whilst hands in pockets. My immediate reaction was "No sorry".
So yes parents should show the youngsters the difference between right and wrong, the kids have no idea how to come across. They think they are doing the bosses a favour by turning up for work every day, but no it's the bosses doing them a favour giving them a chance in life. It's about time they all learned this.

stop press.........asda and tesco in horwich have job vacancies.............the vast majority out there will pull the blankets over their heads.just not interested, and let me add,turbo is buzzing.....dead right bro, there outa pocket getting a job????????so the poor earnest and honest ones foot the bill and remain poor themselves.
just dont add up to be better off unemployed, rather than be in work/

There is nothing wrong in getting people off benefits and back into work. But the impression I get from most of the posts is that you are portraying the unemployed as if they are criminals and should be punished because they don't have a job.

Wigan has a high level of unemployment because there are few jobs to be had. You cannot send the entire population of Wigans unemployed to work in Asda or Tesco. By the way, I'm not unemployed, I have worked for a living and I'm now retired. My taxes have gone to people on benefits but I don't hold them in contempt because of it.

The government have raised the age at which people can retire, so how does that help to get others into work.

the country is screwed up...top to bottom.

I feel sorry for the majority of unemployed but like other posters I have no sympathy for the work shy. I do know that there are people out there who claim benefits and do jobs cash in hand. Whats fair about that

It's not fair, the Government is to blame for letting the people get away with it. They are the reason we have to retire later because they've messed up our pensions, not enough money to pay us to retire, so the genuine people who want to work can't because we're working longer. I have a private pension but the company I'm with went bump, so there's not much in my pot, and I was paying into it for years. The whole system stinks. It doesn't help either that we buy nearly everything from abroad, this country hardly make anything for themselves. Bring back apprenticeships, there's going to be no-one with any skills in a bit.

Hang on bacardi queen the biggest mistake that's been made recently is the scrapping of the set retirement age. It means for the younger generations limited upward mobility in jobs, limited positions being created at the bottom of the ladder for new starters, reduced training as companies have no need to train staff up as quickly, stagnant wages, and of courses a demotivated work force.

You then have to look at the fact an ageing work population means that others have to pick up the slack! I'm going through this right now. People above me are of retirement age but have chosen to stay on because they've made poor financial choices in recent years. However as they are getting older they need more time off for drs/hospital appointments and can't do as much work!

A couple gets a minimum of £209 a week, a single person £135 a week, you can also get housing benefit, council tax benefit and other state benefits if you are poor. Then you've got free bus passes, cold weather payments etc.

Don't you mean you have to continue working because you've made bad financial choices, such as over extending your mortgage or living beyond your means?

My generation will probably have a means tested state pension if it still exists, a private nhs etc. we have already been told to expect to work to a minimum of 67 but that's expected to rise.

Your generation don't know how good you've had it!

Posted by: bacardiqueen (67) Report abuse

Not not in favour of slave labour, but also not in favour of layabouts being paid to do nothing all day. And as you've quoted in expenses work expenses I'm sorry but they have to go to work first to have to pay these. And clothing expenses they all wear branded clothing, I have to shop in Primark or Matalan for my clothing. They all have top of the range mobile phones and never off them, I have a basic £10 per month Nokia phone. So they're not doing too bad on their £67.00 per week. If they're not happy with their £67.00 per week, the answers simple look for a job. There's plenty out there. I'm in my 40's and have never claimed benefits. I've had a few jobs and have never been unable to find a job, if I can find them then so can others." end quote

You make some very sweeping and ludicrous statements, "they all have branded clothing", really? "They all have top of the range mobile phones and are never off them", really? I don't know anyone unemployed who has "branded clothing" and a "top of the range" mobile that they are never off.
I could say that nobody I know who is self employed (including myself) has a £10 per month mobile phone.

You are in your 40's and have never claimed benefits? Lucky you. If you are self employed and are complaining that you have to shop at "Matalan and Primark" and have a "£10 per month mobile phone", surely if that's the case you will be claiming working tax credit to top up your low earnings, which is a benefit.


Nothing you have said rings true.

shauniebabe - You say -
"our generation don't know how good we've had it"

If you were born during or just after the second war everything was rationed no family allowance either everyone had to make do and mend and be responsible for themselves. At 14/15 you had to get a job whether it was what you wanted to do or not. It was expected of you. So in the main many people were careful when things got better and didn't waste anything and also saved a little to try to better themselves such as buying a home living in it and furnishing it as and when you could afford it. Not living beyond their means as you put it. Buying what you needed and occasionally buying what you wanted. So yes we are getting free bus passes (which I know peeves you) and cold weather payments but for most older people these are the only benefits they get because they tried to look after themselves when they were younger.

