Beggars, homeless, street drinkers & drug users in Sheffield!

I know, I know! It's bad....in my defence though it's a typing issue- when i type on my phone, I can't use the keys properly.....not a spelling issue!

 

Apologies though!

Actsepted.

I don't have any figures, my experience is anecdotal and to some extent self-selecting, in that the people we help where I work are people for whom something has gone wrong. What I can say is that from my experience it's not an infrequent occurrence, and that's because (and I can say this with confidence) employers often over-promise to agency and zero hour contract workers.

 

A common scenario is that someone applies for a ZHC job and are told by the employer that they can expect a regular 35 - 40 hours per week. And then what happens is that they get offered that amount in the first week and maybe the second week. Then the next week it's not so much, maybe 20 hours. At this point the worker doesn't have enough to pay all their bills, rent and council tax and they get jittery. But the employer says they've got some more work coming up next week, so they hold on. But the next week has even less hours, maybe zero. But the worker is still getting promise of a big spike in work coming up so they hold out for another week. But the next week is the same. At this point they decide to bail out and sign on, but by now they are nearly a month behind with the rent and they have council tax arrears. Often they have borrowed from family and friends (or if they don't have those who can loan to them, a payday loan company) for daily essentials. And they have 7 waiting days before they can make a JSA claim, and when they get their first payment they have to pay back people they have borrowed from, or the loan from the payday lender is escalating in interest.

 

All this suits the employers - often they will recruit to ZHCs at a time when they have got some extra work coming up, but often that is only for a few weeks, but they know they won't entice many people with the required attributes unless they inflate the amount of work available. And because the amount of work they have coming up isn't always predictable it suits them to have a pool of available labour that they either use or not.

 

Workers who have been through this cycle tend to avoid going for similar employment again. And at work we advise people to be very cautious of taking these contracts. And for part-time work on conventional contracts of around 12-13 hours per weeks we do a 'better off calculation' which often shows that the person will be worse off in work - but we find that despite our advice people still take these hours or ZHCs because, despite what the right wing media keep telling us, people really want to work, even if it makes them worse off - they hope that once they've got their toe in the door, extra hours will follow. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

 

All of this fuels personal debt, puts people at risk of homelessness (especially those with private landlords) and puts demand on food banks and other charity-provided services. We just get busier and busier.

Good post.

I've come across many many people with stories very similar to this.

Which is why I get so mad at statements like ECCOnoob's 'Any work is better than NO work' etc. when it clearly isn't, if it leaves you deeply in debt or homeless.

People need proper jobs paying a regular wage if they are to survive and stay solvant

Zero hours contracts are a disgrace really. How they've been allowed to happen is beyond me - essentially they are just a way for employers to rip up all employment law.

 

I would urge anyone even considering one to think again. You're genuinely better off unemployed - at least then you can budget; you know how much you are getting each week and can live within your limited means. With zero hours contracts there is nothing but constant fear.

The Tories are happy to have them, as they're a convenient way of massaging the unemployment figures. Something like two million workers are now on zero hour contracts - and growing.

Good post.

I've come across many many people with stories very similar to this.

Which is why I get so mad at statements like ECCOnoob's 'Any work is better than NO work' etc. when it clearly isn't, if it leaves you deeply in debt or homeless.

People need proper jobs paying a regular wage if they are to survive and stay solvant

However ZHC are perfect for uni students or people that want a side job. So its not a one size fits all. If you are a person that requires and needs a permanent job then my advice would be ZHC would not be the right job for you.

I don't have any figures, my experience is anecdotal and to some extent self-selecting, in that the people we help where I work are people for whom something has gone wrong. What I can say is that from my experience it's not an infrequent occurrence, and that's because (and I can say this with confidence) employers often over-promise to agency and zero hour contract workers.

 

A common scenario is that someone applies for a ZHC job and are told by the employer that they can expect a regular 35 - 40 hours per week. And then what happens is that they get offered that amount in the first week and maybe the second week. Then the next week it's not so much, maybe 20 hours. At this point the worker doesn't have enough to pay all their bills, rent and council tax and they get jittery. But the employer says they've got some more work coming up next week, so they hold on. But the next week has even less hours, maybe zero. But the worker is still getting promise of a big spike in work coming up so they hold out for another week. But the next week is the same. At this point they decide to bail out and sign on, but by now they are nearly a month behind with the rent and they have council tax arrears. Often they have borrowed from family and friends (or if they don't have those who can loan to them, a payday loan company) for daily essentials. And they have 7 waiting days before they can make a JSA claim, and when they get their first payment they have to pay back people they have borrowed from, or the loan from the payday lender is escalating in interest.

