Shaping up to be one of the shittier years of my life, but still 6 months to go?
Made redundant on last day of 2014 - Employer can't pay statutory redundancy. Six months later - Still waiting on the various government agencies to get at least some of my money back.
Jan-Feb - Signed on, various excuses and hold up's from DWP meant I only got 2 weeks JSA and no housing benefit.
Feb-April - Working in what should have been a life changing job with decent money, but company decided that I couldn't manage the 94 mile round trip every day despite the fact I managed it every day for my 6 week trial period. Job given to less qualified local (ex colleague of the manager) :(
April - Now - Signed on again, initially given Job seekers allowance but stopped after 2 weeks, reason given that my disabled wife with Muscular Dystrophy is not signing on as well, I have supplied letters from her neurologist and GP to state she is incapable of working without me (or a carer) being there to look after her.
But evidentally I am not allowed to claim job seekers allowance on my own as I am married? and that both of us despite handicaps should be out looking for work.
No housing benefit paid at all in either of the periods due to me not providing evidence of my son's wages despite the fact he does not live with us and I've not claimed for him? and them not accepting the proof of rent being paid from the council, even though it's the council that are asking the question?
Applied for another job yesterday working in the same industry as the one I was working in at Kent in February/April, same job description except the wages are only 55% of the other :(
The joys of trying to work in the minimum wage wasteland of Essex.
Was having a chat over the phone to a guy from the DWP trying to get some sense of why I've had no benefits for 6 weeks and he gave me a new perspective on "minimum wage".
I have always believed it was a good thing, but as he said "in the past companies would have to offer competitive wages to attract workers, but now they are only obliged to offer minimum wage and if all the companies stick together you really have no option" he agreed with me that wages in the semi/non skilled market have actually dropped in the last 20 years. I know this from experience in that I could quite easily walked into any job in the mid 90's and earnt at least £7 per hour, now those same jobs are paying £6.50 an hour, and you can't tell me that the cost of living has dropped in the last 20 years.
