Debt help: 'Thousands' claim unemployment benefits

18/02/2010

Debt management
could help the thousands of additional people who have been forced to claim unemployment benefit.

The number of people who are applying for Job Seeker's benefit rose by 23,500 between December 2009 and January 2010, the Office for National Statistics reported.

This means that there are currently 1.64 million people claiming the allowance - the highest number since April 1997.

People who have been forced out of work and on to benefits are facing another threat as scammers are taking advantage of those in need of work.
The Office of Fair Trading has identified 'work from home' scams as the most common type of con in Britain today.

Scammers are promising work but first asking for a sign-up fee.

However, after paying the fee many people find that there was no work to be had in the first place and they have lost their money.

Heather Clayton, senior director of the OFT's consumer group, commented: "We are seeing an increasing volume of work from home and business opportunities scams. People who are struggling financially may be particularly vulnerable to these types of scams.

"Genuine work from home schemes should tell you in writing exactly what you will be expected to do, how much you will be paid and how and when you will be paid."

Posted by Jim Mead

Tags; Job loss,

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