Well I see I've been reported for abuse, looks like I've hit a raw nerve. Everything I've put is perfectly true, if you want to let these layabouts laugh at you, then that's up to you. I've voiced my opinions now so I'll leave you all to it.

BC, no you haven't.
Mucker Copied and pasted your comment. The header, 'Posted by: bacardiqueen (67) Report abuse' is just that, a header. He hasn't reported you, nor has anyone else.

Comes from catching the yellow triangle as you highlight the text. (I think)

I haven't reported you for abuse at all, seems like I may have hit a raw nerve with you actually, everything you have put is perfectly true? I beg to differ...
You are quick to voice your opinions, but when someone questions you, you throw your toys out of the pram.

Oh sorry Mac I thought he had, and I'm sorry Mucker75 for blaming you , and like I said above I won't post anything else regarding this subject.

In my opinion Bacardiqueen that's just what some people on here would like, keep things quiet and don't rock the boat, so you carry on. The work shy scroungers have sucked dry the working tax paying people of this country for too many years and I for one am p***ed off with it, and if truth be know its the opinion of many people that read this forum.

The real reason the Government are deliberately keeping the young out of work and increasing the retiring age is because they dont have to pay the young as much money and they are hoping you dont live long enough to benefit from a pension... saving money all round.... so leave the unemployed alone regardless of all the Government hype its going according to plan.....

Re: the 'work for benefits'.

Surely, that could be argued as 'Forced Labour', which is outlawed under the ECHR?

Turbo, who said anything about keeping quiet or not rocking the boat?
When someone posts making ridiculous, sweeping statements and ludicrous assumptions about unemployed people or in fact any other section of society, they do nothing but make themselves look foolish and judgemental.
As for your "work shy scrounger" comment, do you read The Sun by any chance, or do you like to form opinions of your own? There you go, I made a ludicrous assumption, or did I ? ...

T.O.M. , it would be more acceptable if it where work in the community. What isn't acceptable is massive companies like Tesco abusing it and exploiting people as nothing more than free labour, with little chance of actually employing the person at the end of it.

Agree entirely Mucker.

Hear hear.

Just an observation but at the start of this thread jackjoes son was told he had to work in a charity shop,I would class that as working in the community. Not perhaps what he wants to do, but at the end of the day he is making himself useful and all for a good cause.

I agree eront, but there is a big difference between working for a charity shop for your JSA or whatever, and working for Tesco's or similar. But I'm sure you know that.

It's a difficult subject to be honest.
The key thing for me is that working as a volunteer in a charity shop should be just that, voluntary. If you are being told you have to do something (forced)then that isn't voluntary.
The Marie Curie cancer trust have pulled out of the "work programme" for that very reason, as are other charities. The government weren't exactly honest with them when they signed them up to the scheme. They told them that the people they sent to them had volunteered to work there, when they hadn't.
I agree 100% though that working for any charity is very commendable and of benefit to the community as a whole. It would also look good on anybodies CV.
Like I said, it's a tricky one.

Poundland

mucker75..... I form my own opinions, always have and I base my opinions on what I have see through my eyes over MANY years.
I have NEVER been unemployed even for one day from the day I left school 40 years ago, with no qualifications to my name.
NEVER held my hand out for free handouts and never will.
Like I said I am p**sed off with work shy scroungers, there is work out there for people with the right attitude, get out there and get a job....end of

T.O.M. That's the big problem with the entire thing I think, Tesco, Argos, Poundland and the like should be ashamed, it's nothing more than profiteering off someone else's misfortune and abusing a scheme that was designed to help local people, charities and communities in general, not big business. (Or so the government led people to believe)

Following on from Dostaf's 'Poundland' link: Cait Reilly's viewpoint in The Guardian.

www.boycottworkfare.co.uk - "Poundland has its policy under review."

Turbo, you should consider yourself very lucky. If, in the unfortunate event that you had found yourself unemployed at some point, would you have claimed "handouts" as you call them, or let yourself and your family starve? It must be great up there sitting in your ivory tower and being so perfect.

Turbo, you appear to be tarring all unemployed with the same brush, not all are 'work shy'......god forbid you ever fall off your pedestal and need financial support!

