in the end it all comes down to people. The JC/DWP staff are people and the unemployed are people (just) and with people every where these groups consist of all sorts The good, the bad and the ugly (and god knows theirs some ugly ones) but if your lucky youll get the good ones, if your unlucky youll get the ugly ones and if your really unlucky youll get the bad ones. unfortunately thats life youve got to do your best with what your given if you get depressed or strest you end up in the sh#t, so keep your head on straight and remeber this is a game youve gotta win. Ive had the odd bad one and found that if you show interest in everyting and pretend their doing some good their egos will love to see you every fortnight. ask about training, especially expensive training cos they wont give you it if its expensive. get jobs of the job point that you might like but dont have the qualifications for and ask if they can set you up on any goverment scheams that will get you qualified. I can garantee they wont have any scheams but you will have earned brownie points because your seen to be trying and they will love you for it. it makes life a lot easier for you and in my case my personal adviser bent a few rule and told a few lies to get me on a refresher course that I didnt qualifie for because I had the wrong post code. God (or in this cas JC) helps thoughs who help them selves. And remember DONT LET THE BUG##RS GET YA DOWN

most of the job centre staff I've seen have been ok. theirs been the odd pratt who looked down their nose at me but most have been ok. I think It depends on how you treat them and what efforts you make to find work. If they pull a job up on the computer and I say no its usually for a reason, I tell them that reason and its usually a good one eg: lack of qualifications, relevant licence or certificates or health probs. If you take the pee they dont like it. ive told them no on money ground for a few jobs mainly because their min wage and to far away. or the other side of the humber bridge. told them once you take travel/bridge costs in to account your getting less than on the dole. they never push it. if ive no good reason for turning it down I apply for it I've only had 1 interview out of one of these applications and I messed that up by discussing my health issus.

unfortunately the systems set up with dead head scroungers in mind, its geared to get these of their bumps and into work unfortunately it dosnt leave a lot of manuvering room for people such as yourself. their are ways and means around this as proved by the number of dead head scroungers on the dole. you just need to think your way through it. if JC think your trying they will not push you just try not to give them attitude or youll get their backs up.

if it comes to it apply for the jobs they say and if you get an interview screw it up its easy done, I just start going on about the time ill need of for blood test and my 6 monthly retinal scans thats usually a job killer.

The last job I had I got through a work experience scheam while on new deal. did 12 weeks on jsa + £15. they wanted to keep me and had 6 other drivers that had started full time fron this scheam in the past. the manager told me the first week I was better than the usual dead heads, p*** heads and junkies they usually get and the 6 they did take on wernt a patch on me. They wanted me full time but didnt have a full time job for 6 months. the training providers went to an agency in the city that arranged for me to stay their for 6 months on minium wage, the company paid half the wage and the agency paid the other half. the biggest draw back was I could only work 37hrs. I was flexible with these hours and even did a couple of hours on a weekend cash in hand. the company closed that section down 3 weeks before the 6 months were up every one was laid off except me they kept me for the last 3 weeks of my 6 months to help clear the yard. the manager said if it had been any one else I would have gone with the others but unlike the others when told the company was closing I didnt get bitter and take it out on the manager, who to be fair had no control over the closure. I also still did my job still turnned up on time. when I finaly left I was 1 of 2 people who the manager gave his phone number to and promissed a glowing reference, this was after 9 months work. thats 2 people with references out of 12 staff most of whom had been their for years. The thing is the job was below me I was way over qualified and the money was crap but I still gave it my best. thats why the training provider was told I was the only one they ever sent their who had any work ethic. my point been (as long winded as it is) the money may not be good but filling a void in your cv and the references you get if you give it your best are worth it. Your also in a position to here about jobs from the customers. And of course the satisfaction of doing a good job and having somewhere to go every day is nice as well.

