TL;DR - the only work I have been able to get over the last 3 years is freelance work, however nobody wants to give me reference. This is problematic as a) UCAS requires employment references if you have been out of academia for over 5 years and b) a lot of jobs also require current employer reference (as well as personal).
When I have approached the HR departments / managers for companies I have / currently freelance at, they have refused to give me a reference based on the fact that a) I am not employed by them; and b) I am not applying to work for them.
I havent done work through agencies for a over 2 years as it is impossible to find agency work anywhere within a 3 hour daily commute (<1.5 hours between the venue and my hour) via agencies (+ it would cost more staying over than I would earn from the working).
so any suggestions?
(ps I know a lot of people will say that is illegal re: the no reference thing but speaking to my professional union's legal department, because I am not employed by them (legally) and am self-employed, they have no legal obligation to provide me an employment reference).