[user104658]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Another strong and insightful post from your experiences Toy Soldier, you are right jobs are not available for all that need and want them.
It must be annoying for people in the position of really wanting and needing work to hear it said they should get out there and get a job.

I have to say, your posts on this have been fascinating to read and are likely some of the best and fairest on the thread,in my view.

Thanks Joey, it's one of those topics where my opinions 6 or 7 years ago would probably have been quite different to what they are. But having been "poor" for a couple of years (even in work) completely changed my perception when it comes to work and the benefits system. It can't possibly be what anyone would choose. Signing on is humiliating, scrabbling together 5p coins for a loaf of bread (and then having to dump them on the counter to pay) is worse, and walking in the rain, getting squashed worms stuck in shoes that have holes in them because you'd rather spend the money you have left after rent and bills on your child... That's pretty much rock bottom. And for the last one I was actually working. It's really only the last three or so years that I've been fine money wise and only the last year that I've been in the position of having "spending money" sat in my wallet.

It sounds like a proper sob story! ... But seriously, I grew up in a middle income family never really thinking about out cash flow, and those few years after University as a young parent changed my entire outlook. For that reason, I wouldn't take them back.

Even if I do occasionally get panics about something "going wrong" and ending up back there...