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| Out of work: Your stories | Out of work: Your stories |
| (5 days later) | |
| Unemployment in the UK has risen by 131,000 to 1.92 million between September and November, the highest total for more than ten years. | Unemployment in the UK has risen by 131,000 to 1.92 million between September and November, the highest total for more than ten years. |
| Here people who have recently lost their jobs describe the struggle to find work and pay the bills. | Here people who have recently lost their jobs describe the struggle to find work and pay the bills. |
| EMILY WOOD, 32, CARTERTON, OXFORDSHIRE | EMILY WOOD, 32, CARTERTON, OXFORDSHIRE |
| I was made redundant in October. The tour operator I worked for had to lay off 10% of its workforce, which is 20 people. It was disheartening because that was a dream job. It took me a while to be able to find a job in the tourist industry. | |
| Now all I do is job-hunting, but it's incredibly hard. There are hardly any jobs going. I would like to get a job in a school as it is more secure and I think I'll enjoy the environment. | Now all I do is job-hunting, but it's incredibly hard. There are hardly any jobs going. I would like to get a job in a school as it is more secure and I think I'll enjoy the environment. |
| I've just got married and our situation is very difficult. We've spent all our savings on the wedding and now we've got no savings and no job. My husband's wage is lower than before and it is barely enough to pay the bills. I can't even afford to get a hair cut. | I've just got married and our situation is very difficult. We've spent all our savings on the wedding and now we've got no savings and no job. My husband's wage is lower than before and it is barely enough to pay the bills. I can't even afford to get a hair cut. |
| We don't mind scraping by, but we've made it our mission all our lives never to be in debt. And we have been fine until now. | |
| I don't qualify for job seekers allowance because I spent a year and a half doing volunteer work for the Red Cross in Vietnam. I've been working since the age of 17, paying tax and contributions. | |
| The social services chose to select the period when I was abroad and I didn't pay national insurance contribution to assess my contributions and because of that I am now not eligible to receive job seekers allowance. | |
| STEPHEN ROBERTS, 50, GREENWICH | STEPHEN ROBERTS, 50, GREENWICH |
| I am unemployed for the first time in my life. The logistics company I used to work for lost some business they were going to do for the government. And so in October last year there was no longer work. | I am unemployed for the first time in my life. The logistics company I used to work for lost some business they were going to do for the government. And so in October last year there was no longer work. |
| I am separated from my wife and support her and our two sons. I can't support them anymore. My mortgage is four months in arrears and I've been warned that after two more months the house may be repossessed. | I am separated from my wife and support her and our two sons. I can't support them anymore. My mortgage is four months in arrears and I've been warned that after two more months the house may be repossessed. |
| The house has been on the market for more than a year, but I can't sell. | The house has been on the market for more than a year, but I can't sell. |
| I went to the job centre and told them that I would do anything, absolutely anything, to earn some money. I would sweep streets if I have to. But they kept saying that there's no work. | I went to the job centre and told them that I would do anything, absolutely anything, to earn some money. I would sweep streets if I have to. But they kept saying that there's no work. |
| I've used all the overdrafts I have, I have absolutely no money. I was forced to take early retirement, which halved my pension to £500 a month. But now because I have a pension, I can no longer receive job seekers allowance. | I've used all the overdrafts I have, I have absolutely no money. I was forced to take early retirement, which halved my pension to £500 a month. But now because I have a pension, I can no longer receive job seekers allowance. |
| And since I don't receive job seekers allowance, I am no longer on the job centre books. I am not even classified as unemployed, although in reality I am. | And since I don't receive job seekers allowance, I am no longer on the job centre books. I am not even classified as unemployed, although in reality I am. |
| I feel that I've been hit in every possible way. | I feel that I've been hit in every possible way. |
| MATTHEW HARRISON, 30, MANCHESTER | MATTHEW HARRISON, 30, MANCHESTER |
| I was made redundant from my design job at an advertising agency in December. They were losing business and in an economic crisis, advertising and marketing is the first thing that goes. | I was made redundant from my design job at an advertising agency in December. They were losing business and in an economic crisis, advertising and marketing is the first thing that goes. |
| I was made redundant from my previous job due to company takeover in March 2005 and that time it took me less than a week to find a new job. This time, to say opportunities are thin on the ground would be a massive understatement. | I was made redundant from my previous job due to company takeover in March 2005 and that time it took me less than a week to find a new job. This time, to say opportunities are thin on the ground would be a massive understatement. |
| I'm dong all I can to find new work but it is so bleak I'm really starting to worry about my future. I have a mortgage and as my girlfriend works, I'm not entitled to housing benefit or any help with council tax. The money we've got is not enough to cover the bills, let alone food. Once the redundancy money and my savings are gone, we will be really stuck. | I'm dong all I can to find new work but it is so bleak I'm really starting to worry about my future. I have a mortgage and as my girlfriend works, I'm not entitled to housing benefit or any help with council tax. The money we've got is not enough to cover the bills, let alone food. Once the redundancy money and my savings are gone, we will be really stuck. |
| I might have to think about looking for a job in a different sector, though I've only done design jobs. Everywhere they want previous experience. I'll have to start from scratch learning a new job and taking a pay cut at the same time. | I might have to think about looking for a job in a different sector, though I've only done design jobs. Everywhere they want previous experience. I'll have to start from scratch learning a new job and taking a pay cut at the same time. |
