Job seeking - interview travel expenses

roadrash

Hi all,

I remember when i was looking for work that when you signed up for JSA (Job Seekers Allowance) you could also claim back travel expenses for travelling to interviews.

Does anyone know where I can find information about this? My partner is now looking for work, after being a student, so would be helpful.

Thanks.

hjb123

You are best off trying the jobcentre plus website

https://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Chris_Jobless

The Job Centre do this, so it should say on their website, or you can ask when you are next in there.

They only pay for the cheapest method of travel - and in some cases can be very slow paying that out.

Also remember to tell them before you go to the interview - I had a problem last week and now have to pay over £100 expenses myself :mad: (I got a letter on Friday afternoon for an interview Monday morning in London)

It is quite a simple process if you do let them know though, I think they will also help with a suit etc? But I am not sure about that.

Chris

Justicia

roadrash wrote:

Hi all,

I remember when i was looking for work that when you signed up for JSA (Job Seekers Allowance) you could also claim back travel expenses for travelling to interviews.

Does anyone know where I can find information about this? My partner is now looking for work, after being a student, so would be helpful.

Thanks.

Travel to Interview Scheme

The Travel to Interview Scheme (TIS) is available to anyone who is claiming a benefit, although it's availability is dependant on individual factors and is a discretionary scheme, not automatic.

Any interview that can be proved to be genuine (by an interview letter or by JCP contact with the potential employer) can be claimed for as long as common sense is used and the interview is not an easy 3 minute walk down the road, for example. The job being interviewed for must be within the United Kingdom, for at least 30 hours per week and be expected to last at least 12 months. It has to be claimed BEFORE an interview is attended as forms have to be completed and checks made BEFORE the event (however discretion can be used by JCP if this is not genuinely possible). Expenses will not be provided for an individual to attend a consultation with a recruitment agency that is not an interview for a specific vacancy.

I would advise anyone who may need to apply to use this scheme to check the details in their ES40 (lil' yeller/green book), ask for a leaflet at their JCP or speak to an adviser about it.

Edna_Bucket_2

I don't know about all that but I've had Job Centres calling me after the interview to confirm that the interviewee attended and that it was a genuine permanent job.

As always, it's probably the case that some JCs are better than others on this.

Justicia

Edna_Bucket wrote:

I don't know about all that but I've had Job Centres calling me after the interview to confirm that the interviewee attended and that it was a genuine permanent job.

As always, it's probably the case that some JCs are better than others on this.

They would be contacting you after the event if the candidate was getting a payment for mileage (ie. needs to attend to know how many miles travelled) and/or the candidate has given definitive proof (like an interview letter with an official header) and has asked that the employer not be contacted beforehand as they believe that it might affect the outcome of the interview.

In theory, if the candidate is willing to wait for the mileage payment to be made after an interview decision has been made, then the "contact with employer" stage can be delayed for a reasonable amount of time.

Unfortunately, it would appear that some employers are so ignorant that they believe that someone claiming benefits is unworthy of a role within their company... :rolleyes: ...but still complain about the amount of people claiming it...

Hope that answers your query.

greyster

I recently was on JSA after uni ..... i was given rail warrants to exchange for free tickets at rail stations. It's the same thing i got when i was in the reserves.

They're glad to pay generally but each case is approved by some finance officer and they will make sure people don't abuse the system. My advice is not to ask for cheap journeys you can afford.

I got £160 of free train tickets.

and yeah you need to arrange in advance although you can claim taxi fares etc after, just let them know before. They wil also check your company are not paying your expenses, so you don't profit :P Usually by a phone call, infront of you.

Justicia

greyster wrote:

They're glad to pay generally but each case is approved by some finance officer and they will make sure people don't abuse the system. My advice is not to ask for cheap journeys you can afford.

Exactly.

Although a manager authrorises the application with their signature, the Finance Officer of the office has to carry out additional checks (generally quick as lightning) to ensure that the correct procedure has been used before payment can be issued - if they fail to do this and an unjustified payment is made then they, as well as their manager, will potentially be in deep sh*t with the Business Manager.

Justicia

Chris_Jobless wrote:

I think they will also help with a suit etc? But I am not sure about that.

I believe that is more of a service provided by New Deal advisers (via the Adviser Discretionary Fund) to those on the ND scheme, to be honest, as they have an addidtional budget available to them.

greyster

I think they will also help with a suit etc? But I am not sure about that.

yeah, for the people on JSA for 6 months or more.

Also a "job grant" when you find employment.

again for people on JSA 6 months +

Bob_the_Builder_5

The Travel to Interview scheme is good in a way, I have used it loads of times. In fact, there is no limit to the number of times you use it.

However, (at my local JobCentre at least) they've had a bit of a crackdown and will no longer pay cash for you to go by road. Instead the give you a travel warrant which can be exchanged for rail tickets. I refused to accept it - if I'm going to an interview, I want to know I'm going to actually get there (and on time) and you can't guarantee that on the UK's crappy railway.