Signed off JSA - Help please!

Bexxxx

Hello,

I had been claiming JSA for a few months, and decided to sign off a few weeks ago. I sent in the slip (ES40?) to my local job centre, and assumed I was signed off and would recieve the remainder of my JSA. Unfortunately, the job centre claims they have not recieved the slip, and despite me sending it in a week prior to my sign on date, I recieved a phone call on the day asking why I was not there to sign on. After explaining that I thought I had signed off, I was told by the lady who called me that she had no idea. So, after that conversation I assumed she would note down the phonecall, and I phoned the main 0845 number to confirm. I was told I was signed off and that was that!
However, the money I am owed had still not reached my account, about a week after the phonecalls. Yesterday I contacted my local job centre, and after a lot of explaining and being passed around, they discovered I had been signed off - but not by them. Because of this, and because I have no start date for work (I was actually offered a job the same day I signed off!) they say I am not entitled to the remainder of my JSA; I did not attend my last sign on date, because I assumed I was signed off!
I spoke with the manager of the job centre, who was very unhelpful, rude and ignorant - ending the call abruptly and refusing to give me details of a higher body with whom I could speak and resolve my issue.
I am now very confused, and wondering if anyone has ever been in a similar situation? It seems that my ES40 has been lost, either in the post or on their end, and because of this they seem relucant to believe I was actually wanting to sign off before my last sign on day - despite never missing a meeting before, and explaining to an advisor on that day that I thought I was signed off.
The manager, as I mentioned was very rude and if I can help it I would like to avoid contact with her again - I am going to write a letter of complaint concerning that phonecall.

Apologies for the long, rambling post but I am really after some advice on this! I am going to call the 0845 number and hope they can override my local job centres decision where the money is concerned, but is this a possibility?

Thank you!

Bexxxx

Anyone??

nannytone_2

what do you mean by 'you signed off and assumed they would send the rest of the money you were owed?'
what money?

amersall

the only advice i can give is to complain higher up, even if they owe you 1 week jsa it is yours! you can get written confirmation of when you started your new job and that may help your case, as you didnt go to sign on as you were working. good luck with this

Bexxxx

nannytone wrote: »

what do you mean by 'you signed off and assumed they would send the rest of the money you were owed?'
what money?

Well, I signed two weeks after my sign on date, so I am entitled to the rest of my JSA am I not?

Loobysaver

You would only receive any money due from the day after you last signed up to the day on your signing off book as long as it is dated before your next signing day.

What dates are we talking about here? When did you last sign on and what date did you want to sign off?

Bexxxx

I last signed on the 20th April I think, so the date I put to sign off about two weeks after. They say I wont be paid anything, because the ES40 with the date I wanted to sign off on hasn't arrived and I suppose they think I just couldnt be bothered to sign on, and then thought ooo, I'll sign off instead! But they called me the day I was meant to sign and I said I had signed off, so they knew!

Aaaahhh, this is all very confusing.

Loobysaver

If the date you put on your ES40 was on or after your next (missed)signing day then you wouldn't have got your money anyway without attending your signing.

The only thing you can do if you are unhappy with the service is to put a written complaint in. You can get a copy of the process from your local job centre. I think the leaflet is called "our service standards"

Bexxxx

Yeah I know, they haven't got the ES40 to prove it either way which is annoying. I suppose I'll just call the 0845 number and see if they can help, as they signed me off on my sign on day as the job centre hadn't done it before then.
I have an address to write to, really I'm only slightly concerned about the money now - I'm more concerned at the managers attitude!

Thanks for your help.