Claimants To Work For Benefits Is It Fair?

[gordiescotland1]

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/472791/Work-for-your-welfare-benefits-long-term-jobless-to-be-told-in-new-crackdown
What do people think of this story?

[pixie373]

There are already laws in place for volunteers, hc. They should be enough. A volunteer is different from a paid employee. I don't see how people would be laid off by someone doing extras that aren't covered by staff.

[sandyRoe]

I'm not sure if being dragooned into work could be considered voluntary.

[hc4361]

pixie, my local council employs litter pickers who operate with a trolley, broom and rubber gloves.

If they can get 'volunteers' to do it instead, why would they pay an employee?

[cazzz1975]

especially as council budgets have been cut to the bone by central government

[TWR]

Yes, I agree the L T/ claimants should be made to work, there are Pensioners Bungalows in our town, their grass could be Mowed & the Garden Weeded, fences to paint, litter picking.

[hc4361]

And of course there are highly skilled people that are unemployed.
Why pay an employee overtime if you can get an equally, or better, qualified person to 'volunteer'?

[hc4361]

TWR, surely somebody is already paid to do that?

[Zeuhl]

^Interesting idea

They'll be the pensioners who are already receiving the lion's share of the Benefits budget regardless of how much or how little they have contributed over the years?

[hc4361]

How do you feel about big business using these 'volunteers'? Tesco, perhaps - or would that be to the benefit of Tesco and not the taxpayer?

[jno]

I'm not sure how polishing war memorials would benefit the taxpayer either. Aren't they normally in council keeping?

[sandyRoe]

We pensioners need to be cossetted. Are there many gardeners among the ranks of the unemployed? My garden could do with a bit of attention.

[TWR]

Yes, they do cut the Grass H.C. but they do not weed the gardens.

[Sparkles62]

I think that it is a good idea as long as it is all done properly.
I haven't read up on all the details, so don't know what exactly has been put forward, but in my opinion, I can't see any reason why people shouldn't have to do two days work for their benefits and spend the other days activly looking for employment.
There would have to be something set up for people to get travel costs for getting to and from their 'work' refunded.
I think that when you are working ( either paid or voluntary ) you are mixing with and speaking to a wider group of people and it is usually easier to find a job.

[scooping]

Some seem to be missing the obvious. This is a proposal, nothing more, punted out before the EU election by the Conservative Party in an effort to try to reclaim some of the right-wing vote from UKIP. It won't happen. It's not real. And many are falling for it, including BBC news.

[TWR]

Zeuhl, do you not think if a person works 50yrs + he / she has done enough to recoup what they have paid in?

[lozzer50]

makes me laugh this, my hubby has been trying to get as job for 2 years hes applied for so many jobs we've lost count. the irony is he gets NO BENEFITS because im working. we get no help with anything a two wage house on one salary . yet people can come to our country claim everything under the sun without having worked a day over here. this system stinks!

[scooping]

No you can't recoup what you have paid in because that money has been spent on schools, hospitals, roads and defence. Ludicrous to think that in some way you are entitled to 'something back'. Think you should be entitled to decent pension and that's all.

[jim360]

Normally your cynicism might be justified scooping, but this is not a proposal of something that will start next year. It's already started, from today.

[lozzer50]

and scooping dont forget the payouts the foreigners get when they come here

[tonyav]

http://money.uk.msn.com/news/new-moves-to-tackle-unemployment