What to do? Can't afford to eat.

SlinkyFISH_2

I am 19 years old and living with my student OH in shared rented accommodation with friends.
I cannot claim couples jobseekers allowance as my student OH is a student on a degree and according to local JS office, doing a degree isn't a full time course (even though it is..), even though we live as independents in the same house (so I can't claim on a single jobseekers claim).

I have been unemployed since I've finished at college with no work experience whatsoever and every interview I have been fobbed off because of this. I tried to sign up for various work trials/apprenticeships but I have never got a place at anywhere I have tried. I've tried connexions, no use.

As I am living independent, I obviously buy my own food, but now I have ran out of money and I cannot afford to eat now. OH cannot afford to feed me as well on his small student loan as most of that goes on philosophy and politics/law books at £30 a pop for his course.

I have no idea what I can do now, I have joined the Navy (which is my career goal anyway), but as I am joining as a medical assistant, there is a 18 month wait til I can start training at HMS Raleigh.

What can I do?

dmg24

How long have you been unemployed for?

paulofessex

Sorry to hear about your situation. In the short term if you really have no access to support i.e. family can l suggest that you contact the CAB who can provide you with info on local support services i.e. the Salvation Army who may provide a food parcel. Perhaps you could offer your services i.e. cutting the lawn at their centre or weeding etc in exchange for a food parcel.

I'm sure someone else may come along with some benefits advice for you.

SlinkyFISH_2

@dmg24 I have been unemployed since August 2009 - before then I was in sixth form studying AS's.

@paulofessex thanks I will look into talking to the CAB.

Prinzessilein

Just a couple of suggestions :

Have a look for local churches which run lunches for the elderly....
Some years ago, I used to volunteer as a dish-washer for a few churches (None of them forced me to attend Sunday services! They were grateful for my pot-washing skills!) and would get a free main meal instead of payment.....If here was any food left over, I would sometimes get a pack to take home too!

Offer your services as a baby-sitter to friends. If they know your circumstances they may well leave you food whilst you sit with the children.

GEEGEE8

Probably gonna get flamed for this.. but can't you 'lie' a little on your CV?

If you did your A levels then an office job / retail job isn't beyond your abilities at all, so maybe say you worked weekends in retail and you have customer service skills..

I'm afriad that if I were starving and couldn't afford to eat, I would try anything to get myself in a job..

Sorry if others don't agree, but it's a pretty sad situation.

Have you tried all jobs? or are you being picky?

karenx

Problem with lying on the cv is the employer will most likely want a reference. Then where does the OP go??

kitschkitty

Do you and your OH share a room?

SlinkyFISH_2

@Prinzessilein thanks for this, it might also count as volunteering so maybe i could put that on my CV too?

@geegee8 i'd rather not lie on my CV, i'd like to be honest so I don't get caught out if i do get a job. And yes, I'm trying from the cleaners to meat scrapers at a sausage factory, and much more. I spend about 2 hours a day looking through job vacancies, and have posted listings on gumtree, but all i've had from gumtree are men looking for 'massages'

novagirl

There's a free graze box on the freebies thread at the moment. (make sure you cancel though so you aren't charged anything!)

Know it's nota long term thing but it's a little.

GEEGEE8

Fair enough.. just seems bad that you have your A levels and can't get a job.

I would be inclined to buy as much volume as you can for the least price..

Bread etc..

Also, if you go supermarkets late they have things knocked down in price a lot.. especially ASDA on a sat night before they close at 10pm.. I got a bagette for 2p last week, a melon for 5p, and two parsnips for 5pm.. and I went in really late..