Thanks for the links jo anne, makes interesting reading.

I think there should be more support to help those who want to work, as I've said before. Surely giving the lowest earners lets say 50% reduction on rent and council tax would help? Better to get 50% of something than 100% of nothing?

Mucker75
Its nothing to do with bloody luck, its to do with attitude. I was made redundant one day from a company that went into liquidation, that was at 11.00am I could have gone straight down to Brocol House and signed on and claimed my handouts, but I spent my remaining hours of that day finding another job, I did just that and at my suggestion even did 4 hours free work to show the company I could do the job.
Luck ?? no, its like I keep saying its to do with ATTITUDE

PS
Yes I might live in an ivory tower, but guess what... I worked for every penny to buy it

There is a saying. "There but for the grace of God go I". Some people would do well to remember that. No ones job is safe these days.

Monome I could go into with you but your so set in your views to wish to hear that for the last 20 years the successive governments have been buying the Grey vote at the general elections.

Google the golden generation and you'll see that not only did you have the best of everything that generation is pulling up the ladder so others can't get the same benefits.

Turbo, try doing that now You can have a fantastic attitude and still end up on your backside through no fault of your own.
If they gave out medals for ATTITUDE I'm sure you would have a glittering collection. If they also gave out medals for having an extremely blinkered and narrow view of today's world and a poor ATTITUDE towards people less fortunate than yourself, you would also have a glittering collection, and not one that you would want to show off.
Enjoy your hard earned Ivory Tower, but remember, it can get cold and lonely at the top when you are looking down on everyone.

T.O.M. Agree 100% with you, I think giving people a living wage would be a good place to start from. "It is a national evil that any class of Her Majesty’s subjects should receive less than a living wage in return for their utmost exertions"… Sir Winston Churchill

Jathbee, very wise words, some people are so perfect though that they feel they have a god given right to judge others. I have often found though, that they are usually the ones with the most skeletons in their closet...

Well I know I have no skeletons in my closet and I sleep very well at night.... I do get up early every morning and get out and do my daily job like many other millions of other people that make work happen for them, but unlike the work shy scroungers that hold out there hands, take what is given to them and I do mean "given", and then say "Is that it"

Now you are being ridiculous, as the line from a famous song says: "No one alive can be an angel".
Well, Mr Perfect, we will just have to agree to disagree. I also sleep very well, knowing that I have a tincy wincy bit of empathy and humanity for my fellow man.
Enjoy your daily job, and don't let bitterness consume you, it's not a nice way to live.

Going back to the original topic and in all seriousness, Jackjoe, I hope your son has managed to find something suitable in the building trade, best of luck to the lad.

its 3 am in the morn.
just finished a mailing session to the states and south africa.money transfers have been exchanged, and my accountant will be given all the details come daylight.


what bugs me is this, i pay taxes, yet i have no say as to who or what gets em??????
another bug in my bonnet is this.last week i drove a neighbour to a nursing home to see his incapacitated wife.
during the visit, i learned it was costing him 400 quid a week for her?
chatting to a nurse about it, she said he was lucky, as some in there were paying 600 quid a week???these people were in need of doctor or proffesional nurse care.
she pointed out the unfairness of it all by saying one or two paid nothing cos they had no means to pay???
in my opinion, as a tax payer even yet, whats it all about alfieeeeeanyway, 3.15 am now, time to leave this cocked up world for a few hours. see yis to-morn lads lasses.fer you grafters out there, dont be leaving fer work without ya flasks and butty boxes.

Yes hope Jackjoe's son has managed to find something.

How about a new topic that seems to be linked closely with this one... Disabled Vehicles and Blue Parking Badges to people that DON'T need or deserve them?

Been a few threads about them, Turbo.

See here

I have said for years, unless you're filthy rich your better having absolutely nothing.
If you get caught in between working hard trying to earn a reasonable living or keeping your head above water you will get hammered eventually.
As above, if God forbid you become ill in old age the house you've worked for all you life will have to go!

system????there aint noooo system, just a freeloaders charter starting with the elected honourables.

thamks all, he's got an interview tommorrow, so fingers crossed everyone x

Best of British to your lad, JackJoe.

