Good news.

[Gourmander]

The government has announced plans to help those who have been unemployed for more than 6 months. I haven't worked for 4 years, will I get extra money on top of my benefits?

[sara3]

no.

[DaisyMae]

No I think the help in this instance is of a different kind - they want to help you back to work - down the mines probably. :)

[nogginthenog]

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/76063/-163 -158m-fund-to-help-unemployed

[Gourmander]

What kind of help will I get then? I could do with some extra money.

[Gourmander]

Noggin, that link is of no use to me, it's the extra money I want.

[Gourmander]

No.know, please don't make fun of the poor and unemployed, life is hard enough.

[nogginthenog]

If you ask Knobby nicely he may be able to get you in the next bollywood blockbuster

[QueenOfAmber]

lol Gourmander!

[dot.hawkes]

IMO this Government is able to remove many people rom the unemployed register with little or no effort, they have an arrangement with GPs, when a person is feeling down because they have no job, the GP puts them on long term sick with depression. They are then taken off the unemployment register. Simple isn;t it? And no expense wasted on finding them re-employment either. It's a brilliant scheme

[Gourmander]

Dot, do you get any more money for being depressed?

[rov1200]

All these handouts are getting this country in a hell of a mess. Not only do we have to cater for our own but the rest of the world has seen and is taking advantage of our lax rules to claim. Why don't the government wipe the slate clean and start afresh with the applications and weedle out those not entitled.

[R1Geezer]

You could try a radical solution and get a bleeding job, workshy waste of space.

[Ice.Maiden]

Apparently there was talk of giving �500 to folk who've been out of work for some time. This's supposed to pay for training courses to help people back into work or to qualify them for new jobs. It's a ridiculous idea, since how are all these folk with new skills going to FIND employment at the end of it?
As for your wife's friend, birdie, she'd have to qualify for the top rate of mobility allowance, to enable her to get a new car, but with medication needed to treat schizophrenia, I'm not so sure as she'd be allowed to drive herself. The trouble is, most people on DLA deserve the money, but there are always some that'll get through the net. It's easy to judge from what you see, but these benefits do NOT allow people to live in luxury. Like you, I know someone who doesn't work, and who seems to have everything, but she's debted up to the eyeballs. Tbh though, I'd rather my taxes go on people who're deemed unfit enough to receive benefits, than to pay for ministers trips abroad at our expense.

[Quinlad]

"She does not work and has no intention of ever doing so."

I know it's wrong, but part of me begrudgingly respects her. She's done her homework, she's studied the condition, she's gone out of her way to make others believe she has it. She has gained an intricate understanding of the benefits system and has put time and effort into maximising the potential returns.

She's probably worked harder to play the system than most people do to get their wage. So, y'know, hats off.

[rov1200]

We've almost privatised the banks, supplied companies with loans to cope with the credit crunch and still the workers can't get jobs.

One answer is to nationalise this work force, put them all on the government payroll, get them to do someting useful and recovery will be on the cards.

[Gourmander]

Ice.Maiden, that �500 you mentioned, do you know how to apply for it?