And another one bites the dust.....

dust not dud..silly fat fingers!

Many thanks to you all, your support is, as ever appreciated.

glass most of the places where there is anything resembling a high street are a bit of a distance from me, and there is an extremely limited public transport system, ( nearest town, Holsworthy, 1 bus a WEEK on market day!) so would need to earn more than minimum wage to make up for fuel.

Sorry, that probably sounds very negative of me and also as if I'm being a bit "precious" about what I will and wont do, which id definitely not the case.

Did you know that part of a condition of receiving JSA is that you have to state you are prepared to take jobs that are up to 90 minutes travelling each way from your home? In theory that means that if I was offered a job at minimum wage in for example Newton Abbot or Torquay, (for example) I would be expected to take it. How much of ones wages would that take in fuel!

Sorry again, feeling pretty crap low at the moment.

phoenix your not being negative!!!! I personally think people living out in the sticks should be have an allowance for the extra travel they have to do to have access to any employment available. I know its hard being positive but chin up lovely ladyxx

The world of work is a strange old one. When I was a 16 - 18 year old school girl with a Saturday job at M&S I never imagined I'd be back there 40 years later earning peanuts again!
With my current part-time/post-retirement job, I had to negotiate to start 15 minutes later than contracted in order to get an off-peak train using my senior railcard, otherwise the peak-rate fare would make nonsense of doing the job at all! Apart from that, the hours and money fit perfectly. I'm sure something just right will come along phoenix!

So if a job comes up 90 minutes' journey away from your home, you could be forced to take it! Three hours travelling a day, not to mention the cost involved. I am so sick of this government.

I hope things get better for you phoenix.

Hear here Eloethan. phoenix

90 minutes travelling by what? If you don't have the use of a car and there's no public transport, what then? Is it 90 minutes by bike?

phoenix you know we are all rooting for you (((hugs)))

The people who make the rules assume everyone can hop on and off buses, trains and tubes. They really have no idea of the difficulties of living in a rural area, or even of trying to get from small country towns to the nearest centres for work, which are often located outside the nearest town or city.

DH had to travel 90 minutes each way to work for a couple of years, it was draining both physically and financially, not to mention wear and tear on the car. How someone on JSA could be expected to do it is beyond me.

[thoughts] and

Every good wish to Phoenix - love her posts and hope things improve
for her soon. Don't post much as too old and slow but love the way people are helpful and practical and kind.

A lot of people who drive 90mins to work are either doing it for a large salary at the end of it or they have a company car or can claim expenses for their own car.

Nobody in their right minds would travel 90mins at their own expense unless it was financially worth it.

I would be tempted to ask the wally JSA person where he/she lives and how much does it cost to get to work?

Hi seclusion, you did well with that post and it was kind to make the effort for phoenix. Keep posting

I do it merlot and I don't receive a high salary or have a company car, nor can I claim expenses. It's simply that work is hard to find, even with professional qualifications. Or maybe I'm just not in my right mind? (You wouldn't be the first person to suggest that)

Phoenix- keep ye pecker up. This is so tough for you, but in a way, I am glad you didn't get THAT job, as it would be so hard physically. Stay strong and positive- and hope something much better comes along soon.

Is there anyone in Phoenix's area who knows about possible jobs???
Bonne chance

I'm certainly not suggesting this should be forced on anyone, and I hope phoenix doesn't read it that way.

I wouldn't actually recommend it to anyone (I'm knackered most if the time and I don't do the journey every day) and I do hope something comes your way soon phoenix

When DH did it, it was a very large chunk out of a not very large salary and without company car or expenses. Plus a bridge toll every day. But he said it was preferable to living away all week which he had done for years, then he did get another job which was only 45 minutes each way, having never thought he would at his age.
But it would be impossible to do on JSA, whoever suggested it needs a blast quiet word in their ear about the realities of life.
So keep your pecker up, phoenix, we're all behind you!

Surely no-one is suggesting travelling all this way while on JSA? The problem is the expense of travelling when on a low salary, probably on the minimum wage, and possibly a zero hours contract.

The people who dream up these unrealistic rules probably have no idea at all how ordinary people live or of the constant challenges faced by low and middle range earners.

In my view, it's about time our political classes reflected the population it is supposed to represent instead of the present situation where a significant proportion of mainly white men from very comfortable professional or academic backgrounds make other people's lives a misery.

Afternoon all, and thank you for your posts and your support.

There are some very daft rules and regulations surrounding the legislation on JSA and what is considered to be "reasonable" but I'm very lucky in that the staff at the Job Centre I go to are wonderful. They are helpful, supportive and above all human which is more than I can say about the staff in the Council Tax Dept of my LA, but that is another story!

In the run up to Christmas, I was talking to one of them about a temp position I had seen in a supermarket in Bideford. Without saying a word she just shook her head. I was a bit flummoxed until I saw the note she had slipped into my signing on booklet. She explained that the length of the shifts on offer in relation to my travelling time and distance made it not a particularly viable option.

One thing that does strike me though is that unless you receive housing benefit, and live in a town with supermarkets within walking distance where you can regularly go to look for the bargains, it is difficult (if not impossible) to manage on the amount that the Gov say we need to live on. I won't go over it again here, but if anyone wants to have a look it is on a thread called Benefits - some real numbers.

Now, off to attempt something interesting with chicken thighs (again!) tomatoes, onions, black olives (there's an ancient half a jar in the fridge that need using) and pasta. If I had a can of anchovies I could have done a sort of puttanesca.

Sorry, nightowl, I didn't mean to be insulting but it must be financially worth it surely?

The S.O. always says [even though he's now retired] it's easier to get a job when you've already got a job than it is to get a job when you're out of work. Shouldn't really make sense, but I think it actually does.

Yes Tegan, I agree. I have a friend who is in a job which she hates but I have told her not to jack it in until she finds another. She wants to leave this one and find another. Even although we live in London it is not that easy as she cannot travel that far because of home and family commitments. She and her husband share the car which is a problem.

Oh heavens, I know where you are and it's even more isolated than I had thought! But moving costs a fortune, thousands. As you have to pay so much in advance, when you are broke you are stuffed, basically, unless you can borrow some money and even then you are not assured of a job at the end of it.

My son has started to converse with language students online, do you fancy that? He receives £10 an hour, but had to do a month free while he was being assessed. I can't remember who he does it with, but I know that there are several companies that offer the service.

What a pain phoenix - could there be seasonal work about to emerge after Easter in your neck of the woods?

You can't win can you? - over-qualified for so many things; but the suitable jobs not near enough. You must be getting so frustrated; and who can blame you?

Don't worry merlot I didn't think you were being insulting, in fact I saw the funny side of it. Should have put a . Yes it is financially worth it - just. It certainly wouldn't be possible on JSA.