[Angus]

Originally Posted by Tom

The 2.5m include benefit skanks who don't want a job, the disabled who can't work and those well enough to not have to work. In some cases it also includes self employed and freelance workers. The statistics for available job vacancies are only predictions based on job advertisements from selected agencies. If people are having that hard a time finding a job, you've got to be pretty rubbish if you can't even manage a Christmas temp job at a low end store. Both statistics are severely flawed and only used in light of the media reaction to the recession

I don't have an impressive or stable work history yet I'm 21 and a customer service manager.

At least you have youth on your side - it's not so easy for those aged 50 plus who have been made redundant to find another job. Not everyone on benefits is workshy or disabled. Furthermore those older workers who have paid their taxes and national insurance contributions for 30 odd years are entitled to every benefit they get - the ones who deserve nothing are those who have contributed zilch into the system whether by virtue of their extreme youth or because they are newly arrived in this country, or because they are indeed plain workshy skivers. If people in these categories can't find paid work then they should be compelled to carry out community work in return for their benefits.