back to work grant.

Tartuffe · 23 April 2009 at 9:05AM

On GMTV this mornig Martin Lewis talked about a £300 grant for job seekers who have found employment to help them get back to work, with travel, clothing etc......................and that this is a new ruling that has been in about two weeks, does anyone know the details of this or where this can be found? (I missed the pregramme but my Mum phoned me!)

Im not holding my breath as I expect there will be so many darned conditions that you have to satisfy, Im about to start a new job next week after being made redundant in December, and I will find it really difficult to manage financially until the first pay day at the end of May as Iive got to travel 25 miles to work each day (but a job is a job!).:T

foster123 · 23 April 2009 at 9:13AM

congrats on find a job in the current climate :beer:

Horace · 23 April 2009 at 10:37AM

Firstly congratulations on the job.:T

I think you have to ask for it to be sure that you will get it - speak to your advisor when you sign off...I am going to to that when I sign off on 28 April for my self employment:j

Albannach1876 · 23 April 2009 at 9:10PM

It's the Adviser Discretion Fund (ADF) which until recently was only available if you had been signing on for over 6 months, on New Deal etc. As the name suggests, it is at the discretion of the adviser, but is available to help you overcome any barrier to you starting work. It is usually clothes or fares but can be anything deemed suitable. You won't necessarily get the full £300, that is the maximum that is available. If you only need £60 for a months' travel, then that's all you will get.

You need to ensure you apply in plenty of time as it can only be given before you start work. If you need fares to work, take the details of the cost to the interview. For clothes, you are normally expected to price up the items you require and are given an invoice to take to the shop. However you are restricted to certain shops and can't spend - for example! - £300 on shoes. The way round the shop restriction is to buy the goods yourself (having agreed what and how much with the adviser beforehand) and be reimbursed.

Hope this helps you - and well done on getting a job!!

michellen34 · 23 April 2009 at 9:54PM

Congratulations on your new job :beer: , well done you x

tyroneshoelaces · 23 April 2009 at 10:59PM

Hi i enquired about this yesterday as I have an interview on monday and do need clothing. the lady i spoke to on the phone was a litttle reluctant at first to give me the figure I could be entitled to but she eventually came out with £300.
I do actually need an outfit for the interview on monday so the lady advised me to go to burtons, price up an outfit, which consisted of a suit, shirt and tie set and shoes. this totalled £142. i then got burtons to write me out an invoice which I have to take to the job centre tomorrow. Hopefully they will give me what I need.
I dont want to abuse the system but I do need these things and this funding is a brilliant help.

What the advisor did tell me is not to buy the items myself and hope to be reimbursed as the advisor i speak to tomorrow could turn around and ask how could i afford it?

Good luck but make sure you ask for it as it is there to be given to you.

Albannach1876 · 23 April 2009 at 11:32PM

tyroneshoelaces wrote: »

What the advisor did tell me is not to buy the items myself and hope to be reimbursed as the advisor i speak to tomorrow could turn around and ask how could i afford it?

As long as you have discussed it in advance and agreed what is to be purchased, and don't just turn up and say "I've bought this - can I have the money?" it should be okay. Where there are time constraints before they start work / the office closes, we often ask customers if there is anyone that they can borrow the money from for a couple of hours until we can refund them, or if you have just received their benefit there shouldn't be a problem. But if in doubt, go down the Arcadia group / invoice route!