It’s probably of no significance to anyone else but I’ve just received JobSeeker’s Allowance payments for the time I was unemployed and claiming this state benefit (28th August to 28th September). It makes a very welcome dent in my overdraft. I havd given up hope of receiving any benefit because I hadn’t heard anything about my claim since signing off.

I had tried phoning Worcester’s Department for Work and Pensions many times but never got through. Some time while I was away from the UK they introduced a ‘we don’t see anyone face-to-face’ policy, presumably to protect staff from physical attack from irate non-recipients. Even the JobCentre staff believed it was well-nigh impossible to contact the DWP office.

Whatever, it’s a welcome dent in my overdraft – or just under 9% of a new Apple laptop!