Going back a couple of weeks, there was an interesting Panorama programme on unemployment. It followed five ex-Woolworth workers from
losing their jobs to finding new ones. Each person was of a different level and role at Woolies, but the one I found most interesting was a part-time checkout woman. She had worked for Woolworth for about 15 years, but due to her part-time status hadn't accrued enough NI
contributions to qualify for job seekers' allowance. However, she was in receipt of other benefits such as child allowance, but that's not the point as she now needed additional help: she was a single parent without savings and a hard worker, and the system badly let her down. After relentless badgering from her, the benefits agency kindly granted her about £5 per week. (I'm sorry, I can't remember the exact amount, but it was very low). At one point, the poor woman broke down - the powers that be were expecting her to live on bugger-all. Fortunately, she was able to find another job working as a receptionist before everything imploded, but this was an absolute shocker. This government (and subsequent governments) has to take care of people that get into this type of situation. To allow her to get to the point of losing her home, and therefore possibly her children taken into care, is a disgrace. Of the other four people, three found jobs in the retail sector within a few months. I thought the high street was taking a battering, but these three managed to sneak back in. If only it were so easy in my game, as I enter month eight. I have applied for lower paid work in other areas such as retail but I am blown out, presumably because I am over qualified. Oh well, I have month nine and beyond to look forward to, or maybe the BBC would like to follow me around and who knows what that may lead to!
