daily jobcentre appopintments

Ugguy · 27 August 2015 at 6:23PM

Hello all again,

I just wanted to put out on here what's been happening to me recently.

Since last October when first signed on, everything was ok, I did my weekly jobsearch and jobcentre was happy. But then I was ordered to go on a work placement which would have entailed three hours travelling each day. I tried to get this changed to somewhere nearer but was met with typical narky responses from Jobcentre staff, competitions about who spends the most time travelling to and from work which I wasn't particularly interested in; my argument was that of all the companies, shops, charities nearer to me they couldn't find somewhere for me to go.

So the day came when I turned up at the placement for the first time, only to be told the placement provider had had second thoughts, that she had "made an error" and told me to go home. I told her about the treatment I'd received about this from the Jobcentre and I was disgusted with the treatment I'd received. So I went home after only spending about 10 minutes there with the provider saying she would tell them that this placement isn't workable.

I then rang DWP to ensure I wouldn't be sanctioned for these events, they said I wouldn't be. But my "work coach" rang me and said that I hadn't turned up. I immediately said I did, to which he then said that I'd given them a made up story about transport which I hadn't. I had an appointment with him later that afternoon where he said that provider had told him that I had a "temper tantrum" when I got there. As far as lies go this took the biscuit for me. He couldn't produce any proof (because that never happened) so he dropped the matter.

But now I'm having to go to Jobcentre everyday which feels like a punishment when I did nothing wrong. And it's all starting to take it's toll on me mentally, I gets bouts of depression anyway but this has just about tipped me over the edge. Why are they lying like this? Is it to get me sanctioned?

custardy · 27 August 2015 at 6:28PM

Well your profile says you have been unemployed for 5 years.
What do you think the state should be doing after 5 years?

elsien · 27 August 2015 at 6:30PM

I'm wondering if the reason the provider had second thoughts and decided they had made an error was due to how you presented yourself on arrival, if you were disgruntled about being there in the first place?
And complaining to them about the job centre wasn't your wisest decision of the day.
As for having to go to the job centre daily, think of it as being equivalent to work, where you would also have to present yourself every day.

tomtontom · 27 August 2015 at 6:35PM

What was the "error" with the placement, did you tell them about the travel time? Have you tried to arrange something closer to home yourself?

Daily signing is generally mandated where they feel you need more support and/ or you have been claiming for a very long time. Are you a long term claimant?

Ugguy · 27 August 2015 at 7:50PM

tomtontom wrote: »

What was the "error" with the placement, did you tell them about the travel time? Have you tried to arrange something closer to home yourself?

Daily signing is generally mandated where they feel you need more support and/ or you have been claiming for a very long time. Are you a long term claimant?

I did tell them about the travel time, I told them two weeks in advance that it would be a problem, it seems the person who booked this placement didn't realise I would be travelling three hours Monday to Friday each day. That's four seperate journeys. Each day. All I did was ask for somewhere nearer. I never refused to do the placement, yet was constantly accused of that, I just wanted somewhere nearer. Next week a new placement nearer to where I live (so it should be less traveltime) has been booked for me and that's fine, that's all I asked for.

I have been out of work a long time (but have done various voluntary work in the last few years) and been claiming on and off since then but have only started claiming JSA since last October.

tomtontom · 27 August 2015 at 7:57PM

Ugguy wrote: »

I did tell them about the travel time, I told them two weeks in advance that it would be a problem, it seems the person who booked this placement didn't realise I would be travelling three hours Monday to Friday each day. That's four seperate journeys. Each day. All I did was ask for somewhere nearer. I never refused to do the placement, yet was constantly accused of that, I just wanted somewhere nearer. Next week a new placement nearer to where I live (so it should be less traveltime) has been booked for me and that's fine, that's all I asked for.

I have been out of work a long time (but have done various voluntary work in the last few years) and been claiming on and off since then but have only started claiming JSA since last October.

So you did moan to the placement people - it's no wonder they sent you home.

You need to start being more proactive. You could have avoided all this by arranging your own placement. If the Jobcentre see more evidence of you proactively seeking working then they are likely to be more flexible with you.

They're not punishing you, they just want you to find work.

agrinnall · 27 August 2015 at 8:04PM

The problem is that the Jobcentre can expect you to take a job with a travelling time of up to 90 minutes, so there's not really any difference with a placement that requires that.

custardy · 27 August 2015 at 8:36PM

Ugguy wrote: »

I did tell them about the travel time, I told them two weeks in advance that it would be a problem, it seems the person who booked this placement didn't realise I would be travelling three hours Monday to Friday each day. That's four seperate journeys. Each day. All I did was ask for somewhere nearer. I never refused to do the placement, yet was constantly accused of that, I just wanted somewhere nearer. Next week a new placement nearer to where I live (so it should be less traveltime) has been booked for me and that's fine, that's all I asked for.

I have been out of work a long time (but have done various voluntary work in the last few years) and been claiming on and off since then but have only started claiming JSA since last October.

So what was the problem?

xapprenticex · 27 August 2015 at 10:45PM

Not going to have a pop at you but if I were the job coach (i used to be) I would have done the same.

We have no idea how you presented yourself to the people who were going to have you, and you complain about 3 hours travel.

I used to travel a total of 4 hours monday to friday to work, having to catch a total of 4 busses a day.... getting up at 5am.... to get the first bus... in the freezing cold..... because I wanted to work.... sure there were many places in my area but the opportunity wasnt in my area so i had to travel.

And as a result, i was eventually able to get a car, that 3 hours travel would have put something on your CV that would have looked very good considering the 5 year gap on your CV.

Attend work programme, do what you have to do, request another opportunity, attend with a smile on your face even if you dont mean it, crack on, get experience, get a job eventually, youll thank yourself for it.

The reason why your jobs coach is doing this is because youve been out of work five years. if you REALLY want to get out of there, youll have to get a job. If you have mental health issues, you can try ESA and see if ATOS agrees with you.

We are/were all in your situation, but you wont get anywhere if you're not willing to go the extra mile (pun intended).

skintpaul · 28 August 2015 at 3:10PM

Is there any cctv at WP? ask for footage to back you up / probe their case, see what they say..

custardy · 28 August 2015 at 3:18PM

skintpaul wrote: »

Is there any cctv at WP? ask for footage to back you up / probe their case, see what they say..

Who would be supplying this footage?

daily jobcentre appopintments

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