LETTER: Government is punishing the unemployed

In the main, this means it aspires to punish the unemployed for being in this position. The fact is there are far too few jobs in many places.

The fully employed areas, which are mainly in the South East, have a higher cost of living and there is a housing shortage. They are responsible for the restrictions which are to be applied to the 60 or so companies which are providing pay day loans. This is something with which I am completely in accord.

The fault is that over two weeks, the FSA, which is sending out governmental letters to those firms, has so far only sent out about 20 letters (I sent 30 Christmas cards in one afternoon). It says it is making headway with the remainder. No doubt the urgency is so it receives bonuses.

Another misleading statement is with regard to immigrants receiving benefits. The latest propaganda is that only about 6% of the total benefits goes to immigrant families.

I may be wrong but surely the amount of immigrants in this country is not more than 6% of the population. The children of the immigrants are British nationals.

The latest idea of loaning 25% of the cost of purchasing a house up to £600,000 is a way of printing money for extremely rich people.

The problem is the young working classes or aspiring house buyers are likely to fall into the same trap as the payday loan customers.

FRANK NEAL

Folly Lane, Barnoldswick