What's it all about?

Fast approaching 30 I've fallen in to teaching, a career though championed by many amongst my friends and family, I've tried desperately to avoid. Worse still I appear to have missed the heyday when students were keen and wages were plenty. Having left city-life behind to support my partner through a prolonged recovery from cancer, it's clear I've become isolated, not only from my old life, but from the future I hoped it would lead to...

There must be more to life than this..?


Friday, February 11, 2011

Non-Moan no.3 (Week 6)

There’s a hole in my bucket...
I only work part time. The job I’m currently in is my first since my partner’s cancer treatment. It’s very much about us getting back on our feet financially. Or at least that’s how we hoped it would be.  Unfortunately however we’re now worse off money wise then we were when we both received benefits. Much worse off in fact.
So I don’t spend all my time at school 9-4 – but I do work hard and I do work far beyond the hours I’m actually paid for, and for what? We’re poorer now then when we ere doing nothing.
Neither of us had ever been on benefits before. We’ve both had jobs since we were 15 and 16. So when we were forced to claim them through unpleasant circumstances it was quite a shock. I immediately seized the first available opportunity to get back in to the work place.
We’ve never lied to the authorities, always been honest regarding our claims. When we told them I would be going back to work, they immediately cancelled all of our benefits. This left us with a month long period between having no benefits and me getting my first pay check.
Fortunately we have an amazing support system of friends and family who were able to help us, but what about those who don’t? When I posed the question to the benefits office of how we were supposed to manage for an entire month with no money, despite the fact we were attempting to come off benefits, the lady on the other end of the phone simply stated ‘there was nothing we could do.’
I actually understand why some people simply stay on benefits; it’s easier than trying to get off them. For some people it must be impossible to survive and come off them. Clearly there’s a massive gap in the system here.
So now financially we’re treading water. Paying off debts VERY slowly and only just getting by each month. People who are in the same position but still on benefits and not going back to work are actually better off than we are...

Does that sound right to you?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

No it doesn't sound right to me! It's a messed up system over here in the states too. It doesn't make sense that those who live off the government are better off than those working their asses off to get jobs and take care of their loved ones. I hope your partner is doing better. I have no elegant words...cancer just sucks. :-(

that guy said...

popped over from Jewels site. bummer about the cancer thing...thoughts and prayers...i hear ya, i just had a tumor removed and i am looking at 20k USD, cuz of no insurance.

and just so you know, it ain't too bad after 30...or 40...kinda worried 'bout 50...

Bruce
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Belle said...

That is a terrible situation to be in. Governments are heartless. I hope your partner is doing well.

My sister is a vet of the Gulf War. She became very ill 10 years later. The military gives her $100 per month. She applied for disability social insurance - they turned her down. She can't get welfare in Nevada, only food stamps. That means she would be one of the many sick homeless people of the United States if it weren't for my husband. He sends her around $500 per month. My mother sends her $100 per month.
People who have no family are living on the streets or in their cars.
I hope circumstances improve for you.

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