[martyh]

[QUOTE=Chris;34977341]And that, really, is the heart of the issue. There's no point putting someone with an earning potential of £20, £30 or £50 per hour in a job where they will earn maybe £6 or £7. It simply pushes a chunk of their cost of living onto the State, in the form of tax credits, possibly free school meals and council tax benefit, plus it deprives the exchequer of tax income. If you're on £40 per hour, for example, you're almost certainly a higher-rate taxpayer.

But after a period of time has passed without that person getting any work, the argument that they have the potential to earn at a high rate begins to suffer - a long spell of unemployment is the proof of it.

Having said all that, and at the risk of making a sweeping generalisation, I doubt there are very many high-earners on the dole for the two years or so that will have to elapse before they become eligible for this scheme.[/QUOTE]

i wouldn't say i am a high earner but your point is still valid and did apply to me ,because i am qualified in a sort after trade i was not umenployed for long