h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It sounds awful it must have been tough to write that, and you deserve respect as useless as it is. Would you be better off if you were pensioners or if either of you could claim disability allowance.

There is sadly so many in your position its a pity that we cant vote them out!
Good luck to you both and keep in touch

Thanks for sharing your story here... I'm thinking of you, too.

"You only have to look at the press to see claiming benefits being treated with infinitely more contempt than demanding a wage of £200,000 a week. "

That is so true, and makes a strong point especially as people pay for tickets to watch football games, so their money contributes to the wages...

I know something of how it is, too, that I was unemployed for a couple of years. I felt so guilty that I just couldn't get a job, but of course it isn't that you can just take a job - you have to be offered it first... I must have applied for hundreds and just got rejection after rejection, which really made me doubt my abilities, but eventually I got there...

No fun indeed - the pressure and stress I went through was bad, but you're coping with considerably more than that... I am impressed and proud of you...

Hi both. Sorry, I thought I had replied days ago but evidently I failed.

Bob - yes and no. Raven gets us the disability element of universal credit so we would be about £300 worse off otherwise, but her main benefit we are still fighting for.

Sasha - I was out for a year the last time I was unemployed too. It's making me work harder on applications this time round, and search more widely. I am trying my best to cope but it isn't always easy.

What sort of job are you looking at, it sounds tough out there.

Good luck