Posted August 13, 2009 (edited) Somebody make a new post for this JSA debate, it's getting interesting and I wouldn't mind adding more of my opinion without derailing the purpose of this thread! Those of you who are on JSA are, to a degree, luckier than some. As a student, I'm in the situation where I'm pretty much unemployable (can only do short-term), and yet don't qualify for JDA. According to the government, my student loan covers everything. According to the student loan company, im expected to work during the summer. During the summer, I have no way of getting income, and my student loan isnt but enough. Before you say 'get a job', there are about 4 going on my town, and they're all very insistent about 'not a summer job!' Oh well, should have got a job before uni began and kept it while you were there (work for a big company and transfer). Planning ahead my friend. Edited August 13, 2009 by Ashley purchases snip Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Those of you who are on JSA are, to a degree, luckier than some. As a student, I'm in the situation where I'm pretty much unemployable (can only do short-term), and yet don't qualify for JDA. According to the government, my student loan covers everything. According to the student loan company, im expected to work during the summer. During the summer, I have no way of getting income, and my student loan isnt but enough. Before you say 'get a job', there are about 4 going on my town, and they're all very insistent about 'not a summer job!' Perks of being a student. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Perks of being a student. Oh the never ending sarcasm.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 I spend my student loan money on things besides food and living costs, should I be judge too? After all thats still partially free money. Well, no...that's a loan. You'll be paying that back, and then some. :p Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Well, no...that's a loan. You'll be paying that back, and then some. :p I've paid a hell of a lot more tax than I have recieved JSA and I'm fairly sure that the villan will do once he gets a job. So this notion people have of "oh, technically I payed for your iPod is bollocks" like I said earlier, I payed for one of my tattoos, actually two, with some of my JSA when I was unemployed for 5 months. It gets seriously fucking depressing and saying it should ALL be spent on helping to find a job is crap. It doesn't cost £45 a week looking for a job. So why shouldn't people be able to spend any extra on something that's gonna cheer them up during what will possibly be one of the most disheartening periods of their life? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 (edited) I've paid a hell of a lot more tax than I have recieved JSA and I'm fairly sure that the villan will do once he gets a job. So this notion people have of "oh, technically I payed for your iPod is bollocks" Actually, this whole notion of 'I will pay tax so I can use taxpayer money to spend on iPods' is bollocks. Really; absolute bollocks. By the same merit, MPs are free to claim huge expenses; taxpayer money, because they pay tax, right? Wrong. Tax you will pay will cover lots of things... education for your kids (should you choose to have them), your safety and healthcare to name a few. Ergo, people shouldn't be expecting other things like iPods on the side, too. like I said earlier, I payed for one of my tattoos, actually two, with some of my JSA when I was unemployed for 5 months. It gets seriously fucking depressing and saying it should ALL be spent on helping to find a job is crap. It doesn't cost £45 a week looking for a job. So why shouldn't people be able to spend any extra on something that's gonna cheer them up during what will possibly be one of the most disheartening periods of their life? Well that's simple...the JSA isn't a charity case. If you're actually suffering from clinical depression then there's no problem with claiming such benefits, as with anyone who is actually disadvantaged/disabled in some way. At the end of the day, though, the JSA is really there to see you through and I think danny made an excellent point with the possibility of a day's community service each week to pay the wage. Edited August 13, 2009 by Sheikah Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 The system is flawed in that everyone is given the same JSA but everyone's needs are different. Villan doesn't need £105 a fortnight, living at home being a forum bum, but an unemployed guy living on his own, paying his own mortgage and bills would likely need more. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 I think if people have never worked and have no intention of finding one are buying stuff like this then it's fair enough to be annoyed with them. Anyone that's lost a job through no fault of their own and is actively trying to get one, which seems to be the case here, can spend their JSA on whatever the hell they want in my opinion. I often complain about my money and I'm in a relatively stable and well paid job, I can't imagine what its like living off £50 a week so if little things like this cheer you up then I'm all for it. Actually my girlfriends just had her interview to get JSA, I'm fairly sure that money will all go on stuff she wants rather than needs, because she doesn't actually need the money. Thing is it's one of the things she's entitled to so she'd be pretty silly not to take it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Plus you can't really compare JSA to student loans because student loans you pay back so its a closed loop, whereas you may get a job and start paying tax but it only goes to someone else. Not quite comparable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 The system is flawed in that everyone is given the same JSA but everyone's needs are different. Villan doesn't need £105 a fortnight, living at home being a forum bum, but an unemployed guy living on his own, paying his own mortgage and bills would likely need more. They do get more, they can get extra benefits as far as I know, housing etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Yeah, Villan used taxpayer money to buy an iPod. Oh noez. Not like he's gonna have a job at some point in the future whereby he pays back more than £105 in tax or anything. I bet at least a few of the people supposedly outraged at this got EMA or some other kind of tax rebate at some point and spend it on something non-essential. