Dole in Post Office

IrishExpat

It's not exactly a comfortable atmosphere.

The workers in the post office don't like handing out money, while working for same. The recipients are hoping they're not seen and/or judged.

I was on state support for a short time, whilst upskilling and making plans to leave again - and it's not exactly a confidence boost.

I used to be in a bad mood most of Tuesday after doing the post-office thing. I get annoyed when I can't generate my own means.

With a bit of luck the next time I collect it, it'll be my pension.

jimgoose

Bleh. Back in my hair-oil days you received a ration of rotten fruit and veg every three weeks. And you were pelted with it while in stocks in the village square, while the Town Crier proclaimed "Behold ye poverty-stricken, unemployed person, mark him well lest ye end uppe the same though sloth and devil-ry!". Ye don't know ye're luck these days.

mathie

FigRoller wrote: »

Why is it that in this modern age you have to pick up state benefits from such a local place where everyone knows each other? also why is having any sort of a conversation with the post office staff awkward when he or she is counting out your money?

Maybe you could sell the secret of how they get the figs in the fig roll and avoid the awkardness of collecting dole?

mathie

FigRoller wrote: »

Best post so far. Has put my mind at ease!

You're giving out about being judged by people and then you do it yourself?

SEPT 23 1989

Its your money not theirs,remember that

Clareboy

Up until 2010, the dole used to be paid into people's bank accounts, but in that year, we had the Icelandic volcanic eruptions. The ash clouds from the volcano grounded flights in Europe for a number of weeks. During that period, 30,000 dole recipients failed to turn up for their monthly singing. They were mostly Eastern Europeans who were scamming the Irish welfare system by living abroad and still claiming benefits here.

That is why the department had to go back to the old system of paying the dole in cash at one's local post office.

anndub

Norfolk Enchants wrote: »

They have brought in a photographic social welfare card. Collecting it in person shows that you are resident in Ireland and proclaim who you claim to be. I dont see how queuing up in a post office every so often to collect the welfare stipend is humiliating the recipient?

Have you ever had to do it?

Mr Whirly

You can choose what Post Office you want so if you live in a city just pick one further away from your house.

Richard Hillman

You can choose your post office in your original Social Welfare application form. I filled out mine last week and had the option. I know that is not much use to people in rural areas though.

Piliger

Clareboy wrote: »

Up until 2010, the dole used to be paid into people's bank accounts, but in that year, we had the Icelandic volcanic eruptions. The ash clouds from the volcano grounded flights in Europe for a number of weeks. During that period, 30,000 dole recipients failed to turn up for their monthly singing. They were mostly Eastern Europeans who were scamming the Irish welfare system by living abroad and still claiming benefits here.

That is why the department had to go back to the old system of paying the dole in cash at one's local post office.

I'd like to see some references for that number ... ? No offence intended :P

looking_around

Play To Kill wrote: »

Seems pretty humiliating to me that you are expected to que up in a post office with a photographic ID card to prove you are not scamming welfare just because a tiny minority do so. A small bit of dignity, respect and privacy to those in receipt of welfare would be no harm in post offices or social welfare offices.

There is, just not for the dole ..:rolleyes:

SHOVELLER

ringadingding wrote: »

Here in Austria, it's pretty fair but ruthless.
You lose your job, you get 80% of your old salary with quite a generous minimum ( ex minimum wage employees would get the equivalent ), for roughly a year, in that year the government will reskill you for free with well organised courses, and for foreigners they will give you German language and Austrian culture courses.
At the end of the year, your money drops to poverty levels and you can stay on that or find a job, if you don't find a job, they will find one for you.
You take the job or you get no money, no ifs, no buts.

The advantage the government here has over Ireland is that they help business' create jobs and help them fill them, also they will ' create' an offical job for you, cleaning the transport system, shovelling snow in winter, litter picking in the summer etc.

That's why unemployment is tiny here, it's slightly skewed as they create unnecessary positions, but the pay difference In these positions and the dole is quite small, but the newly found employee is paying taxes again and back into the system.

They give you every opportunity to get back on your feet without any shame or huge lifestyle changes, for a year...
Then you play by their rules.
If you miss days on your course, or don't turn up for interviews, you lose your money and you're on your own.

Utopia.

Chances of a commons sense approach happening here? Nil.

I was in my local post office the other day and the chap in the next window just handed over his social welfare card and got paid. So not all post offices are demanding photographic ID.

FigRoller

FigRoller wrote: »

Why is it that in this modern age you have to pick up state benefits from such a local place where everyone knows each other? also why is having any sort of a conversation with the post office staff awkward when he or she is counting out your money?

You don't have to pick it up from the local PO, you can choose another as far as I know.

