Adults Not looking for Work
Discussion
Came across this article this morning, was quite shocked:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68534537
9.2 million not working seems like a massive number.
They can't all be ill/disabled or early retired can they?
Anyway thought it might be worth some PH debate as to why this happening? it is it a bad thing? How to solve it? etc
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68534537
9.2 million not working seems like a massive number.
They can't all be ill/disabled or early retired can they?
Anyway thought it might be worth some PH debate as to why this happening? it is it a bad thing? How to solve it? etc
ntiz said:
Came across this article this morning, was quite shocked:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68534537
9.2 million not working seems like a massive number.
They can't all be ill/disabled or early retired can they?
Anyway thought it might be worth some PH debate as to why this happening? it is it a bad thing? How to solve it? etc
The article lists out a host of factors:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68534537
9.2 million not working seems like a massive number.
They can't all be ill/disabled or early retired can they?
Anyway thought it might be worth some PH debate as to why this happening? it is it a bad thing? How to solve it? etc
BBC article said: said:
But other groups placed in the bracket - defined differently to unemployment - by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) include students, people who look after family or a home, people with disabilities, and early retired and discouraged workers. More women tend to be classed as economically inactive compared to men.
ntiz said:
Anyway thought it might be worth some PH debate as to why this happening? it is it a bad thing? How to solve it? etc
The causes are given pretty clearly in that article, and more background and causal info is in the studies mentioned.- Long term illness that hasn't declined since the pandemic. Makes sense when a country flip-flops between 'herd immunity' and 'lockdown' strategies, so you end up with hundreds of thousands of people with either physical ailments (long covid) or mental health problems (depression, GAD etc.).
- Ludicrous childcare costs that soak up much of one partner's salary. If they want to have kids and work, one of them has to 'out earn' rising childcare costs to make it worth them returning to work rather than looking after their kid(s).
- An increasingly dysfunctional social care system that makes more people decide to quit working in order to look after family members (combined with stagnant wages that make living off a carer's allowance and tax breaks less of a hit than it might first seem).
- Early retirees/quiters. The pandemic caused a lot of people to reevaluate exactly what they needed and valued in life and so they've stopped work earlier than planned. Either by early retirement or realising that only one in a family needed to work.
- Generally: decreasing rewards (financial, professional, personal, material) for playing the game and working hard. Ever harder in fact, for companies that seem to post ever more profit and pay ever more dividend while cutting working settlements to the bone and squeezing more output from fewer employees.
2xChevrons said:
...Early retirees/quiters. The pandemic caused a lot of people to reevaluate exactly what they needed and valued in life and so they've stopped work earlier than planned. Either by early retirement or realising that only one in a family needed to work...
This is me. Lockdown made me realise I would not miss the "buzz" of the London office (nor the 2+ hour daily commute). For the first time in my adult life I had the time to observe my natural surroundings and realise that being outdoors and observing nature made me incredibly happy. I retired in my mid-40's and now do voluntary work for various local wildlife organisations.2xChevrons said:
The causes are given pretty clearly in that article, and more background and causal info is in the studies mentioned.
- Long term illness that hasn't declined since the pandemic. Makes sense when a country flip-flops between 'herd immunity' and 'lockdown' strategies, so you end up with hundreds of thousands of people with either physical ailments (long covid) or mental health problems (depression, GAD etc.).
- Ludicrous childcare costs that soak up much of one partner's salary. If they want to have kids and work, one of them has to 'out earn' rising childcare costs to make it worth them returning to work rather than looking after their kid(s).
- An increasingly dysfunctional social care system that makes more people decide to quit working in order to look after family members (combined with stagnant wages that make living off a carer's allowance and tax breaks less of a hit than it might first seem).
- Early retirees/quiters. The pandemic caused a lot of people to reevaluate exactly what they needed and valued in life and so they've stopped work earlier than planned. Either by early retirement or realising that only one in a family needed to work.
- Generally: decreasing rewards (financial, professional, personal, material) for playing the game and working hard. Ever harder in fact, for companies that seem to post ever more profit and pay ever more dividend while cutting working settlements to the bone and squeezing more output from fewer employees.
+ Over generous benefits culture, meaning some can game the system to not really need to work - whilst still affording iPhones, sky tv, notability cars and nice holidays. - Long term illness that hasn't declined since the pandemic. Makes sense when a country flip-flops between 'herd immunity' and 'lockdown' strategies, so you end up with hundreds of thousands of people with either physical ailments (long covid) or mental health problems (depression, GAD etc.).
- Ludicrous childcare costs that soak up much of one partner's salary. If they want to have kids and work, one of them has to 'out earn' rising childcare costs to make it worth them returning to work rather than looking after their kid(s).
