[oh well , okay]

• • A car is a Luxury - You shouldn't expect to be able to run/afford one on the dole.
  • Food - you could reduce this by a bit.
  • You don't need a home phone if you have a mobile phone.
  • 20e per month on vodafone will get you free 087 to 087 calls, buy a txt bundle in order to txt non 087 numbers, you can also use your broadband/vodafone website to send free txts.

  Do you live with people or alone? House, Apartment?
  You are spending 173e per month on ESB/Gas/Coal? For one person, that's exhorbitant.

In fairness I'm a married man with a child living in a double income home. If I were a single man and if I were made redundant these would be the expenses facing me.

You say I don't need a car , fair enough . I live 3 miles outside the nearest town with no bus service available to me . How do I go to work if I get a job ? A bike will get me into town but our local industrial area is 11 miles away . Up a hill , downhill all the way home though . The car allows me to search for work in a 60 mile radius . No car and I can only apply for jobs I can reach by bus which narrows my chances considerably .

Like I've said phones are on contract so I'm stuck with them for the time being .

220 people have been let go in my work place over the last 2 years and a local factory is letting another 100 go in June . I'm a lucky one as neither I nor my wife have been affected but a lot of colleagues have either been let go or had their wives let go recently. The fact is these people need that 200 a week , they've all paid tax and have lost jobs through no fault of their own .

The attitude on here annoys me tbh , the majority on the dole have been hard working tax payers for years but recently find themselves in hard times but the attitude here seems to be that the system is being milked , you're only entitled to just get by or you're lazy . I'm sure this is true in some cases but why halve everyones payments to encourage these people off the dole , why not tweak the system so they're found out .

[RiverWilde]

The begruding attitude displayed on here towards people unlucky enough to be on the dole is quite surprising.

If you have a job why the hell would you begrudge someone else a hand up by the state?

It seems that some people on here would rather people wound up living in a ghetto with their children in care and probably scarred for life.

Which is better - help someone who has lost a job find a new skill, career path, job etc and survive the economic loss and ultimately benefit society in the long term or allow market forces to crucify them and their families?

It is the states duty to my mind to protect the vulnerable in society. That's what it's there for otherwise where is the rationale for the state in the first place?

Riv

[thebman]

Originally Posted by hobochris

The dole should be at a level where people on it can just about live. If they want more money then they should get a job.

Where? I'd love a new job, currently looking. Have a job but will have to work about 12 hours a day and get paid 9-5 to keep it for little more than minimum wage.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now!

Why not review the other parts of the Social Welfare benefit system instead?
For instance, why does a double-earning couple in the 41% (+1% levy of course) tax bracket receive child benefit per child? Why should people already earning well qualify, without even a means test, for a benefit when they already have money to raise those children?

How many actually claim it that are in that bracket? Would it be worth reforming?

Originally Posted by Serenity Now!

Example:
Married professional Couple.
He earns €45,000 gross pa.
She earns €40,000 gross pa.

Two kids (5 and 7yrs old). One of them in private schooling.
4-Bed House.
Two cars (08 and 06 reg).
Two vacation trips pa. One abroad. One in Ireland.

You think they should receive a welfare payment every month?

No but are they actually claiming it?

How much is rent supplement? Is it depending on how much rent you pay or whats the story? I never looked into it.

[turgon]

Originally Posted by oh well , okay

why not tweak the system so they're found out .

In what way though?

Originally Posted by RiverWilde

The begruding attitude displayed on here towards people unlucky enough to be on the dole is quite surprising.

To be honest Riv, Ive been unemployed for the last 13 weeks due to an injury, and Im pretty sure I could have walked into the dole office and got money if I wanted. But I didnt because I live at home and I dont need it that much. But if it was means tested and they were like here take 20 euro to give to your parents for keeping you up id be cool. But I wasnt going to milk 200 euro when I didnt need it.

Unemployment benefit is great, and I hope there wont be a time when ill really need it. Im just saying that it needs to be rationalized and means tested.

[oh well , okay]

So your using the money from you unemployment benefit to drive to your employment

Try re-reading the sentence I think you'll find there's an if in it .Plus I've stated several times that I'm in full employment I'm only talking hypotheticals ;although my expenses would be real .

[turgon]

Originally Posted by oh well , okay

Try re-reading the sentence I think you'll find there's an if in it .Plus I've stated several times that I'm in full employment I'm only talking hypotheticals ;although my expenses would be real .

Sorry

[Permabear]

Accusations are being thrown around that I and others want to "begrudge" people on the dole any standard of living whatsoever. That's not the point, really. Look at the current macroeconomic picture in the country. We now have 300,000 people on the live register, and that figure is forecast to rise to 400,000 by the end of 2009. With the dole pegged at €204, we're looking at a dole bill of €81.6 million a week. And that doesn't include rent allowance, etc.

