Hard times

[chaser]

Don't know if some people are talking this hard times up or what, but I don't know anyone who is hard up through covid, but I know plenty who have had 6 months at home on almost full wages, when you take in to account travel and things and doing very well thank you.
Pubs are a good example, pleading poverty, our local has never had a better three months, 20 grand in the bank no staff to pay ,no electric, no toilet cleaning, very nice thank you. So then what , another handout ,paying folks to go in them, another big payday.
Don't know where it is going to end but to say it's been hard yet, is pure bull....

 

[Rachelc]

Don't know if some people are talking this hard times up or what, but I don't know anyone who is hard up through covid, but I know plenty who have had 6 months at home on almost full wages, when you take in to account travel and things and doing very well thank you.
Pubs are a good example, pleading poverty, our local has never had a better three months, 20 grand in the bank no staff to pay ,no electric, no toilet cleaning, very nice thank you. So then what , another handout ,paying folks to go in them, another big payday.
Don't know where it is going to end but to say it's been hard yet, is pure bull....

A parent of a child I know killed themselves after being made redundant. Clearly had existing mental health issues, but covid and being made redundant pushed them over the edge. Really really sad.

In the first lockdown my husband was notionally put on a 4 day week and took a 20% pay cut, we aren't entitled to any government support and he was working 7 days a week. The employer took the benefit there. We can cushion the blow but some people put in that position may not if they live to their means. Many people do live to their means.

Many working parents couldn't work because of child care issues in the first lockdown. People working in the gig economy were not supported (you can argue that as they don't pay tax as they are not tax payers) but that doesn't mean they weren't worse off for the pandemic.

So no it's not bull that it's been hard.

Even Conservative politicians accept that it has been and continues to be hard.

 

[Eggs]

You’re no different to anybody else, just me me me. You’re the only one in the world with problems and want lots of money from the government and expect others to pay for it with extra tax. Everyone has it rough not just you. Why I cannot have money but you can , why are you more entitled ?

I've already explained, I was entitled to a tax payer grant, I don't expect to get anymore tax payer money and I'm in the lucky position to have personal savings.

I haven't said at any stage I want more, all I've done is explain how it's been for people who are self employed. Some have been lucky and it hasn't affected them, like the chap I mentioned earlier with a new van setup, others haven't been so lucky like yourself. So, if you could read what I've actually wrote rather than interpretations what you think I've wrote you might see I haven't wrote any of the above.

 

[Snowbird]

I just do not understand what some are complaining about. I never worked for another man in my life, always self employed. When the UK gave Hong Kong back to the Chinese the Gardner diesel engine export died over night...,No government help.
When they stopped the export of MOT failiers to Malta that trade died over night...No government help.
When the Iraq war started the Middle East trade stopped over night...No government help.
When the old Commy Bloc east European countries came into the EU and we were flooded with cheap haulage companies poaching our work the European trade died over night...No government help.
We just had to diversify and get on with it or go under. Of course it did help if you were not up to the neck to the bank .

 

[Odd-no-more]

We have had builders on here talking about making a thousand pounds a week, what the hell has happened to it.

That's not great money if it's your business and you have to pay for equipment. Most trades are on about £200 a day as self employed, but that has to cover traveling, tools, holiday pay, registration fees and these days most trades have to re qualify every 5 years. Leaving most with average earnings.

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[RobL]

I do feel very lucky that I decided to retire a year before state retirement age, I had been planning for this for 4 years maximising pension contributions into my personal pension. I was getting really tired of both the changing job and certain staff playing games with others careers to the point where we had 110% turnover in support staff in 2018/19 so couldn’t do my job properly for my clients.
finance wise I take withdrawals from Personal pension and I have a 10 year settlement being paid to me by my old firm. As long as they carry on paying me for the full 10 yrs. We will be better off income wise next year when we both start to receive state pension.
my point is that to a great degree we are cushioned against this financial turmoil that many are suffering, and In a sense I am happy to have moved on to give another a job which should be secure for him.
we are supporting certain charities but we want to enjoy life whilst we are fit enough physically if at present mentally both of us not so good.
I just hope that this pandemic easies soon to enable all that want to work can do.

Retired on private pension and 18 months away from state pension. The State Pension age could be lowered from 66 to 65 and so give those that can afford it to retire and so release jobs for younger people.

 

[Rachelc]

Retired on private pension and 18 months away from state pension. The State Pension age could be lowered from 66 to 65 and so give those that can afford it to retire and so release jobs for younger people.

That won't happen, the government won't supplement the ageing population. The retirement age is going to increase.

 

[Odd-no-more]

Don't know if some people are talking this hard times up or what, but I don't know anyone who is hard up through covid, but I know plenty who have had 6 months at home on almost full wages, when you take in to account travel and things and doing very well thank you.
Pubs are a good example, pleading poverty, our local has never had a better three months, 20 grand in the bank no staff to pay ,no electric, no toilet cleaning, very nice thank you. So then what , another handout ,paying folks to go in them, another big payday.
Don't know where it is going to end but to say it's been hard yet, is pure bull....

