JSA claims taking 6 weeks?

dookar

Rich44 wrote: »

They expect me to keep signing on but when the job centre is 12 miles each way the bus costs £3 return and is only hourly each way and I am now getting to the point of not being able to afford petrol/insurance to sign on.

The advice above is good, so I will only refer to the quoted part.

Should you not sign on, you must show good cause for not doing so.

I would say "because I couldn't afford to because you haven't paid me" is almost as close to caste iron good cause as you can get.

zappster1966

dookar wrote: »

The advice above is good, so I will only refer to the quoted part.

Should you not sign on, you must show good cause for not doing so.

I would say "because I couldn't afford to because you haven't paid me" is almost as close to caste iron good cause as you can get.

I was once instructed to refuse a Crisis Loan to someone stranded away from home on the grounds that "15 miles was easily achievable on foot by a fit young man with nothing better to do with his time".

Nothing is as cast iron as you'd think ...

hope_for_now

As suggested do e-mail your MP, he may well be able to help you delay any action re council tax and housing. I did this and he was really helpful and did take some action on my behalf. Certainly worth a try while you are waiting for JSA claim to be sorted

dookar

zappster1966 wrote: »

I was once instructed to refuse a Crisis Loan to someone stranded away from home on the grounds that "15 miles was easily achievable on foot by a fit young man with nothing better to do with his time".

Nothing is as cast iron as you'd think ...

Really? In my opinion anything you couldn't walk in an hour I would expect you to.

bestpud

You won't be evicted and neither will you end up in court for not paying council tax.

Yes, they may send out all the letters, but no court is going to find in their favour when it is clear you are waiting on benefits and have kept them informed of that fact, and they know that.

Plus, as already said, it is a very long winded process...

Also, when I was waiting for mine to be sorted, my HA said they just needed £3 something a week from me and it would all be fine. Does yours do something similar?

I'm not sure why you are against a crisis loan as you can pay it back in a lump sum as soon as you receive the backdated JSA. It only means more debt if you keep the backdated payment and the loan, surely?

roserey

dookar wrote: »

The advice above is good, so I will only refer to the quoted part.

Should you not sign on, you must show good cause for not doing so.

I would say "because I couldn't afford to because you haven't paid me" is almost as close to caste iron good cause as you can get.

I really would not recommend this.
If you don't sign on your claim will be closed

dookar

roserey wrote: »

I really would not recommend this.
If you don't sign on your claim will be closed

It's that black and white?

Of course not. If you fail to attend, which is what we are talking about - not failing to provide a signed declaration, you must show good cause for that failure.

'Good cause' is not defined in the legislation, but from case law we can establish that it is what any reasonable person would do under a specific set of circumstances. Jobseekers are supposed to use some of their allowance to comply with reg 23 notices. If they have not received any such allowance, then it is entirely reasonable for them to not comply with such a notification.

Finally, I was not suggesting that the OP should not comply, he expressed concern that, in the near future, he would be unable to afford to comply. I was merely offering information pertaining to that. Factual and relevant information. You should try it.

NASA_2

I would disallow someone if they said they didnt have enough money to come into the office.

dookar

ESA wrote: »

I would disallow someone if they said they didnt have enough money to come into the office.

If their only source if income is the benefit they haven't been paid and the distance was too far to walk?

You'd lose that appeal in my opinion.

NASA_2

dookar wrote: »

If their only source if income is the benefit they haven't been paid and the distance was too far to walk?

You'd lose that appeal in my opinion.

I'd be willing to take that chance.

If they are lacking money to such a degree then they are hardly likely to be in position to do much to dispute it.