UKIP

[Colin]

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/9398-no-let-up-in-need-for-food-parcels

 

Might be that the recipients are unemployed but, just in case some aren't, anyone else think that there is a need for a better minimum wage?

[Colin]

 

"The ideal man for the job as he has not been voted in by any fisherman , instead selected by a small group of people who know nothing about  fishing.

He of course also knows nothing about fishing.

 

He's a top bloke!"

 

And you ain't kidding...  It makes you wonder if some politicians are politicians because they are corrupt or, are they corrupt because they are politicians...?

[Kavi Ugl]

I heard on Radio Shetland tonight that there are 550 people on Sickness Benefits/Employment & Support Allowance.  Is this basically the dole?.

 

Plus 90 on Job Seekers Allowance.

 

So, out of a population of 22,500 we have 640 on benefits alone?. 

 

Good grief :blink:

 

Or, is some of this people in work but recieving a "top up" benefit?.

 

Mind you, as somebody said to me earlier this year:  Minimum Wage> Minimum Effort lol 

Edited September 29, 2014 by Kavi Ugl

[Colin]

I heard on Radio Shetland tonight that there are 550 people on Sickness Benefits/Employment & Support Allowance.  Is this basically the dole?.

 

Plus 90 on Job Seekers Allowance.

 

So, out of a population of 22,500 we have 640 on benefits alone?. 

 

Good grief :blink:

 

Or, is some of this people in work but recieving a "top up" benefit?.

Probably is the dole but, in a different guise.  Still boils down to unemployed and unemployable.

 

Just guessing but, seems to me that you might have to remove(?) more than a few from the list due to various 'chemical dependencies' (drugs/alcohol etc.) or illnesses but, I guess that would still leave some in dire need..

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

Jeez, it's looks like some folk are including child labour now ... doesn't the 22,500 population figure include children?

[Who Knows]

The current "official" population of Shetland is 23, 200 (well in 2013) according to national statistics.

 

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files2/stats/council-area-data-sheets/shetland-islands-factsheet.pdf

 

However there was 4,357 individuals listed as under 16 and 5,600 individuals aged 65 or over so that leaves 13,243 people normally defined under the working age criteria. However you do not need to retire now at the state retirement age.

 

Benefits you can review to your hearts content at the website below but job seekers allowance is the unemployed statistic as only paid to those actively seeking work.

 

https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits

 

Employment and support allowance is paid to those medically unfit to work or personalised support to help you work. You need to go through a work capability assessment to get this benefit.

 

Hope that clarifies any misconceptions..

[Kavi Ugl]

Yes, 21,860 are bairns

 

tbh, even the woman being interviewed from the Moving On Project admitted that it's very high numbers(for Shetland).

 

To be fair, overall it sounds like a worthwhile initiative but another part of the interview regarded training people up and their "Soft Skills"(new one to me) which involves "problem solving and time keeping".

 

Well, if we're having to train people to turn up to their work on time then we're sunk!.

 

Edit: thanks for the info Who Knows. 

Edited September 29, 2014 by Kavi Ugl

[Scorrie]

Believe me, some people do need training regarding how to turn up to the work they are employed to do on time and on a regular basis. 

 

Regarding the minimum wage discussion - unfortunately, there are more than a handful of unscrupulous employers who would happily pay a lot less if they were allowed to get away with it. The sort of employer who normally has a high turnover of staff, always a good indicator that 'all is not well' with the employers attitude towards their staff IMO.

[magnie ii]

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/9398-no-let-up-in-need-for-food-parcels

 

Might be that the recipients are unemployed but, just in case some aren't, anyone else think that there is a need for a better minimum wage?

not saying wages should be low but increasing the minimum wage is a rather blunt tool because it increases the cost of things we need to buy decreasing the income tax and national insurance i.e raising the threshold for income tax and creating one for national insurance would be a good thing.

[Colin]

 

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/9398-no-let-up-in-need-for-food-parcels

 

Might be that the recipients are unemployed but, just in case some aren't, anyone else think that there is a need for a better minimum wage?

not saying wages should be low but increasing the minimum wage is a rather blunt tool because it increases the cost of things we need to buy decreasing the income tax and national insurance i.e raising the threshold for income tax and creating one for national insurance would be a good thing.

 

Agreed,

And definitely worth a try.

Except that taking minimum wage earners out of Income Tax altogether only adds 34p per hour to their pay packets. 

Helpful, yes, but not enough to make any meaningful difference. 

From the 'food parcel' perspective, 3 hours work would now allow you to add a loaf of bread to your weekly shop......

eg

Minimum wage (pa) = 13,500 less Tax Allowance 10,000

Leaves 3500 Taxable income.

Basic rate tax is 20% which = 700 Tax due

13.50 pw or ..34p ph

Loaf of sharn tesco bread c0.90p

Unscrupulous employers would also see this as a pay rise that they do not have to make and, as the government do not seem able to restrict it's own spending, the missing(?) income tax would have to be recovered from earners higher up the scale.

Would someone making 26,000pa be willing to pay an extra 700 tax?

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

Agreed,

And definitely worth a try.

Except that taking minimum wage earners out of Income Tax altogether only adds 34p per hour to their pay packets. 

Helpful, yes, but not enough to make any meaningful difference. 

From the 'food parcel' perspective, 3 hours work would now allow you to add a loaf of bread to your weekly shop......

eg

Minimum wage (pa) = 13,500 less Tax Allowance 10,000

Leaves 3500 Taxable income.

Basic rate tax is 20% which = 700 Tax due

13.50 pw or ..34p ph

Loaf of sharn tesco bread c0.90p

Unscrupulous employers would also see this as a pay rise that they do not have to make and, as the government do not seem able to restrict it's own spending, the missing(?) income tax would have to be recovered from earners higher up the scale.

Would someone making 26,000pa be willing to pay an extra 700 tax?

 

 

I'm not sending you shopping; the cheapest "loaf of sharn tesco bread" is 45p.

[Colin]

 

I'm not sending you shopping; the cheapest "loaf of sharn tesco bread" is 45p.

 

Oops..  Have to stop baking my own and try buying some then....

[Cilla Cone]

I heard on Radio Shetland tonight that there are 550 people on Sickness Benefits/Employment & Support Allowance.  Is this basically the dole?.

 

Plus 90 on Job Seekers Allowance.

 

So, out of a population of 22,500 we have 640 on benefits alone?. 

 

Good grief :blink:

 

Or, is some of this people in work but recieving a "top up" benefit?.

 

Mind you, as somebody said to me earlier this year:  Minimum Wage> Minimum Effort lol

 

Sadly, this is the current state of affairs in Shetland and the above figures don't even take into account employees lying at home on sick pay with the local authority, or those who are prone to "duvet days" which also comes out of the public purse.

[Scorrie]

No 'duvet days' here.

 

We 'duvet the right thing' and bin the waisters. 

[paulb]

roughly 2.5% are sick/disabled

unemployed 0.25-0.50%

 

those are really good figures 

110 unemployed upto 6 months

20 unemployed upto  12 months

20                     upto   2 years

10 over 2 years

population is 23500 at the moment