My grandaughter lives in Hindley. She went for an interview 2 weeks ago and got a job, some job Monday and Friday and they will send for her when and iff they need her, the place was behind liegh dogs home near to the Greyhound on Eastlanks road don't know what time she as to be there for but how the hell do they expect her to get there she dosn't have transport of any kind except the buses. that is a sheer farce.

well i think all the unemploymnent statistics are wrong anyway. I am unemployed and as my other half is working (and not on a great wage) i am entitled to no help, but we are just over the amount they say is ok to live on. Every day is a struggle but we manage because we have no choice. I am actively seeking work, i have may qualifications, i have lost count on the amount of jobs i have applied for. I wrote to Tesco/Morrisons/Asda to see if i could work nights just so it would be easier for child care. I have one more year left until my daughter goes to high school so obviously then it will be easier to go 9-5 or whatever as i will no longer have to do the school run. I had an interview last week of which i was thrilled about until in the interview she said it is starting at 8am! Now i don't mind that but isnt very good when the school breakfast club only opens at 8am. I explained this to her, i havnt heard anything which doesnt surprise me as she had 20 other people to interview of whom many don't have that problem.

Anyway rant over!! But for anybody who is reading, i am 36 years of age, i worked since i was 16 years old, am available to work between the hours of 9am-3pm or 9am-5pm, Saturdays & Sundays not a problem. Night shifts ok

ooops sorry am 35....not 36 until June!!

Best of Luck to Jackjoe's son and Standishgirl. And all others looking for work.

thank you x

Good luck to him Jackjoe
Standishgirl, best of luck with the job hunting, you don't need to justify yourself to anybody on here

thanks again, and i know but just wanted to put my point across.
Me and my better half have many a discussion about it and make light heart of the situation for example, if i speak in a foreign language, have a can of special brew in my hand, delete all my qualifications then maybe i might get somewhere

lol, you probably aren't far from the truth there

i know lol scary x

i know lol scary x

FAO
Jackjoe
Just an idea for possible interest for your son.

A friend of mine wanted the electrical equipment in his office electrical PAT testing, a legal requirement. Had a hell of a job finding somebody in Wigan to do it. He did eventually find someone but it wasn't cheap.
You would obviously need and electrical interest, its seems you have that, you will need to go on a course, a test meter/s, transport, sticky compliance labels, a web page setting up and get the word around. The equipment seems to readily available on ebay at not silly money.

Obviously any faults or repairs that are found whilst testing is then an additional way of making extra money sorting them out.

Just a thought.

IN THIS CRAZY HEALTH-N-SAFETY UK, YOU HAVE BY LAW TO PAY AN ELECTRICIAN TO CHANGE YA LIGHT BULB/

if i speak in a foreign language, have a can of special brew in my hand, delete all my qualifications then maybe i might get somewhere

and dont forget the housing that these people get

and plasma TVs

Turbo, that's a good idea, I bet Wigan college will do an electricity testing certificate course. Could make a decent living doing that.

Billy, where on earth do you get that? Or do you mean the council get people in to waste money?

Portable Appliance Testing, that was my last job before retiring from the labour market, I worked with domestic appliances and personal hygiene products like electric shavers etc. It was an interesting job. No doubt the rules and regs will have changed a bit now.

If you're unhappy with working with high voltage equipment though, (flash testing) the jobs not for you.

If people who are on benefits have plasma tv's, they are not paying for them out of their benefits, it's by some other means. And it's those people who give the genuine ones a bad name. For goodness sake stop making out that they have the life of Riley, it's simply not true.

jathbee, it's the media who portray it like that. The top of the range mobile phone, all the best clothes and games consoles and plasma TV's, out on the booze every weekend and smoking 40 cigs a day. Some people seem to believe anything they read or see in newspapers, sadly.
How anyone on £60 odd quid a week can afford any of them is beyond me. (they can't of course) Funny how everybody now seems to "know this bloke down the road from me" who live a luxury lifestyle on benefits. It's funny because I've never met this mythical character, mainly due to the fact that he doesn't exist.

Hi Jackjoe.

See if dave© is up for possibly giving you some tips on the way to go if you are interested in PAT testing..... NO substitute for in house tips and no substitute for experience!

Mucker75
I know it's the media, the ones who support the government who churn out all this hogwash and people fall for it.
There may be an element who abuse the system but that has and will always be the case.
It's the age old story of divide and rule. Turning the working class against each other has always been the preferred tool of the ruling classes. And you can see by some of the posts how well it works.

i wish i did have a plasma tv, our tv broke a while back and we couldnt afford a brand new one, so i went to Age UK and now have a very nice Sanyo silver one 32" and works a treat! Not bad for £30. Has to be my best bargain yet.