A benefit fraudster writes for KOS Media about his conviction for claiming Jobseekers' Allowance while in employment.

 

I was made to attend court as a punishment for a period of time when I was unemployed and had fallen on hard times. 

As if living on meagre benefits handed out by Government is not punishment enough the Government sees fit to punish the victim of unemployment further by inflicting additional pain through my court appearance here today.

No one understands the pain I lived through during those 15 months of torture and poverty.

Instead I was requested to attend Medway Magistrates Court charged with an ‘overpayment of jobseekers allowance’ and income support during a 20-week period between August 2007 and January 2008 and a 12-week period between April 2008 and July 2008.

Unfortunately the Government policy of giving unemployed people a meagre benefit of under £60 per week to survive on is small comfort to someone like me who started full-time paid employment in1965.

During my working career I have contributed thousands of pounds towards the Government’s ‘kitty’ only to be put into poverty very quickly by government policy through inadequate benefit payments. I am indeed a victim of unemployment.

The Government needs to consider that they made the rules of deducting at source amounts of income tax and national insurance contributions. 

These deductions are meant to provide a safety net for individuals to get them through periods of temporary unemployment during their working careers when individuals find themselves unemployed for various reasons and rely on the government for short-term support. 

Unfortunately in today’s economic climate short-term unemployment can be six months or more, and this causes the long-term financial damage to an individual.

At the age of 58 no one tried harder than me to obtain full-time permanent work and I was met with continued disappointment.

Unfortunately the world we live in revolves around money and regular work patterns. Meagre unemployment benefit payments are only good for the short-term and only stretch so far.

After payments for food, utilities, travel costs and other sundry items there is very little left over to satisfy other financial demands.

During my period of unemployment I was attacked by many financial threats including accruing rent arrears, unpaid council tax arrears, and other creditors who demanded I made some financial contribution towards my debts with them.

The weeks were passing by and I was getting further into debt. The pinnacle point was reached when my rent arrears reached £2,600 and I was threatened with eviction from my private rented accommodation.

Furthermore my local council decided to put my council tax arrears to court for non-payment.  This was followed by the debt being passed on to bailiffs for collection. 

Bailiffs require immediate sums of money to be paid to them.  Otherwise they enter your property and remove your possessions you acquired and worked so hard for in your previous employment.

No one seems to understand the long-term damage unemployment does to an individual and not just financial.

Unemployment eats into your soul, damages your relationships with others, prevents you from leading a normal life, affects your quality of life, as well as enhancing the feeling of loneliness worthlessness and vulnerability.

Faced with this financial dilemma what was I going to do? I had no financial reserves to fall back on.

I had no rich relatives or friends to call upon for short-tem financial support. The government is unsympathetic to individuals like me.

I was threatened with eviction from accumulating rent arrears, which would make me homeless.  If council tax remained unpaid, I would be under threat of imprisonment. 

Being homeless would have left me no chance of securing employment. If I was put in prison this period would affect my career record as prospective employers would be unwilling to employ a  ‘jailbird’.

I know what I did was wrong and regret my actions but I had to survive and keep healthy and stay strong through this difficult period of my life. 

I am an individual who has to live and work with the consequences of government policy decisions, which do not take into account the financial needs of the individual.

Eventually I was lucky at my age to obtain full-time permanent employment once again, and through this job I am able to contribute towards society once again.

During my full-time employment since last October 2008 I have paid towards the government kitty income tax and national insurance contributions of more than £3,000 and will continue to financially support the government through further contributions until I retire from full-time employment.

I consider through my working career of over forty years that as an individual I have made a considerable financial contribution towards government funds and object to the terms of Job Seekers Allowance and Income support overpayments.

I understand how hard it is being unemployed, however none of this explains why you continued to fraudulently claim benefits after you gained full time employment.

you are just what is wrong with our systems and people

Because you were unemployed, did this status mean that you were not able to look for work, I mean are you disabled or unable to work, or is it that you were used to living way above your means, Unemployment Benefit is for the unemployed but you quite willingly claimed it whilst you were working and then you start to moan about what is paid to you, many people claim this benefit and survive, yes its hard but isn't life like that.

You should spare a thought for the people who have children and have to explain to their kids that they cannot have expensive toys or clothes because the parents simply cannot afford to buy them.

At the end of the day you cheated the system and you should be made to pay back everything that you stole, because that is what you did and you alone.

Many years ago I lived in Wales and witnessed the suffering of the miners who now found they were, virtually, thrown on the scrapheap by an uncaring government. They were proud men who were used to putting "bread on the table" and many of them were as sad and depressed as anyone who has ever walked through the doors of their local jobcentre. Then, suddenly it happened, a group of enthusiastic "Friends of the Earth" introduced Bartering to that tiny village and everyone, and I mean everyone, began goods, skills and services exchanges which not only boosted their material wellbeing but also their self confidence. People who had previously felt they were useless and had nothing to give suddenly realised they could do something for the group. Even if it were only digging a ditch or baking a cake. So, my message would be to anyone out there who is fast reaching the point of desperation (and there are many)  consider joining or setting up a bartering group, such as the one which is now flourishing in Marden. Everyone, has something to give, you included! Don't despair whatever your situation. If you would like more information regarding bartering, please contact me through "Your Maidstone" newspaper. After all, I believe that is one of the purposes it was set up for. To help the people of this area get the most out of their lives. Especially those who are feeling at their most vulnerable.

I have short shrift for your view

I am a victim of unemployment, well educated and well qualified and willing to work for an income of 22k within the tunbridge wells area but suffering rampant discrimination because I am a post operative transexual and employers are bigoted as is society despite the fact I pass well, have great administration skills and work hard, never going off sick.

Over the last decade or so I have had 12 periods of unemployment of various durations some short one long but I have had to livve within my means which isn't easy. You would have had help with council tax and housing benefit even if you rent like I do in the private sector, TWBC are very good at processing claims.

 

We are all victims, but if I got a permanent job which I would jump at I would not continue to claim unemployment benefit how on earth you didn't expect to be caught i do not understand

 

For those of you sitting in judgment saying scrounger I have paid my taxes, and I with my experience and skills would not be able to get a job paying a reasonable living wage to survive.

 

65 pounds a week is nothing given the cost of living the cost of electricity and gas and telephone costs.

 

There needs to be more support for people being and facing unemployment. and help from government to get work, the last government didn't help and this one will be worse than ever

 

As for paying for the deficit and cutting benefits for people like me, i say this, why not start by cutting middle class and wealthy families child benefit in tunbridge wells and child tax credits which really you have no entitlement too. Why should I suffer when I already live in poverty.

People who choose to have children and earn a good salary should not get child tax credits or child benefit or winter fuel allowance. It should be stopped