Was life better under Lockdown ?

[bramling]

Well, who wouldn't be paid 80% of their wage to do what they felt like? Rather boring during lockdown, but in more normal times (including now)...

Yes it’s not really irrational, and with many leisure activities having been available for some while now there really is incentive for wanting it to continue for as long as possible - as has been said, for those who have the facilities to be able to enjoy it.

This should never have been allowed to arise though. Personally I would have liked to have seen at least some proportion of furlough payment being in the form of a loan repayable upon normal income returning. Alternatively there’s plenty of tasks that have needed doing where labour would have been useful - litter picking on beaches for a start.

The concept is fine as a safety net, not as a means of subsidising jollies.

 

[ar10642]

Well, who wouldn't be paid 80% of their wage to do what they felt like? Rather boring during lockdown, but in more normal times (including now)...

Even if there are a substantial group of people on furlough taking the proverbial (I don't know anyone like this) if they're still on furlough now they'll likely be unemployed in the near future.

LinkedIn is currenly full of people with #OpenToWork on their profiles and posts like "After [large number] of years at [company] I have been made redundant, if anyone needs a [niche white collar job] then... etc".

This is going to be bad for a lot of people.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Swings and roundabouts.

Depends upon individual lifestyles and circumstances.

Personally, life was/is, on balance, better.

I enjoyed my local walks on country lanes, completely devoid of vehicles, nice and safe, no constant worry of idiot no-brain coming along at speed with total disregard for vulnerable road users.

I saved, and still am saving, money by not going to the pub, having takeaways on the way home, nor paying for travel there and back. I saved a much greater amount having cancelled my holidays (refunded or vouchered) and not incurring their associated expenses - mostly food and travel.

However, I appreciate the serious impact it has had on workers, home schoolers, the shielded and so on.

 

[MikeWM]

However much I was opposed to it, at least during lockdown it felt like there would eventually be an end to the whole thing - and at some point within the next few months we could get back to something approximating to normal.

That doesn't feel to be the case now.

In that respect the lockdown period was better for my mental health, at least.

 

[bramling]

However much I was opposed to it, at least during lockdown it felt like there would eventually be an end to the whole thing - and at some point within the next few months we could get back to something approximating to normal.

That doesn't feel to be the case now.

In that respect the lockdown period was better for my mental health, at least.

Same. I seem to remember on here there was a hope that lockdown would be a way of limping through to the summer. It didn’t really pan out like that, we’re now stuck in a rut where a vocal minority seem to want intrusive measures to be imposed on everyone until a vaccine emerges. To me that’s completely unacceptable unless there’s something very time-bound, very soon.

If people want to lock themselves up and cover their faces then fine, but don’t expect everyone to play the same game.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Same. I seem to remember on here there was a hope that lockdown would be a way of limping through to the summer. It didn’t really pan out like that, we’re now stuck in a rut where a vocal minority seem to want intrusive measures to be imposed on everyone until a vaccine emerges. To me that’s completely unacceptable unless there’s something very time-bound, very soon.

If people want to lock themselves up and cover their faces then fine, but don’t expect everyone to play the same game.

FWIW I think what we're waiting on now is school reopening and the effect that has. So if the effect of that isn't to kick it off again massively, I would think we may see more unlocking in October or thereabouts (as the effects take a few weeks to filter through). I doubt we will see anything before that, as reopening schools (which just about everyone recognises as essential) is potentially such a big unknown.

 

[birchesgreen]

In theory yes. I practice with the snitching and curtain twitching that was going on, no.

Did that really happen though?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Did that really happen though?

I think there was curtain twitching etc but very little actual vigilanteism other than verbal which can be ignored.

 

[bramling]

Did that really happen though?

Oh yes! However the bulk was social media, dirty looks, and a bit of online snitching. The sentiment was certainly there though.

It’s similar now on social media, my local Facebook site seems full of people whose main pastime when going to town seems to be counting how many people are wearing masks, which is then variously “isn’t it good that...” or “it was shocking to see...”.

Too much time on too many hands!

 

[Butts]

Hmm...seems there are not that many people on here who were actually out and about at the height of the pandemic working.

Do any of you feel guilty that some of those having to expose themselves to the perceived danger were poorly rewarded with perhaps nothing but SSP to fall back upon ?

So you had a situation whereby people were getting paid more to sit at home doing SFA even on 80% than those out there !!

And yet early in the Pandemic when I suggested a bonus for the lower paid key workers (Sub £10ph) it was trashed

 

[birchesgreen]

Oh yes! However the bulk was social media, dirty looks, and a bit of online snitching. The sentiment was certainly there though.

It’s similar now on social media, my local Facebook site seems full of people whose main pastime when going to town seems to be counting how many people are wearing masks, which is then variously “isn’t it good that...” or “it was shocking to see...”.

Too much time on too many hands!

So no didn't really happen then.