good luck

it is possible to install 2 o/s on your computer. you could use W7 when pluged in to mains and vista/xp when on battery. try www.computeractive.co.uk and go into their forums you should be able to get advice their on how to do it. they have a section dedicated to W7 and may all ready have a thread on this problem and how to fix it, if not start one. hope this helps computer probs can be a real head ache

as the problems with windows 7 itself I dont see a claim against the seller going far unless you can prove he knew. this sounds like a compatibility issue so going back to vista may be the most practical option (prefer xp myself) and stick with that until a fix is available for W7. not what you wanted but it makes the laptop useable.

if dwp suspend his/her benifits then they should get in touch with the housing benifits section to declare a change of circumstances. HB &TCB are both means tested so stopping jsa should not affect it. the biggest problem lies in that DWP tell HB you no longer recieve jsa and they assume you have a job so get straight on to them when things change.

best thing to do next time you trip an alar is test your belonging, stick the wife hand bag through then her shopping bag, coat excetra. of course once you stripped your missus down to her underware it would be best to stop at that point.

god knows I wish I could leave mine at home.

check her purse and handbag their may be something in their. if it turns out to be her youll have to get them to pass her over the device that deactivates security tab or leave her at home.

hi paul it dosnt sound like its the diabetes getting away from him it sounds like hes a typical teenager and if hes been forgetful and not taking his condition seriously then for his own good he needs to get in touch with the reality of the situation. the alturnative dont bare thinking about. its an unfortunate fact that the bigest danger to a diabetic is him/herself. you could push this on the metal health issues aparently we tend to suffer from depression, say hes incapeable of looking after his self because the condition is depressing him. dont know if it will help. god knows I get depressed everytime I pass the cream buns in tescos.

I know they stopped sending out opointment letters at our JC, they hand them over when you sign on and get you to sign that you'vr recieved it. that way theirs no argument.

as a parent of a 15yr old I can apriciate how awkward they can be so you have my simpathy their, as a type 2 diabetic I understand the dangers of this disease but perhaps he dosnt. Ive been having to pop a fist full of pills every night for just over a year and get fed up of that. I can only imagine how frustrating and annoying it must be to stick a needle in yourself every day. I have to keep reminding myself that its better than going blind, loosing a leg or having a stroke. he needs to get his head round the down side to not taking control then perhaps he'll sort is act out. I know a few type 1's near me and non get DLA, I think you have to develope one of the more debilitating side affects before they pay out. I hope you get it though and wil whatch this thread closely so that if you do I can put a few more in the know.

I think their was a court ruling re posting of letters mentioned in one of the postings in one of the dvla threads.

sending a letter is no garentee of recieving a letter. she should ask them if they have proof of posting,

might be an idea to check the bag or coat she was using on these occations to see if theirs a security tag in their. Ive seen kids in shops take security tags of things and pop them in peoples bags and pockets, they seem to find these games funny.

was your wife manhandled in any way if so theirs a possible assault charge in it for these people. I personly would be sending a very stern letter to each shop and a demand for your travel costs after all its their fault. tescos might be worried enough to send out some vouchers to help calm the situation.

They already have a duty on petrol and they tax the oil that petrols made from then they have vat at pumps. so tax oil, levy dutie on pet/derv then wait till petral companies put a bit on for their profit then charge 17.5% vat on the bloody lot (20% after new year) add any more to that and their calculators will explode. VED is a fixed income for them add it to petrol then income becomes very fluid. if theirs a fuel shortage or people stop using their cars then income drops and it makes it hard to balance their books its a lot easier to budget if you have a fixed income.

good.....I think thats what they call good customer care.

If they want your business then they play fair and do their best by you unless your obviously trying it on. after all if you want customers you gotta look after them

RESULT were their any problems, comets near us are usually very good but now and then you get one awkward sod who likes to make life hard.

was it descibed as having a "record calls" feature if so you can claim its not as described as well as not of reasonable quality. it'll give you and extra arguing point.

It may not show what was bought but their should be enough info on their to help them find the original sale in their records.