WOO-HOO! My first dole payment has arrived.

Date Transaction Deposits
28/03/2007 DWP JSA £98.49

As the Minister’s wife still occasionally puts out the red light, I don’t qualify for income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance. I qualify instead for contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance in the sum of £57.45 weekly.

According to the Department for Work and Pensions, my contributions only qualify me to receive contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance for six months (which will net me less than £1,500), at which stage I will not qualify to receive any state benefits at all.

According to my P45, I have paid £30,000 in Income Tax and National Insurance contributions in tax year 2006-7 alone.

You do the maths.