To think that they were more unresonable than me (job centre)

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Had an appointment to apply for jobseekers allowance today. I've been made redundant, have been working 3 days a week for the last 2 years and full time for the rest of my working life apart from maternity leave.

They wanted me to turn up to sign on tomorrow. I said I can't due to childcare. Apparently there isn't a choice. And if I'm actively jobseeking it shouldn't be a problem for me! Well I am actively jobseeking but I need notice for childcare. I said interviews generally give more than a days notice - consultant didn't agree.

I was also annoyed that they couldn't tell me if I am actually elligable for jobseekers (may not be as i was on maternity leave for some of the quallifying period). So I potentially have to attend 2 interviews with associated 1 hr travel and bus fare before being told I don't qualify.

Lastly I was asked to sign a form to say I would be availble for 40hours a week with 90mins travel each way. I said I wasn't. She said sign it anyway and they can sort it out when you sign on.

So, I rather talked myself into a hole of not being able to attend tomorrow and as they couldn't reschedule for the next week (as it has to be a tuesday) I walked out. Thus totally cutting off my nose to spite my face as now I will have to rearrange and still attend twice.

So I was definately unreasonalbe for walking out instead of sorting the childcare somehow for tomorrow - and I regret it - but I think they are worse?

You don't need to apologise foo. I understand the frustration and feel the fear too. Sorry to you, too.

It is really fucking hard and I agree that some people still don't get it, or don't want to because they're scared and find it better to blame people than face up to reality. They make me angry too.

I'm freelance, my husband has his own business. It's okay for now and I hope it will continue that way. But I'm sad and worried that everything we worked for and reasonably expected to have is shaky. He's fucking furious. We're different like that

My mother was 89 on Sunday and though she's happy to be alive she wishes she'd never lived to see this again. She saw men fighting in the streets for work and people fighting against each other - that was my middle class/working class beef. As Dave says, we are all in together, except not him and his ilk because he's well above middle class.

That was a long time ago. I hope it doesn't come again but I feel utter hatred when I see those smug, clueless faces in Government who aren't doing anything to help growth and rejoice that there are so many of us who are cheap once again.

You sound like a good egg limitedperiodonly.

Thanks amber