My daughter has got by on £100 a week from universal credit, it's only because she has been sensible with money in the past that she has survived.

 

[Larrynwin]

Daughter and sil live with us both frontline workers so no income problems and we are comfortable with pensions and savings so fortunately for us no problem.
I feel for those that are struggling mentally and financially , in the past we went through times of hardship following redundancy and it hurts.

 

[Ivory55]

That's not great money if it's your business and you have to pay for equipment. Most trades are on about £200 a day as self employed, but that has to cover traveling, tools, holiday pay, registration fees and these days most trades have to re qualify every 5 years. Leaving most with average earnings.

As a paye employee, I have to pay for own ppe, cpc, drivers medical and I am not even on half that money.

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[gus-lopez]

We have had builders on here talking about making a thousand pounds a week, what the hell has happened to it.

I think you will find that was the going rate many years ago For many s/e jobs yo wouldn't be able to keep both ends in sight.

If these companies want finance they will have to show good workings to the lender which is usually, but not always their own bank, you can't just go over doing your forecasts when you are dealing with the bank your money gets paid into.

Plenty of ways around it.

Now I have got to argue this one, my son works in quarrys in the digger maintenance side , I have many friends who own their own diggers, and builders, they have been pulled out of the place , non stop.
Try and get a builder, oh next year now ,mate.
We have diggers here what we use ourselves, and could have worked with them all through if we wanted but can't get anyone with enough h&s certificates to drive them.

Many s/e jobs require not only licences bt specialist eqipment that you get no retiurn on bt cannot do the ob withot it. if you can't get a decent hourly rate or price you are soon working for not a lot.

That's not great money if it's your business and you have to pay for equipment.

Exactly !
I used to use £200/diesel a week 30 years back. At the oitset there was no milage either so it all came out the rate for the ob.

he State Pension age could be lowered from 66 to 65 and so give those that can afford it to retire and so release jobs for younger people.

Bu they wouldn't ,just take the extra monet &keep working mainly. Only way to do it would be a fixed retirment age or leave it as it is & once a person reaches retirement age for state pension then they cannot legally work.

As a paye employee, I have to pay for own ppe, cpc, drivers medical and I am not even on half that money.

Then your firm is actin illegally .They are required to supply all that. as for the money my wife didn't earn half that either but also had to work 22 hrs/day 7 days /week for it as a live -in carer.


Alhtough I gave up work 20 years ago even I know 1k /week as self employed with overheads you would be out of business in no time. Obviously dependent on type of bsiness
My elsest bro-on-law runs a contract flooring business & I remember him moaning to me in 2005 that he was paying his self employed carpet fitters 1k a week then & the wood floor layers 2k !!! Another thing I could never get my head around was they were all self employed , had no real outlay for anything & he even used to supply them with vans . & That they treated like shite.
My mate here who moved in 2004 needed an hourly rate of £20 just to pay the liability insurances. That's 800/week before you pay any other expense or get an income.

 

[Ivory55]

Well then there is an awful lot of firms out there that have you buy your own ppe etc, and not all small firms.

 

[chaser]

So I give up I feel sorry for all you folks that can't manage on more per week than I manage on for a month.

 

[Rachelc]

So I give up I feel sorry for all you folks that can't manage on more per week than I manage on for a month.

But do you still have a mortgage/ property costs?

 

[CazPaul]

It depends on what circles you move in, some supposed financial expert was on the radio months ago saying that a million quid wasn't enough to retire on these days.

Me and Caz looked at each other flabbergasted, incredible.

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[mitzimad]

flat money working for a company on paye as a plumber is about £700 a week thats with them providing a van phone insurance uniform holiday pay for 28 days pension contributions national insurance
so going from that to self employed for a grand a week would be pointless

 

[gus-lopez]

It depends on what circles you move in, some supposed financial expert was on the radio months ago saying that a million quid wasn't enough to retire on these days.

Me and Caz looked at each other flabbergasted, incredible.

Yes that has always amazed me? They must work on the basis that you only spend the income from the million & need to draw less than inflation so that it increases the pot each year so that when you die there will still be more than you had?

M e I worked on the basis that I packed in work at 48 & lived on the money from the sale of the house until state pension started last year. Was based on the wife getting her pension in 2015 but that got put back. & no the money from the house sale wasn't a huge amount & nor was it invested in anyway. Just drawn & amount reduced.

 

[royw]

We are presently in France and looking at houses to come back to the UK, we are finding poor choice even at higher levels, so we will probably rent and wait for the inevitable crash, once the government stops picking up the tab and reality hits home there has to be a reset.

 

[dna]

I've been following this thread with interest as I changed from being a full time employee of a big national company to self employed in 2018. Here is our position as an example of so many small businesses, especially in the hospitability industry.

