The JobCentre.

On January 7th 2012, I went to the JobCentre in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Having dropped out of University in December, I decided to apply for Jobseeker's Allowance, considering how difficult it is to get a job in the current climate. In the words of an advisor working at said JobCentre: "the jobs just aren't there".

They told me I had to send off proof that I had dropped out of University - in their own words, "an e-mail from the University will be sufficient". I sent this off to Watford JobCentre on the 7th of January, along with my passport as ID. On the 14th of January, I received both items back, with a piece of paper that had "with compliments" written on it.

On the 1st of February, I received a letter telling me that I wasn't going to be paid any Jobseeker's allowance, because I was "still in full-time education" - despite clearly proving to them that I wasn't. A sheet within this letter told me how to appeal; I sent off an appeal on the same day.

On the 4th of February, I went to sign-on, and talked to someone working at Hemel JobCentre. He said I'd have to phone Watford JobCentre, which I did. After 40 minutes on hold, I was told that an e-mail apparently was not sufficient, and that I'd have to get a letter from the University, which I would then have to send off to Watford JobCentre.

To recap: they sent a letter, which I had to respond to via phone, before having to send an e-mail to University to get them to post a letter to me which I then had to post to the JobCentre. To say this is overly complex would be a massive understatement.

But this didn't solve the problem. I went to sign-on on the 18th of February. After a 52 minute wait - during which time someone who worked there said "surely you can't still be waiting for your appointment?", before saying "I will go check that", only to not come back to me at all, even walking past me to go into the office 20 minutes later - I was finally seen by my advisor, who informed that my claim had been closed. For no reason. No-one thought to notify me in any way to tell me "you don't have to go for your signing appointment", and I still had no money. I was now told that I had to appeal against this closure if I wanted the privilege of being able to have any money in my bank account. I was told I had to phone the Watford JobCentre again. After another 40 minutes on hold, I finally talked to a man who told me "I am unsure what is happening with your appeal, I will get someone to phone you back. If they don't phone you back by 1pm, call again tomorrow and I will chase it up" - the fact that he had to add this last sentence shows that even a man who works there knows how utterly incompetent and frustrating the system is. I eventually received a call later that day, where I was told that appeals take "6 to 8 weeks" to process. I responded by saying, three to four times, that "I have no money" - the only response I received was "yeah, but it takes 6 to 8 weeks". A total lack of empathy.

Luckily, I live with my parents, so they can support me a little. However, what if I wasn't? What if I had bills to pay, or a child to feed, and all I had to feed them with for the period from 7th January to April 18th was "yeah, but it takes 6 to 8 weeks"?

I'd also like to place emphasis on my use of "a little"; yes, they can shout me £10 every couple of weeks if I ask, but they cannot afford much. Not only this, but I feel bad having to ask them for money. This had led to me not only having no social life - as I can't afford one - I have also been unable to buy my friends anything for their 21st and 23rd birthdays respectively. It also made it so I unable to get my Mum a 50th birthday present. These events have made me feel absolutely awful, thinking of myself as a poor friend and son. I feel like I have been punished for doing absolutely nothing wrong, and it is causing me much distress and unhappiness.

I intend on sending this to the JobCentre complaints department, my local MP, as well as leaving this here as a public damning review of their dreadful, heartless services.

Update: I sent this blog to my local MP, and he sent a letter on to the Hemel JobCentre. Within 2 weeks, they had fixed my claim, and I was getting money again. I really shouldn't have to have gone down this route, though, and it leaves me thinking "why can't they sort everyone out in 2 weeks, if they could suddenly do so with me once I got a politician involved?"

IT'S TIME 4 PLAN B! O2 Arena, February 9th 2013

Long-time readers of my blog will recall me lamenting the fact I hadn't been to...well...any music concerts in my lifetime. Yesterday - February 9th 2013 - I changed that.

The venue? The O2 Arena; the venue I was supposed to visit for the ill-fated This Is It tour in 2009, as documented in my 3rd ever blog entry. Needless to say, it was nice to exorcise this demon in some way.

