They should be entitled to some state benefits to tie them over until they find work.
We've just been through this, only we're much, much older. Two years ago my husband got very sick and he had to give up work. We only had a cleaning business (yes, that's the work he took on when he began to RP, which in hindsight was stupid but we didn't know better then) But it provided albeit not a lot.
So, he got sick and I was doing anything and everything to earn money for food/bills. I'm older so it was really hard going out cleaning on my own. I'd often sit on the stairs of one house I cleaned and have a good cry because I was so exhausted. The whole congregation knew. All I ever got from them, if they lowered themselves to speak to me, was: 'I'll pray for you.'
I didn't want charity. We'd always been the kind of people that helped others. My husband helped brothers after he left. But now we were really up against the wall. We had so little to live on. I thought the brothers would show they at least they cared. Nope.
I worked 24/7 setting up a new business and somehow we clawed our way back to being able to look after ourselves. Even now I have to work every day. Never had so much as 'are you okay?' from anyone.
My husband says' there's no brownie points for being kind and loving'. He says if they could write it on a report card, we'd have had a line at the door :D