This won't work

GabriellaG64, it’s so easy for the comfortably off to sneer at those who live hand to mouth; for the smug retirees to malign the furloughed; for carefree elders to look down on overburdened parents trying to work from home and support their children’s education. Would that we had all learned wisdom with age, and kindness and generosity of spirit through experience. How easy it is to judge, and how hard to empathise!

The only furloughed person I know is my daughter in law and she will be going back to work as soon as her employer tells her to. The same for the vast majority of furloughed employees, I would imagine. It would be lovely if we could all just be kind to all other groups of people. Suppose that is too much to ask of the daily fail.

Absolutely, geekesse.

The attitude that people (or persons ) who are unemployed are a bunch of malingerers is small-minded and judgemental.

I would like to think that now that the government has found the Magic Money Tree to pay for the furlough scheme (which I don't begrudge at all) it will apply the same generosity to those who have lost work for reasons other than the virus. I would be very surprised if it happens, but the message that paying so much to furloughed workers in a recession is sending* to the redundant, or the victims of the recession is obvious.

*that it is impossible to live on Universal Credit, and that a means test that penalises thrift and reduces claimants to penury is iniquitous and unjust.

I was asking for an explanation as to how the government would pay all unemployed individuals, as obviously discrimination would rear it's head if divisions were made between all the different reasons for people being unemployed.
Asking that question cannot be construed as sneering, it's nothing to do with my age and nothing to do with my income.
I'd ask the same question if I were 30 or 40.
Not every 30-50 yr old is scraping a living trying to work and bring up a family. Yes, some are just about getting by but by the same token, some are managing ok. I have 5 and those 5 have 11 between them and they are all (thankfully) managing without parental intervention.
Even if the scales are 50/50 one cannot always only see one side.

Do UC claimants have the right to have savings which are disregarded.

Do they have housing benefit, council tax benefit? free scripts, free dental treatment, free or low cost travel?

Hw do you feel about multi billionaire tax avoiders Gabriella? They cost the country millions more yet are rarely mentioned.

Answer a question with a question, just like MPs.
I personally knew someone in that category (on the Times rich list) who was jailed (double figures) for the same and similar offences, so no, I have no truck with tax avoidance or the slippery slope of evasion.

Fair enough.

But we aren't talking about them.

It was splashed all over the news.

I never was one for the hard route geekesse
No plaudits to be had for putting yourself through unnecessary torture.
Empathy is draining as it requires putting oneself in another person's shoes, so to speak, but not only that, it requires the ability to actually feel the feelings of the other person, unlike sympathy which is easier to project.
I see no value to either party if I were to feel as dispirited as the individual nor could I truly feel their feelings if I were in a better situation. It would be wrong and a lie to say I understood how they felt.
I do what I can action-wise as words are easier than actions.

I know of many people - and not just older people - on this site and others, and within the circle of people I know, who are absolutely terrified of leaving their homes - even to go for a walk in the open air.

We have been instructed continuously for several weeks to STAY HOME - a message many people felt so seriously about that they spent an inordinate amount of time worrying about their neighbours' activities, disinfecting their shopping, etc, etc. The advice to stay home seemed, for many people, to override the other message that people could leave their homes for the purpose of exercise, provided the prescribed distance was observed. Ambiguity of message, in my opinion, causes mistrust and fear, and creates feelings of confusion and helplessness. It is no wonder that many people are very anxious - for themselves and their families - about leaving the supposed safety of their homes.

Are you actually still working Gabriella? If you were working in a factory, a shop, a library, a warehouse or any other enclosed space is it possible you might be afraid of working in close proximity to other people, possibly catching the virus and taking it home to other members of your family? There have been so many mixed messages (eg 2 metres distance is vital/maybe 1 metre would be sufficient) and confusing instructions (eg leaving the home is dangerous/you can go out for exercise), etc, etc, it has led to feelings of uncertainty and mistrust.

I expect there will be some people who try it on, but I think the vast majority of people recognise we have to get back to "normal" if jobs are to be saved. I would imagine most people are really worried that they may not have a job to go back to but are torn between wanting to get back and being afraid to - particularly when they are told to try and avoid public transport (which for many people is totally impractical).

