“This sounds like just another urban myth. I doubt it really happened.”

“Believe me Andrew it DID happen. This is personal experience from one of my family and they have NO reason to exaggerate.

Which part of the post do you suggest is an "urban myth" ?
Unemployed, HGV, Handouts to foreign holiday makers which ?

To extrapolate on this they are also going to lose their house as they cannot pay the mortgage, interest, utilities or rates. I have assisted for the last 12 months but my savings are now depleted. The property is up for sale and will shortly be reclaimed by the Bank !

They have been told they will just be "thrown out" of their house with no alternative accommodation offered or paid for by the state ! No financial assistance will be given from the state !

As stated in the main post !
Is this the fairness for all, and our Big Society that our government is continuously pushing ?”

“The problem with your original post is that it is so much like so many urban myths about people coming to this country and getting state handouts. Usually these stories are not true. No-one has ever offered convincing, accurate, proof that this happens. Hearsay is not proof.

I'm sorry that your son is unemployed, especially in such difficult times. There is help available for people in his situation. Get the information and talk to the mortgage holders. But don't post about foreign holiday makers going to the UK and getting handouts. It doesn't happen and detracts/undermines the real issues of unemployment in the UK.

This sort of story plays into the hands of the mindless extremists in the UK, and does not help anyone.”

“And don't believe the sensationalist press' stories about being 'given' £2 million houses. Even a cursory read of the articles show that this is not true.”

“WHY would this person post a lie Andrew Braga? What would the point be? We are handing money out to foreigner's left right and centre and sending billions to India and Africa whilst our own people battle and lose their homes through no fault of their own!We need to pull out of Afghanistan and STOP sending aid to anywhere.We need to stop foreigners coming here and using our country as a toilet.Everyone walks into this country.Try walking into Australia without a trade or profession.We need to get back our pride in our country and we need to spend money to create jobs.Why can 't we manufacture cheap reliable electric vehicles or anything else using modern technology.We invented Jet Engines,Radar,Jet Airliners,Pneumatic tyres! Are we going to just become a great big museum full of relics of what we were once,dreaming of our former glories?”

“The bottom line on this original letter is that, for whatever reason, the poster has said something that is demonstrably not true about an Indian lady getting money for her holiday in the UK. As to why the poster would say it, I don't know. But I can be pretty certain that before long there will be a lot of posts that are saying something along the lines of 'England for the English, send the foreigners back'. Perhaps that is the point of the original letter, to encourage the fascists to come out of the woodwork.

I am amazed that people are falling for this. A quick google will show you that she is not entitled to any money from the state.

Africanmeggy, how do you manage to conflate your arguments to that of the original letter? There seems to be a huge jump in what was said and your rather odd conclusions. I am against the war in Afghanistan, but don't see how it relates to the letter, nor is there any obvious link between the UK's history and this situation. If, and I'm sorry that the person has lost his job, the son is going to lose his house there is a lot that could have been done. The system does not just simply throw someone out after just a few weeks of unemployment. It often takes months and years to do so. There are safety nets in place to stop this happening. There is a lot more behind this loss of house than has been said here.”

“As a visitor the Indian lady's visa will be endorsed 'No recourse to public funds'. This means exactly what it says, she will get nothing. It seems, therefore, that this part of the original letter's story is at best wrong! One cannot help but wonder what the writer's intent is.”

“Andrew stated:-
1)"If, and I'm sorry that the person has lost his job, the son is going to lose his house there is a lot that could have been done.
2) The system does not just simply throw someone out after just a few weeks of unemployment. It often takes months and years to do so.
3) There are safety nets in place to stop this happening. There is a lot more behind this loss of house than has been said here."

Reply:-
Andrew you appear to be well informed. Could you please include information in your post regarding "what can be done" ?
1) Thank you for that
2) For the last 2 years they have been to and fro to the "citizens advice" which did enable them to pay "interest only" on their mortgage. This has been reviewed four times by the bank, and still holds after 2 years.
3) What safety nets please explain ? Any suggestions will be followed up.
After 13 weeks of claiming jobseekers allowance. he was told he has exhausted his benefits ! = After paying in for 35 years ? I Don't think so !

Any constructive suggestions will be searched.
Contrary to your post at 4:13 PM I can categorically assure you that this is true and was witnessed by my son in law. Whether this was passed onto the welfare office, or whoever deals with this, I cannot guarantee.”

“AfricanMeggy

At least we appear to be on the same wave length.
Aid, Tax money would be better spent in the UK for the UK in these tough times.

Any work my son in law is sent to he discovers that 90% of the drivers are there under foreign contracts and are paid below the minimum wage. They also don't have a tachograph fitted to their trucks.”

“First things first, it does seem as if your son is having a dreadful time, I sincerely hope that he can come through it without too much more trouble. Although I have been very fortunate in most recent years, I have been in that situation so do understand.

There is information about assistance with mortgage interest payments here: http://tinyurl.com/36h2d8y

and here: http://tinyurl.com/7tpn4pr

I truly hope that this helps. Also, because your son cannot get unemployment benefit does not mean that he can have no benefits. I am no longer privy to all the current information and would advise that he gets information about this from an up to date source. But there is help available out there, finding it is not always easy.

With regard to the part about the Indian lady, no, she will get NO help from the government. before being issued with a visa she will have been expected to show she had the means to support herself during the visit. She will not be given any governmental help.”

“Andrew thank you for the below it will be passed on to my daughter and son in law.

http://tinyurl.com/36h2d8y
If you are a homeowner and get certain income-related benefits, (they get none) you may qualify for help towards your mortgage interest payments. This is payable as part of your benefit (they cannot get any benefits at all there income is NILL) and is called Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI). Find out if you qualify and how to claim SMI.

SMI – what it is and who can get it
You may get help with mortgage interest payments as part of your benefits, if you are a homeowner and are getting:
•Income Support
•income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
•income-related Employment and Support Allowance
•Pension Credit

Andrew
As previously stated they get no financial support as stated on the page above. Without this they cannot progress further with any claim or support.

http://tinyurl.com/7tpn4pr
The contents of this page have all been exhausted, however as above this info will be passed on. Many thanks for the above info.”

“Try this site for information: http://tinyurl.com/7mwqu3k

It is about the benefits available for people looking for work. I'm afraid I haven't read it so don't know how it will relate to your son's position. Hope it helps though.”

“Thanks Andrew.
All the information has been passed on but will take them a while to read, digest it all.
Again many thanks for your help I only wish the system was as obliging.”

“Tue_Brit100 I hope they can get something sorted out. It will take a long time to digest all that information, hopefully it will help them to resolve their problems. In my experience the system is designed to frustrate applicants as much as possible. When I still lived in the UK a woman I knew who worked for the DHSS told me that they are not allowed to volunteer information about help. They only respond to applicants who already know what they can get and ask specifically for this assistance. I doubt that this has changed for the better.”