Universal Credit..anyone? know anything about it? seems that is what I have to go on.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33535114

You are 1 of 15,000, biker. Hope they are not all going to your jobcentre.

Thank you for the up-date bikergran. It's good to know the tutor is on your side and telling you exactly how the system works.

Not too bad at all then. A brilliant tutor as well as tea and biscuits? That's not fair, I never got any of that!

Hi posie well..must admit I was quite looking foward to it, when I eventually found the door to get in lol.

There was about 13 of us, mixed ages, most of them didn't want to be there, one young lad was trying to get his head down as he had had a "heavy weekend" another young woman, had no idea, she couldn't read or write English, but she was lovely girl and could speak English but she really struggled, we have a brilliant tutor who is not! for the Jcentre and hates the way they treat people

It is mostly learning how to use your "Universal Job match" daily log in and what to put so that you don't get sanctioned for the slightest thing.Tutor said if you follow this routine every day you will not! get sanctioned.

got to go Jc again Friday presume to sign on or whatever (dont know why she didn't ask me to sign last Friday! then have to see another lady to do my CV.

You can get up make a whenever, there's biscuits over micro etc you can go out for a cigg if you smoke it is so laid back, you get your travel expenses

We have 5 more sessions on a Wednesday 9-1-00pm

How's it going bikergran?

Riverwalk not as yet, but maybe they will come later, i will certainly ask them if they don't ask me,as I am eager to learn new skills, I actually did go on an evening times course for florist many years ago(floristry is like a secret society )( the florist don't like you knowing how they put things together) I learned how to do Corsages etc, which stood me in good stead for winning at the local flowers shows hubby used to show his giant Chrysanths, he was of proud of them, and when it was dh funeral I and my own big spray with white chrysanthemums and laural leaves.

Biker have they given you a list of courses that are available? I think the IT one is standard - everyone gets sent on that one!

I remember vocational subjects such as floristy, carpentry, baking, etc.

thanks posie

Good luck with the course bikergran!

It's early days yet so I don't think they'll hassle you too much yet but you could try looking in your local library (assuming it's not been closed due to cut backs) to see if they run a job club. I found they were very helpful & they helped me a lot with my job application. It was only by chance that I found them as the Job Centre didn't tell me about it.

Very true Falconbird It is hard to start again especially when you have been a carer for a number of years.

This must be something that is affecting a lot of women all over the UK so I think they should have anticipated this when they changed the retirement age & put in specialised support. Then again I suppose they don't really care do they?

I was given a general support worker but she had no idea of my problems & just smiled sympathetically. Her only idea was for me to become a carer, but I wasn't at all sure that I could do that. Being a carer for my OH was one thing doing it for strangers is something different entirely.

The retirement age for women used to be 60.

Let's not forget that.

It was thought that at 60 a woman had done her fair share of working and caring and it was time to put her feet up.

I worked until I was 61 (part time) and began to realise that I wasn't as sharp or as quick as I had been and it was time to go.

How many jobs are there that a woman of that age can cope with. Care work is exhausting and physically demanding (I know I volunteered in an Elderly Persons' Home and I couldn't have coped with the 12 hour shifts) shop work is tiring on the feet and brain. Admin work - yes but that can come with a lot of stress.

If you have a job you are familiar with and enjoy - yes stay there until you reach the new retirement age, which is approximately 64 now? not sure. But to start out again is a hard prospect.

My OH took a part time job after he retired and it wore him out and he had to give it up. My one regret is that I encouraged him to do it and I think it contributed to him becoming ill because he tried to compete with the younger members of staff and it made him exhausted.

When I was working full time in the 60s and 70s - people over 60 for women and 65 for men were treated with great respect and consideration. The feeling was, good for them, they've served their time. Remember the phrase "being put out to pasture."

I was on JS for a short time at 59 and I wasn't treated with respect at all, rather the reverse.

Bikertake it easy fly or windscreen....but sometimes there are arsoles that think they are the fly swatter....

Ohhh downtoearth that is shocking! and under such sad circumstances, it sounds like you are well rid of the bully boss!

I do hope things start to improve for you very soon, and like you say a physical disability you are able to see, but a mental one is invisible.

Some days you can fight the world, other days you just want to curl up under the duvet and close the curtains.

I used to have a signature on my emails.

"Some days your the fly" and "some days your the window screen"

yes Biker I do understand I had the same problem for about 10 years after losing my daughter in suspicious circumstances also fighting lengthy exhausting court battles..delayed funeral etc due to criminal investigation I had also lost my first daughter ..two deaths too many resulted in 2 breakdowns but I did pull through but I totally understand the feeling of not being ready ..nothing to do with being able..your confidence takes a huge blow..job centre staff are sympathetic but rules are rules I was on long term sickness benefit which then changed to ESA...I was put in the WRAG group,I joined an organisation that helped people with a disability maybe not a physical disability but one you couldn't see a mental one..they helped me to build confidence with the many courses and workshops they provided,they supported me to write a CV..and eventually at the age of 60 I did find a job,I started off on a 20 hour contract,knowing that tiredness was a trigger to my depression,and ended up working 44 hours plus otherwise I would lose my job,my work suffered and my boss who was a bully took delight in this and robbed me of my newly found confidence...I ended up walking out ....back to square one.....take it easy and one step at a time only you know your breaking point...good luck xxxxxxx

Dj only that if you're on ESA you won't be sanctioned if you don't look for work, only if you don't do the courses etc they offer you!

durhamjen, only Galen had enquired whether biker might be elible for ESA. I think it's you who might be rather confused.

You have the right attitude biker and I admire your spirit! Good luck for the future

I must say that I am not work shy, I am fit and healthy ( I think) I am nearly 60 but still active etc, the only think wrong at the moment is I am still sad and doesn't take much to have a meltdown, but hopefully I am trying to learn to control that emotion.

I am quite looking forward to the course, and will hopefully learn something, it will give me something to get up in a morning for,(well at least for two days) then the following weeks. I am trying to look on the positive side.

I do wonder if any of the other Gnetters in a similar situation.

You seem to be confused quite often, Ana.

I just said biker because people had suggested she apply for ESA.
Sorry again, Galen. I meant in general and should not have said biker. It's just that this thread is about her in particular.
If WRAG and JSA are going to be the same will it make any difference which you are on? (By you I mean anyone, not you in particular)

It will to government statistics because JSA is used to give unemployment figures, but I do not know if WRAG is.

It's a bit like giving poverty figures without mentioning how much/little money they have to live on.

Oh I'm a mine of useless information

aha thankg Galen not heard of that before

Don't know. I'm not her doctor.

Would biker qualify for WRAG anyway?

Depends on whether they drop the rate or not. Also although you still have to go on courses you don't have to look for a job.

That's what I thought, Galen. Not like you to shout on here.

So would there be any benefit to being in WRAG as opposed to just on JSA for biker?

Work related activity group. The lower rate of ESA