I use a 'TALKDIRECT' "phone card, available from newsagents. I call America for 1/2 pence per minute. It calls many other countries too, but, as knowing nobody there, haven't tried it out.

Dear antone, Yes i know a great many of the 'Politically Correct' and stupid/complicated forms and laws, to me anyway, are the result of the laws that MP's pass, but will never use. What annoyed me though were the lies i was told. Many things i disregard, but lying is something i cannot abide, not just by AO's, but by anyone. As was previosly stated, i spoke with 'Paul' at Bolton who said there was NOTHING about me on his computer and he would send an email to Prestwich the minute we got off the phone, as, according to him, the papers i had initially filled in to claim benefits had never got to them. Hours later, after waiting at Prestwich Jobcentre, after waiting at the Jobcentre for the email which never materialised, they told me to call back and find out what was going on. 'Ashley', who i talked to, told me there was no Paul who worked there, no record that i had called earlier and no email had been sent out or was forthcoming. One of them MUST be lying and giving the wrong information. That kind of false information i cannot blame on the Government. As has been stated by most people here, 'one bad apple .......... '. Because of incidents like this, people become sceptical and wary of all employees at the DWP. It is no good saying it is because they were afraid of verbal abuse as i was very calm, placid and polite. A hell of a lot of people have given me good advice, it turned out to be the wrong advice though because of the one, and still the only letter i have had. All the running around, 'phone calls and form filling in, were a waste of time due to the ineffiency of the Office Manager at Bolton who signed the letter giving me the wrong reason, and then, failing to inform me of the correct one. It was only due to the dilligence of the Jobcentre staff and of the Community Legal Advice worker, who could not understand my disallowed claim, that the truth became apparent. If it were up to me, there would be a lot of repercussions about giving me the false information. As stated, my appeal has been sent off, and i hope it is dissallowed as i want an oral hearing and can FULLY put my case over. The office manager, who shall be named, would i hope, be held accountable then. I also wish to find out if civil action can be brought against him, thereby leading to one against his ethics in work, and i hope, new legislation that would make all this nonsense a thing that is less inclined to happen in all aspects of benefit requisitions, not just mine. It may be a pipe dream, but one i like. Thank You antone.

Dear antone, To be honest, i am unsure of what i was. I was just referred to as a 'Legal Alien' as i would not take citizenship after being informed that i couldn't have a dual Nationality. Even with the citizenship, you still need to prove ( bank accounts, property etc) that you can support yourself for one year as, during that year, the Government dissallow you from working or receiving any state funding, and you have to pay all your obligitory medical expenses, which are astronomical. My wife has not applied, or got a visa. With hindsight it is logical that she should have, but we quite honestly had no idea after her operation she would be able to travel. The Doctors said that after the surgery, it would be six months before she could drive even. I have sent the appeal off already. I wish i'd thought about the visa earlier that would have been a very good thing to say, although, its been two months since i came now. In most of the sites i have been to it says it is usually between one and three months before you are accepted. Another month wont kill me lol. Dear Privatehudson, I said i was not too concerned NOW. The messing about has stopped, my appeal is in, all i can do now is wait. Most of my venom was through frustration. I have, i believe, been led down the wrong path many times along the way, this all because of the one letter i have received off the DWP in all this time. This confused the people at the Jobcentre and i was filling in forms of which there was no need and then, when i was told it had been refused, became even more frustrated. I do not know the names of all the forms, or which i was meant to fill out, i am not savvy in that department, perhaps i should have read up on it more and become a little knowledgable on the subject. I apologise to you AND anyone else i may have offended. Andrew

Dear antone, yes, i too have an American SSN, and its worthless here. Luckily i have my English one too. I thank you for the offer Andrew

Dear Stominorman, I have absolute no idea where you would find a friend request lol, i may need help with that one ! I've never heard of indiscriminate discrimination, that has never been mentioned.

