Back to work - help no money!!

bensonsmum

Hi
I don't know if anyone can help me, my son has been on JS for the past 5 months in that time he had a sanction put onto his case, he has since been on a work placement scheme where he was told if he got himself a job he would be given a £100 back to work payment. He has been doing unpaid work through the placement scheme for the last 4 weeks and has worked his socks off and has been offered a full time job which he started this week.
He has today gone to the jobcentre and told them his good news and asked about his back to work payment and also any money due to him and he was under the impression that he was paid his benefits in arrears as when he first signed on he didn't get any money for approx 3-4 weeks. He has been told that he isnt entitled to a back to work payment and also that he has no monies due to him. My son had a previous drug problem which im pleased to say he has now managed to sort out - a combination of moving away from so called friends and sheer determination.He now lives on his own approx 150 miles away from me in a rented housing association property, he has to pay rent, council tax,electric and water rates and also buy food. The job he has started is paid monthly so he will not receive any wages until the 1st April or there abouts i am only just about managing to keep my head above water so am not really in a position to help him as much as i would like - i will do what i can but im not going to be able to cover it all.
Does anyone know where he can go and what he can do for help please - any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Thank you

crabyducky

crisis loan?

bensonsmum

I said that and because he has had crisis loans x3 in the last year he isnt entitled - yet he has only had £75 in total but they wont do anything because he has had three !! but thanks anyway xx

allen35

It sounds like your son has been extremely unlucky with support from Jobcentre Plus, most help kicks in when unemployed for 26 weeks, maybe contact his personal adviser and request help from the Adviser Discretionary Fund for help with work clothes and possibly transport, as already said, possibly a crisis loan.

He'll need to speak to his landlord and Council to let them know of his position, should be ok as long as he pays rent/ct from first pay packet and agree to pay a little off his possible rent arrears each month.

KxMx

What reason did they give for refusing a back-to-work payment ? Can he appeal the decisons?

allen35

Is there a local credit union, i've known them to give emergency loans for times like this, he could get his wages paid in there or set up a DD to repay.

nannytone_2

it might be worth asking the company he is going to work for if they can give him an advance. when my partner changed jobs, he went from weekly to monthly paid and the new company paid him a small amount to cover essentials for the 3 weeks he was without pay and recouped it in the following 6 months.

bensonsmum

allen35 wrote: »

It sounds like your son has been extremely unlucky with support from Jobcentre Plus, most help kicks in when unemployed for 26 weeks, maybe contact his personal adviser and request help from the Adviser Discretionary Fund for help with work clothes and possibly transport, as already said, possibly a crisis loan.

He'll need to speak to his landlord and Council to let them know of his position, should be ok as long as he pays rent/ct from first pay packet and agree to pay a little off his possible rent arrears each month.

Is the Advisor discretionary fund different from a crisis loan? as he has already been refused that?
He was told because he had a sanction on his case he wouldn't receive the £100 payment for going back to work, yet they lifted the sanction when he was on his work placement - does anyone know if they can now put it back on to his claim?

allen35

It is different from a crisis loan and is at the discretion of the adviser.

He should contact crisis loan again and ask for a review, there is nothing in the guidlines stating you cannot apply if 3 are outstanding and, again, dwp should use discretion, state that due to hardship he is finding it difficult to remain in work as he can;t meet daily living expenses such as food, electricity etc and has no other means to meet these expenses, no family close by and no access to credit if appropriate

bensonsmum

allen35 wrote: »

It is different from a crisis loan and is at the discretion of the adviser.

He should contact crisis loan again and ask for a review, there is nothing in the guidlines stating you cannot apply if 3 are outstanding and, again, dwp should use discretion, state that due to hardship he is finding it difficult to remain in work as he can;t meet daily living expenses such as food, electricity etc and has no other means to meet these expenses, no family close by and no access to credit if appropriate

Thanks for that i will ring him later tonight - you have been very helpful - i only wish the people at the job centre had been as helpful xx

cupkate

Re refusal of crisis loan, the 3 applications rule only applies to crisis loan applications made on the basis of money spent, lost etc. When a person applies for a crisis loan on the basis of waiting for a first payment of benefit or wages, the 3rd application rule does not apply.
Therefore, it would appear that your son has incorrectly been refused a crisis loan. If he made a full application he has the right to appeal. If they wouldn't take his application, he should phone again. He's bound to get a different person who, hopefully, will deal with him correctly