taffers

I had lunch with my mother today, and she prior to retirement, was a public authority employee for over twenty years, her public service pension is roughly ?330 pounds, and her husband gets a bit more than that, they weren't in high ranking jobs, just a clerk (her) and a cleansing supervisor. And while I don't like to agree about keeping inefficient public employees in work, I have to say that if it came to a case of pure economics, then yes keep them in employment, and as people leave through natural wastage, don't full the place, redistribute their work. I also dislike the public service unions, for they kept quiet, when the private sector was being savaged by the recession, now their members are affected they speak up. I was having a conversation last week with one of the temp agencies, they sometimes supply a local govt dpt here, and they told me, that they sent them a temp as they had a lot of work on, and that temp, once trained (took 2 hrs) did the eqivualent of 8 hrs work in under 4 hours, and asked for more, this happened for a couple of days, his colleagues asked him to slow down as he was making them look bad.

Just had an email from the department store I had applied to for a job as an administrator saying thanks but no thanks, then two minutes later they ring me to say that was an error, and that they haven't made their minds up yet, and they will let me know by early August. Hope it is a yes this time.

I live in a council flat, got it after being on the waiting list for about 7 years, been here now for 6 years, and I would much rather buy my own house, I find houses more friendly and personable. But due to cost of the rent, which isn't much less than the private sector, and the other normal bills I have not been able to save up the required deposit, and whilst I was in employment I had no intention of going down the 100% mortgage route, too risky. Prior to that I lodged with a friend, who was only able to buy his house after he got an inheritance, before that we rented a house together. My brother has a part buy-part rent house, and he is struggling to pay his rent/mortgage, and is having to work two sometimes three jobs to make ends meet. With my last employers I had a final salary pension scheme which I had paid in to for 11 years, I also topped it up using AVC's, as I know our pension is not that much, but it is better than some other countries. it is currently suspended pending my gaining more employment. My mother, who has recently inherrited some money following the death of her mother, has said she is going to give me ?10k, once I have a new job, and that it has to be used as a deposit for a house. What with the average house price where I live in Swindon being about ?120k for a two bed terrace, I know this is far cheaper than many parts of London, unless I can get a job earning ?28k or find myself a partner I will be renting my current home for a quite a while longer. I quite agree house prices are rediculously high, but I cannot see how the prices can be capped, I had hoped that when there were no first time buyers, the prices would have dropped drastically, but they didn't. I do hope that as DJKQ as pointed out that the FSA will be able to do something about this terrible situation, for every person that is able to afford to buy their own home without struggling would be a benefit to society as there wouldn't be such a drain on valuable resources. One thing I did find very disheartening recently was listening to young women in the lift, one was complaining that after the council gave her the flat, that the social wouldn't give her the cash to get a fridge or a cooker, she couldn't have been more than 20, and I know I am stereotyping, but I suspect that her parents have been on the social for many years too. I find it embarrassing having to tell people I am on the dole as I am so used to earning and paying my way. On a potentionally better note, I have been told of a firm that is often recruiting staff to work in their factory/warehouse as they have a high staff turnover due to working a 3 shift rotating pattern, the wages are reasonable, and I don't mind working nights or daft shifts. My application was posted yesterday, and next Thursday I will cycle out to them to show that I am very interested in working for them.

There have been many valid points raised here. DJKQ, mentions that sport is known to reduce stress and depression levels, I have too agree, for after almost an hour of hurling myself around the squash court I much better in myself, and obviously I sleep much better for it too. As for skills, I have enquired about doing an advanced Excel course, but because I am only recently unemployed I have been told it is unlikely qualify for a subsidy, so I will have to fund it myself, which I will be doing come the new accademic year in September. DJKQ, I have spoken to someone in the same building as me, he too was until recently unemployed, he also found that has he had skills the job centre would not offer him any further training, probably for the same reasons you mentioned. Also about top-up benefits, prior to being made redundant, when I ever I needed some extra cash, I would do a few evening shifts at the local sports club as I always have believed in paying your own way. DJKQ, you mentioned that fresh food costs more, it certainly does, I am now being very careful with how I spend my money, cheaper cuts, own brands etc to make my money last. One thing I find dissapointing is that once my JSA entitlement expires, and I go on Income Support, if my savings are more than ?6,0000.00 I will not be entitled to the full entitlement, which at the moment they are due to my redundancy, while I accept there has to be a limit, I was hoping use this money to go towards a deposit for a house when I get a decent job. Out of interest to others, one of the first things I did when I got my redundancy was to pay my electric, water, mobile, landline and internet and council tax off until next April as I knew JSA isn't very much, I am also tempted to pay my rent off for the next few months too. DJ, as for beer, it is about the same price where I live, which is in Swindon, unless I go to a Weathersppons pub, which can often be full of young drinkers. I am looking at applying for jobs in Mold, N. Wales, where my uncle and aunt live, but the wages there are less than what is offered here, but if succesful, I would consider moving, especially if a lot of my redundancy is still left.

