What do I do about my unemployment, I'm getting depressed and have no confidence?

Food tastes so good though

Are you talking about benefits? I was wondering about this. Someone told me that maybe I should consider going on benefits, but I thought to myself...how can the government still give money rather than invest some of that money into helping people get jobs? Maybe I'm dumb and not understanding the situation. Plus I would rather work.

The other thing for all of us to bear in mind is that a lot of employers seem more willing to employ older and experienced people, and foreign people, instead of young British people.

Some employers have even commented on this, saying they would rather employ foreign people instead of young people because foreign people are a lot more serious about work than young people in this country, and that some people in this country would rather be on benefits because it's the same as minimum wage, and are hardworking and have more skills and the education system in this country has not prepared us for the world of work. This annoyed me a little bit because not all British young people aren't so bad...but the article was in the Daily Fmail so maybe that's why they said those things.

Have you paid income tax and national insurance before? Well when the worst happens and you do become unemployed you don't feel so bad about collecting your £50 quid a week. I did it immediately after I graduated until I found a job 3 months later.

I didn't feel like I was stealing from society, it helped me find a suitable job that matched my ability, sure I could have got a job at Tesco but this would have hindered me with interviews and the rest, so in the long term sometimes being unemployed can be for the benefit of the economy in the long term, as long as it isn't for too long!

One idea if you have limited funds but have an entreprenurial streak is to set up a web based business. I did this when younger and found it was a great way to make money. Depends on your computer skills though.

That means nothing! I still need money to take classes/courses. I have looked on my local college website, but there aren't any courses available that are free. I was thinking of going back to college next year to study an access course, but I have already done a level 3 course, so I would need to pay for the Access course. I just want to earn some money, get a stable job, and move out of my dad's house.

No I have never paid income tax.

No I have never paid national insurance.

Also I very recently started doing some paid freelance work and I have found I need to register with HMRC as self employed, so I am guessing I would not be able to claim benefits as I am not unemployed?

The reason I'm depressed is because I have been umemployed for so long, I have no money, and I have nothing to focus my time on. But I'm not sure about University anyway, as I don't even have any idea on what I want to do as a career. I am not just going to go to Uni without a passion or liking for the degree, it would be a waste of money & time. And I have applied for Sales jobs, but then they say they require someone with sales experience, which rules me out as I have never had sales experience. I have applied for kitchen staff at the local weatherspoons about 3 or 4 times, but every time they send back an "unsuccessful" email.

The job climate is ridiculously bad
Only advice I can give is actually go into the charity shops and speak to them face to face. Sometimes they dont bother going through the official advertisement routes and just speaking to the manager can help. Thats how I got my position at Oxfam during summer, spoke to manager - filled in the form and the next week she called back.

Try retail stores in areas that are harder to reach by public transport, such as those in retail parks. I got a job at a Next Clearance with no experience whatsoever. Google search 'Q&A for next job application online'. The answers are actually on TSR (should be first result) and you need over a certain percentage to get an interview. I know plenty of people working at the store I'm at and at another in the city that had no experience. Pay is minimum wage, but it's a start. What I said about hard to reach places is key here. Jobs in the town centre are really hard to come by because plenty of people can get there by public transport. Convenience for a lot of people = lots of job applicants per place. Don't just go for the obvious Primark + Maccy D's either. The fact that a lot of people think it's easier to get a job there are often mistaken because a lot of people think the same. (My friend is supervisor at a Maccy D store so she knows).
If you have contacts, use them. Ask your parents if they know anyone at work who knows someone who could offer you a job. Try speaking to the manager of a store when you go in rather than just handing in CVs to an assistant. Dress well (not too casual but not too smart) and sound passionate and enthusiastic about getting a job and they could offer you one then and there. Either way, you'll make a better impression than just handing in a sheet of paper.
Best of luck.

Best to get on benefits.

Are you on benefits?

I have been unemployed for about a year or so, it seriously sucks bad! I just really want to find a job, but every damn job I apply to I never get. My friend's brother has just got a job at sainsburys, whereas I looked on the sainsburys website a few weeks ago and they had no vacancies. What the hell am I doing wrong? I am 23 years old with no job, and I have low confidence because I've been out of employment for so long. I have low motivation to get out of bed in the mornings, I just want to find some work. I even applied to a volunteer agency a few months ago, but no response. I rang them back, but they said they would be in contact when something became available that was suited to my preferences. What the hell do I do? I am suffering from depression and my confidence is terrible at the moment, I hate this feeling! I want to find a job and move out of my dad's place.

What difference does it make?

Well you and some other TSR user keep on saying that we might as well be on benefits.

Might as well be in this climate, people have gone through it hundreds of times. If it's taking a minimum wage job for £200 a week, in return for 40-45 hours work, that you get taxed on and have to pay bills, etc... and simply claiming housing benefit and getting £67.50 a week JSA, for NO WORK the choice is remarkably simple.

Yeah except most people don't want to be sat at home all day masturbating and watching day time telly