JSA - money stopped & possible sanction advice

GobbledyGook

I'm after some advice for a friend please.

She's received a letter this morning saying her money has been stopped because she missed her signing appointment and talks about possible sanctions. From what she says I think it has a thing for her to send back with the reasons.

Is this a standard letter/procedure?

The reason I'm assuming it's standard is because the reason she missed signing is because she tripped in the job centre and broke her arm. She had checked in at the door, but hadn't got as far as the signing it. Obviously she had to leave straight away and she was assisted by the staff so they know all about it.

I don't want to tell her that obviously it'll be fine if there's a chance it won't be, but will it? Surely it's just a standard (but scary) letter because she didn't actually get to the signing on bit, but her reason will be completely valid for missing it.

It's the first time she's ever signed on so she's unsure of how it works and, tbh, she has people giving her scare stories in her ears about removing benefits and being made homeless etc etc.

Thanks. Gemma

Widelats

Just state the truth all will be fine.

dmg24

When was the accident and when will she be fit for work? It may be more suitable for her to claim ESA.

duchy

Was the accident correctly recorded at the JobCentre in their accident book. It needs to be 1 So there is clear proof of the incident and why she didn't actually sign on that day and 2 It's a Health and Safety legal requirement of the JC staff to do so.

Quite honestly it sounds like a standard letter went out automatically as she was just on the no signers list for the day. I'd pop in to check the incident was recorded in the accident book and ask for a copy for her own records and once you've got it ask them to ensure there is a copy on your friend's file too. I say *you* I mean her of course-maybe they'd like to sign her cast too This one I'd just go in and sort out -if there is any question that correct H&S wasn't followed and there was a trip hazard or it wasn't written up properly it'll probably speed things up in getting the matter resolved so going in and nicely asking for the paperwork -and asking them the best way to sort the claim out there and then will probably be best.

GobbledyGook

The accident is in their book. She went down the day after she came home (she was in hospital overnight) to sign it.

I was fairly sure it would just be a standard letter that everyone got if they missed their signing so will tell her to calm down. She's just a panicky person anyway and people are filling her full of horror stories about the government getting people off benefits by any means and having to go for appeals that take months and months.

dmg24 - it was last week. She's only expecting to have a cast on for 6 weeks so don't think she'd be looking to claim anything like ESA.

duchy - no question of H&S or anything. The hem of her trousers came down and she tripped herself up by standing on it.

dmg24

GobbledyGook wrote: »

The accident is in their book. She went down the day after she came home (she was in hospital overnight) to sign it.

I was fairly sure it would just be a standard letter that everyone got if they missed their signing so will tell her to calm down. She's just a panicky person anyway and people are filling her full of horror stories about the government getting people off benefits by any means and having to go for appeals that take months and months.

dmg24 - it was last week. She's only expecting to have a cast on for 6 weeks so don't think she'd be looking to claim anything like ESA.

duchy - no question of H&S or anything. The hem of her trousers came down and she tripped herself up by standing on it.

She can only be sick on JSA for fourteen days at a time, so she will need to claim ESA.

Sorry, I'm just assuming it is her writing arm. If not, no reason why she can't continue to look for work.

GobbledyGook

dmg24 wrote: »

She can only be sick on JSA for fourteen days at a time, so she will need to claim ESA.

Sorry, I'm just assuming it is her writing arm. If not, no reason why she can't continue to look for work.

It's not her writing arm. So she'll be ok on JSA?

I think the idea of changing to ESA would panic her even more. Don't you have to be actually sick and completely incapable of any work to claim that?

Perfumes

GobbledyGook wrote: »

It's not her writing arm. So she'll be ok on JSA?

I think the idea of changing to ESA would panic her even more. Don't you have to be actually sick and completely incapable of any work to claim that?

I suppose it would depend on if she would be able to look for a job while one of her arms is out of action?. Is it going to be long term or short term? I would be inclined to apply for ESA.

Her arm is obviously extremely painful and her cast will be worn for 4-6 weeks..then once the cast is removed, she will probably need therapy sessions and this may last from anywhere between 2 to 8 weeks. Having your arm in a cast can weaken the arm while it is immobilized for healing. In addition the amount of recovery time depends on the severity of the break. These things need to be taken into consideration.

FBaby

I feel for her it must have been traumatic and embarassing enough to experience this incident in the middle of the job centre, to then receive such letter must have been like a kick in the teeth. It does happen though, result of computer taking over. Good for her for not letting this get to her and wanting to continue looking for work.

GobbledyGook

Thanks all.

She's not in huge discomfort and the Dr's seem to think it's not a complicated break or anything so she's not expecting huge problems once the cast is off. The only reason she had to stay overnight in hospital is because the painkillers they gave her made her a bit hyper.

She can write and type fine with her good hand - in fact she's applied for 12 jobs this week with the cast on so it's not hampering her. She's hoping that they'll not say that she has to go onto ESA because most of the jobs she's applying for have closing dates in a couple of weeks so by that time and then the time that interviews come round she'll either be nearly cast free or cast free so hopefully it'll not be too much of a problem. Also she's hoping that before the cast comes off completely she'll be going to a cast that only goes to her elbow instead of up past it at the moment.

She's now more worried about being mortified the next time she goes to the job centre!