Lets just be clear, before I get into this: I COMPLETELY agree, that there needs to be reform, there needs to be changes, and there needs to be a cap on benefits. I will also be clear: I have recently become unemployed and have found myself (I hope short term) on jobseekers allowance and housing benefit.

I became unemployed at the end of February. And for the past 6 weeks, have been on benefits.

How. The fuck. Do people play the system to earn upwards of £40,000 per year? Because frankly, I can’t even get enough to cover my rent.

I have been allocated £51 per week jobseekers, and £260 per month to cover my rent and (AND) council tax. Now, my issue with this, (and I’m sorry to say, I DO have an issue with this), is that my rent, plus my council tax amounts to £348 per month. So, if I tote this up correctly:

£260 + (£51×4) = £464 per month.

£464 – £348 (my rent and council tax) = £116

Lets just have a look at that again. £116.

Now, that is for my 4 weeks of food, remaining electric and water bills, my travel expenses to any potential interviews I may get and… oh well, if it goes that far I’ll be monumentally impressed.

Now, please don’t get me wrong. I am MONUMENTALLY grateful that I live in a country that essentially hands those in difficulty money to survive. However, having enquired about the reasoning behind my shortfall in rent, bills and essentially, my survival costs.

Do you know what I was told? At the age of 23, I am not classed a true independent.

What?

I am not living at home, I live independently of my parents. I do not rely on my brother, my sister, my grandparents or any other relative to survive. Prior to losing my job, I depended on one person. Myself. My job wasn’t glamorous; in fact, it was awful. However, it was MY job. I earned my own money. I grafted, awoke at ungodly hours, did overtime, worked outside my job description to get it.

I detest the situation I am currently in. However, it is NOT my fault I am in it. At all. I am independent of anyone else, I eat just as much as someone 2 years older than me? So why am I told that I am worth £80 less?

The government has claimed that this is to push people back to work. Great. I don’t need pushing. And in doing that “pushing” they have actually hindered my job search:

I was told today, that I can claim travel to my interviews. Marvellous! That makes things a billion times easier.

Addition: I can claim that travel back… IF the interview is over 90 minutes away from Manchester. Over 90 minutes away from Manchester? So… Cardiff, or London?! Cheers. Thanks for that. It has hit a point for myself where, not only am I having to limit where my job search takes place, but for interviews I do get, pick and chose which ones I can simply afford to attend?! I have had 12 interview offers since starting benefits. 12. Of those 12, I have been able to attend 3. Three. 3/12. Not because I don’t want the other positions. But simply because I cannot afford to get there.

So I shall continue to search for work. Continue to see how far I can stretch 1 evenings lasagne into the week. And continue to wonder how exactly to get the unaccountable amounts of wealth that apparently 99% (lol!) of those claiming benefits are on.

The minority that have caused this uprising and resentment, are those that will be unaffected by these changes. They will do as they always have and play the system to their benefit with very little change in their quality of life.

The ones that WILL suffer are those that want out of the dependency, out of the stigma they suffer for living on benefits. The ones that will now have to get by on less, yet still be expected to stop leaching from the system.

Because of course, my £464 a month (or, after rent has been removed, my £29 a week) is literally sucking this country dry. Not the £40million tax break just handed to the fatcats. Not the £10million for Margaret Thatcher’s funeral (that, just to be clear… isn’t something the woman herself wanted?! SHE thought it would have been a massive waste of money?! So… by spending this £10,illion… Cameron… you’ve disrespected her final wishes *2 thumbs up for you*). Not the foreign Aid to countries with their own space programmes (Indian Aid DOESN’T officially end until 2015), not the 28 ‘Public Enquiries’ (costing an average of £20million per enquiry, o in the case of Iraq, £160million and rising)  we have had since the Coalition came to power, of which, out of a grand total of 120,000 law and regulation changes recommended, a grander total of 116 have actually come into effect.

No, it that £29 a week that is leaching this country into oblivion. And god forbid I request to be treated as an adult and ask for the extra £80 a month (£20 a week) anyone over the age of 25 is entitled to.

Fucking hell… I’m a real shit of a person aren’t i?

Sorry Cammers, sorry Cleggers. I’ll try and sort my life out and stop wasting government money on food and bills.