Monday, July 30, 2007

Where do I buy my dole money from?

So my befuddlement about the Government, or more specifcally, the taxman, calling me a "customer" is documented already, but I've just received a press release that has knocked me over. It's from the Department for Work and Pensions about the Postal strikes and says,
During the industrial action by Royal Mail staff from 30 July until 8 August payments to a small minority of customers will be affected.

The vast majority of customers have their payment made directly into a bank or building society account. These payments will not be affected and will be paid into accounts as normal.

Customers who are paid by cheque will not receive their payment through the post to their home address during the dispute. Instead, cheques will be sent by courier to the Post Office nearest to their home address.
So now, not only are you called a customer when you pay the taxman, but if you're on bloody benefits taking free money from the state you're a customer too? Seriously, being a customer implies that you are purchasing goods or services. Remind me, where is the purchase in the benefit claim? Or are they offsetting the tax payments as the "purchase" in order to define people who take tax credits as customers?

Yes yes, I know this sounds awfully ranty, but come on, if you're on the dole you're not a bloody customer of the DWP. You're an unemployed person, probably with Sky (but not the movies package just yet).

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

As I understood it, you get unemployment benefit because you have made the relevent national insurance contribution.

So as the people claiming for flood damage from teir insurers are customers so people getting unemployment are.

That said if you get income support or other benefits, these do not imply having worked first.

That said the term customer is clearly over used.

dizzy said...

You can get unemployment beneift without ever having worked

S said...

As for the Sky comment, I think you are wrong on this Dizzy, I believe the majority will have the movies package. Of course they won't of paid Sky for the privilege, they would of paid 'Bill from The Crown' £20, for a chip so they can get all the channels for free.

Anonymous said...

Dizzy, Actually I am sure you can't. You can get the equivalent cash in income support, but to qualify for unemployment (a fairly old benefit) you do have to have made NI contributions.

dizzy said...

I know people that have never worked that have signed on. But you are quibbling here, because even if you're right, who pays Income Support out? that would be the DWP where the customer epiphet persist.

flashgordonnz said...

Seriously, don't get the movie package. Your mum will only ring half way through wanting to have a deep and meaningful about yer fathers state of health.