Hi Brendan, yep please do send me the details of the agency you use, while I am not in East Dulwich, they may have an office near me. I am currently on the books of about 9/10 agencies. But any help is appreciated.

True, teaching the unemployed more skills makes more sense, which is one reason I am going to do some volunteering at a local charity doing their clerical work, and also at the local hospital, for a total of 2/3 days a week, it will keep me active as I have mentioned earlier, I am going stir crazy with vewry little to do. While I tend to agree about the comment about the employed having to use benefits to pay their rent etc, in my case this is the first time in 19 years I have had to claim benefits, and there are so few jobs out there on what I was earning prior to redundancy, which is why I am applying for jobs earning around ?4 - 5k less than what I was on, I don't want to be on benefits as I have pride and will do whatever is needed to earn a living and pay my way.

You have made some very valid points,as for the admin job I applied at the department store, there were about 25 in the assesment, and only 8/9 were interviewed, and they were holding a similar session after mine, they told us there were 12 admin jobs, so I have a reasonable chance, but not holding my breath. Also I only live a short walk from the site. In total there about 180 jobs, I have also applied for a job as a sales assistant. I agree about keeping the unemployed active, may be something like, one free session at the local authority sport centre a week. I play squash once a week, and that does help to burn of some stress as I smash that ball in to the wall. My friend who I play against has his own business, but sadly he says he can't afford to take me on, but he has asked his contacts to keep me in mind for any vacancies they may have. I also agree about socialising and networking, while I still have some redundancy left I can afford a few pints at the weekend, but have decided not to drink, as alcohol is a depressent, and I don't want to make my situation even worse, and I don't fancy drinking OJ all night.

Thank you for the kind wishes, At this moment, I am awaiting a response from a large department store, who are opening a store near where I live, I passed an assessment then had an interview straight away, some people didn't pass the assessment session, so I must have something, but they doing at least one session. This is for an admin job, working some weekends and paying about ?4k less than what I was on. Still if I get it, I can use my redundancy to pay a loan off, which is currently being paid by the insurance. However, you are very much right in what you say about the LTU and mentally ill. The mentally ill I have a great deal of sympathy for, as I too am feeling very stressed and have some idea of what they are going through, and I have some sympathy for some of the LTU as some of them genuinely want to work. At this present moment in time, I am having to take Nytol to help me sleep, as I keep waking up, that's when I am able to sleep. I cannot see how either the Conservatives or the Lib' Dem's think they will get a majority next time round, or Labour for that, but we will see. Also on reading your last blog, I checked the ad's on the job centre's website, and you are quite right the wages are very low, barely above the legal minimum. So what incentive do I have to apply for a job at barely ?6 ph, when I was on almost ?12 ph. I have worked it out, the minimum i can work for is ?8.48, that is if I get a job quickly, as that is what i will need to earn if I am pay my rent and bills, but if you earn more than ?13,300 you cannot claim working tax credits to help you back in to work. I am having trouble getting the agencies putting my cv forward to their clients due to minimum wage I can work for, so on some occassions I have been able to find who they work for and write to them directly. I have also found that now I am not at work my former work colleagues, some of whom I called friends, don't want to know me anymore. The group that should be got back to work first is the short term unemployed, such as the recently made redundant (I inclde those laid off since the recession began) as these are the people who genuinely want to work.

While not from East Dulwich, I have to agree with many of the comments here, I was made redundant just over two months ago after 12 years in the same job, and since then I have applied for 215 jobs (done a spreadsheet, as the job centre needs proof), and I have had 8 interviews, as soon as they ask what my last salary was, which was over ?20k, their faces often drop, and I know i won't be getting the job, except in one case, where I was informed I got down to last two out of over just fifty applicants. I had some feedback from one company following what I thought was a good interview, the HR department advised me that I didn't get the job as the department manager thought I would want a quick promotion and leave her team quickly, so do show keenes or not! I am applying for mainly customer services/claims handling jobs and admin roles, I have also spoken to the job agencies about picking and packing positions, and they all want people with experience!! I have also applied for a position as a hotel night porter and no joy. Also after having worked for the last 19 years it is quite depressing being out of work, I spend about 6 hours looking for work, and I have now decided to do some volunteer work, but I will being doing this as admin role for a nearby charity, just to my skills up tp date and my self active, as far as I am aware you can do as much voluntary work as you like as long as you still look for work, and you don't get any money or other benefits.