What are your thoughts about the cost of living crisis?

[Sherliarty]

Pretty certain I've woken up in some kind of alternative hell. Mum's beautiful, friendly care home is closing mid-January (thanks, Tories...you've priced them out of the market) so I've got to move her which will lead to an inevitable drop off a cliff in her dementia - her decline has actually slowed down where she is, as they get so much stimulation. Going to take out bridging finance on the house, renovate upstairs, and get some lodgers (it's part-converted into two flats, so that shouldn't cost too much, and I live entirely downstairs). I hate sharing my space, but the debts from trying to keep her out of the hands of an inept adult social care department back in the early summer are HUGE...

My dad used to say that we came from a long line of duckers and divers; this is where I really have to test that out.

I wish you all the luck with this x

 

[Sherliarty]

That's such a shame @EdibleDormouse This government has a lot to answer for, can't imagine the next will be any better either

They've been struggling to get staff in my supermarket job so my hours have trebled the last few weeks. The money is useful but I'm permanently shattered....

How's it going for you @Sherliarty ?

Looking at who is in the new cabinet, I have little hope that things will improve for those struggling currently. I am doing okay, still working at Crisp. I am pretty sure I would be better off in a job but I can't bring myself to take the plunge as I have been out of employed work for so long now that I think I would be terrible at following orders. I am trying to do more work on Crisp and be more focused when I am doing it so I work faster. I am far too easily distracted. I agree we all need to help each other. We have a whatsapp group for our neighbourhood which is helpful as we can pass on items no longer needed and lend out tools etc to save a bit of money.

 

[Jute]

Pretty certain I've woken up in some kind of alternative hell. Mum's beautiful, friendly care home is closing mid-January (thanks, Tories...you've priced them out of the market) so I've got to move her which will lead to an inevitable drop off a cliff in her dementia - her decline has actually slowed down where she is, as they get so much stimulation. Going to take out bridging finance on the house, renovate upstairs, and get some lodgers (it's part-converted into two flats, so that shouldn't cost too much, and I live entirely downstairs). I hate sharing my space, but the debts from trying to keep her out of the hands of an inept adult social care department back in the early summer are HUGE...

My dad used to say that we came from a long line of duckers and divers; this is where I really have to test that out.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Perhaps if Sunak hadn't had written off billions in stolen furlough and PPE money - we wouldn't be in such dire straits. Bunch of corrupt thieves...

 

[EdibleDormouse]

I'm so sorry to hear that. Perhaps if Sunak hadn't had written off billions in stolen furlough and PPE money - we wouldn't be in such dire straits. Bunch of corrupt thieves...

Social care - and particularly adult social care - has been downgraded, underfunded, and gaslit by government for...oh, 12 years. Funny that. Credit where it's due (absolutely none for adult social care though, get in the bin), Cameron did at least briefly dabble in improving physical care services for children, from his own experiences.

Dementia isn't sexy. A gong for Vicky McClure please, who is showing with the Dementia Choir that you can live WELL with dementia, and have a good social life for many years. I've known that my mum was having difficulties for about 13 years. For about a decade of that, we've had a lovely time. She's now having a different but still valid lovely time in a gorgeous care home (since she went in in June, I've only half-jokingly said put my name down for 30 years time). All about to come to an end.

I keep coming back to Dennis Skinner's famous quip about half the Tories being thieves and crooks. On being asked to retract by the Speaker, he corrected himself and said that half the Tories WEREN'T thieves and crooks.

 

[Jute]

Social care - and particularly adult social care - has been downgraded, underfunded, and gaslit by government for...oh, 12 years. Funny that. Credit where it's due (absolutely none for adult social care though, get in the bin), Cameron did at least briefly dabble in improving physical care services for children, from his own experiences.

Dementia isn't sexy. A gong for Vicky McClure please, who is showing with the Dementia Choir that you can live WELL with dementia, and have a good social life for many years. I've known that my mum was having difficulties for about 13 years. For about a decade of that, we've had a lovely time. She's now having a different but still valid lovely time in a gorgeous care home (since she went in in June, I've only half-jokingly said put my name down for 30 years time). All about to come to an end.

