Should the Unemployed be made to Work for their Benefits!

Should people who are unemployed be made to work for their unemployment benefit?

With the recent Riots in the UK, has strengthened this argument, too many people being given money for nothing, Do you think that people who are able to work should be made to take part in working programmes to entitle them to their benefits? I will look at general terms here, for several countries as through investigation it is not only the UK that seems affected by the financial crisis, we are all facing rising taxes, and increasing unemployment figures.

With the amount of unemployed people in the UK reaching a staggering 1,450,500 (source) and in the US a reported 13.4 million (source ) the governments are expecting these numbers to increase in 2011. How are they going to manage paying out the billions of pounds in Benefits....usually by targeting the working sector? Is this fair? Share your views throughout this page.

Share with your friends, and hopefully become a Working Nation not a Benefit Dependant Nation

Image Credit

Keep it clean, but say whatever you want here, to back up your point of view

Is the system fair?

The harsh reality

We know that losing our jobs is devastating, and we know that having access to certain benefits are a lifesaver to many families. Many families who have contributed to society and paid years of taxes. Receipt of benefits sometimes means survival.

But anyone who has indeed received the basic government benefits know it is not a lot of money and indeed goes straight back to the economy on essentials for the family, leaving not much else. Living from benefit cheque to benefit cheque. This can be depressing, and still you have to go out and find a job.

We know that the longer you are out of a job the harder it is to get a job. It is detrimental to mental health, self esteem and feelings of self worth, the longer the unemployment the harder it is to escape it.

So surely the government could use this to their advantage.

With 1,000s of jobs being cut in the government sector to pay for national debt, which includes unemployment costs. Then this could be given to business owners for them to be able to pay for keeping someone in work, or a "bridging Job" until full-time employment can be found.

When you think of all those people sitting at home, able to work, willing to work, small businesses are shutting down, and more families being pushed to live on the breadline. It does raise some very good questions.

Picture Credit

I have worked since the day I left school, I have been made redundant twice in my life, and been unemployed for around six months in total. I have always had a Career, but in fact one time I was made redundant I was so determined not to collect benefits, I took a local job, cleaning toilets, on a building site (I shiver every time I think of it!) not the most glamorous and certainly not a job I would want again, but it paid me money. I still had my house, my car and food on the table for me and my daughter, I did not want to become a statistic. now through that job, someone who was impressed by the manner I undertook such a dirty job, offered me a chance at a complete change of Career which I took. I probably would never have come across that person or that opportunity any other way. That career made me able to afford to buy my own home, car and lead a very good lifestyle.

Has the government inadvertently created the "Welfare Generation"

Has the governments benefit system set up initially to help families inadvertently created the "Welfare Generation"

I have a friend who throughout her life has had several small jobs, but has spent most of her working life on benefits, her partner too. Have at times have appeared to have had more money about them than you and I and at Christmas you would think they are millionaires. Now their oldest has just "signed" on and is now receiving "job seekers Allowance" but chooses to spend all day around the house playing her computer, not actively seeking a job. She has watched her mum and dad do this for years, so what wrong with that? It is learned behavior and a vicious cycle, this teenager has no dreams aspirations or goals, and thinks she will go through life collecting money from the government....more reading here

Picture Credit

Back to Work Programmes

Government's drive to tackle long term unemployment and benefit dependency, has seen the introduction of Job Seekers allowance, for unemployed, which means you need to

To get Jobseeker's Allowance you must be:

* available for, capable of and actively seeking work - visit the job centre 1 per week and produce evidence of how you have been looking for a job)

* aged 18 or over but below State Pension age - only in special circumstances will they pay 16-17 year olds, trying to encourage further education or straight from school to working

* working less than 16 hours per week on average

* in Great Britain

and they have also introduced a "back to work" programme for people who are claiming sickness benefits, but are on the border of, perhaps with the correct re-training and education and will provide support for hundreds of thousands of long term claimants. direct.gov.uk>

Picture Credit

It means that the government is investing money into helping people back to work, helping the unemployed be accountable for looking for jobs, and catching the ones who are defrauding the system. Even the renaming of benefits is seen as a more positive name than "income Support" of Employment and Support Allowance replaces the old name Income Support, There are two types of ESA, work related category - meaning you will be provided with support to help you make your way back into work, a mandatory provision to keep receiving your benefit.

And the support group, who are ill and deemed 100% completely unfit for any type of work, and excluded from taking part in this activity.

I still believe it is the ones who want to work, and who are making efforts to find work already will suffer, and be continuously penalized because there continues to be the ones who manage to continue to fly under the radar gets away Scot free,

There is a huge increase in Benefit fraud, the government knows this and have spent nearly £56 million on advertising about benefit fraud, so they know it is a BIG problem.

There is even a national Benefit Fraud hot line and apparently cost the government " an estimated £900 million from public funds," and they appear to be winning with this campaign

Benefit theft includes deliberately not telling if:

* you are now living with a partner

* you have started work, or about any earnings

* about any savings or not telling us the right amount

* children have left home

* you have inherited money

* you are going abroad, living abroad, or have changed address

Picture credit and information Source DWP

This book covers all the major aspects of making sure you are prepared for today's job market, and using time proved strategies to put you ahead of the job market, even in the competitive times of today. It is designed to give you, tips and tactics of chopping a significant amount of time off searching for a job. This book also shows you how your skills are transferable and how to tailor your skills to match the job you are applying for to make that employer want you.

Get Hired!: 10 Simple Steps for Winning the Job You Desire--in Any Economy

Getting a job in today's economy is no easy task, but there are ways to make money, working online. these articles here explore the online options.