Caller Tells Eddie Mair She's Happy To Stay On Jobseekers Allowance Until Retirement

9 August 2019, 17:10

A caller told Eddie Mair she's ready to stay on Jobseekers Allowance until she retires, and said "the majority of people can't make a living out of what's around now."

A 63 year old caller told Eddie Mair:

"I'm on Jobseekers Allowance. For the next two years I'm quite happy to stay on that to be honest, until I retire."

She added: "But then they've put it [retirement age] up again to 66."

The caller explained that the job centre sent her for an interview for an administrator job in an office, but she struggled in the application stage as she couldn't use Microsoft Excel.

Speaking about the need to learn new technical skills for the current job market, she said:

"I love the Internet, but I'm not brilliant, and I think anybody born after say 60s, 70s - I think they have got a big problem."

She added: "The majority of people can't make a living out of what's around now" but also commented that Microsoft Excel is taught in schools nowadays.

Eddie Mair said: "You're never too old" and encouraged her to give learning a new skill a go.

The caller stressed: "I don't see this economy and everything you're talking about as being brilliant, I really don't."

Watch the full exchange in the video at the top of the page.