I keep coming back to Dennis Skinner's famous quip about half the Tories being thieves and crooks. On being asked to retract by the Speaker, he corrected himself and said that half the Tories WEREN'T thieves and crooks.

I saw that Vicky McClure programme and I quite filled-up at times. She's doing a grand job. We could do with more Dennis Skinners at the moment to call this bunch out - and I'm a floating voter, not a die-hard anything.

 

[Lemonade23]

I'm struggling with my pt supermarket job now. I only applied as it was 7.5 hours a week and I could still do my online things but now they're putting me on the rota for 21 /22 hours....I wonder how it will stand if I go in and complain as I've only been there for six months

 

[An-na]

I'm struggling with my pt supermarket job now. I only applied as it was 7.5 hours a week and I could still do my online things but now they're putting me on the rota for 21 /22 hours....I wonder how it will stand if I go in and complain as I've only been there for six months

Hi @Lemonade23

They can't make you work any more hours if you don't want to or if you are not able to. There is no complaint to be made. Just simply tell them that you can work 7.5 hours and that is that. You don't need to explain anything to them. They need you more than you need them. Shops just can't get the staff anymore and you have the upper hand.

Check your contract, if you have one, and see what it says.

Also, a call to the ever fantastic and helpful Citizens Advice should be able to put your mind at rest.

Cheers,

An-na

 

[Lemonade23]

Hi @Lemonade23

They can't make you work any more hours if you don't want to or if you are not able to. There is no complaint to be made. Just simply tell them that you can work 7.5 hours and that is that. You don't need to explain anything to them. They need you more than you need them. Shops just can't get the staff anymore and you have the upper hand.

Check your contract, if you have one, and see what it says.

Also, a call to the ever fantastic and helpful Citizens Advice should be able to put your mind at rest.

Cheers,

An-na

Thanks for the advice Damn, just checked my contract and it seems they can have me work as many hours as they want 24/7 7 days a week. So many benefits for the employer, they only guarantee me 7.5 hours but can demand whatever they want from me. Applied for three other jobs this morning....

 

[An-na]

Thanks for the advice Damn, just checked my contract and it seems they can have me work as many hours as they want 24/7 7 days a week. So many benefits for the employer, they only guarantee me 7.5 hours but can demand whatever they want from me. Applied for three other jobs this morning....

They still can't make you work. That could be called Modern Slavery.
Unfortunately, this kind of contract is all over the place, especially in supermarkets, and until you run into it you would never know it existed.

Good luck with your other job applications.

 

[Frugalgal]

Is this a Zero Hours contract??...I have never heard of such a thing either and am shocked they exist?!....I am an ex-union representative and am horrified by how workers are being treated in the private sector. Yes, good luck in the job applications.

 

[Lemonade23]

Is this a Zero Hours contract??...I have never heard of such a thing either and am shocked they exist?!....I am an ex-union representative and am horrified by how workers are being treated in the private sector. Yes, good luck in the job applications.

Thanks, it's a 7.5 hour contract which is why I applied, it would fit around my son and other work. I expect they can rota me for up to 40 hours a week or whatever the limit is.... NMW too I expect Xmas is going to be horrendous.

 

[An-na]

Is this a Zero Hours contract??...I have never heard of such a thing either and am shocked they exist?!....I am an ex-union representative and am horrified by how workers are being treated in the private sector. Yes, good luck in the job applications.

Hi @Frugalgal,

A lot of the minimum wage work is on these types of contracts. I have been watching them for a while now and in some ways they are worse than zero hours. Supermarkets, hotels and shops use them. They can say that they are not Zero Hours employers as they offer a contract.

Have a look on Indeed and you can see them there. For example, here's one I was looking at earlier.

The candidate we are looking for is:

• Passionate about delivering great service
• Flexible. Due to the nature of working within a busy retail environment, we need you to have the ability to work a flexible shift pattern across 7 days a week. You will receive a minimum contract of 16 Hours, but you will often be required to work more hours to cover busy periods, absences, and holidays.
• Experienced in a customer-facing environment
• Experienced in achieving stretching targets
• Ready to take on 12 months of industry-leading training covering all the key aspects of the role, handling and caring for Pets, Customer Service and Health and Safety.

