Classic.

Congrats to Dr. Andrew Hill Phd, a young chap (well, he's well younger than me) who despite a severe stroke has managed to complete his Phd and earned the the Doctor title. Techno, I believe rather than medical, which is just as bloomin' tough. If not more so.

Got a poorly family here. Tummy upsets. I don't eat the same stuff they do - far too many carbs for my liking - so I'm fine. But brave 'ol Bear has dragged herself out of bed to accompany son'o'ours to the Council Area Office.

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Which brings me on nicely to the changes in benefits. My lad, at least for a while, is in private rented accommodation. His rent is about the same as ours. He lost his job at a major high street bank about a month ago. Scrapped his department.

A quickish example of how the little background, sneaky stuff has crept in aside from the budget.

My lad rented his home from a very descent landlord. His landlord does not accept people on Jobseekers. Because he's been a good tenant, he's allowing him a bit of leeway. But the government has slashed the benefits so that anyone single on Jobseekers is only allowed housing benefit at 'single room rate'. So unless he moves into a bedsit or a shared accommodation, he can no longer rent a home, even though he's trying to bring his wife and child across from the States.

His private landlord, perfectly correctly, cannot afford the mortgage on the rent housing benefit pay my lad, and any profit he naturally needs to accrue for any length of time.

So having explained to the council, Bear and my lad are going for an interview to find him emergency accommodation.

He likes his home. As my lad says, 'Pisser, isn't it Dad?'