Why do you hate agreeing with people who are correct? I enjoy it whenever it happens as it means I don't have to argue with them.
The unemployment figures are an interesting case in point; they're such a political hot potato that getting them down is a must for any party in government. Example: 15-20 years ago, 3 million people were unemployed and 1 million people were signed off work on state sickness benefits. Now there are 1 million unemployed and 3 million signed off on sickness benefits. Now, I'm not convinced that 2 million people have taken ill in the last decade or so, which means that people are simply being reclassified for the sake of getting them off the unemployment register.
This has it's effects: 1) It is harder to get sick people back into work than unemployed ones, so we have more long-term unemployed than we once did. 2) Sick benefits cost the taxpayer more than unemployment benefits.
So ultimately, you and I, as taxpayers, are paying more tax to tell people they're too ill to work, basically to make the party of government look better at tackling unemployment. Feels good, doesn't it?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-01-10 12:33 pm (UTC)The unemployment figures are an interesting case in point; they're such a political hot potato that getting them down is a must for any party in government. Example: 15-20 years ago, 3 million people were unemployed and 1 million people were signed off work on state sickness benefits. Now there are 1 million unemployed and 3 million signed off on sickness benefits.
Now, I'm not convinced that 2 million people have taken ill in the last decade or so, which means that people are simply being reclassified for the sake of getting them off the unemployment register.
This has it's effects:
1) It is harder to get sick people back into work than unemployed ones, so we have more long-term unemployed than we once did.
2) Sick benefits cost the taxpayer more than unemployment benefits.
So ultimately, you and I, as taxpayers, are paying more tax to tell people they're too ill to work, basically to make the party of government look better at tackling unemployment. Feels good, doesn't it?