I have this friend. She’s fabulous, querky, funny, warm and vibrant, and she’s blumming hard working. I’ve known her since school and her little girl is one of Miss M’s bezzie mates. She’s a hairdresser and has done both my girls hair since they had any. She does good hair. She was also a big part of diagnosing the cause of my hair loss. She’s wicked.
About 5 weeks ago she had to undergo a hysterectomy. There was no choice, it was basically haemorrhage horribly each month and be constantly anemic, or have her womb and the large fibroids that were causing the problems, removed. And she had to take at least 6 weeks off to recover.
Her husband works and she’s self-employed so there’s nothing she can claim, except some money through National Insurance. It’s only a few hundred but it will help to pay the rent on her Salon Chair so that she doesn’t lose her livelihood. We all live to our means right? You work hard so that you can pay your way, but you expect there to be some kind of support when something unforseen hits and your income changes, and that’s what she expected and was told she would receive.
Time has moved on, she’s recovering well and we have eaten cake and been ‘ladieswhatlunch’ and she’s taken things very steady as per doctors instructions, but, the money has not arrived.
Why?
Well, after 20 years working for a salon, my friend decided to become her own boss. She saved and rented a chair in a brand new salon and things were good.
BUT
There were four months between leaving her ‘job’ and the new salon being finished and opened. In that time she claimed nothing, after all it was a planned break, but she didn’t pay her stamp. It was an oversight. If she’d been contacted she’d have paid it, but she had paid in for 20 years before that so you’d think she’d be ok right?
Wrong
She missed 4 months, so she gets nothing, nada, zilch, so, my friend is now going back to work on Saturday. Even though she’s not fully healed yet, even though the docs have advised against it ,even though she knows she’s not ready.
And I am so angry.
Bloody hell government, what the buggery bollocks are you doing to people?
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR
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March 17th, 2011 at 2:59 pm
That sounds unbelievable! I really hope that she gets better soon despite working so early.
March 20th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
I’m seeing her tomorrow so I’m hoping she’s ok. It’s so awful.
March 17th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
It’s a disgrace. And, sadly, not very surprising.
Meanwhile 300+ employees at the bank we bailed out are paid over £1million per annum.
March 20th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
It’s vile isn’t it! Bring on the Robin Hood Tax.
March 17th, 2011 at 7:11 pm
I can’t even get started about government and insurance, etc. My fricking head will explode.
Hope something works out.
March 20th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Me too hon, but it’s not looking good.
March 17th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Aaaaargh!
March 20th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Yep, arghhhhhhhhhhh.
March 18th, 2011 at 10:56 am
Its exactly the same in the buliding trade. My husband brother and dad work in it. The have to go to work being sick as there is no sick pay. Even when they have been off work do to and accident there still no money. My dad has had 3 heart attatks and keeps going to work and being off as he’s so ill but cant afford to give up work even at 62 as he can not afford to live….. Its utter rubbish !!!!!!
March 20th, 2011 at 1:58 pm
That always gets me Helly. Why did they get missed out! It’s so so wrong. x
March 18th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
That is pure rot. I have heard of such injustices before, and this ranks high among them. I have a friend who had the same procedure as your friend (for similar reasons), and she was lucky enough to be on hiatus from her job (she works in television), but that also meant she had no income coming in and was living off her savings.
Sometimes it does seem that the good hard-working folk take the brunt. I am sending out good health and prosperity vibes across the pond!
March 20th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Thanks lovely, and you’re right, normal hard-working people get a blumming hard time sometimes.
March 20th, 2011 at 11:03 am
Just so annoyed on behalf of your friend
March 20th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
It makes me so mad Nickie. Grrrrrrrr.
March 22nd, 2011 at 9:22 am
that sucks. So unfair. Well done her on being self employed
March 22nd, 2011 at 1:34 pm
What gets me about this scenario is it’s always the good , hard worker that gets slammed- I am one as well..