The act? Plan B. I've known Plan B since 2006, when he was primarily a pretty unknown rapper - I'd come across of mainly because I'd read the "BBC Sound of 2006" top 10, which turned out to be a great decision. Plan B's debut album, Who Needs Actions When You Got Words?, was my favourite rap album I'd ever heard in 2006. His second album, the more soul-focused concept album The Defamation Of Strickland Banks, was my favourite album of 2010. His 2012 release Ill Manors, the concept album/soundtrack (to the eponymous film)? My favourite album of 2012. Needless to say, he is an artist I rate incredibly highly. While his 2nd album was a bit more "mainstream", a bit more "accessible", it was still a damn good album; but what I really love him for is his rapping. It is intelligent, meaningful, in some cases led by extreme emotion on his part, there is brilliant word-play, the songs are powerful musically; orchestrated in such a way that they stick in your head along with the message...it's exactly what music should be. Not to mention that every album Plan B has released he has a co-producer and co-writing credits.

The gig was utterly fantastic. The first support act was Rudimental - their clash of many instruments - both electronic and live -was catchy, interesting, and just really enjoyable to listen to. Then Labrinth came out...I'm not a massive fan of Labrinth. I mean, I had come to the O2 because I love Plan B's intelligent, well-thought out, meaningful lyrics...so to have a man singing "Let the Sun shine, let the sun shine"....yeah. I wasn't crazy about it. Maybe I'm being harsh on Labrinth a bit - in fairness, I wasn't 100% focussed, because we were stood near a dickhead who was almost elbowing everyone near him with over-enthusiastic jumping! Ultimately, I did really enjoy it when Labrinth performed Eathquake. That was a belter to jump around to.

Then came Plan B. He did most of his 2nd album, then most of his 3rd album. The show was produced in such a way that he told the story from his 2nd album, left - with a short interval performed by a fantastic beatboxer called Faith SFX - and then came back and told the story from his 3rd album. It was marvelous. His singing was note perfect - yeah, a rapper who can sing! Completely destroys the myth that rappers are just "songwriters who can't sing", which is great. His rapping was perfect, too.

The first of my favourite moments was when he sang the track Ill Manors; being in a crowd of thousands all jumping at the same time through the chorus, belting out the lyrics...just a bloody great feeling. Then he came out and did the song a second time during the long encore! Fantastic.

The second of my favourite moments was when he played the track End Credits; it was near the end of the night, and it being a drum and bass song, it electrified the room with energy...I'm quite sure I started a mosh-pit. Yeah, mental. But that was damn fun. Not much air in them there mosh-pits, that's what I learned! But fuck, man. Was brilliant. Not to mention at the end, where the music basically cuts out, leaving a room of people belting out the lyrics with all our might: "When my heart stops beating, And my lungs stop breathing, In the air...I hope somebody cares." It was bloody beautiful.

My favourite moment of the night, though, was when he sang the song Live Once. This isn't even a song I was thinking of before the gig, and is far from my favourite. But I've had a pretty shit...well...6 months, to be honest. I'm no longer at Uni, and I can't get a job, have little money...I was a bit sick of absolutely everything earlier this week. But then, hearing Plan B rap the lyrics:

"But we ain't no different from them*, honestly, Luck's the only reason they weren't born into poverty, So never be afraid to say whats in your heart, follow your dreams, or wanna be, something that they say you can't because I promise G"

*the upper class

My brain just clicked...I was watching a man who I had known when he was almost unknown back in 2006, and now he was performing intelligent, heart-felt, meaningful works of art to 20,000 adoring fans. This, a man who got expelled from school, so had to go to a school for troubled children, and left with only 3 GCSEs...yet he's worked damn hard, and he's made something incredible of himself, as well as making just utterly brilliant music. This has rejuvenated my belief in the world. Sure, I am going through a crummy time of life, but so had this man before me - he grew up without a Dad, felt like a "social outcast" growing up, had to live on the harsh streets of East End London, but look at him now. As he says: "Luck's the only reason they weren't born into poverty" - and I guess that is all I need. To work and try hard, and get a bit of luck.

The night was damn fun; jumping around, shouting lyrics, cheering, and just enjoying life. I was gutted I never got to see Michael Jackson at the O2 Arena; but y'know? Last night I watched an artist who I respect, admire, and enjoy listening to just as much.

Can't wait to see the next tour.

I shall leave you with a video my friend Matt filmed from the gig.

Plus a lovely photo of me after the gig. I was very hot and sweaty, but full of happiness.