Personal circumstances - a poll of sorts
tenofspades
Posts: 12,875 Forum Member
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I think what a great way to get a cross-country opinion on stuff. And particularly on the issues- Immigration, Education, NHS and all that in light of this forthcoming election. To make a more informed choice.
Q1) Has the rate of immigration affected your town/City/village adversely?
Q2) Do you have tuition fee debts, and does it adversely affect your life?
Q3) Do you work full-time, and struggle to make ends meet with costs. (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?) Have you had to use a food bank?
Q4) How long have you had to wait for a doctor/ been on a waiting list?
Q5) Are you on a Zero hours contract? Do you agree with their abolition?
Probably a question about care but can't think what is best question if someone has one they can add.
This is just to try make a more informed decision on May. These parties argue about imaginaries, 'we've done this, we've done that' - when it's better subjective evidence.
Q1) Has the rate of immigration affected your town/City/village adversely?
Q2) Do you have tuition fee debts, and does it adversely affect your life?
Q3) Do you work full-time, and struggle to make ends meet with costs. (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?) Have you had to use a food bank?
Q4) How long have you had to wait for a doctor/ been on a waiting list?
Q5) Are you on a Zero hours contract? Do you agree with their abolition?
Probably a question about care but can't think what is best question if someone has one they can add.
This is just to try make a more informed decision on May. These parties argue about imaginaries, 'we've done this, we've done that' - when it's better subjective evidence.
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Comments
2. No, I have no problem with tuition fees being charged.
3. Yes I work full time, I manage, rents are too high but they have been for 20 years and I have never needed to use a food bank.
4. I can only write with regard to my GP Surgery, I can usually get same day appointment if I call early, longest wait has been next day.
5. No and no some people are happy to be on zero hours contracts so they should not be abolished.
OP your questions seem left leading so vote labour.
No, I would say it's had a generally positive impact.
Q2) Do you have tuition fee debts, and does it adversely affect your life?
Yes I have debts and no it has little impact on my life.
Q3) Do you work full-time, and struggle to make ends meet with costs. (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?) Have you had to use a food bank?
I work full-time, but don't struggle to make ends meet. I am a home owner. Having a double income with no kids makes life comfortable. I have never used a food bank.
Q4) How long have you had to wait for a doctor/ been on a waiting list?
I have always had same day Drs appointments at the local GPs surgery and have never been on a waiting list. Hospital appointments can take longer, for podiatry it can take a few weeks.
Q5) Are you on a Zero hours contract? Do you agree with their abolition?
I work 2 jobs, one is a full-time hours contract, one is a zero-hours job where I just state my availability the month before. I wouldn't want the zero hours contracts to be abolished, as for a 2nd job it suits me. They are great for students and semi-retired folk also.
Has the rate of immigration affected your town/City/village adversely?........Probably
Q2)
(a)Do you have tuition fee debts.........No,
(b) and does it adversely affect your life?.....N/A
Q3) (a)Do you work full-time......No
(b) and struggle to make ends meet with costs........No
(c) (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?)......Don't know
(d) Have you had to use a food bank?...Only to give food
Q4)
(a)How long have you had to wait for a doctor....varies
(b)been on a waiting list?...N/A
Q5)
(a)Are you on a Zero hours contract?.....No ( But have been )
(b)Do you agree with their abolition?.....No, but they should be optional
Probably a question about care but can't think what is best question if someone has one they can add.
OK. " Do you care about having a Labour government?".......Yes. The prospect frightens me with the leaders they have at the moment
6. Yes I'd care if labour were in power which is why I'm voting Tory this time.
Q2) Do you have tuition fee debts, and does it adversely affect your life?
Q3) Do you work full-time, and struggle to make ends meet with costs. (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?) Have you had to use a food bank?
Q4) How long have you had to wait for a doctor/ been on a waiting list?
About week, my experience phoning the GP has been bad, the receptionist are rude,I think it's because I'm young so I'm not important, I'm not a priority.
Q5) Are you on a Zero hours contract? Do you agree with their abolition?
I used to be on a zero hour contract, I don't know how I survived, I agree with the abolition, Employ people full time.
It would be stupid to ban them, when they suit so many people, plus not everybody wants to work full-time.
Thanks for replies so far. Different than I expected, but everyone's different.
I haven't decided who I'm voting yet.
See question 4.
Q2) Do you have tuition fee debts, and does it adversely affect your life?
No
Q3) Do you work full-time, and struggle to make ends meet with costs. (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?) Have you had to use a food bank?
Yes I work full time, I get paid a decent amount so no struggling at this stage of my life, been there and done that in my younger days. Rental prices, I live in London so yeah!
Never used a food bank
Q4) How long have you had to wait for a doctor/ been on a waiting list?
For appointments, yes up to one month which isn't acceptable to me, is to all to be blamed on immigration? Well no but it hasn't eased the issue.
Q5) Are you on a Zero hours contract? Do you agree with their abolition?
No. As I understand it there will still be a place for ZHCs but the individual would have to be offered a contract after a period of time, yes I agree with this because essentially this is how ZHC should be worked. ZHC should be seen as a short term arrangement, not as a ongoing way of getting round employing peopIe. Although this will not suit people who WANT to be on a ZHC.
ZHC can be seen as a very attractive option for both the employer and the worker, it's not all doom and gloom as it's painted. If you can't afford to be on a ZHC you shouldn't be applying for this type of work in the first place.
Absolutely. My mum works on a ZHC and she has the flexibility to move from one job to another to suit her. The point being she can afford this.
Some employers have really exploited their power and have given it such a bad name.
I'm not sure either, am thinking Labour or Libdem at the moment though, probably leaning more towards Labour.
Q2. I have student debts but notice don't them :cool:
Q3. I work for myself and find making money to be pretty easy these days. If I wanted to make more I'd just scale up or add another string to my bow. If that didn't work I'd cut that off and try something else.
Q4. I have regular doctor appointments and have to get a repeat prescription. I expect to have to wait, or book a few days in advance at east, for my doctor appointments as I understand the need to keep a certain amount free on the day for people who need them and can't plan ahead.
Q5. Zero hours contracts sound like a shitty thing if you want the security of regular income. Don't know how anyone could survive with the knowledge that at best they're going to be getting a very low X amount. It's like all the risk of working for yourself with none of the reward.
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That's a subtle hint for someone to make just such a website / app.
edit: reread - zero hours contracts should be abolished. missed that first time.
rent prices are very high here.
not the rate of immigration but language students and tourism have affected here in many negative ways for residents.
No I don't think so
Q2) Do you have tuition fee debts, and does it adversely affect your life?
No
Q3) Do you work full-time, and struggle to make ends meet with costs. (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?) Have you had to use a food bank?
Yes, no (no) and no
Q4) How long have you had to wait for a doctor/ been on a waiting list?
All our appointments are same day, never been on a waiting list for anything
Q5) Are you on a Zero hours contract? Do you agree with their abolition?
No and yes
Q1) No
Q2) Yes I have - no it doesn't
Q3) Yes, I work full time. I don't struggle and never had to use a food bank
Q4) Depends on the nature of the problem I wish to see he doctor about. However I had a recent, potentially serious (fortunately not) health scare and things couldn't have moved faster.
Q5) I'm not, my wife was. It lead to a full time job changing to a career she pretty much wanted to follow so, no, I don't think they should be abolished.
:rolleyes:
2)N
3)N,N
4) Always got an appointment on the day. Though I think I am lucky.
5)N,N (I know of a number of people on these but they work in the leisure sector and there is too much volatility for a normal contract).
2) No, so no.
3) Yes. No. Yes, but I own my own house so it doesn't affect me, personally. No.
4) GP within a day. Hospital a year or more.
5) No. Yes.
I look forward to seeing what the OP goes on to do with all the input that's been offered.
I live in London; it was built on immigration.
Q2) Do you have tuition fee debts, and does it adversely affect your life?
Nope I was lucky enough to get a degree in the 70s
Q3) Do you work full-time, and struggle to make ends meet with costs. (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?) Have you had to use a food bank?
No I am retired with a couple of pensions that meet my needs.
Q4) How long have you had to wait for a doctor/ been on a waiting list?
Been a while since I went to the docs cannot recall any problem.
Q5) Are you on a Zero hours contract? Do you agree with their abolition?
See above. Dreadful things 0 hour contracts but without organised labour employers will always find ways of exploiting people; legislation will make little difference.
My particular town, no. However my home town, I believe it might have affected lower end job prospects. I wouldn't like to say how much as I don't know how much of what people claim is valid.
Yes and no it doesn't, its a relatively small percentage of my income.
I work full time, business owner and own a few small income making side projects. I don't struggle although have struggled in the past when my company hit a rocky patch. I've never been in the position of having to use food banks though.
I believe rents are far too high, if it reaches or exceeds an average mortgage then its too expensive. Additionally, a regular, basic family home should be easily affordable in any full time employment.
It takes up to 2 weeks to get an appointment with our doctor, which I think is unacceptable.
No I'm not, my OH is though as her employer is largely seasonal but she makes enough over the spring, summer and early autumn for it to balance out and be worthwhile.
I don't think they should be abolished as they do have a legitimate purpose such as erratic employer need - where without one, the position would not exist at all. This is something people often forget. If a zero hour contract didn't exist then that doesn't mean that the position would become full time, it could easily not exist at all.
In fact, I do worry a bit about zero hour contracts, there is a strong likelihood that some staff at my other halfs workplace could find themselves completely unemployed - and that could be my OH who finds herself without a job at all.
However I do believe that they should be better regulated and shouldn't be abused. I believe there should be a legitimate business case for using them.
1) nope not at all
2) nope and nope
3) we have struggled in the past, were considering using food banks but couldn't afford to get to one
4) my surgery is good, can ring on the morning and get an appointment that day, if you arent quick though then you wont get in and will have to wait till the next day or get a pre bookable appointment, if you want to pre bookable one you could be waiting 3-4 weeks
5) nope never, I don't think they should be abolished as I can see the benefit of the for certain people IE students, people who want a second job etc but I don't think anyone should be forced to take a zero hour contract job
Q2) Do you have tuition fee debts, and does it adversely affect your life? No
Q3) Do you work full-time, and struggle to make ends meet with costs. (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?) Have you had to use a food bank? No (rents are way too high in my area but I don't rent)
Q4) How long have you had to wait for a doctor/ been on a waiting list? A couple of weeks
Q5) Are you on a Zero hours contract? Do you agree with their abolition? No I'm not but I agree with their abolition
But common theme of the waiting lists. And 3 people say their town/city adversely affected by immigration but didn't explain!
Anyway thanks for answers.
Q1) Has the rate of immigration affected your town/City/village adversely? Not adversely, no, as far as I can tell
Q2) Do you have tuition fee debts, and does it adversely affect your life? No/no
Q3) Do you work full-time, and struggle to make ends meet with costs. (Are rent prices too high in your area for instance?) Have you had to use a food bank? No (unless you count full-time carer to 3 ill/disabled people)/surely rents are high everywhere?
Q4) How long have you had to wait for a doctor/ been on a waiting list? My daughter had to wait 2 years from initial consultations to neuro-surgery for her epilepsy. In general though with regard to GP's, we have 2 walk-in clinics per day at my doctor's surgery, so you can go any day and walk in and see a doctor, it's a great, very well-run surgery with a myriad of additional clinics and even an x-ray machine.
Q5) Are you on a Zero hours contract? Do you agree with their abolition? No/Yes When I worked full-time employees were treated pretty fairly, with rights that were hard-fought-for. Contracts of employment meant something, nobody worked without one, stating what the employer's obligations were as well as the employee's, everybody knew where they stood, now things have moved backward and the employers' rights are all that matters. I guess it's what happens when there's more supply than demand, but I don't see zero hour contracts as ever being acceptable.
As for care, a question you didn't ask, I have a Dad recently diagnosed with cancer, who also has severe dementia, stuck in a hospital ward for over 3 weeks now as he cannot go home to live with my mother - who also has cancer and cannot care for him in a way he needs - but has nowhere else to go, so you have social services and the NHS trying hard to figure out who pays for him whilst he's in the hospital. Meanwhile there's no care in place for my mother, other than me, and nobody else giving 2 shits that she's in agony and can't walk more than 50 yards.
Probably a good thing you didn't ask about care