The government isn't paying this money out of the goodness of its heart. The whole virus emergency has been handled very badly - and this seems to be the opinion of most of the worldwide press - and the government needs to try and preserve at least some of the economy in order to try and stave off a terrible depression and rising public unrest.

Employers claim the furlough allowance, and pass it on to staff.

So if an employer does not claim it, the member of staff does not get it.

As soon as an employer has made suitable arrangements for an employee to re-start work, they should notify the employee and the Government of this so that furlough money is stopped for that person and paid employment restarts.

No. I am not working Eloethan
I stopped when I was 68 although I was eligible for state pension at 60.

By the way, I've just read that you can now employ your cleaner (if you have one) to do your house. Ain't that grande? Not if you're shielding or have symptoms, obviously but it seems a tad wrong when you can have a stranger (who does not have to wear gloves or mask) come into your home, but you son/daughter etc can't.
That is because the cleaner is working, that's the difference.
Their employer, if they work for an agency, may require them to wear gloves ? and plastic overshoes for their own safety and householders are requested to leave all inner doors ? open so they don't have to have the handles repeatedly cleaned whilst she is working. Also the 2 metre rule still applies.
Is that a reason to be joyful?
We'll no doubt read what others who miss their cleaners, have to say ?? ??

I had the virus between Dec 3rd (when symptoms first showed) and Mid March when the cough finally left and I started to feel better.
111 told me in 3 calls over that time, not to go to my GP but sleep and plenty of drinks.
They said it was winter virus.

I live alone so no-one to pass anything on to.

You took a beating on this thread GabriellaG54, well done you held your own. Some would have crawled into a corner on this one.

Any comments on the fact that it is employers who are in control of who gets furlough pay,and when, GG54?

My son-in-law has been furloughed as his firm have no work coming in and he is looking after 3 and 6 year old sons while daughter works over 40 hours a week as a nurse. He has had NO MONEY at all since the end of March and they have a mortgage to pay. No idea when the furlough 80% is likely to arrive. Yes there must be some idlers but that's the same in pre Covid days.

Oh I read it apparently it's someone who has been told by others that they have workers who want to stay furloughed. Mmm ever heard of chinese whispers.
Many office workers cannot go back because their office is not big enought to socially distance, cafes etc remain closed. Small businesses can't socially distance sometimes because of space or the tasks involved. If you are older or have health conditions you probably wouldn't want to go back and why should you put your life at risk?
This post is simply benefit scroungers under another name. There's no proper evidence.

I think \GG you need to question why large companies and the multi rich are able to claim and why some large companies don't pay their share of tax. Why go for the little people who are just trying to make ends meet and keep a roof over their heads. And I might say its rather boastful to say I listen to the news more than most. Proof please.

I was asking for an explanation as to how the government would pay all unemployed individuals, as obviously discrimination would rear it's head if divisions were made between all the different reasons for people being unemployed.

No you weren't. Your opening post makes very specific reference to those on the furlough scheme. The otherwise unemployed do not get anything like 80% of their income.

My point is about discrimination between groups of people unemployed for different reasons - a point that you countered by suggesting that those who are unemployed for reasons unconnected with the virus may have been sacked or deliberately left their employment. Please don't twist things.

Grannyjay said "You took a beating on this thread GabriellaG54, well done you held your own. Some would have crawled into a corner on this one."

This is one of the good things about GabriellaG54's posts.
She doesn't start clutching her pearls or moaning about being bullied if people don't agree with her. I don't agree with the implication in the op, and I am not afraid to disagree with GabriellaG54 because I know she will take disagreement in her stride.

according to a twitter post the whole of Scotland is peopled with lazy c---- who're sitting on their fat a---- eating fried mars bars and scrounging English money....
WRONG!! On all counts Scots DO pay tax ,the amount we pay in will certainly pay Furlough payments and more.

Much more important is the lives we'll save by keeping lockdown until its reasonably safe to lift restrictions .Too late for my friends son who died aged just 34 from CV yesterday.