I arrived at the Charles St Jobcentre in Cardiff after a fairly sedate twenty three minute walk in the sun and found that the sofa where I usually sit was full. In fact the sofa behind that one was also full. I was five minutes early and stood looking around the Jobcentre. The lady on the new claims desk was on the phone to someone telling them that they didn't qualify for JSA because they were sick. She gave the person on the phone information regarding what documents to bring in. One of the women who was dealing with signings was talking to another member of staff and during the five minutes that I was waiting, one guy was called by the woman on the end desk. He was dealt with very quickly and went on his way and I was called on time. I've no idea whether the other people sitting were early for appointments or not. I had in my hand my printed copy of my jobsearch although I do allow access to my UJM account just before I leave home to attend the Jobcentre. The woman let me sign with no questions asked and I guess my signing took less than a minute. Recently, the government have been making statements regarding the unemployed over fifty years of age. I have seen some websites that are making it sound as if the over 50's are going to be worked to death although in reality it should not be anything like that. Many Members of Parliament don't appreciate the fact that ordinary people working four or five years longer before retirement won't in fact be any better off financially. If someone over sixty has been working for many years on minimum wages and they are just about earning enough to feed themselves and pay their bills, then they are not going to gain anything from working longer but a Member of Parliament working for another five years is a different kettle of fish. An MP's salary of 66k over five years yields 330k over five years and being able to claim £250 for expenses a week with no receipts needed amounts to 13k tax free a year so a nice 65k over five years. It used to be that if you were an MP for eleven years then you were entitled to a 20k a year pension and more of course if you are in the higher positions of government. I remember a number of years ago that Gordon Brown was alleged to qualify for a 50k pension when he retires. It would be interesting to find the real amounts. Then of course the perks of the job, advisor to a company can rake in plenty and writing columns for newspapers. Sadly, for most of us who end up working for minimum wages working longer is pointless unless a person is lonely and enjoys the company. As I'm over fifty I expect someone will decide one day in the future to put me forward for some community work that has no chance of leading to a job. I've done quite a number of work placements from two weeks to five weeks and while you are guaranteed a reference none of them would give me a job. In fact on two of those placements I was the hardest and most efficient worker in the building.