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A couple of weeks ago I got a letter from the Job Centre (due to ME I receive £57 a week in benefits) telling me they owed me 10p. On Friday I received another letter telling me that the 10p they owed me was something they were going to be taking action on soon. Today I've just received a letter from them telling me that they've now paid the 10p into my bank account.

Now, I feel a bit guilty being on any benefits at all because a lot of the time I feel OK and my mind works. But with ME you can change in an instant (for example I've just had to drop everything and lie down for 2 hours due to total lack of energy, I had to quit my job, I had to give up beer, I can't get work that will only accept someone who works from home during the hours they choose and so on - so the reality is I can't work, I've been assessed and this is the case.) The doctor has also signed me off meaning I'm not allowed to work either. So I feel like a bit of a burden even though my case is genuine in every way. But the government is expecting me to survive on a whopping £57 a week. That's how much I receive. Now how much did it cost to process and post those 3 letters? Fuck the 10p. Morons. This is where your tax money is going everyone! Would anyone like me to forward one of these highly important letters as a memento of just how economical our government is?

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Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

You're not a 'burden', and it's important to remember so during this conservative reign where so much emphasis has been put on demonising 'scroungers' and 'lazy benefit claimers' - basically trying to put the Eton boot in to those who are at the economic bottom, baring the strain of the whole, doomed structure.

You wanna talk about 'burdens', cast your glance to the monarchy, royal weddings, bankers bonuses, 'defence' budgets, illegal oil wars, outsourcing jobs to get the cheapest labour possible...

I don't sign on right now, but I've spent long enough in ludicrously run jobcentres, attending laughable waste of time 'work schemes' to understand exactly how infuriating, depressing and pointless it all is. All of these places, incidentally, are FULL of employees milling around doing sweet fuck all on a government wage while looking down on you for claiming your £60 a week.

Fuck 'em. None of the people I've heard giving the 'scrounger' speeches contributes anything to society other than negativity and GENUINE financial burden.

You keep discovering new bands and sharing them with the world via your blog/s, Kev. It's a fuckin' great, and important contribution, never forget that!

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Crazy haired surfin' slacker

Well said Horses!

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Curmudgeonly Rock 'n' Roll time traveller from ye olden days

2nd verse same as the 1st...

Well yeah, I agree. It's not like I sit around all day watching Loose Women or go to the pub of whatever. I write about music - for free - as much as I possibly can. So now that the government has cut so much funding to the arts, I actually like to think I'm earning my 60 quid by giving back in that way. On a good day I'll work 12 hours plus. On a bad day - none, so it evens out. Also, from that benefit money, 30 quid a week goes instantly in child support. So if anyone thinks I've got it easy then you fucking try it!

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Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

Nothing to add beyond Horses excellent post. The real scandal is the scale of money lost to tax dodging corporations not the miniscule amount paid to the small percentage of scamming benefit claimants.

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Mod Supreme, Demon Headmaster

and I have medical proof that I ain't scamming!

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Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

Horses said it all really.

But yeah, keep doing what you do Kev!

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Has something against Spotify...

Horses for PM. Hope that post isn't influenced by you being attacked verbally or something Kev? I know how hard it is. As a lone parent, I was treated terribly (even though I had to leave my partner when my child was three months) I was broke. I was treated like a criminal. We know what demonisation of people relying on help is really about - it detracts from the true issues.

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Jarvis Cocker or David Bowie or AVB or Johnny Borrell, she isn't picky

Cavey Cocker, Cup Cake Queen, Saint Thomas.

I have had anonymous people on a local news forum mention my name in very subtle ways implying that I do nothing, when in reality I probably work more hours than most people. I work 7 days a week, 364 days a year (Christmas day off) health permitting. So that pissed me off a bit.

But really the post was just inspired by the sheer stupidity of going through that whole processing system and sending me 3 letters all for the sake of 10p! If it wasn't a waste of public funds it would be totally laughable.

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Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

Oh and I can empathise with being broke. I'd been ill for years without realising. I just didn't understand why other people seemed to feel better than me all the time. When I was forced to give up work (about 3 and a half years ago), and even when I was in hospital for the summer 2 years ago I received NOTHING. I went 18 months with no benefits or sick pay. I was 31 and relying on my Mum to pay my rent! Then I got given disability living allowance, then that was taken away and I was told I had to pay it back! After months more fighting and a million forms all asking the same things I finally got my £57 a week a few months back - and I still have to pay off the debt I owed for overpayment for disability living allowance! Unbelievable!

Anyway - enough of my ranting. We all have our crosses to bear, and I can't complain compared to the majority of the world's population who struggle way more than me.

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Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

[quote="Cavey"]Horses for PM.[ /quote]

Not before he becomes editor of NME. I'd buy his first (and last) issue!

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Alas, not actually Gryff Rhys Jones...

"Little Jack Horner sitting on the corner
With no shoes and clothes
This aint funny, but he took his money
And sniffed it up his nose"