Lets get a few things straight about people on benefit before people get on the usual high horse about benefit scroungers being made to pay back society.

I feel qualified to comment having spent over 6 months on the dole following my third redundancy in 11 years.

I spent every minute of the day on the internet and browsing newspapers searching for jobs that were simply not there. When I did get job interviews they were usually cancelled at the last minute as the funding for that post was frozen and the job withdrawn. And yes I did lower my expectations and requirements, as my particular field of work was in a bad way. Fortunately I managed to be successful in one of the three interviews that I managed to get but them had to wait another 4 months on the dole whilst they sorted out the paperwork- still signing on and having to still look for work.

There is for no one in that position any such thing any more ( if there ever was) as being able to sit around watching TV all day any more and there hasn;t been for years under the Labour Govt. You do have to prove that you have been actively searching for work and to apply for so many jobs per fortnight in order to secure benefit. If you are misfortunate enough to be 5 minutes late to sign on, one is ordered to a special queue to explain the misdemeanour, usually by a 10 year old. If you have the added misfortune to be ill on the day when you sign, your benefit is usually suspended and referred to a central office and you have to apply for SSP. The system is run like the army and miscreants treated pretty severely.
I was also given jobs in Walthamstow to apply for and also Essex, which were impossible as I have childcare responsibilties at the beginning and end of every working day. Fortunately my new job started whilst I was arguing the toss about that as it would inevitably

BTW , I'd have loved the 'authorities' to have put me to good use as I was completely bored and frustrated at not being able to work. In addition it is extremely isolating to suddenly have the social aspects of work suddenly taken away from you.

I would really challenge people to sign on and see how much fun it is being in the system, to have to live on a significantly reduced income and having to sign on every fortnight. I met so many people there who had worked all their lives who were in a difficult personal and financial position and who were becoming extremely depressed at their failure to find work. If you have never had the misfortune to be in that position, you're very lucky, but I wouldn't personally in this economic climate get too comfortable about it.