To complain about how I was treated

I don't think that's the problem. The problem is that some staff are unprofessional.

And please don't make sweeping statements like "too many people play the mental health card". You might think that but you don't and cannot know the legitimacy of a claimant's health issues.

Yes complain. You have a right to be treated with respect. She is within her rights to remind you of your obligations but eye rolling, sarcasm and using phrases like suck it up is very unprofessional. Her opinion is beside the point, her role is to deliver a service.

Did you read where she said op had never contacted her… so op found the email evidence and no acknowledgment? If going in to apply for work is voluntary it needs to be very clear that it’s actually compulsory for anyone who hasn’t found work.
maybe the op could do better but this woman was biased and unfair. As well as failing to take any responsibility herself. This is her job and she doesn’t sound very good at it.

I think the problem here is that so many people who are required to look for work immediately pull the MH card, ruining it for those who's MH really is getting in the way of life & therefore job prospects.

No don't complain, just tell her you will not be spoken to like that again. Ignore the patronising cow and give her no headspace. Good luck finding a job, god knows it's hard enough without patronising cows in job centres.

Sorry you’re having such a hard time OP. You should complain. I think a lot of people who haven’t been in the position to claim won’t understand. Just after Uni, my Mum was in financial hardship and I was worried I wouldn’t get a job fast enough to help. I went to the job centre just once and couldn’t believe the way they treat people. It’s the power trip that some of them are clearly on. I would never have expected this had I not seen it.

@honeyinwine Not everyone is the same. Your colleagues are employed and for that reason alone may have a number of treatment options that they are utilising that the OP does not have access to.

From my small amount of knowledge of the Restart programme I understand that you are meant to receive support. That person sounded the complete opposite of supportive.

I don’t think Op is necessarily annoyed. She’s just stating a fact that she is required to find work .

And to be fair, as a single parent it’s understandable one would want to be a bit older before going out to work. And she seems to be genuinely struggling.

That said, I do get what you mean generally speaking though. My former co-workers sons father deliberately doesn’t work to avoid child maintenance and so he can be around more to control whoever he is in a relationship with .

He was in good physical health when he was knocking my friend about before she left him, and sending death threats when she tried to escape etc but has been signed off long term sick since she left him 20 years ago. He can’t quite articulate what’s wrong with him to her, but he does like a drink and dabbles in recreational drugs so we suspect he’s spun some tale to the doctor. If he really wanted to work though, he would.

However your alway’s going to get people like that and OPs situation seems very different . Either way the work coach can’t be speaking to people like that. It’s not helpful.

It's hard being a single parent.

You should write a complaint letter. Its not appropriate use of language and not apologising for your mistake.

I hope you find some work that you'll find some enjoy from, why not consider teaching assistant. You'll have to apply for training course first.

Ah coping with life’s challenges haha. Yes I see. And no I’m not bitchy, but the tone of this OP trying to avoid work is an attitude that annoys me somewhat

In this specific example, the OP is seemingly annoyed that she is expected to seek employment as the child is now 3.

Of course this is only based on the information provided. If she has a disability and is on PIP, that isn’t mentioned in the OP

@Nocturna I thought "coping with life's changes" was a code for menopause!! I actually thought you were blaming it on your snappy response to OP.

Oh well, crossed wires, but still jo need to ve bitchy.

That’s quite young. Have the rules changed? My friend wasn’t even a single parent as she had a partner although he didn’t live with her full-time and she didn’t have to find work until her youngest was starting school aged 5.

Anyway I think it would be perfectly reasonable for you to complain. She’s being unnecessarily harsh and she really can’t determine your level of anxiety. She must he using these bully tactics on others too.

Why would I be talking about menopause??

I haven’t assumed anything, other than what has been posted in the OP. “and now I’m required to look for work.” That isn’t somebody actively seeking to rejoin the workforce

What do you define as "milking the system"? Be specific.

I am predicting a post about how a lot people "take out" more than they "put in" etc.

You are a piece of work.

Everyone copes with life challenges differently and varying degrees.
Be grateful that you can cope. Not everyone can.

If you are talking about menopause, no most us aren't, and also menopause isn't a license to be bitchy.

You have no idea how much OPs anxiety is impacting her but yet you launch into judgment and assume she's lying.

I don't want to derail the thread any further but there's no need to kick someone when they're down. It's not very nice.

I suppose when I’m having to cope with life’s challenges (as are most of us) whilst working full time, it’s grating to see people making excuses to avoid work, milking the system

I am so sorry you are feeling this way. I am suffering similar at the moment, my anxiety, depression and mh is dreadful, so I really feel for you. I do work part time and it is my saving grace. I love my job, love the interactions with staff and customers, but totally understand the not being able to make appointments, esp early morning ones.I come home from work and curl up knowing I have given all I can of me. I have a hospital appt at 9am in the morning, followed by a doctors appt, and I am really going to have to force myself to go to both. All I want to do is curl up in a ball and sleep or hide in the bed until the appt time passes. No one knows how tough it is to push through this but it might help if you can. There are days in work I can forget I am a ball of knots and indecision at home, I come across as all together and funny, but the joking about hides so much crap. I cant let people in to see me like I truly am, as I fear it would give them ammunition to hurt me. Do you know what type of work you would like to do? I find with mine as I love what I do, that really helps getting me there. I am also sorry about the other stresses in your life, death of a family member and the threat of being homeless is scary too esp with a small child. Hugs to you and is there any way you can do a course or training before you go back into the workplace to give your confidence a boost?

How is this supportive or constructive or anything other than bitchy?

Anyone's luck or health can turn in an instant and if you've never been in a similar situation count yourself lucky and don't assume that it will always remain that way.

A little empathy wouldn't go astray.

Anxiety will do that.

However the OP needs to either be assessed to not be required to look for work, or find ways to cope.

Being spoken to like that under any circumstances is terrible and you should complain OP. The thread asked whether a complaint was warranted and it sounds like it is. Best of luck OP.