The thud

There’s a great thud at the door. I look out & see the postman.

That sounded heavy for a Christmas card, or the usual advertising bumf that arrives most Mondays.

There it is. One thick fat manila envelope. I nervously open it. I know from the very envelope that it has to be something to do with my benefits.

Inside a find a multi-paged form. I glance at the questions. They go on & on. When did I move to England? How should I know? I was just a baby & both my parents are long dead.

My heart is sinking all the while. Just what I needed for Christmas.

Eventually I decide to look at the covering letter & discover there is an opt-out if I’m prepared not to receive the means tested part of Employment & Support Allowance (ESA). Personally I would forgo that element even if I was entitled to it, to not to have to fill the form in. It seems so silly when I will cease to receive ESA next year as I become an Old Age Pensioner (OAP) instead. Roll on that day & no more ESA forms.