On release into the wild blue yonder, you will be given the amount left or saved within your personal account, together with any monies you had when you came into the system.

You receive a weeks benefit (dole) monies to give you time to settle into the routine of signing on, if that is what you plan to do if you have no job to return to, or for the length of time you are off.

You receive monies to be paid to a proprietor for a week's rent, if needed or it will have been sent for you. The proprietor will have the required documents for his rent from the council, you nay have to supplement this from your dole monies, but it depends on what you get in return.

You will have the required documents to take to the dole office and a sign on time or you can walk into any office yourself to do this. Just explain you have just come out of prison and they will do all the paperwork for you.

You receive the travel card to get you home, rail and bus. Whatever way they say you travel, but if it is going to take all day, make sure the outside probation knows when you will arrive, so you can go and register with them, once again I cannot stress enough how vital this is. If you are going to be late for an appointment ring them!

Rumour has it that some hostel managers take your payment book and give you an allowance each week, I would hope this is not condoned by the probation service, if anyone out there finds out this happens can they let me know so I can investigate it.