Dear privatehudson, I have made my appeal. It was sent in yesterday. I am not too concerned about my treatment now, it is the laziness, ineptitude and total lack of regard i have, and i am sure that many others have experienced by the DWP. Judging by your replies i.e. in reference to the travellers, ' i have never knowingly dealt with one in 18 months of taking claims' is one of the standard replies that you recieve off the people who are there, laughingly, to help you, albeit used in another context, the claim you are making or with their 'help' , trying vainly. The 'verbal abuse', we have discussed at length, in a nutshell, you just put the 'phone down, end of story. Why does it play such an important part of your life? You have deart with it for 18 months, mine was 20+ years. Get over it, pack your 'job' in or get a law passed that will decree ANY wording that upsets the unceaselessly working staff of either the Jobcentres or the DWP will result in a minimum of 100 years hard labour or, if it is traumatising to you so you are in need of paid time off and therapy, the death penalty. Another problem solved As to the travellers, gypsy or not, it was in the newspapers and on the television about the fact that they were getting DVD's. Wether you have dealt with a claim is irrelevant. I have stated in my previously written post that if i haven't received the letter the DWP sent, or they didn't receve mine, then i MUST by lying. The angelic and ever helpful anonymous person you speak to (refer to my last posting of Paul and Ashley), would not even dream of lying ! I spoke about the foreign nationals to emphasise a point, i wasn't making a derogatory comment. I also know very little about HT or processing, in fact i seem to be learning less almost daily as form 1mb.789 (just an example) hadn't been filled in or my wifes National Insurance number wasn't recognised, which is not suprising as she visited England for 19 days in 2002, didn't give her NI number to anyone and the American number contains 10 digits and no numbers ( this, believe it or not, is a fact) the people at the DWP certainly investigate thoroughly !!

Dear privatehudson, I am not trying to be 'flippant' or hostile, but you remarks are that of a Politician. 'It shouldn't be, yet it is' appears to be all you are saying here. The travellers MAY not get housing benefit, but have been given DVD's by the Department of Work and Pensions to enable them to claim more benefits. Is that not descrimination? Give it to all AND have it translated into the 12 other languages that accompany each letter. Talk about a waste of taxpayers money !!!!! Put the 'phone down if it upsets you or anyone else. I am in favour of that. Yesterday i called Bolton from my home, according to Paul that i was conversing with, there was NOTHING about me on the computer. I gave him the facts yet again, he said he would, as soon as we put the 'phones down, send an email to my local Jobcentre. I went down there and the Head Floorwalker (there are 5 plus 3 security guards). After about an hour of waiting, he said to call Bolton again to find out the delay. I spoke to Ashley this time, there was NO Paul who worked there, and NO record of me calling earlier that morning. What there was though, were two letter, one stating i was a Habitual Resident, the other stating i was, both dated the same day and signed by the same person. The date was the 25th June 2010, i had not had any. Lies upon lies upon inneficieny. I didn't raise my voice except in laughter. When someone is faced with this ineptitude and their family are hungry, is it a wonder there is the awful 'verbal abuse' ? So you see, putting the 'phone down is saving you from such punishment. Think that needs to be passed by The House of Lords, mess the person about for a few months, lie to them, be condescending and utterly useless, say letters have been sent out, but don't send them, say we never got your letter/phone call and then put the phone down. Problem solved !

Dear Antone, I was not speaking of all of the staff. At my local Jobcentre they have been good. As in all cases there are good and bad people in ALL jobs, surely you are not saying they are all good? I have never once said they are all bad. Most of my life, i have been in fast food. Try getting upset when, NOT over the phone, but to your face you get abuse when the pubs/clubs are let out. If it bothered me so much, i would not do it .... You had that choice too, so it cannot have been that big an issue. I'm sure that somebody on benefits would be overjoyed to talk condesendingly to some irate person who has been shunted about from one indifferent "advisor" to another one who seems equally indifferent AND to get paid for it WOW, its a sadomasochictics dream job. I have not, and don't, shout or abuse people (verbally or physically), but the red tape and beurocracy that exists is unbelievable. Yes, maybe you know the answers, but i dont. It seems incomprehensible to me that a 'traveller' can claim money when he is of no fixed abode, whereas i HAVE to live somewhere to get anything if/when i do. Wether people are poorly paid or not is irrelevant. They should do the job they are paid to do or go. There are men and women serving in the army who pay for a mistake with their life, they know this, yet still do it even though they are underpaid and ill equipped and you cry about 'verbal abuse' over a telehone ???????

