Signed on...

Well having given up my job as of Friday I had an appointment to "sign on" today. Needed to make sure I got all the benefits I was entitled to as quickly as possible. It took me ages to fill out the forms last week (do they deliberately make them hard?) and I went along the good old Job Centre at Heron House in Hastings today...


All the tales about it being nicknamed Heroin House made me glad I was not with my kids. Though one inside it wasn't quite as scary with computer job search booths and lots of open plan desks. Last time I went near a Job Centre (15 years ago) the staff were all behind glass screens! I did have to wait to be escorted to the correct area and the loo needed a card swipe from the Customer Services Assistant...


After a short wait on a comfy sofa I got taken for my interview which was basically a review of the form I'd filled out. Turns out that the guy on the phone should have told me to apply for Income Support not Job Seekers as my kids are both under 7... Aargh that was an evening wasted.. Any way the nice lady gets the right form and even she struggled to help me fill it out!! 


Luckily someone from Lone Parent Support was available so I then got sent upstairs. Thank goodness for taking a big book to read as I had to wait about 20 minutes on the next comfy sofa... interestingly I was reading the advisors favourite book of all time (Ken Follett - Pillars of Time)...


She was a lovely understanding lady and made me feel like I was doing the right thing and offered advice on housing benefit etc. A quick call to the Tax Credits people got those adjusted so I now know what my budget will have to be based on. I shouldn't have to go back for 6 months and just need to inform them if I earn any money. Apparently best to earn just under threshold to keep claim open. And I don't have to actively seek work until O is 7 (more than 3.5 years!) - sure I will want to do something before then!!


Let's hope it all goes smoothly and I get the accounts sorted for council tax benefit too!