When I was made redundant about 5 year ago and went to sign on and claim Jobseakers Allowance. The way the woman behind the desk spoke and treated me it as though it was my fault I had been laid off 
I said to her, “There’s a recession on if you haven’t already realised” and proceeded to be interviewed for suitable jobs and full out forms. Whilst all of this was happening, smack heads and drunks were strolling in, going to another room, picking up their emergency loans, walking back out and straight onto the phone for their daily bag of brown or going to the off licence for 8 cans of Special Brew!
It mad me sick and ■■■■■■ off that scroats like that could get money in 2 minuites and here I was, the first time I had been out of work since leaving collage in 97, being treated like a second class citizen and more or less having to beg and plead for money to help me get by! 
Oh it took nearly 8 week for my first Jobseakers payment to go into the bank and it was around Xmas time too 
May be worth a chat with your GP he may be able to get you moved up the list this is not queue jumping but simple economics as you are of working age it gets you back to work sooner and paying tax again!.If you have to claim benefits take any forms you are given to Citizens Advise ask for help as they very often have people who know their way around the paperwork etc. Hope things get sorted for you asap,the operation is a very quick proceedure 30 mins,home the same day had mine done 12years, ago only need specs for lorry but DVLA put 01 code on all groups 
I had a cataract op in 2000. The difference it makes is outstanding.
Being a wuss, I gad a general anasthetic & when I opened my eyes after WOW!
The worst thing was not being able to look down or to wash my hair in case it affected the implant.
I went back to work after 10 days, byt by then I was working in the office.
I wish you well and I know you’ll be astounded by the results of the op.
weeto:
Can’t you get another job doing something else,non driving, to save scrounging off us tax payers?
Or aren’t you allowed to work full stop?
Because im technically still employed and on the sick then legally i cant work, unless i left the firm completely which after 11 years i dont want to do.(besides which if I left and went back Id lose continuity of service)
If I could find a job that would employ me knowing these terms and that my current employer would accept i would, unfortunately cash in hand jobs are virtualy non existant nowadays.
I agree with splitshift, is there any way you can talk to your consultant and explain your situation. Maybe they can get you a better position in the queue. Also, see if your local MP has any sway.
toowise:
weeto:
Can’t you get another job doing something else,non driving, to save scrounging off us tax payers?
Or aren’t you allowed to work full stop?Because im technically still employed and on the sick then legally i cant work, unless i left the firm completely which after 11 years i dont want to do.(besides which if I left and went back Id lose continuity of service)
If I could find a job that would employ me knowing these terms and that my current employer would accept i would, unfortunately cash in hand jobs are virtualy non existant nowadays.
Right, and yea I suppose your right with the cash in hand jobs, all taken up by illegal immigrants, it’s disgusting that you can’t earn a dishonest wage anymore!
I’m in the same boat at the moment I am waiting to go back into hospital to have another stent fitted.
Had one done two weeks ago now got to wait another two weeks for second one, I have been off work since the end of June can’t claim any benefits because company are keeping my job open for me.
But still got To wait six weeks after to do a treadmill test so no money coming in till back to work[FACE WITH COLD SWEAT]
Good luck with the op my mam had it in both her eyes had the op she was fine only wears glasses when reading & she is 19 
If you are on the sick from work & they are holding your job open then they should still pay you weather it be SSP
or your full /half pay
SteveBarnsleytrucker:
When I was made redundant about 5 year ago and went to sign on and claim Jobseakers Allowance. The way the woman behind the desk spoke and treated me it as though it was my fault I had been laid off
I said to her, “There’s a recession on if you haven’t already realised” and proceeded to be interviewed for suitable jobs and full out forms. Whilst all of this was happening, smack heads and drunks were strolling in, going to another room, picking up their emergency loans, walking back out and straight onto the phone for their daily bag of brown or going to the off licence for 8 cans of Special Brew!
It mad me sick and ■■■■■■ off that scroats like that could get money in 2 minuites and here I was, the first time I had been out of work since leaving collage in 97, being treated like a second class citizen and more or less having to beg and plead for money to help me get by!
I got made redundant in May I didn’t even go to the job centre, I wasn’t going to waste my time claiming when I knew I would be doing some kind of paid work within a week or two, sitting on jsa isn’t my style nor could I afford to! I got a job doing casual driving after 4 days and a class 2 job on agency after a week and a half with a regular placement. 4 weeks later on agency and after paying £1300 for my own class one (could have got funding for all of this but would have had to be on jsa for around 6 weeks before training and was earning 500 a week in the bank on agency so it was an easy choice)I was offered full time employment at Brown Chilled Distribution (Turners) which I accepted and couldn’t be happier, decent kit, strict on rules decent people who will help a new driver out (me) and decent money (more than I have ever took home on a regular basis). Problem with this country and the people in general, is no one is prepared to get off their arse and do stuff for themselves.
animal:
Good luck with the op my mam had it in both her eyes had the op she was fine only wears glasses when reading & she is 19If you are on the sick from work & they are holding your job open then they should still pay you weather it be SSP
or your full /half pay
You must be young then animal if your mam is 19 !!!
im getting basic pay for 4 weeks and then SSP so not too bad, just a lot lower than normal (more o/t than basic usually).
beetee07:
I’m in the same boat at the moment I am waiting to go back into hospital to have another stent fitted.Had one done two weeks ago now got to wait another two weeks for second one, I have been off work since the end of June can’t claim any benefits because company are keeping my job open for me.