Dear Antone, I agree with you about communication problems, but VERY oddly, they ALWAYS appear to be in the Jobcentres benefit. If you don't receive a letter off them, you are lying ... If you say you sent a letter to them and they 'hadn't got it', you, again are lying. The best thing to do, in this situation i think, is to get in touch with your MP, Solicitors (who do the free half hour advice) and then they would take on the case. ALL the names of these indequately trained 'officials', dates and correspondence. I am sure that the people who had 'no time' or were afraid of the 'verbal abuse' would suddenly have a lot of time, would have no qualms about verbal abuse and do the job they are paid to do. They appear to me to be little anonymous persons who take delight in others misfortune. BTW, the telephone number for the Community Legal Advice is :-0845 456 5989 and they CAN and DO record every single conversation they have with the Benefits Office. As to there being a lot of claims for these poor personell to cope with, i suggest they get there act together or take a few people off benefits, train them and then swap their positions. People who have been victims of the abysmal sevice and lack of understanding are more inclined to investigate things instead of just shunting them about. All i seem to hear is that the BA is having to deal with a lot of 'claims at this time', but they give out money hand over fist to undeserving claimants. What a great system they have here !

Thank you Antone, They sent me a letter on 9/6/2010, informing me of that decision but as to the REAL reason, they did not. It was only due to the fact that i contacted the Community Legal Aid that i found this out. I have received that ONE letter only. There has been no other. On the 19th of June 2010, i, along with a worker at my local Jobcentre filled in a form requesting it to be reviewed. On Friday it still had not been looked at, so my appeal, which a written statement with your intention, needs to be in within a month of the first, and only letter, will be on its way tomorrow. Do they just have one person dealing with claims who works part time i wonder.

I have just found out that if you are deported from the USA, you are exempt IMMEDIATELY from the HRT. Take note of this all expats who are thinking to return here !

It wasn't actually a holiday lol. No, they haven't actually told me, first it was because i hadn't paid enough contributions and then they changed it to the habitual residency. Had a lot of guessing and opinions from the people at the Jobcentre, but nothing concrete as to why. They dont, it seems, even have the courtesy to explain these things.

Dear Erika, thank you for the items shown

If you committed a crime in your own country and were illegally here, you would still not satisfy the right to reside and habitual residence tests for benefit purposes, and the home office would be seeking deportation. This would be the case regardless of whether you are black or white, or pink with yellow dots. Dear Erika, thank you for your input, but it was reported recently that a Pakistani woman had, in Pakistan, set fire to her husband and bured him to death, whilst awaiting trial, she fled here and claimed asylum. Was she deported ? No, depite pleas from the Pakistani Government, she was granted it here AND was given everything she asked for.

Dear Honeybee, yes i am Britsh, i was born here. Have left for holidays only. I left here in March 2007, other than that, i have always resided in the Manchester area.

I returned to England on the 6th May 2010, but did not go to jobcentre until the 10th. I was given a number to call and give all my information in, a month later, they sent me a letter saying ‘i had not paid enough national tax contributions’ to get JSA, of course not, i had been in America for three years. I didn’t know what to do so i ‘phoned the Community Action Line, they called the office dealing with my claim, they told the lady from CAL that i had failed my ‘habitual residency test’. My wife is still in the USA, i plan to bring her over as soon as i’m settled. I called the office yesterday and they said my review(received by them on the 19th June) hadn’t been looked at and it may take a few weeks. By then, my appeal time will have exceeded the stipulated 1 month and i will be back to square one. Still have not had any money off them. They just seem to be as uncompromising as possible, if i was black, illegally here and had committed a crime in my own country, they would be waiting for me with money, deeds to a new home and clothing allowance. Is this the way British people (born and bred here) are to be treated? What should i do, been supported by family since i came, but with no prospect of any job or financial assistance, they will tire, then what ?? Might be easier to go to prison and then, when i came out, i would be a resident! Is there some way of dealing with all this red tape and Jobcentre 'staff' indiference that anyone knows ?