Oh god I read all this and can't agree more! I have been signing on for a year, and I've just had an endless nightmare of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. I was told I couldn't go away abroad for a holiday. I was a professor at a university in France and I was invited to the graduation ceremony to sit on stage as I had been the prof of all the graduating students...I was told by the JC I was not allowed to go even though it didn't clash with a signing on day. I had to be in the UK just in case someone rang up with an urgent job interview. Also when you sign on you have to say three areas you can work in, and when you sign on every two weeks they want proof that you have applied for jobs in those areas (I say proof, I mean just write down a company and a job you've applied for). So as long as what you say you've applied for matches what they have on their screen, they are happy. They are not there to get you a job, they are there to get you of benefits, and they don't give a rat's bottom whether you get a job in your chosen field or not. Some people who work there are better than others, and it's all dependent on who you get. So the way to 'work the system' is to write down you've applied for jobs that match your job seeker's agreement, then in your own time go for jobs in the film industry. If they give you jobs to apply for that are unreasonable, then send them a very basic application, and you will not get an interview. I've had to do this, I was given jobs to apply for on an industrial estate, only accessible by car (I don't drive) and I was told to 'buy a bicycle'. So either do a basic application so you have actually applied, or else when they go through it on their screen to check you've applied give a strong reason as to why not - travel is too expensive etc. Personally I would like to sign off and live off my savings, but I am currently having battle because I have been overpaid, which occurred because I took the advice of one of the advisors. I have just rung the CAB who said I was mis-advised, but since I didn't get it written down there's nothing I can do. I feel I am wasting my life, hours in my day and general head space trying to constantly appease them. I feel for you, and if you work hard enough you will get a job in the film industry (I worked for 12 years in TV) but don't expect the JC to understand! They only seem to want warehouse workers and forklift truck drivers.

I signed on for JSA a year ago, and showed them all my bank statements and declared my ISA. I had under £16,000 but enough money that I got some JSA knocked off each week to account for that. During the year I have lived very frugally, I live with my parents caring for my father who is terminally ill, and I put money into the ISA when I got it (sometimes my mum gave me money for my work, I got birthday money, my aunt died and left me a little bit) so I assumed I had less money than I did at the beginning of the year as I was taking money out of it to pay for bills etc. Anyway I got a letter to say there was a 'query on my account' 2 weeks ago so I took along all my bank statements, they said the problem was I had an ISA and on my record ti says I am getting full JSA (which I am not). I have now had two letters from different depts asking for my bank statements, and I printed everything out and sent it off. I totted up at this stage my savings, and it's managed to be 4k over what I originally claimed. I had no idea, and I am panicking that I will be told I have been overpaid and be sent a massive bill. To add an extra problem to the mix on the same day I got a letter saying I had a query on my account I got a tax bill from France (I lived there in 2010) for approx 4,500 euros. I've now had to withdraw the extra 4k and pay this bill (I was advised by my tax office in France to pay the bill, then write and complain about it) so now this looks highly suspicious. I sent the Job Centre a copy of the tax bill and explained this is why 4k is now missing from my account. I am so worried about it all, my Dad has been give around 6 weeks to live so I was hoping to have signed off and got carer's allowance which I am entitled to, but now I am panicking over this. I am not available for work as I have to watch and care for him 24 hours a day. I am going to ring up the CAB this morning, but does anyone have any ideas?