 

All this suits the employers - often they will recruit to ZHCs at a time when they have got some extra work coming up, but often that is only for a few weeks, but they know they won't entice many people with the required attributes unless they inflate the amount of work available. And because the amount of work they have coming up isn't always predictable it suits them to have a pool of available labour that they either use or not.

 

Workers who have been through this cycle tend to avoid going for similar employment again. And at work we advise people to be very cautious of taking these contracts. And for part-time work on conventional contracts of around 12-13 hours per weeks we do a 'better off calculation' which often shows that the person will be worse off in work - but we find that despite our advice people still take these hours or ZHCs because, despite what the right wing media keep telling us, people really want to work, even if it makes them worse off - they hope that once they've got their toe in the door, extra hours will follow. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

 

All of this fuels personal debt, puts people at risk of homelessness (especially those with private landlords) and puts demand on food banks and other charity-provided services. We just get busier and busier.

A very moving illustration of this was the dramatisation on BBC, last night, of the true tale of Jerome Rogers.

Jerome hanged himself after being unable to come to terms with debts and bailiffs all compounded by a punitive ZHC courier job that often only gave him a net pay of less than £50 per week.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/may/26/debt-collecting-bailiffs-traffic-fine-suicide-jerome-rogers

Which is tragic. And had it gone slightly differently he might have turned to drink and ended up living on the street and begging.

Which is tragic. And had it gone slightly differently he might have turned to drink and ended up living on the street and begging.

Exactly, too many people fail to understand the reasons for homelessness.

Exactly, too many people fail to understand the reasons for homelessness.

most reasons for being homeless is, thats how they want it, scc went round Sheffield talking to the HOMELESS people offering them support

including accommodation they did not want it and offered various reasons including not wanting the responsibility.

there are "beggars" and homeless people

You've just seen the story of someone who killed themselves over sanctions and debt, yet you can't see how the guy could have spiralled into homelessness instead?

Not wanting to engage with the powers that be is part and parcel of being homeless, they don't trust them, they've often contributed to them being homeless in the first place, or they place conditions on the help, such as no drinking, when drinking is a medical addiction and/or the only thing that gets them through the day.

The Tories are happy to have them, as they're a convenient way of massaging the unemployment figures. Something like two million workers are now on zero hour contracts - and growing.

There's also the issue that a lot of the people at the heads of the institutions getting rich from them are major political donors.

---------- Post added 19-07-2018 at 11:43 ----------

However ZHC are perfect for uni students or people that want a side job. So its not a one size fits all. If you are a person that requires and needs a permanent job then my advice would be ZHC would not be the right job for you.

Casual jobs would (and did for many years) fill that role though. And would continue to do so if ZHC were made illegal.

---------- Post added 19-07-2018 at 11:46 ----------

Good post.

I've come across many many people with stories very similar to this.

Which is why I get so mad at statements like ECCOnoob's 'Any work is better than NO work' etc. when it clearly isn't, if it leaves you deeply in debt or homeless.

People need proper jobs paying a regular wage if they are to survive and stay solvant

I don't think they even have the most basic understanding of what a ZHC is - which is probably the same for a lot of people, sadly. I always think you can live on very small amounts (such as the dole) for brief periods as long as you can budget and know what you will be receiving. Remove that stability and you've got serious problems. The notion that people on the dole are lazy and idle is an old one - and incredibly untrue. Having been on the dole in the past I saw nothing but people desperately trying to get back into employment, against all the odds. A lot simply are unemployable - but they were all trying, and all keen to work.

I've just seen a lovely man on TV, who is disabled and on benefits, who uses part of this meagre allowance to make cheese sandwiches and flasks of tea to give out to the homeless people in his area at night. He has several regulars as well as newcomers.

Now I know he does it partly because it makes him feel better, ('there are always people worse off than you...') but at least he doesn't sit at home denying there are any 'real' homeless, and begrudging every penny. He literally goes without himself, to do what he can to help others.

Please take note.

It restored my faith in human nature.

I've just seen a lovely man on TV, who is disabled and on benefits, who uses part of this meagre allowance to make cheese sandwiches and flasks of tea to give out to the homeless people in his area at night. He has several regulars as well as newcomers.

 

Now I know he does it partly because it makes him feel better, ('there are always people worse off than you...') but at least he doesn't sit at home denying there are any 'real' homeless, and begrudging every penny. He literally goes without himself, to do what he can to help others.

 

Please take note.

 

It restored my faith in human nature.

This chap sounds like a decent man. Hes on benefits yet he is giving back to the community. He isnt sat around begging taking spice. Yet these "so called" homeless victims of society who blaming everyone but themselves for their lot in life take spice beg and become aggressive. They should take a leaf out of this guys books.