has anyone on a zero hours contract, it seems I may have to do this.

Hi all....durham thank goodness something is going my way

Thanks Grace

Have applied for 3 jobs so far 2 cleaning jobs, 1 retail (not heard back form any as yet that was 3 weeks ago) I had! to apply!

Applying for one tomorrow form big retailers taking on xmas staff! so we shall see.!

Universal Credit is being rolled out, apparently if your on UC (around £73 a week) if you go and earn any money , say a little job that pays £50 a week I think(don't quote me on this) that they just take the £50 of your universal credit and you end up getting £23 UC.

As I said in another post, one girl on my Digital Upskills Course (sound impressive ehhh) got 10p ! a week Jobseekers as that was the difference between what she earned and what she rec Jobseekers.

Not sure if there are many Grans in this situation, I am only in it really because of the change in Pensions ages, normally I would be getting my pension as I will be 60 this year.

An apprenticeship in cleaning a warehouse or shelf filling ? Certaintly explains the governments pride in their apprenticeship scheme and cuts the unemployment numbers too.

Surely not even the most ardent Tory supporter can claim this is fair treatment for the young

The recession is over ? most firms are now busy,busy? Then why are zero contract hours still so popular with these busy,busy firms? surely they want full time staff .

Jonnyald - where do you live? The recession is only over for a few.

Sorry I have no experience that will help biker but I am watching how you are coping and you are doing so well in such adverse circumstances.

now the recession is over theres little to fear from a zero hours contract . most firms are now busy busy unlikely to get rid of you or cut hours

My friend has been on a zero hours contract and it finished a few weeks ago. Thankfully he had regular work which more than paid his bills.
The issue came when the contract ended, our area now does UC for all new claimants and it was five weeks before he got anything. The pay prior to that had totally mucked up and he was getting "threat of eviction" notices from the council.

So zero hours contracts are fine IF there is regular work and this continues.
Also great if you are taken on at the end off it.
Not so great if it all comes to an end though as getting benefits set up again seems a nightmare.
On the plus side you'd have plenty of on the job experience to show a new employer.

Hope that's helpful

If you actually get zero, or very few, hours in any particular week do you get any benefit for that week, does anyone know?

My youngest daughter signed on after uni when she was looking for a job in the recession. She volunteered to help in a primary school on a regular basis as she was thinking of training to be a teacher and thought she would have more chance of being taken on as a GTP trainee if she had hands-on experience. The job centre told her that she should stop volunteering as she was "too busy" to find a job, plus she wasn't available to go on one of their useless courses.(. She didn't take their advice and is now an assistant head teacher)

Hope you are not offered an apprenticeship, biker. The pay is atrocious.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mad-apprenticeship-targets-have-consigned-a-generation-to-lowskill-lowpaid-duties-10479123.html

Just being facetious. You are lucky you are too old to be offered these jobs.

I thought everyone knew that if you are in work it's easier to get another job.
I also thought that if you gave up a job, you did not get benefits straight away. Tell your daughter to check that very carefully. She could be sanctioned if she gives up a job.

tanith it doesn't surprise me at all...I am all new to this so still learning!

I agree with the others that it may lead to a permanent job , hope so anyway good luck with it.
My daughter who has had her 12hrs a week contract now for almost 2yrs that fits in with school hours, she does 3x 4hr shifts and still has to job search and sign on each fortnight , they told her yesterday that as the company she works for won't offer her more hours she has to quit the job and find one with more hours... she was almost speechless and then said so you would prefer me to be jobless again than continue in this low hours job whilst I search? The woman inferred that she would be more incentivised (is there such a word?) if she were jobless... MADNESS!

thanks ann

Without wanting to advertise it was Boots and M&S who appointed temps to permanent jobs but it was before zero hours contracts. It was either full or part time. Good luck anyway, fingers crossed for you.

Yes ann it did cross my mind, that maybe there would be something more permanent later, If I am offered a zero hours job then I don't think I can! turn it down as I think I am expected to take it whatever hours they offer me.

If it is under the £73 a week then I will have to do the zero hours and still go to the job centre, if it is over the £73 (£80) for instance then I come off jobseekers if I have got ti right,

I wouldn't be too quick to turn down a temp job over the Xmas season biker it is an earner for the hols and they will be the ones to end the contract so you will not fall foul of the DSS.Also I have known several people who have been taken on permanently.