 

[jtuk]

Hmm...seems there are not that many people on here who were actually out and about at the height of the pandemic working.

Do any of you feel guilty that some of those having to expose themselves to the perceived danger were poorly rewarded with perhaps nothing but SSP to fall back upon ?

If you're actually about working, then your level of danger is so small that it can be ignored, probably more dangerous to drive in actually.

 

[ar10642]

Did that really happen though?

I don't know really. But certainly the spirit of the law rather than the letter was that you were supposed to be shut inside most of the time. Going out for 50 mile bike rides was considered not OK by most people at the time given you weren't even supposed to drive to a local walking spot. Again that wasn't law but it didn't stop our local police from closing car parks and stopping cars at random questioning where people were going.

 

[yorksrob]

Hmm...seems there are not that many people on here who were actually out and about at the height of the pandemic working.

Do any of you feel guilty that some of those having to expose themselves to the perceived danger were poorly rewarded with perhaps nothing but SSP to fall back upon ?

So you had a situation whereby people were getting paid more to sit at home doing SFA even on 80% than those out there !!

And yet early in the Pandemic when I suggested a bonus for the lower paid key workers (Sub £10ph) it was trashed

You have a point - I felt for the supermarket attendants who had to be amongst the public all of the time.

That said, I'd have loved to have had an excuse to hop on the train and go into the office once or twice !

 

[bramling]

So no didn't really happen then.

Depends how one sees it. If one were a road worker being jeered at by passing cars for “not obeying lockdown” then one might take a different view. There were also scenes like the “cyclists stop panting virus through our village” or the self-appointed “go home” angels (mainly in Wales). However I think this was fairly localised, and probably at least some element of old agendas surfacing.

 

[MikeWM]

So no didn't really happen then.

It did, to a depressing degree. Article from the start of May:

Police have had 200,000 lockdown calls from people reporting their neighbours

Police have been bombarded with more than 200,000 calls from people reporting their neighbours for breaching lockdown - an average of almost five a second.

 

[birchesgreen]

Depends how one sees it. If one were a road worker being jeered at by passing cars for “not obeying lockdown” then one might take a different view. There were also scenes like the “cyclists stop panting virus through our village” or the self-appointed “go home” angels (mainly in Wales). However I think this was fairly localised, and probably at least some element of old agendas surfacing.

I'm talking about people whingeing on local Facebook groups, i'd take more notice from geese than those groups.

 

[ar10642]

Hmm...seems there are not that many people on here who were actually out and about at the height of the pandemic working.

Do any of you feel guilty that some of those having to expose themselves to the perceived danger were poorly rewarded with perhaps nothing but SSP to fall back upon ?

So you had a situation whereby people were getting paid more to sit at home doing SFA even on 80% than those out there !!

And yet early in the Pandemic when I suggested a bonus for the lower paid key workers (Sub £10ph) it was trashed

I felt extremely guilty about it. I'd never taken any kind of out-of-work benefit before and I didn't like how it made me feel at all. I did a bit of volunteering in between the stay at home dad job I was suddenly doing, but it didn't stop me feeling terrible about it.

One of the reasons I got the new job was although in theory I was "provisionally mapped to a new role" and not made redundant from my job, they said they were going to furlough people for the maximum time available and I felt I should be earning my money if I could.

I would absolutely support a bonus for low paid key workers who kept our food on the table and everything else that meant we could stay at home.

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes it’s not really irrational, and with many leisure activities having been available for some while now there really is incentive for wanting it to continue for as long as possible - as has been said, for those who have the facilities to be able to enjoy it.

This should never have been allowed to arise though. Personally I would have liked to have seen at least some proportion of furlough payment being in the form of a loan repayable upon normal income returning. Alternatively there’s plenty of tasks that have needed doing where labour would have been useful - litter picking on beaches for a start.

The concept is fine as a safety net, not as a means of subsidising jollies.

I don't know how many times this has to be explained but the choice was either: a) mass redundancies in March/April (considering there are 9m furloughed staff I think several million is a safe bet) or b) the Government steps in to prevent mass redundancies by covering the wages of the staff for whom employers have nothing to do. Further, again, it is not the choice of those on furlough to be placed in such a position that is the choice of the employer. If an employer wants to furlough a staff member who is keen to keep working then tough that staff member has no choice but to go home. If the employer wants to end furlough for a staff member who doesn't want to come back then tough come back or lose their job through misconduct.

Can we please move away from the nonsense that those on furlough are somehow lazy, are just having a "jolly" at our expense or should be be manning litter pickers collecting rubbish from the side of the road?

If we hadn't bothered with furlough or had ended it in May/June the net result would have simply been mass layoffs and all those people would be claiming Universal Credit instead. As it stands, considering the number of jobs that are still going and the rumbles about jobs losses as the scheme winds down we will probably find many more people are going to lose their jobs and be on Universal Credit anyway before this is done.

