Experience of trying to claim JSA

Dave101t

i took JSA for a few weeks before starting my 1st job after finishing uni 5 years ago.
horrible, horrible place, bad service and so many hoops to jump through. are you supposed to apply for toilet cleaning jobs when you have a levels and a degree? but they had no jobs for anyone with qualifications and the rest of the claimants were....somewhat undesirables.
snobmode cancel.

busy_mom_2

The reason why we don't like advance claims is we have targets, targets and more targets. Target to book the claim, target to see you within 3 days, target to process the claim within 10 days.
You were speaking to a call centre not a jobcentre. People complained about filling in forms so the call centre do if for you over the phone, you then attend the jobcentre and complete the jobseekers agreement. You have to be available from the day you call the contact centre to be eligble to benefit, full guidance on advance claims and how it effects our target haven't been published yet.

Jobcentre staff are pushed and stretched in all areas, arrive at the dentist or doctors late and do they still see you no! DO they see you on time no! Do they see people every 3 -5 mins No!

We are trying our best under the current climate but then no matter what we do or say it's never good enough.

Going4TheDream

I am sure if job centres were in the private sector they would have half the staff and be twice as efficient. There seems to be a lot of standing around and often not a lot happening . They seemed more concerned in catagergorising my job role and my highest educational qualifications rather being able to give decent advice, and they are not geared up for dealing with people that they cannot fit them into a minimum or low wage job. Not once in 8 weeks did they check or even ask what I had done to apply for jobs, even though every time I went with all the information. I cant disagree that they were in the main pleasant people working for a low salary and maybe they do deal with difficult and obnoxious people but you do get the impression that as you are unemployed they look at you with disdain no matter how you ended up unemployed.

busy_mom_2

Going4TheDream wrote: »

I am sure if job centres were in the private sector they would have half the staff and be twice as efficient. There seems to be a lot of standing around and often not a lot happening . They seemed more concerned in catagergorising my job role and my highest educational qualifications rather being able to give decent advice, and they are not geared up for dealing with people that they cannot fit them into a minimum or low wage job. Not once in 8 weeks did they check or even ask what I had done to apply for jobs, even though every time I went with all the information. I cant disagree that they were in the main pleasant people working for a low salary and maybe they do deal with difficult and obnoxious people but you do get the impression that as you are unemployed they look at you with disdain no matter how you ended up unemployed.

We are not qualified to give advice to all, we are there to asses and refer to private companies if you want help, there are several professional and executive jobsearch companies who have contracts with JCP so if you want their help ask.
We are there to check eligibility to claim JSA we know who wants a job and who is playing the system.

Oldernotwiser

When I was a Nextstep Careers Adviser I did stints of being based in several JCPs and I never heard any staff be rude and unpleasant to clients but I heard many clients being abusive to the staff!

Going4TheDream

@ busy mom

I have seen the partners that the DWP use for 'helping people back to work' as a CIPD qualified HR Leaning and Dvelopment manager I was talked into going for an interview for a training role at one of these companies, I am sure these were targeted at lone parents, long term unemployed etc? I know I asked for advice on how the JC could help me but they told me there was nothing I qualified for... what specifically did you mean as my friend is still struggling to find work (thankfully I found a new role) and she is getting no where fast with help...........seems you know more than our local JC did!!!!

john539

suelees1 wrote: »

Give the OP a break. For someone with no experience of the system it quite understandably feels pretty absurd. They came on asking for some support not to be lambasted by some on here who take the moral high ground.

The system brainwashes people.

They are like robots in treating claimants with suspicion, people that have worked for decades & have the unfortunate experience to come into contact with it.

seven-day-weekend

Surely having to sign on once every two weeks and being available for an appointment every so often in order to get public money is not to much to ask?

(I'm not referring to the OP here who is not yet familiar with thesystem).

Just pointing out that we have had these rants many times on the Benefits board and I've never understood what the problem is.

oystercatcher

missmontana wrote: »

Where's your JCP???!

Hertfordshire.

ChishyChoshy

Going4TheDream wrote: »

I am sure if job centres were in the private sector they would have half the staff and be twice as efficient.

They already outsource various parts of it to private companies (new deal, medicals). Ask people if they have had a nice time with efficient companies like ATOS and A4e.

Better still try to find the channel 4 series 'Benefit busters' online