what to do?

[berniecuddles]

i have been unemployed for 11months i am 51 worked for 35 years i have applied for over 50 jobs got 2 replies to which nothing happened.
joined 2 agencies and applied for a job as a mail opperator (ie; sorting mail) was asked for 2 references one of which was from royal mail who i worked for for 23 years,i was told i had the job, only to find it was then given to someone else who does not come from this country(i asked agency manager) thats how i found out he had not ever done any mail work before so how can he be better than me it has made me mad!!
what chance have you got i cant claim any benefits (not that i want too) as i could only get job seekers allowance for the 1st 6 months i am so depressed my family and friends say i should go to the doctors and get signed off and claim like every one else does but im not like that i want to work.
should i go to the doctors and "play the game " like others do i dont know what else to do we have little money left from our savings i feel so low!

[BBBE99]

I think you should get benefits and enjoy life as good as you can.
However nothing can make you feel better after losing your job to a foriegner...

What's this country like?

[ummmm]

You'll be entitled to job seekers. Who told you you wasn't?

[Sachs]

I don't know bernie,
I'm very upset for you though , so different a place out there now x

[wiggal]

bernie, cant say I know how you feel, however my stepdad lost his job 2 years ago now and he has applied for every job he possibly can with no luck and hardly any responses! His main issue is that he is 61 now but same as you he just wants to be able to get up and go to work!

Could you not try and do a course or re train in something that may help you find a job easier?

[Sachs]

I could cry at your post, you so obviously need and want to work!

[berniecuddles]

your only entitled to 180 days job seekers allowance ,was told i have not contributed enough in (only worked 35 years) how do these foreigners get it all then? and because my wife works(only gets £200 aweek) that is against me if she did less than 24 hrs a week we could claim benefits have you heard any thing like it?

[bookbinder]

I believe that there are some firms that prefer older people. B&Q is one of them. Likewise some garden centres. Might be an opening there. Best of luck.

[BBBE99]

Good idea Bookbinder

[ummmm]

Never heard of that. My cousin is on job seekers and has been for the last two years. He's only worked for about a year in his adult life. He goes to college so they don't hassle him to find work.

[berniecuddles]

thx all i will try anything to get a job, thx for all ideas, but its getting so depressing day to day!
job centre are a total loss dont want to help at all, complete waste of time really!!

[ummmm]

Have you tried claiming working tax credits? as your wife is working....

There's a calculator here...

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/index.htm

[Kakuro1]

Are you sure that you have been told that you are not entitled to income-based Job Seeker's Allowance? It is contribution-based JSA that is only paid for up to six months.

[berniecuddles]

you wont believe it?
we did get working tax credit, they overpaid us £2300 which we now owe , paid us £86 a week when it should have been £1.87 a week how can they make such a mistake is beyond us and what can you do with £1.87 anyway!

[ummmm]

It would entitle you to free perscriptions/eye tests etc....not a lot I know.

As Kakuro says...are you sure you're trying to claim the right thing?

[jackthehat]

I may seem glib but, keep your chin up.
I'm neither sure of the cause nor the solution for your troubles.
There are too many stories of this nature, in my opinion, and had I a magic wand I should soon solve your worries.
Unfortunately, I haven't and so, such as they are, you have my very best wishes for a speedy and positive change in your fortunes.

[Sachs]

That's a nice response jack!

[Riss]

Why don't you contact them and ask how this other person got the job over you? i would play the game for as long as it takes you to find work,after all you've contributed to it.

[dothawkes31]

I was made redundant at 53 last august and found a job straight away, I was recruited even though several bright young things went for the position, it is about how you come across, you are getting yourself down in the dumps, which is understandable, but age is not a factor. You have applied to alot of positions that possibly you were not suitable for maybe, and any employer has to consider peoples salary expectations, and nor many will accept the NMW. You might look at retraining through your local college or university and think about the next 20 years earnings potential if you have something else to offer an employer,

[sara3]

heaven help me for following Dot's post on this subject!

if you've paid enough NI contributions you are entitled to Contributory JSA for 6 months. after that, you can apply for Income Based JSA, but this is means tested so if you live with a partner both of your incomes/capital etc is taken into consideration for that calculation.

you may want to check this site out.. http://www.entitledto.co.uk/

best of luck.

[dothawkes31]

sara is very helpful sometimes.......lol