Why not get a job - ANY job?

[sp1814]

http://www.dailymail....-suicide-poverty.html

I normally get into the office at 6am to check on my offshore team (big old time difference between London and Chennai), and I'm always struck that on the tube at that time, all I ever see are Eastern Europeans, blacks and Asians going off to do the jobs that the rest if us seem to deem unworthy of our skills.

Despite having learning difficulties, surely this woman could've gained employment as an office cleaner or facilities management?

Likewise, surely her husband must've been able to find something to pay more than £57 a week? You can earn more than that as a shelf stacker in Tescos.

Is his record as ex-services blinding the Mail to the fact that they should've done more to help themselves?

It's appalling that they chose to take their lives and so sad for their families, but I can't help but think that it was completely needless.

Also (finally) why are we buying poppies if the Royal British Legion can't help a man like this? I thought that was the whole point....?

[Kayless]

100% agree SP, thats what I've been saying for years, people are all a bit precious and only want a job they think suits them. I've done every job known to man and would not dream of claiming off the rock and roll. There is no shortage of jobs. There is a culture of work shy scum claiming money because thety are netter off not working but that's our own soft of touch.

[redcrx]

are the eastern Europeans doing the manual labour in this country on minimum wage? i doubt many working in the countryside are.

Do you know what mental capability the woman had? perhaps her loving husband had to be with her to ensure her safety? Perhaps he was acting as a full time carer?

I think this is a terrible and tragic story of a couple who believed what they were told when benefits werent given, and felt they had nothing more to live for. Very sad.

[emmie]

there is so much wrong with this story, im not sure where to begin. Why were they only living on that amount, both should have been able to make some benefit claims i would have thought. The RBL would help i'm sure, perhaps they weren't aware of the case. Many ex soldiers are proud people and perhaps he wouldn't ask for help. Perhaps there is a lot more to this story, like did he have emotional problems, ex serviceman, and the wife with learning difficulties, that can mean so many things. Suggest there are other factors involved, but a really sad story i must say.

[B00]

I'm wondering if he couldn't get a job as his wife needed care 24/7?

[Old_Geezer]

Does anyone know what their mental state was like ? Maybe they could not see the wood for the trees. Maybe in despair they had lost the ability to think clearly and act in their own interests. Who knows ?

Never really sure what the poppies were for. Any decent country should support those in genuine need of help anyway. But it gives folk a day to remember those who fell I guess.

[redcrx]

just to add, Im all for those who can work getting a job or at least doing part time work in the community to "earn" benefits. But this cannot apply to all circumstances.

[B00]

Sorry red, noticed after I'd submitted my reply that I'd simply copied a part of yours.

[emmie]

OG, buying a poppy is not just a way to remember the fallen, but to support families like this, and i am sure had the Legion known about their plight would have helped.

[NOX]

If you deprive people of enough to live on, take their child away from them then what do you expect. they needed help and support not the callous handed treatment they receved form both the benefits agency and social services. whilst I agree you would have thought he'dhave got any job, my guess is that red is right and he felt he couldn't leave his wife- as apparently they were under the impression that the authorities were trying to section her.

[China Doll]

There are hundreds of people applying for any one job at the moment Splat, there were over 800 applications for a really low band job at one hospital I know of. That new Pound land had a massive queue outside or something and it's easy to say get a job at tescos or a retail job for christmas but there's not that many going, and the ones that are advertising are getting huge numbers of applications. Qualified doctors applied for an admin job we had here just to get their foot in the door. Putting aside all the mental health and learning difficulties aspect of this, I just don't think it is as simple as 'get a job, any job' these days.

[VHG]

A couple of weeks ago there was a program on TV about welfare/benefits with John Humphrys.

On the program was a man from Spain living in Uk (with his wife and child) who is a trained civil engineer but he cant get a job in UK doing that so is currently a waiter.

He lives in London and gets over TWO THOUSAND POUNDS a month in housing benefit.

What sort of stupid situation is it that allows a person to come here and get that much in benefits while someone from the UK is so hard up they commit suicide.

Something wrong somewhere.

[Old_Geezer]

But it ought not be that way em10. The country, via the government of the day, calls folk up to serve, or offers them service in the forces, so the government should cover the costs of problems that occur in their employ. And beyond that, it is a county's responsibility to look after its citizens. Charitable organisations ought not be needed for what is a government responsibility.

[Mamyalynne]

Yet another example about how the vulnerable can slip through the tangled so called safety net we have. Too many different agencies giving out differing advice and causing fear and confusion - here we see the result.

[micmak]

A very sad story.

[emmie]

chinadoll, you are right, and that has been the case for a long time. Some say go out and get a job, fine, then what, no benefits at all if you earn over the sum laid down by the government for you to live on. It's a minefield, and one that some can navigate but many don't and fall by the wayside, like this couple.

[notasyoungasiwas]

But there aren't the jobs sp and sadly this couple didn't seem able to cope in the world, they needed help, but didn't know where to seek it. Not everybody is capable of helping themselves. I think they became overwhelmed by it all. I could cry for them, I really could.

[sp1814]

It's true that the Royal British Legion wouldn't have automatically known about this poor chap - but a cursory glance at his records would've alerted social services to his job history. All it would've taken is a quick phone call. And yes, I know that the Social Services has become a byword for incompetency - but lets not tar them all with the same brush, because there are some professional and diligent people amongst them - we just hear about their failures.

Incidentally - reading between the lines, the wife was truly caught between a rock and a hard place. She couldn't claim Jobseekers Allowance because she was deemed unfit for work, but at the same time she wasn't allowed to claim incapacity benefit - catch 22!!!

[clokey]

sp1814 The new Tory cuts are hitting those in need the hardest as you say catch 22. If you are unfit for work how are you to gain employment with all these imaginary jobs the -K Geezer thinks are available.

Next year the new laws on housing benefit come in people are already trying to find smaller accommodation. Some people will have a happy christmas others are already worrying if they will have a roof over their heads.


Who started the me me me i'm alright attitude in this country ask the geezer ?

[ludwig]

sp, I love the way you mention your offshore team and then go on to wonder why it is no-one can find a job in this country.

[sp1814]

ludwig

My offshore team support the installation and configuration of specific database and application utilities in the support of a global pharmaceuticals company. It's a highly specialised job. Of course, there ARE technical people who could do this in the UK, but a) they would have to work throughout the night (we're a 24 hour business and b) it would ruin my chances of getting over to India a couple of times a year for 'meet and greets' and to stock up on loads and loads of cheap dried spices.