Watch who you vote for

[citizenB]

What a radical idea. I question how on earth do those on means tested benefits manage to run and use a motor car in the first place? I accept that for those that are in receipt of the relevant benefit that entitles them to a Motability car do get preferential help.

 

We don't receive any means tested benefits and manage to live off my husband's state pension only and we couldn't afford to put petrol in a car, never mind keep one on the road.

 

What I do suggest is that the DWP could well look into how some benefit claimants on means tested benefits do manage to use and run a car. From memory, the latest figures are that the standing costs, excluding capital depreciation and finance, amount to approx. £22 a week before you put a pint of petrol in it.

 

I suppose you want to stop those on means tested benefits having children as well !

[caro]

The only person I know who runs a car and claims benefits, is also in shedloads of debt.

 

Doesn't necessarily have to be run. If it's not on the road it can be SORN or just used now and again to prevent deterioration. It's up to people to decide their priorities and for many, if not most, the priority is giving themselves the best chance of a job. Not everyone will need this, but for some a car is essential for this.

[fletch70]

I suppose you want to stop those on means tested benefits having children as well !

 

What a fantastic idea! Mind you I want all children to be caged until they are adults so maybe I am not the right person to ask.

 

In any event it is all well and good to be able to run your car when unemployed IF the period of unemployment is relatively short and you have been in a position to have some limited savings . For people who are on long term ESA or for whatever reason have been on JSA for some time I stand by my question, how the hell can you afford to live .

 

If benefits are supposed to be minimum amounts how can that B called IDS limit rises to £1 when inflation for the poorest in society is significantly more than that and then also add on a few pounds a week council tax and maybe a bedroom tax. If they want people in social housing to live in houses of the right size they need to build some. Roll on May although I do not think anyone else will be any better

[SabreSheep]

Some people on ESA will have DLA/PIP payments that support as well.

[fletch70]

Indeed some may however the whole point of DLA and/or PIP is to help out with additional costs due to illness .

[SabreSheep]

Yup, mobility being one of them

[citizenB]

What a fantastic idea! Mind you I want all children to be caged until they are adults so maybe I am not the right person to ask.

 

 

 

 

Well yes, I would actually go along with that, but that is a whole different story and for a different thread

[Chester6]

This is, pretty much, the key point. If someone becomes unemployed, the absolute last thing they should do is sell their car. Even an old banger would be a huge capital outlay to a newly employed person who's been on JSA or ESA for a while.

 

In any case, why does no-one ask the obvious question: why in the name of all that's holy is it any of the government's business what unemployed people spend their money on? Seriously, do the smug amongst us really think that you can just hand powers willy-nilly to the government whenever you feel like laying the boot into some other group of people, and safely assume that it will never be you that's on the receiving end of the huge stick you just handed to those in power?

A while ago at a previous Jobcentre one of the more extreme sanction happy types had a go at a jobseeker loud enough most people could hear

He verbally laid into the guy for not having enough credit for a phone ( mobile I think?) but having money to smoke, paraphrasing he said the JSA money is there for job stuff eg phone calls for jobs and applications, envelopes etc and he made it sound like these types of uses are the only acceptable uses in spite of the fact that the letters say it's the money you need to live on, I dunno how the guy kept his cool tbh

[SabreSheep]

Cases such as these someone should walk up to the claiment and hand them a card about cag and say that we can help put together a formal complaint

[tommy456]

I can recal when i asked about this job seekers commitment rule that states that you must be prepared to travell on public transport for upto 90mins each way , My question was who's paying for the bus & train fares to go looking for work/attending interviews in other areas i was told i was , i said that the law stated that the JSA payment is what i need to live off, living costs don't include public transport costs looking for work attending interviews , all i got was that it does , and that if i refused to go to an interview that was out of my local area i could be sanctioned

 

I can also remember the time whilst being kept waiting to see someone in the JC , i got talking to some of the other people who where waiting like me, telling them a few facts regarding their rights and what the DWP can & can't do like the uj match and the silly book(my work plan) evidence , i could see ears pricking up and GS4's finest stomping around , wasn't long before they called my name .lol

[SabreSheep]

You are entitled to claim fares for interview travel.

[Nystagmite]

You are entitled to claim fares for interview travel.

 

Which they only pay after you've attended the interview and therefore, paid the money yourself. But if you don't have enough to go in the first place, what do you do?

 

Indeed some may however the whole point of DLA and/or PIP is to help out with additional costs due to illness .

 

But for many, their disabilities are more expensive than DLA / PIP.