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 They do get more, they can get extra benefits as far as I know, housing etc A single guy with a mortgage has a rough deal. Housing benefit is for rental properties - that's why I chose that particular scenario. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Actually my girlfriends just had her interview to get JSA' date=' I'm fairly sure that money will all go on stuff she wants rather than needs, because [b']she doesn't actually need the money. Thing is it's one of the things she's entitled to[/b] so she'd be pretty silly not to take it. Call me old fashioned, but it's this mentality of ''I'm gonna take the system for all it's worth'' that I can never agree with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 You know what, I can't be bothered to argue, basically you can say what you like but unless you've been unemployed and in that situation then you don't really know what it's like. This is gonna make me sound like a cunt but I don't care, basically I hope some you get laid off and have to experience the same thing, maybe then you can get off your high horse and actually understand how harrowing it can be... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Call me old fashioned, but it's this mentality of ''I'm gonna take the system for all it's worth'' that I can never agree with. I used to agree with you, until we experienced the absolute hell that was trying to get my Gran some kind of housing benefit / into a care home. The council decided it was acceptable to leave a woman with parkinsons in a house on her own, with an only an upstairs toliet. It genuinly took my mum 2 years to get my Gran somewhere she could actualy cope with. After that we've both been of the opinion of taking everything you can get. I really don't see the problem in Villain buying an Ipod with his JSA either. I remember driving to the job centre with my petrol warning light on the whole way, to sign on so I could afford to fill the tank up. the 5 months I was unemployed and on JSA after uni are probably the most depressing of my life. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Tbh, its his money, so he can do whatever the hell he wants with it. Government money or otherwise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 been avoiding this one since im irish and things are different here as in you get even more ha.. but still people are doing this everywhere..your best bet IS to take advantage of the system.. just what i think Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 You know what, I can't be bothered to argue, basically you can say what you like but unless you've been unemployed and in that situation then you don't really know what it's like. This is gonna make me sound like a cunt but I don't care, basically I hope some you get laid off and have to experience the same thing, maybe then you can get off your high horse and actually understand how harrowing it can be... Someone has a different opinion to you, no need to get vindictive. I have been unemployed so I have experienced it; I wasn't happy but no amount of material goods helped that. I don't want anyone on JSA to be miserable Eddage, that's not what I'm saying. I just think the benefits system in inherently flawed in getting the right amount of money to the right people, that's what I don't agree with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Someone has a different opinion to you, no need to get vindictive. I have been unemployed so I have experienced it; I wasn't happy but no amount of material goods helped that. I don't want anyone on JSA to be miserable Eddage, that's not what I'm saying. I just think the benefits system in inherently flawed in getting the right amount of money to the right people, that's what I don't agree with. I cant really speak for Eddage but I think some of the replies in defense of Villan have been quite angry or passionate because it almost felt like Villan was being attacked. Yeah of course its fine to talk about this, it can make an interesting conversation but it was all getting a bit too personal at times and its not like anyone here has the right to judge him on what he chooses to spend his money on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 (edited) Someone (I think Odwin) made an excellent point about how someone living by themselves in a house with a mortgage is obviously much worse off than someone like Villan, who from the sounds of it, is living at home with his parents. Parents are anchors - they support their kids and usually are able to do so (unless they too are unemployed). I really strongly agree with Molly on this one - just because the system is there, doesn't mean you absolutely HAVE to use it. Personally, I wouldn't sign on, because living with my parents as I do (remember that I do work part-time and am about to start a Masters degree, hence why I am), I don't see any need to take other people's money. My mate however is one of those guys that Odwin used in his example, and it makes sense for him to take the benefits in