Changing to running our own guest house meant moving from our old house to a seaside location where we could attract guests. So our home and business are one and the same. We normally accept guests from the beginning of February and work everyday until the end of November.

By my reckoning that is 303 days a year (304 in this leap year ). This year we have been allowed to work for 131 days, 81 of those at reduced capacity, - just over 40% of the previous year

We've also been allowed to defer the capital repayment on our mortgage (but will have to pay extra to catch up on that next year), had a grant from the local authority and cut back on everything we can (eg heating thermostat down and totally off in as many rooms as possible)

Hopefully we can keep going until April, our current guess for when we next be able to accept guests - we do have some money in reserve.

Best wishes to you all - keep safe and well, fingers crossed that 2021 is the time that the Virus is brought under control

 

[busbuddy]

Pubs are a good example, pleading poverty, our local has never had a better three months, 20 grand in the bank no staff to pay ,no electric, no toilet cleaning, very nice thank you.

Really!!!!!! I mean really? They will have thrown a ton of beer away, then bottled stuff will be unsaleable
My favourite local will never open again....ever
My partner knows all 5 landlords in the village, all are suffering and 2 more might never open back up
To open up you have to pay staff full wage or pay redundancy and cover that with lower income because of less footfall
The 'covid loan' is temporary and all 5 landlords around here didn't do it as it would be like factoring, the slippery slope to extinction

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[chaser]

Our local sold all its spare beer , take away, my daughter worked for them and had the furlough payments then went back when the government started paying folks to go back in, when that finished they sacked her because they went slack, but set their two daughters on, so now they was aware this was coming so run down their beer and from tomorrow the whole family will be on furlough and whatever handouts come along.
Crazy .
Remember this is a pub that was lucky to have half a dozen in loads of nights before covid.

 

[CazPaul]

I really feel for people who havnt a job now or any money, it's terrible been there.
Family member with their own business, small lock up on an industrial estate, never stopped working at all throughout all this and couldn't believe all they had to do was fill a form in and get 10 grand put into their bank account, all free of charge, don't have to pay it back she said. 10 grand for putting your name and address down they said.

 

[Eggs]

I really feel for people who havnt a job now or any money, it's terrible been there.
Family member with their own business, small lock up on an industrial estate, never stopped working at all throughout all this and couldn't believe all they had to do was fill a form in and get 10 grand put into their bank account, all free of charge, don't have to pay it back she said. 10 grand for putting your name and address down they said.

That must of been the rateable value grant?, I'm fairly sure none of the other grants paid £10k, I'm not sure about Cbils, but I think all the other grants topped out at around £6.5k

 

[Rachelc]

I really feel for people who havnt a job now or any money, it's terrible been there.
Family member with their own business, small lock up on an industrial estate, never stopped working at all throughout all this and couldn't believe all they had to do was fill a form in and get 10 grand put into their bank account, all free of charge, don't have to pay it back she said. 10 grand for putting your name and address down they said.

On what basis have they applied for this money?

There is no free money unless there has been a loss?

Sounds fraudulent to me to be honest!


Edited -

Just seen that this is the rateable value grant.

But I think you are angry with the wrong people. If you believe that money is being unfairly distributed contact your MP, don't assume that no one is struggling on the basis that some are taking advantage.

 

[Rachelc]

Also this money is available , it doesn't mean that it has to be applied for.

How is this different from so called benefits scroungers?

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[Eggs]

On what basis have they applied for this money?

There is no free money unless there has been a loss?

Sounds fraudulent to me to be honest!


Edited -

Just seen that this is the rateable value grant.

But I think you are angry with the wrong people. If you believe that money is being unfairly distributed contact your MP, don't assume that no one is struggling on the basis that some are taking advantage.

The thing is most of the application forms for these grants were really badly worded.

Q. has your business been affected by Covid-19

A. Yes.

Ok, you can get a grant, no questions asked.

Not even, "by how much has your business affected". Same went for the BBL so I'm told.

 

[chaser]

The pub I am on about got two lots of 10 grand all above board.

 

[chaser]

Also this money is available , it doesn't mean that it has to be applied for.

How is this different from so called benefits scroungers?

Cause it has to be applied for, if you have lost money and this is to make it up, why would you not apply for it?

 

[Rachelc]

The pub I am on about got two lots of 10 grand all above board.

Write to your MP, that is disgraceful but it doesn't mean that others haven't suffered.

 

[chaser]

Really!!!!!! I mean really? They will have thrown a ton of beer away, then bottled stuff will be unsaleable
My favourite local will never open again....ever
My partner knows all 5 landlords in the village, all are suffering and 2 more might never open back up
To open up you have to pay staff full wage or pay redundancy and cover that with lower income because of less footfall
The 'covid loan' is temporary and all 5 landlords around here didn't do it as it would be like factoring, the slippery slope to extinction

It's not a loan it's a grant.

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