As one door shuts.....?

We MAY have a piece of good news at last people!! Went for a days trial at an IT company on Monday.....it's a 'sales' position and I have some reservations about the location, but they seem very interested in me and offered a wide variety of possibilities. That in itself is a little odd and I never expected them to bend over backwards for me. So, I have a little dilemma to resolve. I need a job, I need the money......but the job SUCKS! Regardless of how good they think I MIGHT be in the future, I know I'm going to hate it from day one! I now await a response so I can make my final decision......

Cardboard City here I come.

On Friday, I spent the whole morning at the City Council Housing Benefit department. After taking my ticket and waiting for an hour and a half, I was finally seen by an advisor. I had taken all the requested paperwork and completed the relevant forms to renew my claim for Housing Benefit (my original application only lasted for 13 weeks apparently?).

It turns out that I am unique! Why is beyond me to be honest. I find it totally implausible that I am the only person in this city in my situation, but that is what I was told.

The advisor explained to me that I would not be entitled to further Benefit as I have no income whatsoever. Eh? I had to take letters to prove that people had lent me money to survive and I had to make a written statement that I have no income at all. Because I am not in receipt of JSA, I do not qualify for HB any more. I was totally gob-smacked!

I have re-applied for JSA and also requested for back-payments to when I was first fired and signed-on, but if that is ultimately rejected, I will not get a penny more in HB. If I had no-one in the world to turn to, I would be on the streets very shortly and this was confirmed by the Advisor!! He actually told me that 'the system' is not designed to help people who have worked all their lives and that if I had never lifted a finger (or never would) I would probably get as much as the system allows! To say I was mortified is an understatement! He also confirmed that if I was an asylum seeker who had been granted permission to stay in this country, I would also get whatever I wanted, even more so if I had brought children with me.

In the end, he has managed to get me another months HB at half the rate of my rent, for which I am obviously very grateful. After that, unless I get JSA, I will have to leave my flat and find somewhere else to live.

This is disgusting. The State is quite prepared to make me homeless which I find unbelievable. These past few months have certainly been an eye-opener....for all the wrong reasons. I hope to God that someone will give me a job ASAP, or I will be well and truly on the scrap-heap.

Wheres the pill bottle?

Well my battle with the benefits system continues on a daily basis. Spent 5 hours on Tuesday at both the Jobcentre and City Council...just trying to get a LITTLE bit of what I'm entitled to and NEVER claimed before (apart from a couple of weeks when I was 16!!).

Something is very wrong with the way we do things in this country and that's a FACT!!! Red tape galore, going round in circles, different departments all blaming each other and a total lack of empathy for your situation.

My job tally must be nearing 50 applications now and still getting nowhere fast.

So, still no good news to post. Depressing isn't it?

Thanks, but no thanks.

Well, another interview and yet another knock-back. Didn't waste much time getting back to me either, so I think it's clear that once I explained my 'situation', the door was firmly slammed in my face. I think it's safe to say that my old career is probably dead once and for all.

I keep applying, trying not to lose any remaining hope of EVER getting a bloody job in the near future, but it gets harder every day let me tell you.

I have to visit the Jobcentre on Tuesday to sort out my claim from scratch again, and I still didn't get down the Housing Benefit office the other day, so that still needs attending to.

I wish I could post something positive for a change!

Queue here......

I went for another interview yesterday (my old industry) and it SEEMED to go quite well. A second interview will be required with one of the Directors if I get a call-back at some point this week. Fingers crossed, eh?

I have to go and spend a chunk of my day tomorrow queuing-up at the Housing Benefit department of the City Council. Joy. It's one of those 'take a ticket' jobs, so I could be there for sodding hours I imagine. All because my Jobseekers Allowance claim has expired thanks to previous employer, and even though they are well aware that I am receiving no income whatsoever at the minute. What a bloody polava!

And more.....

On top of this, I went to the shop the other day and bought a packet of fags (they will have to go soon too, can't afford to have any pleasure in my life after all can I?). They turned out to be counterfeit!! So off went another letter, to Trading Standards this time, demanding action!! I have to go and pop the said items into their office tomorrow as evidence.

Anybody else want to take me on?? Form a queue.........

Complaints, more complaints!!

I have just been to sign on again today.......still no change in my circumstances, but thanks for asking......and I feel the need to put pen to paper again! My claim has expired! Not that I've actually received ANY money at all so far, and because of this latest wonder of Governmental red-tape, I may also lose my housing benefit too. All these years and all the money I've paid in taxes, it makes my blood boil. Please read on.....

Dear *******,


Unfortunately, I once again feel the need to write to you in relation to the service standards at the ******* Jobcentre Plus.

I received a letter dated 22nd May 2007 from ****** BDC Jobcentre Plus stating that my claim for Jobseekers Allowance would not be paid because “I did not hand in a completed claim form”. I beg to differ. I have already given over all the required information with the exception of my P45.

I called the phone number given on the letter and the lady that I spoke to explained that my claim had expired, because of the P45 not being given in. I informed her that I had spoken to my ex-employer (**** ***** Ltd) and that it was being sent in due course. If you check your records, you will see that I originally made the initial steps to claim on 15th March 2007, so there has been a huge delay in ****** sending me this document.

The lady advised me that when I finally received the correct P45 (and not the Jobcentre Plus version that came with the above letter), I should make a new appointment at ***** **. She also explained that I would not have to submit all the paperwork again, just the new P45.

I finally received my P45 from my ex-employer at the end of last week. I decided to bring it with me today and give it in during the signing-on process, which I did and explained the above situation to the advisor.

He told me that there was no need for me to have signed-on today (at no point have I been told to stop signing on?) and told me to go upstairs and see another advisor over making a fresh claim, he also gave me both P45’s back to take with me.

It was at this point that the Asian Securitas woman (yes, the same one as last time) called me back half way down the stairs to ask me where I was going. She seemed surprised that I had been told to go upstairs, and once I explained, she ushered me away with a flick of her hand. I must assume that she did not attend any of the meetings that you arranged after my last letter of complaint. Who the hell does she think she is? I will NOT be dealt with in this manner.

Once upstairs, I went to the Reception desk and spoke to another Securitas officer and explained to him that I had been sent up with regard to making a fresh claim. He asked me something about a 30 day limit and whether or not it was for a rapid claim (that may have not been the actual terminology used). I replied that I did not know and he told me to take a seat.

Once the advisor was free to see me, I explained the situation again and she appeared confused as to why I was there. The Reception Securitas guy seemed to know more about the scenario than she actually did as they discussed it between them. I also had to explain that most of the documentation that I gave in on my initial application was now in the hands of my solicitor with regard to my industrial tribunal. She explained that I should disclose that information on the new claim application form, and a new appointment has been made for me next week on the 19th June at 11.40am. I hope that I will not need to contact my solicitor and have to pay further costs to get my information back, only to possibly re-send it again after this farce is completed for the second time. Have you forgotten that I have not received a single penny in JSA?

After my first complaint and following our meeting, standards did appear to initially improve, but that was obviously very short lived. I am furious over the way that I have been treated. It is no wonder that you feel the need to employ security on the premises as I am sure that I am not the only person who is dealt with like a second-class citizen. Is it any wonder that emotions run high?

I would appreciate a response within seven days please.

Regards,