order to keep living. Nevertheless, it does irk me somewhat that he still pays for the full Sky TV package and smokes at least a packet of cigarettes a day. I love the guy but if money is that tight then he really shouldn't be wasting it on said activities! Still, coming back to what was said earlier, people do need some small gifts to keep themselves cheery - I just don't classify an ipod as one of them, maybe a nice meal with friends or a CD or DVD, something reasonable for pete's sake! It also seems ludicrous to me that Villan's parents are charging him housekeeping when they know full well that he doesn't have a job - why not start taking the money from him once he gets a job? I've never been unemployed in a similar way though and obviously I don't quite know the extent of how frustrating/depressing it must be but people still need to be responsible - taking everything you can get and then using it to help yourself to luxuries does take the piss somewhat. I work my ass off to earn my stuff and if I were on JSA I think I'd be at least somewhat grateful to everyone else who is working to ensure that that system is there for me to use. But alas, I'm sure it's our society that's instilled these views into us. P.S. thank you to whoever put my name in the title, I feel privileged, which is ironic as I'm not the one receiving JSA, lol. Edited August 13, 2009 by Pookiablo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 But also it was an ipod that you bought. Now you could have bought a different mp3 player that does exactly the same thing for a lot less. But you chose to spend a lot more on "style". That's like somebody buying designer clothes whilst being on JSA. I wonder how many people would defend that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Someone (I think Odwin) made an excellent point about how someone living by themselves in a house with a mortgage is obviously much worse off than someone like Villan, who from the sounds of it, is living at home with his parents. Parents are anchors - they support their kids and usually are able to do so (unless they too are unemployed). I really strongly agree with Molly on this one - just because the system is there, doesn't mean you absolutely HAVE to use it. Personally, I wouldn't sign on, because living with my parents as I do (remember that I do work part-time and am about to start a Masters degree, hence why I am), I don't see any need to take other people's money. My mate however is one of those guys that Odwin used in his example, and it makes sense for him to take the benefits in order to keep living. Nevertheless, it does irk me somewhat that he still pays for the full Sky TV package and smokes at least a packet of cigarettes a day. I love the guy but if money is that tight then he really shouldn't be wasting it on said activities! Still, coming back to what was said earlier, people do need some small gifts to keep themselves cheery - I just don't classify an ipod as one of them, maybe a nice meal with friends or a CD or DVD, something reasonable for pete's sake! It also seems ludicrous to me that Villan's parents are charging him housekeeping when they know full well that he doesn't have a job - why not start taking the money from him once he gets a job? I've never been unemployed in a similar way though and obviously I don't quite know the extent of how frustrating/depressing it must be but people still need to be responsible - taking everything you can get and then using it to help yourself to luxuries does take the piss somewhat. I work my ass off to earn my stuff and if I were on JSA I think I'd be at least somewhat grateful to everyone else who is working to ensure that that system is there for me to use. But alas, I'm sure it's our society that's instilled these views into us. P.S. thank you to whoever put my name in the title, I feel privileged, which is ironic as I'm not the one receiving JSA, lol. Its not as simple as just not signing on. I live with my mum and when I first became unemployed I didnt sign on, in the end I had to because it helps with taxes she has to pay. If im working then I will be paying money to live at the house so it doesnt really matter but when I was unemployed and couldnt she was going to have problems unless there was proof I was signing on to get this certain tax break. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Its not as simple as just not signing on. I live with my mum and when I first became unemployed I didnt sign on, in the end I had to because it helps with taxes she has to pay. If im working then I will be paying money to live at the house so it doesnt really matter but when I was unemployed and couldnt she was going to have problems unless there was proof I was signing on to get this certain tax break. Which was more or less my point exactly - not everyone is in as neat a position as me - obviously if you need it because it helps your entire family (which was what I was getting at with the 'parents supporting you if they can malarky') so that you're kept off the streets then by all means go for it. When you're buying an ipod with your JSA though, I imagine your family aren't doing too badly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 Im leaving this thread or im just going to get more annoyed, people are being too judgemental and still bringing it back to Villan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 13, 2009 You're all being ridiculous. You wouldn't bat an eye if Villan had said that he'd been out and spent £20 on a night out or £30+ on a game. JSA is to keep you ticking over and sometimes that means blowing a few quid and enjoying yourself. I didn't see you all complain when I spent £95 on a Hard Rock Calling ticket, either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