IrishExpat wrote: »

The workers in the post office don't like handing out money, while working for same. The recipients are hoping they're not seen and/or judged.

I get annoyed when I can't generate my own means.

Just because you're self conscious about not generating your own means, doesn't mean the post office workers are taking time out from their day to hold it against you. It's a very large part of their job, they may have a grudge against you but it certainly doesn't have anything to do with you picking up your money. Who on earth told you they don't like handing out money?

I've known many people who've had to go on the dole, and some who wanted to, and I get why a lot of people find it uncomfortable, but as for people feeling embarrassed about being seen by people they know - that's strange. Surely the people you know will know whether you have a job or not and understand your circumstances.

bbm1

Play To Kill wrote: »

How about seeing people individually every two weeks in private like in the UK for example where you bring along proof of your job search and applications, where you get advice and some help when looking for work, where they help you with things such as cv's and creating a plan to get back into the workforce when you are unlucky enough to loose your job and then your welfare payment is paid into your bank account? Would that prove that the right person was collecting the welfare or is humiliation a better way?

if you live at least I think 20 minutes from the nearest dole office, you post in your proof that you are looking for work. This i would assume be the reason for a lot of people doing the double. For an extra £50 a week just have to post some thing every 2 weeks. They don't require proof that you have actually applied for these jobs so easily made up.

Clemenza

Clareboy wrote: »

Up until 2010, the dole used to be paid into people's bank accounts, but in that year, we had the Icelandic volcanic eruptions. The ash clouds from the volcano grounded flights in Europe for a number of weeks. During that period, 30,000 dole recipients failed to turn up for their monthly singing. They were mostly Eastern Europeans who were scamming the Irish welfare system by living abroad and still claiming benefits here.

That is why the department had to go back to the old system of paying the dole in cash at one's local post office.

I did not know this

Rubber_Soul

SHOVELLER wrote: »

I was in my local post office the other day and the chap in the next window just handed over his social welfare card and got paid. So not all post offices are demanding photographic ID.

They will eventually, it's only being rolled out now. Once you get the new card the old one no longer works.

tim3000

Play To Kill wrote: »

How about seeing people individually every two weeks in private like in the UK for example where you bring along proof of your job search and applications, where you get advice and some help when looking for work, where they help you with things such as cv's and creating a plan to get back into the workforce when you are unlucky enough to loose your job and then your welfare payment is paid into your bank account? Would that prove that the right person was collecting the welfare or is humiliation a better way?

That is a great idea and it has the added benefit of you having to explain why you are not looking for work. It is very easy to get complacent while in receipt of the dole especially when all the jobs require experience that you just dont have.

Thwip!

Clareboy wrote: »

Up until 2010, the dole used to be paid into people's bank accounts, but in that year, we had the Icelandic volcanic eruptions. The ash clouds from the volcano grounded flights in Europe for a number of weeks. During that period, 30,000 dole recipients failed to turn up for their monthly singing. They were mostly Eastern Europeans who were scamming the Irish welfare system by living abroad and still claiming benefits here.

That is why the department had to go back to the old system of paying the dole in cash at one's local post office.

Anything to back that up? No offence intended but that's mindboggling if true

Tombi!

What's wrong with the post office? Nearly anytime I go there I never got hassle. If you're getting hassle about being on JSA or whatever, get your post office switched or something. All it is for me is: walk in, hand card, swipe card, enter numbers, get money, leave. Takes less than 30 seconds.

Thwip! wrote: »

Anything to back that up? No offence intended but that's mindboggling if true

Thwip! I'm not sure if it was obviously eastern immigrants or whatever; but apparently a lot of people were living abroad (Irish or otherwise).
This is the best I could find: http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2010/11/02/00008.asp

Not very useful but it's something.

Again, I'm not saying it's immigrants or anything like that.

Paddy Cow

Clareboy wrote: »

Up until 2010, the dole used to be paid into people's bank accounts, but in that year, we had the Icelandic volcanic eruptions. The ash clouds from the volcano grounded flights in Europe for a number of weeks. During that period, 30,000 dole recipients failed to turn up for their monthly singing. They were mostly Eastern Europeans who were scamming the Irish welfare system by living abroad and still claiming benefits here.

That is why the department had to go back to the old system of paying the dole in cash at one's local post office.

While I would dispute (naively maybe) that the figure of 30,000 fraudulent claims can be atributed to Eastern Europeans I do know that this is basically why they stopped paying SW into bank accounts. Before that you could get your money paid into your account on a weekly basis and this made it easier for people (both foreign and home based) to either work in another county/country for a month and then turn up for the singing on. Having to go to the post office once a week cuts down on bogus claims. If they bring in a photo social welfare card, it will cut down on it even more.