I WRITE in support of Neil A Wright (BEN January 8).

It is a widely held misconception that the word "insurance" in National Insurance holds the same meaning as it does in house insurance, car insurance and life insurance. The pay-out for damage to a car, a domestic calamity or death is determined by the amount paid in premiums. This is not so in the case of unemployment, not by a long chalk. Contributions to National Insurance bear no relationship to the benefits whatsoever.

Persons finding themselves unemployed through no fault of their own but due to redundancy, bankruptcy of their employer or the closure of their place of employment, find themselves then punished for being out of work.

Having been in a similar situation as Mr Wright, a pittance of benefit in return for over 30 years of contributions, I can empathise with his disgust. I was informed that "that is the law. The law says that is all you are entitled to."

The root cause, over many years, for bankruptcies and redundancies has been Government policies. High interest rates is one good example. The same Government's only answer to the resulting vast increases in the Social Security bill has been to reduce the value of Unemployment Benefit and artificially reduce the number of people eligible to claim it.

The injury of unemployment is followed by the insult of derisory benefit. Justice, Mr Wright? Not until a man's contribution to the wealth of the nation is recognised and repaid in his time of need.

Gerald Firth

Kerry Grove, Tonge Moor, Bolton

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