If you have sat on your butt for a couple of years and drawn ‘arm chair’ money, many employers may not even consider you unless you were actively looking for work and willing to take a lesser paying job. I know my son doesn’t, figures if you were to lazy to look for work, you are to lazy to work.
He puts in about 60/70 hrs a week.
People I know in HR departments are saying they are being absolutely flooded with resumes from people who have a 2 or 3 year gap since they last worked. Employers are very skeptical of hiring these people. Look for the Government to take a carrot-and-stick approach (tax credits for hiring these people, and a jackboot on your throat if we catch you not hiring them)