One time at the job centre when I was on my way to see my disability advisor, struggling to walk up the stairs, I got taken aside and told 9am seemed a bit early to be drinking. I explained I wasn’t drunk, I just wasn’t able to walk well. Even though I was not drunk, my breath didn’t smell of drink, and I was perfectly coherent, they just wouldn’t believe me. In the end my disability advisor had to come down and confirm my difficulty walking was due to disability not early morning inebriation.

I got the hell of benefits and into self-employment as soon as possible rather than continue the humiliation at the job centre. I have less money now than I would on benefits but at least I have self respect. Which I guess is their aim.