- An increasingly dysfunctional social care system that makes more people decide to quit working in order to look after family members (combined with stagnant wages that make living off a carer's allowance and tax breaks less of a hit than it might first seem).
- Early retirees/quiters. The pandemic caused a lot of people to reevaluate exactly what they needed and valued in life and so they've stopped work earlier than planned. Either by early retirement or realising that only one in a family needed to work.
- Generally: decreasing rewards (financial, professional, personal, material) for playing the game and working hard. Ever harder in fact, for companies that seem to post ever more profit and pay ever more dividend while cutting working settlements to the bone and squeezing more output from fewer employees.
Hereward said:
2xChevrons said:
...Early retirees/quiters. The pandemic caused a lot of people to reevaluate exactly what they needed and valued in life and so they've stopped work earlier than planned. Either by early retirement or realising that only one in a family needed to work...
This is me. Lockdown made me realise I would not miss the "buzz" of the London office (nor the 2+ hour daily commute). For the first time in my adult life I had the time to observe my natural surroundings and realise that being outdoors and observing nature made me incredibly happy. I retired in my mid-40's and now do voluntary work for various local wildlife organisations.client to cancel all my work until further notice. I quickly realised that I had enough to retire and haven't worked since. I don't claim benefits of any sort, my time is my own and I've never been happier. Nothing could tempt me back into paid employment.
bennno said:
+ Over generous benefits culture, meaning some can game the system to not really need to work - whilst still affording iPhones, sky tv, notability cars and nice holidays.
Have you ever had to navigate the benefits system? I don’t think that many would describe it as overly generous.I had to go to the job centre today and agree to jump through a bunch of job seekers hoops so my partner won’t lose their disability benefits. (I’m looking for a job anyway, I have to keep them in the loop for some reason)
Another public service where the experience of the people using it and the perception of the people who don’t are markedly different.
Subject was discussed in another thread recently, the title of which may throw some light on the matter: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
2xChevrons said:
<snip>
- Early retirees/quiters. The pandemic caused a lot of people to reevaluate exactly what they needed and valued in life and so they've stopped work earlier than planned. Either by early retirement or realising that only one in a family needed to work.
.
Yep, in 2021 when I was 54 and had been working from home for a year, just thought I don't need to or want to do this anymore. Can't say I miss it. - Early retirees/quiters. The pandemic caused a lot of people to reevaluate exactly what they needed and valued in life and so they've stopped work earlier than planned. Either by early retirement or realising that only one in a family needed to work.
.
Olivera said:
bennno said:
+ Over generous benefits culture, meaning some can game the system to not really need to work - whilst still affording iPhones, sky tv, notability cars and nice holidays.
+1. Malingerers will malinger.Hants PHer said:
Hereward said:
2xChevrons said:
...Early retirees/quiters. The pandemic caused a lot of people to reevaluate exactly what they needed and valued in life and so they've stopped work earlier than planned. Either by early retirement or realising that only one in a family needed to work...
This is me. Lockdown made me realise I would not miss the "buzz" of the London office (nor the 2+ hour daily commute). For the first time in my adult life I had the time to observe my natural surroundings and realise that being outdoors and observing nature made me incredibly happy. I retired in my mid-40's and now do voluntary work for various local wildlife organisations.client to cancel all my work until further notice. I quickly realised that I had enough to retire and haven't worked since. I don't claim benefits of any sort, my time is my own and I've never been happier. Nothing could tempt me back into paid employment.
September 2019, I got pissed off with my job, and just quit. Was going to take 6 months or a year off and think about finding a job. Soon realised I had no need to work. COVID hit and I had no choice. I enjoyed my life without work, simple things like walking the dog, spending time outside or on my bike. Yep I will never be rich, but now 5 and bit years later I still have no want to work. My investments are keeping pace with my spending, the only difference is I don't just buy silly cars on a whim any more. 60 years old now so I can call it early retirement.
I gave up working because:
I know that as I get older I'll feel the effects of hard physical work more than in the past.
Taxation plus ever-increasing bureaucracy makes it less worthwhile than it once was (IR35 a perfect example, also MTD etc).
I have enough money for my needs (I don't sponge off benefits) and value my time.
Clients are increasingly unrealistic in their demands & what they're willing to pay for them.
I do the occasional little gig for previous clients that I like but no new business.
I know that as I get older I'll feel the effects of hard physical work more than in the past.
Taxation plus ever-increasing bureaucracy makes it less worthwhile than it once was (IR35 a perfect example, also MTD etc).
I have enough money for my needs (I don't sponge off benefits) and value my time.
Clients are increasingly unrealistic in their demands & what they're willing to pay for them.
I do the occasional little gig for previous clients that I like but no new business.
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff