Letter: Life on the dole

This government puts an emphasis on getting people off welfare and on to work, and makes much of welfare scroungers (your report, 9 September).

I personally worked continuously for 43 years before being made redundant at the age of 58 - not a good age to be out of work, especially during a credit crunch.

This was my first experience of a job centre and job seeker's allowance and one I would not like to experience again.

As I had served my country for 25 years and had a small naval pension I was not eligible for jobs seeker's allowance or council tax rebates; I still had to sign on and prove that I was actively seeking work only to satisfy the requirements of my mortgage protection cover and national insurance cover.

As long as I satisfied an "adviser" that I was looking for work, then my card was stamped. It did not take much convincing. Also, the term adviser was a bit of a misnomer, as all I was advised on was how to apply for a holiday and how to fill in the forms.

Eventually I found a job by myself, after three months, despite the job centre advice. I do not feel that I am an unusual case, as I believe that the majority of people in this country would rather do something worthwhile and the scroungers are really in the minority.

What really annoys me though, is that the politicians who are sacked (ie voted out) are given such a large resettlement allowance, while others go on easily to become multimillionaires and still have a large say on which hoops peasants like myself have to jump through,.

William Pirrie

Fairspark Terrace

Bo'ness, West Lothian

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I am delighted the Chancellor is thinking of making ever deeper reductions in public spending and targeting those who choose benefits as a lifestyle.

The thought that there are some shirkers among us who might be bleeding the nation to death and living a life of luxury on benefits makes me incensed.

It reminds me of bankers, speculators, rich tax-dodgers with clever accountants and those whose monthly incomes exceed the average person's life savings. Those who, if properly taxed and made to make a proper contribution to the nation's coffers commensurate with their wealth, might solve our economic woes at a stroke.

Trevor Rigg

Greenbank Gardens

Edinburgh