As an aside, I must say that I have not encountered this one before, "Experienced in achieving stretching targets". I guess that is bullshit speak for moving the goal posts and not getting a bonus.

If you want to read more of this particular job spec you will find it on Indeed, part time work and it will be in a large and well know store that caters for pets.

An-na

 

[Lemonade23]

Yes a friend said something similar, she said that at least with the zero hours contracts she has seen you have the choice to work or not....which is a big difference.

 

[Frugalgal]

Hi @Frugalgal,

A lot of the minimum wage work is on these types of contracts. I have been watching them for a while now and in some ways they are worse than zero hours. Supermarkets, hotels and shops use them. They can say that they are not Zero Hours employers as they offer a contract.

Have a look on Indeed and you can see them there. For example, here's one I was looking at earlier.

The candidate we are looking for is:

• Passionate about delivering great service
• Flexible. Due to the nature of working within a busy retail environment, we need you to have the ability to work a flexible shift pattern across 7 days a week. You will receive a minimum contract of 16 Hours, but you will often be required to work more hours to cover busy periods, absences, and holidays.
• Experienced in a customer-facing environment
• Experienced in achieving stretching targets
• Ready to take on 12 months of industry-leading training covering all the key aspects of the role, handling and caring for Pets, Customer Service and Health and Safety.

As an aside, I must say that I have not encountered this one before, "Experienced in achieving stretching targets". I guess that is bullshit speak for moving the goal posts and not getting a bonus.

If you want to read more of this particular job spec you will find it on Indeed, part time work and it will be in a large and well know store that caters for pets.

An-na

Shocking....I have recently been shocked by so hearing about someone working in a school "a state funded" organisation, yet because her job is "out sourced"....she does not get any sick leave. The world of work and pay and conditions for workers has been so badly eroded in recent times, as I see employers constantly trying to erode them in the public sector but fortunately we still have unions to try and protect them.

 

[EdibleDormouse]

I've seen some absolute horror stories recently, and heard of one situation from a friend where the work involved contact with people vulnerable enough to require the staff to have an enhanced DBS, but staff had NO contracts (despite being promised them), and to the best of their knowledge, no background checks were ever done, nor was proof of DBS ever requested.

Everyone's in danger in a situation like this, clients and staff. And woe betide the staff if an accident happened (as they invariably do) and management were looking to swerve blame.

Yes, I did anonymously report this place after they'd left.

 

[homie]

Christ on a bike!

Just got my home insurance renewal from Tesco and it has gone Down!

By about £40!!!!

I couldn't click the renew button fast enough.

 

[Frugalgal]

Christ on a bike!

Just got my home insurance renewal from Tesco and it has gone Down!

By about £40!!!!

I couldn't click the renew button fast enough.

That is interesting?!......

 

[Lemonade23]

Well....I'm actually glad to be going out of the house to work this morning to keep warm. Had to have the heating on or what seemed like ages when it dropped to 14 degrees indoors....yikes. Stay warm everyone.

 

[Queen]

Hello

@Lemonade23 have you considered looking at your local hospital trust - you can apply to be on their staff bank for various things such as porters, security, healthcare assistants, catering assistants, and they are a zero hour contract, usually with the understanding you do a minimum of 2-4 shifts a month to stay on the bank.

Pay is shit cos its NHS but you will always get shifts. Always.
I have done it for the past 4yrs and only just taken on a permanent contract x

 

[Lemonade23]

Hello

@Lemonade23 have you considered looking at your local hospital trust - you can apply to be on their staff bank for various things such as porters, security, healthcare assistants, catering assistants, and they are a zero hour contract, usually with the understanding you do a minimum of 2-4 shifts a month to stay on the bank.

Pay is shit cos its NHS but you will always get shifts. Always.
I have done it for the past 4yrs and only just taken on a permanent contract x

Thanks for the tip! I had thought about taking on a bank contract with a particular care firm near me but never got around to it, never thought about the hospital. That could be really good