What is life like in the UK if you lose your job?

12 comments

1. >live comfortably even

   Nope.

   >Even if you have medical issues?

   Or a Disability, if you are believed, you can live slightly more comfortable compared to not having a condition. But only slightly.

2. Pretty grim. Less grim than elsewhere though.

3. You can get unemployment benefit and housing benefit and such, so you should be able to survive, I certainly wouldnt call it comfortable though. Even before the current cost of living crisis these benefits were barely adequate and the whole system is notoriously set up to be hostile.

4. Not good. UK has very basic social security. Compared to, say, France, where you get 100% of last salary for 6 months or 50% for 12 months (iirc).

5. Housing benefit covers rent and will help with mortgage payments temporarily I think. Single person benefits cap pm is ~£1000 but couples with children receive roughly £1900 pm.

   There are people on my estate that ridicule me for working! The system has enabled them to avoid it mostly but they occasionally do some cash in hand work.

   For those who work however, the system provides a safety net that can keep you afloat until you’re back on your feet.

   https://www.gov.uk/benefit-cap/benefit-cap-amounts

6. Lots of jobs out there. If you want to, you can find another job

7. It’s shit. The benefits process takes weeks and they will do everything they can to make it difficult. No email address, endless phone calls to people who don’t care and very little to cover just the basics.

   Every single time I’ve had to go on benefits I always end up getting a letter through the door months later saying I owe them an overpayment for hundreds of pounds, putting me right back into debt.

   Obviously it’s better than nothing, but it certainly isn’t designed to give you a dignified or comfortable time.

8. Why the emphasis on not having a job. Would it not be a lot more positive to be looking for a job .This makes it seem like you are intending on not having a job and rinsing benefits.

9. You will get contribution based Job seekers or universal credit standard rate. This equates to about £10 a day.

   You can get housing element of Universal Credit. Housing benefit only exists for exceptional cases, like homeless accommodation. If you are in a private tenancy you will be limited to local housing allowance rates. Most people experience a short fall.

   If you a health condition you can claim personal independence payments and/or universal credit limited capacity for work and work related activity.

   To qualify for this you would need to be a UK resident or have settled status. If you have pre-settled status you need to pass a habitual residency test.

   Have a look at entitledto.co.uk for more information.

10. You’ve seen the film of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens? We seem to be on the fast track route straight back there.

11. It’s absolute bullshit. They don’t care. I have a mortgage and I ended up in the Job Centre a couple of years ago.

    They told me they could apply for paying my rent, I said I had a mortgage and then it was all “Oh no you can’t claim that”

    I asked what the difference was and she just mumbled. So I asked her what happens when I default on my mortgage and my house gets repossessed if I’m out of work for the long term. She mumbled and got defensive when I asked her for an answer.

    £345 a month all in I was eligible for. Didn’t even touch the sides, thankfully I found a job relatively sharpish and didn’t have to deal with their shit for long.

    The guy helping me find work was decent, he got that I was working in a particular field and found me some temp work, even if it was just to rock up and confirm I wasn’t taking the piss.

12. Better.