| It makes me so angry that this mess has been caused by the greed and recklessness of other people. We have been sensible all along, yet we are suffering now. I'm absolutely furious but all I can do is keep trawling the job sites and struggling to make ends meet. | It makes me so angry that this mess has been caused by the greed and recklessness of other people. We have been sensible all along, yet we are suffering now. I'm absolutely furious but all I can do is keep trawling the job sites and struggling to make ends meet. |
| WENDY STUBBS, 48, KIRKLANGLEY, DERBY | WENDY STUBBS, 48, KIRKLANGLEY, DERBY |
| I am proprietor of a petrol station. We took on the business three years ago, developed it and diversified our services. We've been so badly hit by the economic crisis, that we have a few weeks left before we close the business and make three people redundant. | I am proprietor of a petrol station. We took on the business three years ago, developed it and diversified our services. We've been so badly hit by the economic crisis, that we have a few weeks left before we close the business and make three people redundant. |
| Our cash flow started dwindling since July, August, but it was October when we hit the wall. It suddenly dropped like a curtain. This morning we've made £137 and a few month ago that figure could be around £700/800. | Our cash flow started dwindling since July, August, but it was October when we hit the wall. It suddenly dropped like a curtain. This morning we've made £137 and a few month ago that figure could be around £700/800. |
| Can you guess what our margins are? Not a penny! We can make some profit only if we buy petrol in huge quantities, as it is cheaper that way. But to do that we need £25,000. We've applied for a small business loan, but things are not looking good. | Can you guess what our margins are? Not a penny! We can make some profit only if we buy petrol in huge quantities, as it is cheaper that way. But to do that we need £25,000. We've applied for a small business loan, but things are not looking good. |
| When I called the bank to enquire about our application, they told me that although it is a government's initiative to save small businesses like mine, it is at the bank's discretion who will get the money. | When I called the bank to enquire about our application, they told me that although it is a government's initiative to save small businesses like mine, it is at the bank's discretion who will get the money. |
| What is the point then? Surely this is a white elephant, an initiative designed to make the government look good, but it's not going to do anything. | What is the point then? Surely this is a white elephant, an initiative designed to make the government look good, but it's not going to do anything. |
| The crude oil is so cheap, yet big oil companies are making big money. Retailers like us are being crucified! | The crude oil is so cheap, yet big oil companies are making big money. Retailers like us are being crucified! |
| DAVE BRIGHT, 48, BEDFORD | DAVE BRIGHT, 48, BEDFORD |
| I was made redundant last year after working for an electronics manufacturer for 14 years. My redundancy money has run out and I am struggling to survive on benefits. | I was made redundant last year after working for an electronics manufacturer for 14 years. My redundancy money has run out and I am struggling to survive on benefits. |
| I saw it coming to be honest and had already started looking for another job. I'm on a jobs website and have applied for lots of jobs and continue to apply every day. Most of the time I don't get a reply to my applications. The rest of the time I get rejections. I've got a job interview tomorrow which is my second in six months. | I saw it coming to be honest and had already started looking for another job. I'm on a jobs website and have applied for lots of jobs and continue to apply every day. Most of the time I don't get a reply to my applications. The rest of the time I get rejections. I've got a job interview tomorrow which is my second in six months. |
| When I was made redundant I was in denial at first. I thought the redundancy package was great and I was looking forward to having some time off. The money only lasted for five months though and I'm on benefit now. I'm going to have to move home soon, as I can't afford the rent. | When I was made redundant I was in denial at first. I thought the redundancy package was great and I was looking forward to having some time off. The money only lasted for five months though and I'm on benefit now. I'm going to have to move home soon, as I can't afford the rent. |
| Life's not easy being a job seeker: it's full of ups and downs. As one rare offer for an interview arrives and fills me with confidence, many, many more rejections drag me back down again. | Life's not easy being a job seeker: it's full of ups and downs. As one rare offer for an interview arrives and fills me with confidence, many, many more rejections drag me back down again. |
| All I want is to regain some employment and become an asset to the community once more, not a liability. It may sound bizarre, but I'm actually looking forward to becoming a tax payer again. | All I want is to regain some employment and become an asset to the community once more, not a liability. It may sound bizarre, but I'm actually looking forward to becoming a tax payer again. |
| ROB BULL, NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE | ROB BULL, NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE |
| I was made redundant last year after 26 years of continuous career in IT. This was the second time I'd been made redundant. The first time was in 1989. The first time round I found a new job straight away. It's a different job market now. | I was made redundant last year after 26 years of continuous career in IT. This was the second time I'd been made redundant. The first time was in 1989. The first time round I found a new job straight away. It's a different job market now. |
| Recruiters are far more picky. I've had no interviews this year. I'm signed on to a number of agencies to get work but the agencies say that there are hundreds of applications for one job. | Recruiters are far more picky. I've had no interviews this year. I'm signed on to a number of agencies to get work but the agencies say that there are hundreds of applications for one job. |
| Now at the age of 50 I find that there is a sense of ageism and that younger people feel threatened by employing an experienced older person. | Now at the age of 50 I find that there is a sense of ageism and that younger people feel threatened by employing an experienced older person. |
| I am still looking and applying but I've had to adjust to the current financial situation. We go out less for dinner and save money when we can. | I am still looking and applying but I've had to adjust to the current financial situation. We go out less for dinner and save money when we can. |
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