NEET!

NEET = Not in Employment, Education or Training.

This is my lovely (most of the time) son Huw.

He’s 19 years old.

He is a NEET.

It bothers everyone, except him.

He’s just published his first book.

http://www.amazon.com/Tomorrow-Gone-Huw-Millward-ebook/sim/B00TJ5DUIQ/2

He has worked and paid tax and National Insurance, but he wanted to write and publish a book and he’s achieved that with no help from anyone.

I did say to him, “you know Huw you should sign on for JSA to protect your National Insurance credits”

This was his reply…

“I’m not signing on Mum, because I am not actively seeking employment.

If all 18 to 25 year olds in the UK signed on for JSA, they would end up stocking shelves in Poundland or cleaning graffiti off walls. Why do this government not encourage young people, who have creative tendencies? Why do they think it is acceptable to condemn them to a life of zero hours, National Minimum Wage and long hours?

Do the government not realise that Art, Poetry, Music and literature enhance the lives of their citizens and make life better for people.

Where would we be without the likes of Banksey, J K Rowling, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and all the others who make us stop, look, listen and think.

How bleak would this world be without those people?”

And he’s right isn’t he. We have failed our young people… all this government want to do is get them in to workfare “jobs” that absolutely DO NOT benefit them.

But they benefit the employer … no wages paid (minimum or otherwise) no tax or national insurance paid and the workfare provider gets their cut; all courtesy of the taxpayer. So no amounts being paid in to the treasury, which means that the NHS, Education, Policing and all the other public services we rely upon suffer.

So, I admire my son for doing what he’s doing. I hope he becomes a successful author, or whatever else he wants to be and that he will do it in spite of not because of this government.