[Gavin78]

I used to work in the engineering/manufacturing industry.....lost my job when my relationship with my ex went down hill and found myself unemployed for about 18 months.

I didn't want to go back into the manufacturing industry if could be helped and wanted to retrain which I did for the NHS.

When I approached the job centre and told them that the NHS are offering courses and was guaranteed a job at the end they didn't want to know told me that it would be classed as a full time course and I was be a student and not seeking work the course was for 3 months then I would be back in work full time.

I was finding that applying for jobs in the manufacturing industry I was over qualified or worked for big companies that the smaller ones didn't want to take me on. this was the start of the down turn in that area.

I managed to sort the training with private companies who were paying for the course and they let me out to sign on and not say anything.

it wasn't 3 but 6 months later I was back working full time in a new career. I have moved up since futher in the job. I found they didn't offer much help.

My stepson has special needs (aspergers and dyspraxia) he can't claim DLA even though he needs help at college. reason was that school got the diagnosis too late to get a full statement (while his cousin who was spotted early age with just (dyspraxia) gets DLA.

but I find there are a lot of people claiming they need it when they dont we are becoming a nation that relies on handouts but go back years ago when there was no family tax or anything like that how did people cope back then.

One of my ex's friends had 2 kids 2 different fathers the youngest was getting to school age and the social wanted her to start finding work because she had been on benefits since the eldest was born at least 7/8 years so what did she do she started sleeping around with just anyone to get pregnant again so she didn't have to work.