“LABOUR actually cares about the fate of unemployed people,”

says Grahame Morris (HAS, Jan 1).

After 39 years of paying into a system that was supposed to help me in bad times I received – my council tax paid for – £64.30 a week Jobseeker’s Allowance; nothing for my wife, who was working ten hours a week to bring home £54; and nothing for my 16-year-old daughter.

I could not even claim Education Maintenance Allowance for my daughter as this was assessed on the previous year’s earnings – not when I needed it, when my family’s total income was £119 a week. The Government didn’t care that I could have lost my home.

Contrast this to a 17-year-old girl I know. She hasn’t paid one penny into the system and has two children by different fathers.

She has received a two-bedroom house, rent and council tax free, and a grant when each child was born.

“Labour actually cares about the fate of unemployed people”?

Have I missed something somewhere?

I don’t begrudge what single mothers get, but if I’ve paid tax and National Insurance for 39 years and get what I got, there is something very wrong with our system.

By the way, I have a job now. It doesn’t cover all my bills, but I do have my pride back.

Christopher Mudd, Eaglesclifffe, near Stockton.