Experience of trying to claim JSA

newlywed

Are all people at the job centre unhelpful?
I have been made redundant and never before in my life claimed JSA.

So far I have tried to make an advance claim over the phone for contributions based JSA and been told it's complicated as they have to send me a form, then told they can't make me an appointment more than 4 days in advance on their system so I have to ring back again anyway.

So I rang back today and got the spanish inquisition as to why I don't want my interview tomorrow or weds this week, as I'm meant to make sure I'm available for work. Am I not even allowed a day off from job hunting to go out with my mum? Am I meant to know how the system works when I've never ever had to do this before? Where is the "Jobseekers Agreement" that they seem to think I know about already? Where does it say my life has to be completely rearranged at the drop of a hat if I want to claim any benefits?

Is my whole life meant to be on hold just in case there is a job interview the following day? :mad: Is this how it will be all the time I'm claiming JSA? If so, I don't think I can be bothered!!

I've never had to do this before - can anyone tell me what exactly they are going to want from me in exchange for benefit money?

[Deleted User]

put bluntly they are going to want you to be avaliable at all times for jobseeking,thats what you do in exchange for £65 a week,if a day out with your mum is more important then obviously the £65 a week isnt that important to you !
once you have sorted out your JSA you will have to sign on fortnightly at first then later on weekly and supply details of everything you have done to obtain work.
do remember that their are millions out of work and jobcentre staff are over-worked and in many cases underpaid and under-staffed.

karenx

You arent working therefore any arrangements surly can be changed in order to go to an interview that could potentially lead to a job no??
The whole point of being on JSA is to be activly seeking full time employment. And as you arent working you will have all week to be looking for jobs, when you go to sign on you will have to tell them everything you have done to look for a job. Ranging from calling places to emailing, looking in the paper etc etc.
You cant expect them to be paying you JSA money for you to go swanning to the shops all the time instead of looking for a job so you dont need to claim JSA anymore do you??

newlywed

Thanks I'm not swanning off to the shops all the time. And besides I haven't even put in a claim for any money yet!

I've been spending every evening for the last two months searching umpteen job websites and applying for various jobs.

Surely if I have prearranged a day out with someone who works but has a day's holiday, that should be allowed? If I was working I'd be allowed a day's holiday for goodness sake!

Since I have no work at the moment, friends and family have been asking me to do things for them at various times - I didn't realise the answer had to be no sorry because I am meant to spend 24 hours a day searching for a job!

dmg24

newlywed wrote: »

Thanks I'm not swanning off to the shops all the time. And besides I haven't even put in a claim for any money yet!

I've been spending every evening for the last two months searching umpteen job websites and applying for various jobs.

Surely if I have prearranged a day out with someone who works but has a day's holiday, that should be allowed? If I was working I'd be allowed a day's holiday for goodness sake!

Since I have no work at the moment, friends and family have been asking me to do things for them at various times - I didn't realise the answer had to be no sorry because I am meant to spend 24 hours a day searching for a job!

If you do not wish to be available for work on a certain day then you need to advise the JCP of this. You will need to sign off JSA and then make a rapid reclaim when you wish to be available for work.

newlywed

Does that also mean I should be available for work at any times that they decide? So are they going to expect me to work from 4am till midnight if a job with those hours comes up? Where is the limit?

newlywed

dmg24 wrote: »

If you do not wish to be available for work on a certain day then you need to advise the JCP of this. You will need to sign off JSA and then make a rapid reclaim when you wish to be available for work.

I haven't even started my claim yet, they wouldn't let me make an advance claim, that's my point!

So you are saying that because i have one day when I am going to a wedding in April, I will have to sign off for that one day and then sign on again?

Starting to wonder what the point is - I only really wanted my national insurance contributions covered while I seek work.

karenx

Its a job isnt it? Which is what you are looking for while being on JSA?
Thats the rules, if you dont like them theres nothing stopping you not claiming it

healy

newlywed wrote: »

Are all people at the job centre unhelpful?
I have been made redundant and never before in my life claimed JSA.

So far I have tried to make an advance claim over the phone for contributions based JSA and been told it's complicated as they have to send me a form, then told they can't make me an appointment more than 4 days in advance on their system so I have to ring back again anyway.

So I rang back today and got the spanish inquisition as to why I don't want my interview tomorrow or weds this week, as I'm meant to make sure I'm available for work. Am I not even allowed a day off from job hunting to go out with my mum? Am I meant to know how the system works when I've never ever had to do this before? Where is the "Jobseekers Agreement" that they seem to think I know about already? Where does it say my life has to be completely rearranged at the drop of a hat if I want to claim any benefits?

Is my whole life meant to be on hold just in case there is a job interview the following day? :mad: Is this how it will be all the time I'm claiming JSA? If so, I don't think I can be bothered!!

I've never had to do this before - can anyone tell me what exactly they are going to want from me in exchange for benefit money?

I would think the priority would be to sort out the Jobseekers claim first and then go shopping afterwards, that does seem fair enough.

McKneff

Yes you are ment to be available every day searching for a job or available for interview.

If you dont like it, dont claim and save us all some money.

You seem to have an attitude problem with people on here who you have asked for help. If you go into the job centre with the same attitude your not going to get much help there either and you will come out saying its all their fault.
They are literally run off their feet because of the thousands and thousands of people who are in your position. So give them a little slack.

missmontana

As you haven't actually signed up for JSA, they shouldn't really be telling you what to do with your time!

All you wanted to do was make an appointment wasn't it? You'd think they'd just send it all out in the post so you can read the info and then make a decision about what you want to do.

On the other hand, they can actually be very helpful... there may be other options you haven't considered. I find its always best to speak to them face to face.

Good luck with it all!

When you claim Jobseeker's Allowance, you'll need to attend an interview at the Jobcentre. An adviser will help you draw up a 'jobseeker's agreement'. This will set out the steps you agree to take to find work.

To keep getting benefit you'll have to attend regular jobsearch reviews, usually every fortnight. There's a longer review if you've been getting benefit for 13 weeks.

This is when they will tell you what they expect from you.