With fewer working people supporting more unemployed people, taxes will inevitably go up if the dole doesn't come down. High taxes and high dole create disincentives for the unemployed to return to work, and for employers to create employment. Lower taxes and less dole create incentives for employee and employer alike. So a clear case can be made that generous jobseekers' benefits will only prolong the recession, and that doesn't benefit anybody over the longer term.

People are posting the expenses they would still need to meet if they became unemployed—but if an unemployed person in the North can survive on a jobseekers' benefit of £60 a week, why do we in the Republic "need" a jobseekers' benefit that is, by today's exchange rate, three times that amount? The cost of living is arguably higher in the Republic, but it's not three times higher.

I believe that the dole was inflated dramatically during the Celtic Tiger era by politicians anxious to buy votes. This was not a problem in a booming economy when we had very low unemployment and healthy public finances. But now that unemployment is soaring and we are running a deficit, the chickens are coming home to roost—and the government will shortly be forced either to raise taxes or lower the dole. The latter is by far the healthiest option for the economy, but does the government have the courage to do it?

[CamperMan]

Originally Posted by Irlbo

The answer is no,try and live on it for a week

I did try it a few years ago... we were rolling in it... we got dole money, rent paid for, medical cards.... and we were able to save money...., Yes... the dole is too generous and should be cut by 50%.

Before you start moaning, you really should try and live off the dole in the UK... now that is tough!

[Mr.Micro]

Originally Posted by CamperMan

I did try it a few years ago... we were rolling in it... we got dole money, rent paid for, medical cards.... and we were able to save money...., Yes... the dole is too generous and should be cut by 50%.

Before you start moaning, you really should try and live off the dole in the UK... now that is tough!

Sure who knows if things get any worse or prices go any higher here we may all be on the dole and then we can all see how we get on. I believe in the dole and when it comes to looking after children when a person is out of work there is not enough money for food,clothes,bills, etc, and the dole does not go far enough. I do not know anybody that got rich on the dole.

[CamperMan]

Originally Posted by Mr.Micro

Sure who knows if things get any worse or prices go any higher here we may all be on the dole and then we can all see how we get on. I believe in the dole and when it comes to looking after children when a person is out of work there is not enough money for food,clothes,bills, etc, and the dole does not go far enough. I do not know anybody that got rich on the dole.

you mention children.... you get child benefit for that..

My older brother is on the dole, 3 kids, and he can afford his booze, fags, DVD's, takeaways, taxis, new washing machines and tumble driers... broadband, sky TV..... and that is just the dole money, he does not work on the side, his rent is 700 a month and most of that is paid by the social welfare, if you tally it all up, with dole, medical cards, rent allowance, child benefits... I bet it's well over €500 a week... and what job would pay that...

I know others on the dole that live the good life on it... and they don't have to worry about where the money comes from, they just get it each week

SIMPLE.... if you are on the dole, you should not be able to afford luxury items like sky TV, takeaways, booze, fags, taxis, etc. you should have to work for them...

what the government should be doing is giving the people on the dole €20 cash per week, then the rest in tesco food vouchers...

[CamperMan]

the last time I was on the dole (many years ago),... we could save between €50 & €100 per week (we don't smoke or drink!!!)...

[Kintarō Hattori]

Originally Posted by CamperMan

the last time I was on the dole (many years ago),... we could save between €50 & €100 per week (we don't smoke or drink!!!)...

Well then you were very lucky. I know my GF certainly can't save anything from it. It literally just covers the bills.

[CamperMan]

Originally Posted by Kintarō Hattori

Well then you were very lucky. I know my GF certainly can't save anything from it. It literally just covers the bills.

tell her to sell the car and stop buying the designer clothes and fancy makeup....

[CamperMan]

Originally Posted by Kintarō Hattori

Well then you were very lucky. I know my GF certainly can't save anything from it. It literally just covers the bills.

you know, the more I mention it, the more it seems to be a better prospect for me on the dole than being self employed ... I might just go and sign on the dole Monday and have no worries...

[dolliemix]

Originally Posted by CamperMan

you know, the more I mention it, the more it seems to be a better prospect for me on the dole than being self employed ... I might just go and sign on the dole Monday and have no worries...

Too right

Unfortunately very true at this time. There are many people out there trying to keep there businesses alive and knowing that they're losing possibly thousands every week.

A simpler life would be to go the dole.

Sad thing is these people who are going further and further into debt are still paying taxes for people who are on the dole complaining that they're not getting enough.