I was made redundant while we were still under a Labour government. My ex-employer paid me a pension but I thought I'd better sign on because I was under the illusion that the Job Centre might be of help in my search for alternative employment. They promptly informed me that, as a result of my pension, they would be paying me £0 job seekers allowance and that I would 'lose' this princely sum if I didn't turn up for regular interviews (!) Out of curiousity I turned up for my interviews, clutching a folder full of application forms, and they told me that I was "doing all the right things" but they provided me with no help whatsoever.

So I went from being a manager in a R&D department to working in a call centre - which filled a gap until I'd paid off my mortgage. I now find that my pension pays me enough to cover my needs, but not necessarily my wants. All I can say is that I am glad that I was born at a time when people and their skills were valued and were given a 'helping hand up life's ladder'. God help the next few generations!