IDS to put job advisors in food banks

[Happ Hazzard]

The problem is that we have so many people entirely reliant on welfare. Rendered incapable by the welfare state. It's a problem that there is no solution to. Returning to the "soft" benefits system under Labour (and for that matter, the previous Tory government) would just be kicking the can down the road. Plenty of countries have a far less generous welfare system but do not have this level of people that can't exist. Too many families don't raise their children to be able to cope with life because the expectation is that the government will provide everything.

[harvey19]

Would a return to the workhouse type of system benefit some people.

It would provide a roof over their heads and meals, the two areas which seem to cause most concern.

[Joe-b-1]

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Edited October 28, 2015 by Joe-b-1
Accidental repost

[Happ Hazzard]

When you allow someone to not have to work for 30+ years, tell them they are too disabled to work, allow them to become isolated from the rest of society, then suddenly tell them that they now have to work, it's not surprising that some people can't cope. I am almost certain that the people in that article would have had much more fulfilled and happy lives if the same rules that exist today existed when they were young and they were "forced" into work as teens or early 20 somethings.

[Joe-b-1]

Would a return to the workhouse type of system benefit some people.

It would provide a roof over their heads and meals, the two areas which seem to cause most concern.

 

Would you like to uninvent technology as well? All of us were worse off then so not a realistic proposition.

 

---------- Post added 28-10-2015 at 23:54 ----------

 

When you allow someone to not have to work for 30+ years, tell them they are too disabled to work, allow them to become isolated from the rest of society, then suddenly tell them that they now have to work, it's not surprising that some people can't cope. I am almost certain that the people in that article would have had much more fulfilled and happy lives if the same rules that exist today existed when they were young and they were "forced" into work as teens or early 20 somethings.

 

I agree absolutely but circumstances have changed as you said.

[harvey19]

But if people need to use food banks, struggle to find housing and work which causes the desperate effects described in post 7 on here why not do something positive to improve matters.

[Joe-b-1]

But if people need to use food banks, struggle to find housing and work which causes the desperate effects described in post 7 on here why not do something positive to improve matters.

 

Nothing wrong with the idea if that is the actual objective.

 

We all seem to have strayed from the original thread.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Joe-b-1

[999tigger]

From what I could see the thread was about IDS comments about the DWP putting in an advisor into foodbanks and not a general drone about people on benefits.

 

1. Its only a trial at the moment with 2 advisers being invited into a foodbank for one day a week there are lots of ifs, so it may never be rolled out. Seems to have been bigged up quite a lot. Other foodbanks may not be so keen. They need to get someone big like Trussell on board.

 

2. The foodbanks are not government funded so they attend as guests and with the permission of the foodbank. They are there to assist and not to check or monitor people.

 

3. Foodbanks collect their own anonymised data on people who use the foodbanks. DWP staff would need permission to collect personal data. As many people are reluctant to use foodbanks anyway, then i cant see them wanting to provide personal details.

 

4. Hopefully they can be some use and assist them with their claims or signpost them to suitable work resources.

[PeteMorris]

I won't argue that that is wrong. But there's a lot of people who would of fallen foul of stringent enforcement of the existing rules in any case. It really isn't hard to turn up on time once a fortnight. If I was late for work every day for a fortnight I'd be lucky if I wasn't sacked, I'd certainly face a disciplinary.

 

I think the whole "jobcentre" concept is outdated tbh. There must be more efficient and cheaper ways of doing it nowadays. Maybe fingerprint scanners in post offices? All the actual jobsearching is done online already.

 

Ummm..Actually 'claimants' have to attend the jobcentre every week. Not once a fortnight. One week is their 'signing on' day, where they have to demonstrate proof that they have actively been seeking work. Have their CV critiqued, and make any tweaks the advisor tells them to, regardless of whether the claimant agrees with the changes or not. Provide emails, or acknowledgements of job applications, even to the point of logging into their personal email accounts to review the jobs they've applied for.

 

The 'other' week is what the jobcentre refer to as a 'buzz' session. Where they have printouts of 'available' (there's a joke in itself) jobs.

 

People are divided into colour 'groups'..Like red group or green group etc...The times of arriving to sign on, or for the 'buzz' session, or indeed the group colours are frequently and quite deliberately changed. Make your own mind up why .

 

Which floor in the building and which room you have to be in, and which day are also changed.

 

Failure to comply with 'any' of the above results in being sanctioned, and usually the first you're aware of it, is when no money arrives in your account.

 

Like it or not, there's a definite (maybe unwritten I don't know), policy to make life as awkward as possible and to make claimants confused so they can sanction. I can't think of any other reason for all the unnecessary changed and hurdles you have to jump.

 

Yes I work, and if I was constantly 'late' there would definitely be consequences. But if they randomly changed my start times, and days of working, and other criteria, I would wonder if it wasn't a deliberate 'ploy'. Not to mention the legality of such actions.

 

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not waving a banner for all people who are unemployed. Far from it. I actually know of people who haven't done a days work in their entire life and are in their 40's, and I think it's appalling. Surely it's not that difficult to identify those people rather than tar everyone with the same brush.

 

Back on topic, I don't think it's even a remotely good idea to put job advisers in foodbanks. As far as I'm aware, there's pretty strict criteria for using those anyway. It's not like anyone can just walk in and be handed free food.

[cgksheff]

Reading past the headlines and then listening to what was actually said ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34658755 )

 

... it is my opinion that IDS was just fluffing to a committee.

He had learnt of a totally independent arrangement that has been set up at a single church-led centre that includes a foodbank.

 

As a politician he has presented this as "trialling" an initiative as though it was of the DWP's making when it is nothing of the sort.

 

Then the press pick up on it to fill their column inches.

 

Perhaps something good can come of it. I wouldn't hold your breath.

 

If contacts can be available to fast-track removal of sanctions, why not have them available in all Job Centres?