But to blame those who, through no fault of their own and have no choice in the matter, for not sitting at home being dour faced is frankly ridiculous and smacks of jealously. Plus weren't we complaining that too many people were sitting at home when they needed to be out and spending money? Can't have it both ways surely?

I'm not even sure where to begin with the suggestion that some of it should have been in the form of loan especially if the suggestion is that the people who are on furlough, something they have no choice in, are the ones who should be paying it back.

 

[High Dyke]

I drove 3000 miles under lockdown. Worked throughout and experienced the lack of traffic, but have family members who are self employed and struggling. We didn't see parents/grandparents for 10 weeks, so that alone makes me say no, life was certainly not better. Would rather be able to visit who I like when I like and fight the traffic to get there.

Had a similar experience, apart from the driving. At least management had sense to lessen the distances travelled by some of us - though it was also essential to ensure we had enough cover to keep trains running. Likewise, with family; especially with my elderly mother in the vulnerable category, after heart surgery in February. with travel restricted to 'key workers' then leisure travel was also prohibited for most, made even worse if you hold staff travel facilities.

That said, since restrictions have been eased, from my own personal comfort shopping trips have become more stressful, visits to places have also seen an increase in other people and there's still too many ignorant people that don't comprehend social distancing.

 

[Carlisle]

Drove a short way to go for a walk which was also allowed.

Not initially, as it was widely interpreted by many as a non essential journey & Police patrolled some car parks around my locality reaffirming that message, although I appreciate guidelines were soon clarified confirming short drives were allowed

 

[Richard Scott]

I hated lockdown, only went to work once a week, only positive thing was it made me realise how good it is going to work. Only other thing to look forward to was Tesco trip. If you enjoyed it bet you didn't live on your own.

 

[Journeyman]

You've got to be kidding. Easily the worst experience of my life.

 

[Butts]

During the whole of the Lockdown whilst visiting different parts of the UK on varying modes of Transport I was never once asked to produce my Key Worker Credentials.

Apart from getting kids into schools (for those that had them) what was the point of issuing them ?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

You've got to be kidding. Easily the worst experience of my life.

It was a thoroughly dreadful experience.
All the irritation and frustration of work, without any of the redeeming things that make life worth living.

I agree - not pleasant and I do not want to go back to it.

 

[Butts]

You have a point - I felt for the supermarket attendants who had to be amongst the public all of the time.

That said, I'd have loved to have had an excuse to hop on the train and go into the office once or twice !

Yes on this Forum virtually every poll in connection with voting intentions a hotbed of Liberalism and Soft Left Socialism.

However this doesn't seem to extend to any priority or consideration of rewarding poorer paid workers for their contribution during the pandemic/lockdown.

Does it take a Scottish Conservative to suggest the following:

Statutory Sick Pay is immediately raised to the level of The Minimum Wage not £94.50 per week or whatever it is. The lack of this stopped a lot of people taking time off when they should have.

All workers on £10 per Hour or less who worked during the lockdown should receive a bonus of some sort for every hour worked....

Say £1 per hour backdated to the start....

Or a lump sum payment of £500.....

Why not both express your gratitude through your pockets.

 

[Yew]

It wasn't, it was very pleasant. There were hardly any cars at all round here, and I found that those that were out were actually driving more slowly and carefully than usual.

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There was an insane number of myths about lockdown, including that one. The guidance did say once per day, but no time limit was placed, and indeed pretty much every day I was out for more than an hour, usually nearer two.

I really dislike the kop out used by some politicians when they pretend that their direct instructions were actually just advice.

 

[Jimini]

During the whole of the Lockdown whilst visiting different parts of the UK on varying modes of Transport I was never once asked to produce my Key Worker Credentials.

I was questioned twice at Paddington by the BTP when we were in lockdown and had to produce paperwork. They also kicked a fair few off the train before it departed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Statutory Sick Pay is immediately raised to the level of The Minimum Wage not £94.50 per week or whatever it is.

I'd go higher - furlough rate.

 

[S&CLER]

To me lockdown has been a nuisance but not a hardship; but then I have lived alone and worked at home for over 40 years, so it made no difference there; and I'm now all but retired anyway. Living in a town centre makes a difference to how cut off you feel; I would have hated to be locked down in my former home in a suburb.

What I have really missed has been taking my disabled friend out in his wheelchair twice a week, as I have been doing since his stroke in 2008. He moved from a home out in the country near Ormskirk to a nearer care home on 14 March, but it went into lockdown the next day, so my hopes of being able to take him round the corner into Birkdale village for a haircut or a coffee were thwarted. I was able to see him in the garden for a couple of weeks, but even that has now been suspended again. It is the care home residents whom I really feel sorry for, since they are practically prisoners in their own rooms.

I also missed my weekend walks, by train on Saturday and by club coach on Sunday. I am tentatively resuming Saturday walks, so far as Northern's timetable allows. One summer was disrupted by the Saturday strikes, and now another has largely been lost to lockdown.