But still got To wait six weeks after to do a treadmill test so no money coming in till back to work[FACE WITH COLD SWEAT]
if your not getting your normal wage but SSP you should be able to claim tax credits (unless youre single)
Not getting ssp because I’m technically not sick so can’t claim.
Doctor won’t give me any certificates so I’m knackered really.
12 weeks is quite quick, the target is 18, not much help i know having no work etc. Were you asked where you wanted the op done? Patient choice, you have to be asked, or offered an alternative if it offers same service and is no extra cost
NewLad:
I got made redundant in May I didn’t even go to the job centre, I wasn’t going to waste my time claiming when I knew I would be doing some kind of paid work within a week or two, sitting on jsa isn’t my style nor could I afford to! I got a job doing casual driving after 4 days and a class 2 job on agency after a week and a half with a regular placement. 4 weeks later on agency and after paying £1300 for my own class one (could have got funding for all of this but would have had to be on jsa for around 6 weeks before training and was earning 500 a week in the bank on agency so it was an easy choice)I was offered full time employment at Brown Chilled Distribution (Turners) which I accepted and couldn’t be happier, decent kit, strict on rules decent people who will help a new driver out (me) and decent money (more than I have ever took home on a regular basis). Problem with this country and the people in general, is no one is prepared to get off their arse and do stuff for themselves.
[/quote]
I was going around and signing up at agency’s all over Yorkshire and getting no where. It was a little bit different 5 years ago to what it was like in may of this year jobs wise. It wasn’t a case of me not being arsed doing anything about it,it was a case of there was ■■■■ all out there at the time.
If I knew I could’ve walked straight into another job instead of claiming JSA. Don’t you think I would’ve snapped their hands off and taken it?
SteveBarnsleytrucker:
NewLad:
I got made redundant in May I didn’t even go to the job centre, I wasn’t going to waste my time claiming when I knew I would be doing some kind of paid work within a week or two, sitting on jsa isn’t my style nor could I afford to! I got a job doing casual driving after 4 days and a class 2 job on agency after a week and a half with a regular placement. 4 weeks later on agency and after paying £1300 for my own class one (could have got funding for all of this but would have had to be on jsa for around 6 weeks before training and was earning 500 a week in the bank on agency so it was an easy choice)I was offered full time employment at Brown Chilled Distribution (Turners) which I accepted and couldn’t be happier, decent kit, strict on rules decent people who will help a new driver out (me) and decent money (more than I have ever took home on a regular basis). Problem with this country and the people in general, is no one is prepared to get off their arse and do stuff for themselves.
I was going around and signing up at agency’s all over Yorkshire and getting no where. It was a little bit different 5 years ago to what it was like in may of this year jobs wise. It wasn’t a case of me not being arsed doing anything about it,it was a case of there was [zb] all out there at the time.
If I knew I could’ve walked straight into another job instead of claiming JSA. Don’t you think I would’ve snapped their hands off and taken it?
[/quote]
I wasn’t talking about you or anyone else specifically I just mean in general, I would have done any job not just driving, I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of transport planning/clerical and team leading experience to fall back on. I have also done warehouse work, however I would have scrubbed public toilets if it means putting food on the table and clothes on my kids back, I saw my mum bring me and my brothers up on mainly benefits after she split with our dad and I don’t want that for my kids
beetee07:
I’m in the same boat at the moment I am waiting to go back into hospital to have another stent fitted.Had one done two weeks ago now got to wait another two weeks for second one, I have been off work since the end of June can’t claim any benefits because company are keeping my job open for me.
But still got To wait six weeks after to do a treadmill test so no money coming in till back to work[FACE WITH COLD SWEAT]
Why didn’t you have them both done at once?
I had a heart attack 18 months ago and they banged 4 stents in at the same time. Wasn’t fun, but at least it was all done in one hit.
You have my sympathies anyway.
Crap bit as you recover is that the tablets you will be on for the rest of your life leave you feeling knackered all the time, at least they do with me. That’s presuming that you have to take medication for high blood pressure.
Had my first heart attack back in 2008 had 3 stents put in at the same time because it was an Emergancy.
This time I completed the treadmill test but there was a change in heart rate so had to have an Angioplasty found I had one artery near blocked and the other was in between the stents already there.
So not an Emergancy and the consultant at Medway hospital will only do one at a time.
I am a bit gutted because it means it takes longer before I can get back to work and with no wages coming in things are a bit tight good job the wife is working to keep us afloat[FLUSHED FACE]
My sympathies, sounds like a rotten situation.
Are you taking blood pressure tablets then? How do they affect you?
Ok sorry mate I misunderstood your post. I actually was laid off for about 3 month when work went really quiet not made redundant as I said! so I was going back to my job when worked picked back up so I needed a job as a go between while I was laid off.
Pendaric:
My sympathies, sounds like a rotten situation.Are you taking blood pressure tablets then? How do they affect you?
no not taking blood pressure tablets just the normal ones for thinning and ace inhibitors and cholesterol
Feel great got the wife moaning when our with the dogs (will you slow down I can’t keep up).
Got to have a laugh or you will go crazy.
Just can’t wait to get back to work now climbing the walls with boredom.
Well, just had a dilated eye test at the opticians (they stick drops in to see the back of your eye better), now been referred to specialist via GP…got an appointment Tuesday with GP to discuss options…according to NHS Choices website my local hospital quotes 13 weeks from referal to operation…although another hospital approx 9 miles away is saying 5 weeks…I know which one im going to push for.
No news on the benefits yet but forms only went in today!
The wheels of government roll slowly, unless youre an MP obviously !