Grant for a suit

missmontana

dugdale wrote: »

Used to only be available after 6 months but is now available from day 1 of claim.
As an adviser I try not to give Giros, BAC transfers or cash payments for ADF as there are a number of stores (including Burtons and Suits Plus) who accept a voucher from JCP for payment of goods.

finally, someone who atually knows the answers!!

MyRubyRed

Guys, does this relate to income based benefits only?

missmontana

1. Adviser Discretion Fund (ADF) Available solely at the discretion of JCP adviser
• Customers must be receipt of in Job Seekers Allowance, A Primary Benefit such as Income Support or Incapacity Benefit or Pension Credit for 6 months or over
Customers eligible for support are:
• New Deal programmes, Lone Parents, Disabled people and partners, Bereavement Benefit, Incapacity Benefit, Carers Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance and NDF* To overcome small challenges that are preventing them from moving into work, where no other option is available. Customers can access up to a maximum of £300.00 in a twelve month period to support them in obtaining a job and accepting a job offer.

UnemployedAndEnjoyingIt

dugdale wrote: »

Used to only be available after 6 months but is now available from day 1 of claim.
As an adviser I try not to give Giros, BAC transfers or cash payments for ADF as there are a number of stores (including Burtons and Suits Plus) who accept a voucher from JCP for payment of goods.

What proof does the person have to give so that you know that they aren't lying about having a suit or not though?? :huh:


Like if you go to jobcentre and say ''I dont have a suit for my interview, i hear that theres a fund that i can claim money from for 1 though''.

How do you findout if they really do have some suits in their wardobe or not??



Thanx

dreamylittledream

borders_dude wrote: »

Why do you need a full suit?

Im shure trousers, shirt and tie with some shoes will be enough.

You could always apply for a loan from the social fund rather than depending on the handout.

Thanked by accident - damn that quote buttin being next to the thanks

What part of the Social Fund were you thinking of directing the OP to?

Last time I checked the lack of a suit didn't present and immediate and serious risk to health or safety so a crisis loan won't be awarded and you need to be on an income based benefits for over six months to get a budgeting loan.

Interview clothing, expenses to travel to interviews etc - this is what the ADF if there for....

dugdale_2

UnemployedAndEnjoyingIt wrote: »

What proof does the person have to give so that you know that they aren't lying about having a suit or not though?? :huh:
Like if you go to jobcentre and say ''I dont have a suit for my interview, i hear that theres a fund that i can claim money from for 1 though''.
How do you findout if they really do have some suits in their wardobe or not??
Thanx

You don't honestly expect me to answer this question on an open forum do you ?
As a JobCentre Plus Adviser there are certain aspects of my training and development that I'm not allowed to divulge to anyone outside the DWP :silenced:, let's just say that my training was very in depth and every single time, without exception, that I've awarded ADF the customer has provided the required evidence to allow me to award ADF.

Before a claim for ADF can be processed there are a number of checks which need to be made, evidence gathered and recorded and the complete application needs be countersigned by a second Band C (or higher) JCP staff member. This is tax payers money here and as an Adviser I am expected to show due diligence before I open the nations purse .

MrEnglish

Can someone confirm please is the ADF payable from day 1 or 6 months only?

Any good tips on what to go for?

Would it be possible to get a suit,shirt,tie,shoes and smart phone for 300?

Or maybe a just laptop if you can prove it will help you look for work.

Sues48

It's definitely available from day 1. What you can be awarded it to pay for is, as the name suggests, at the discretion of the individual adviser. Personally, if someone is looking for interview clothes I wouldn't give the full £300, the DWP has a contract with the Arcadia group so it should be possible for a reasonable outfit to be obtained for around £100. We also have a contract with a local store which stocks outsize clothing.

dugdale_2

ADF is available from day 1

Suit, shirt tie shoes - possible but at the discretion of your adviser.
Laptop and smart phone - highly unlikely but again at the discretion of your adviser. To my knowledge no adviser in my jobcentre would consider funding a laptop. (Why do you need one for your jobsearch when you can visit your local library for free internet access ? Also by the very fact that you're posting on this forum would suggest that you already have access to the internet).

Remember that ADF is used to remove barriers that are preventing you from taking up employment not to give you gadgets to play with or clothes to make you look good when you go clubbing.

The figure of £300 is a maximum that you can be awarded to help remove these barriers, the average payment is, I believe just over £80. If a customer demanded the full £300 from me (s)he would probably end up disappointed.

I had one customer who was quite irate with me because I refused to buy him a new car (brand new as he believed that a used car would send out the wrong signals with prospective employers). He threatened to report me to his MP as I personally wasn't acting in his best interest regarding his jobseeking. Funnily enough his MP has yet to contact me to ask for my explanation.

Orville

dmg24 wrote: »

See dugdale's response. It would be very unusual to give cash for clothing.

Unusual maybe, but i must be an exception because i went through this process not a month ago.:D