Something positive about this government

Living in different places in the country is not being an economic migrant.
Migrants move from one country to another, not one county to another.

Dictionary definition of 'economic migrant'

'a person who travels from one country or area to another in order to improve their standard of living.'

Nonnie, did your parents buy properties every time they moved?

How many social houses have been built for all these families to move into when they move around the country ?

This get on your bike attitude is silly, yes I know people use to travel around the country but things were different, there were houses to rent , school places available , there are houses to rent now but the costs are way beyond the wages of the ordinary working man .

We could bring back workhouses, anyone can look up the census returns and read how many single/married unemployed people ended up there, they too got on their bikes

Nonnie, Your information about the NL is interesting. I know that if I had been in Germany when I was unemployed, I would have received 67% of my previous salary for three years, based on my age and the fact that I was a parent. This compares with the £149pw I actually received with no add-ons apart from partial exemption from council tax and free specs (how many pairs do you need?). I already received free prescriptions for a medical condition. Moreover, I wouldn't have been subjected to ridiculous Jobcentre interviews, which used to cost £14 in fares every two weeks and take me a day to get there and back.

Just did a check on workhouses just before WW2, in Liverpool there were unemployed from Ireland, Oxfordshire, Wales, Devon and many other counties , many had wives and children with them, this solved housing for the unemployed who got on their bikes didn't it . Wonder why this government hasn't started building them

Not in my dictionary. It specifically states "a person who emigrates from a poor country to better his/her standard of living."
That is the generally accepted meaning of the phrase.

Nonnie, I wonder if you live in the same area of the country that I do. We have 0.9% unemployment and house prices/rents are astronomical. I've lived here half my life, but can't afford to stay for much longer, because my rent eats up most of my income. I have to dip into savings to pay for food and bills. The only reason I stay is that my child is still at school. The problem is that once I move, I will have to start all over again with my small business. All my clients are wealthy, which is how they can afford what I'm selling, but I fear that if/when I move to an area where I can afford to live, there won't be enough people with disposable income.

Aband Dj my GF and uncles did move to different countries. Where did I say they didn't? As usual you are just looking to nit pick anything you don't personally agree with. DH stayed in B and Bs where necessary and travelled home when he could. Sitting just waiting for the perfect job to magically drop into your lap is just not realistic. Most people know that.

I am a huge believer of getting on yer bike. But it is not practical for some - those who are carers.
Also, for some, they dont thrive outside their social circle very well.

For those who do do it, it can be quite liberating and they can go back again if they want to.

Hmmmm. My GF and uncles couldn't afford not to thrive outside their social circle!

I should also say that my DS left town today to travel a long way from home. Its a good job but he'll be starting from scratch to make a home and social circle for himself.

Jane10, who has spoken of perfect jobs? I am speaking of unemployed people who cannot find any job,

Your GF and uncles could not have been plumbers, labourers , carpenters , unskilled , to afford to move from country to country surely

Is you son an unskilled worker with a family Jane10?

I had to move as did my dh. I gave up a much more lucrative general practice to join the civil service. The CEGB had moved its HQ from Birmingham to Gloucester and we had to follow as dh couldn't find a suitable job locally. It was much more expensive down here and my salary was half what I had as a GP.

You've done this yourself, have you, obieone?

I have been fortunate that I havent needed to. But other close family members have moved far away recently.

That is it with believing what people say on these threads. I said nothing about my parents moving! Just shows that there are some who will say anything regardless of the facts.

I'm off to do something interesting!

Seems like I have added another person whose responses I will always ignore.

Oh I hope that person is me

Galen, with all due respect, your dh and you are obviously educated professionals and even you had to take a cut in lifestyle, there were opportunities. You're not in the same league as people with few skills (social and vocational), few qualifications, no savings (for a deposit) and perhaps low intelligence.

I've worked in education for most of my life and have tried to get the 'get on yer bike' attitude embedded, but it really isn't easy. I saw it as an attempt to widen horizons rather than 'getting on yer bike', which is what I believe education should be all about (cue another thread perhaps). Rather than 'sanctioning' people for being a few minutes late for Jobcentre interviews and getting them to apply for jobs they have no hope of getting (meanwhile filling the greedy pockets of the work programme providers), the DWP and the whole government should have taken a more holistic view and looked at the real barriers to work. I'm not against taking people by the scruff of the pants and showing them how to get out of their hole, but it needs to be done with compassion and real support, not threats.

Ironically, this is what IDS seemed to be implying on Andrew Marr this morning, but I'm afraid I can't believe his second 'conversion' - maybe I'm being too cynical, but the evidence would suggest that what he said doesn't ring true.

So, obieone, you haven't really had personal experience of what it's like, but feeling qualified in judging others.

Ab in answer to your rude questions -no. They didn't have skills. No further education either. Needs must. Just give up on your nasty comments. They say more about you than you know.

Dh died 13 years ago.

Nonnie, Why? I haven't seen anybody being abusive towards you. If you have an opinion, stick with it and defend it. If it's a valid opinion, it will stand scrutiny.