Critics say it is “absurd” that jobseekers should get a paid break while they look for work.

All 1.2 million people on Jobseeker’s Allowance are allowed a fortnight’s break from looking for work without losing their handouts. The only conditions are that they stay in the UK and must cut short their trips if they are called to interviews or offered work.

> Allowed BY LAW, note. Nobody is breaking any law. Although that said, I’ve never taken it, nor has anyone I know. The main reason being that its another of those rights that the Jobcentre forget to tell you about.

Of course, thanks to the Express, now everyone knows about it !

If all current claimants took their fortnight’s holiday it would cost the public £165million.

> How ? They’d still be receiving exactly the same money as if they hadn’t gone on “holiday”.  

Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “It’s deeply worrying that our welfare system assumes people will be stuck on benefits so long that they need a holiday.

“If you’re not looking for a job you shouldn’t get Jobseeker’s Allowance.

“Giving claimants paid holiday is absurd as their time should be devoted to gaining employment that could pay for a break.”

> And here come the usual suspects – Tax avoiders Alliance to the fore and in a minute there’ll be some Tory you’ve never heard of trying to win brownie points…

Tory MP Chris Skidmore

> Told you !

said: “Claiming dole can’t be treated the same as having privileges of full-time work with paid holidays.

“As a country we can’t afford for people to take two weeks off from looking for work.”

> Oh for fucks sake ! You do dispair at these idiots… wish they’d been equally vocal when it came to MPs expenses –  the real something for nothing culture.

The Government says its new Universal Credit, which rolls together six benefits, will bring an end to the holiday privilege. A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “In Universal Credit, jobseekers will no longer be able to stop looking for work while taking in a holiday.”

> That’s the same Universal Credit which has cost millisons but  still doesn’t work ? I read some where recently that the cost is £600 million + (and rising).

Kind of makes If all current claimants took their fortnight’s holiday it would cost the public £165million rather cheap by comparison, doesn’t it ?

Joke – Q. What’s the difference between Universal Credit and an unemployed person ?

A. There’s a good chance that the unemployed person will work one day 🙂

I almost couldn’t bear to look at the comments section following the article – this being the Express – but was actually almost pleasently suprised. Either the hardcore Express readers are on holiday themselves  or there’s a guerilla infiltration going on.

One comment I particularly liked –