[clinton]

Think your right there for the new year shops closing :

John lewis targets the middle to top incomes and always delivers quality and in most cases price match in a certain milage area

[richie]

Regardless of wheather we like the owners of certain outlets or not,  we should be looking at the effcts that the companies going to the wall are having on the UK. 

the figures i quote below are not true figures but just a example

bla bla electrical goes bump,  4000 people lose their jobs & go on the Dole.  Thats another 4000 people that the uk has to pay every week.   

bla bla electrical was paying a annual tax bill of £20 million therefore that is another £20 million pounds uk is down. 

this means that the uk is down in the region of £21.2 million in a year just from bla bla electrical going to the wall.   NOW add together the loss of tax revenue plus the money that has to be paid to the unemployed people from all the other companies going to the wall.   

Its not just a case of these companies closing down.....these closures are having a MASSIVE impact on the UK who is losingmuch more than most realise.  2009 is going to be critical,  Only time will tell as to how we will recover from this downturn.  One thing is sure....things are going to get one hell of a lot worse.

Richie.

[Joe H]

Spot on Richie

and every business that closes down means a family has lost an income, be it the main and only income or one of two or more.

We will feel the effect of this because there is less money to spend. Non essentials, like carpet cleaning (no matter how important we say it is) will go to the very back of the pecking order).

[clinton]

Another company who called in the recievers is u s c  a clothing chain and they have a shop here in stockport and a large one in the trafford center :

With the january rents due am sure other firms will struggle

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

How many on here would be better off if they weren't working and instead living off benefits?

I saw in the papers recently that there are over 140,000 households whose benefits come to more than £20,000 per annum.

That's equivalent to a salary of £27,000 before tax?

Ok. Probably not that many as this will be at the extreme level but is it the tip of an iceberg where benefits could be considered too generous and stop people looking for work?

At least we all seem to be motivated to get off our a*ses and try and take control of our destinies.

[clinton]

Hi roger

Was reading that yesterday too

You will always get that sort of person who will not want to work and clain :

As you said least most of us on here have the work and get on in life bug

[spindle]

i had a friend last year who applied for dole money(redundant).......got it no problem.(after providing bank statements/creditcards/etc....).

but he also claimed housing benefits etc........his entitlements got him £1000 pm
 the dss were telling him to get a job........but finding work at the same rate was impossible.........they were finding him jobs for £1400pm.........but by the time he had paid tax/rent///rates/etc............he was still getting the same money!!!

.........where is the incentive to work ?