Live News From Spain As It Happens

Gerald said:
Monday, August 13, 2012 @ 3:34 AM

surely who could live on €400? unless there are additional benefits......

Delyth said:
Monday, August 13, 2012 @ 7:13 PM

I live on 400 euros a month. I don't have a mortgage or a car so I appreciate that it is easier for me. Unemployment Benefit in the UK is much less than 400 euros a month and people have to attend back-to-work courses to get that.

I would also add that almost all the people I know who are getting unemployment benefit here in Spain are working at the same time and see no dishonesty in it. One lady, who is in receipt of unemployment benefit , recently applied for a cash-in-hand job cleaning in a local bar and told them that she wanted 12 euros an hour.

The situation is really awful for very many people at the moment but there are also very many who are without any sense of communal responsibility or who care what happens to anyone else as long as they are allright.