Imagine this situation if you can. You have no money either because your sanctioned or your income is so low that you don’t have a spare penny. You are forced to attend your local work programme provider and have to attend everyday from 8.30am until 5pm. You are told that you have to spend all that time looking on their computers if there is one available for non existent jobs, which prevent you from going out and looking for real work. You feel demoralised, depressed and feel that your future is going nowhere. Let’s just add this to the equation. Your work programme provider refuses to provide you with even a glass of water. You have no money to bring sandwiches and haven’t got enough money to bring a flask. You ask for a drink and they say no we aren’t going to provide anyone with a drink. You aren’t allowed any real breaks and those with food have to eat it at the computer. Those without food and a drink look longingly at the people eating and drinking wishing that they could have a drink. By now they are dehydrated and the smell of cooked food from the cafe on the lower floor is really getting to you. So near but so far away.
Sounds like a chapter from a book by Engles or Charles Dickens but unfortunately it isn’t. This is an everyday reality at a local work programme provider in my town. I know it to be true because I know a person attending quite well. This person will be making extra sandwiches for hungry people. They are lucky enough to be able to afford to make them. In my eyes this is a cruelty behind words. Just question this and say is this right? Should this be happening? What can we do to change this?
The poor side of life 
Reblogged this on Jay's Journal and commented:
This is against the law. Water has to be provided where people are going to be staying for more than an hour or so. Meal and toilet breaks are the law. If it’s an 8.30am start, then it’s an hour for lunch with two 15 minute tea breaks, 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.
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Hi again, here is the link I mention above ;-D
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Several problems with thus approach from the “work provider” in question. Problem one, it is actually illegal to not include official breaks – this rule does NOT only apply to paid work placements, but also, to training and educational schemes. Problem two, access should ALWAYS be available to (at the very least) water. The provider should be reported, initially to the facists (oops) erm, I mean DWP, with copies to the local MP, Secretary of State and the chair of the relevant House of Commons committee. The make up of Commons committees can be found on the yougov site I think. Glenda Jackson sits on the committee dealing with the DWP – in fact, I recently watched a you tube video of her ripping the smeg out of Esther McVey – well worth a watch – I will go find a link 😉
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Thanks Paul
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Criminals have a right in law to regular toilet breaks and water or tea breaks when being interviewed in police stations.
An office worker has the right under health and safety law, to free drinkable water in a hygienic site, not in a toilet.
Jobcentres are neither providing water nor toilets.
Now we see neither are work programmes.
Dehydration causes serious medical health consequences.
Prlonged computer use also causes medical health consequences.
Now wonder someone called the UK state ‘waterboarding’ its population into a form of debt prison, a workhouse (picking oakum – ie worthless time-wasting occupation as a punishment for the crime of poverty).
There is a way to escape this cruelty and that is on my website:
http://www.anastasia-england.me.uk
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Reblogged this on Britain Isn't Eating.
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Reblogged this on Citizens, not serfs.
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