The Matrix - Re-Evolution!!

SunFlower

Well done MG, on it being officially official and starting MiFi3.

Right, I didn't get to sign on yesterday as I felt really ill yestaerday morning, had to get my homework done for college (I got a lot, but not all of it done), and send off CVs to agencies (didn't get them all done), so today is the day to finish what I started.

Here's the question, though: I've never signed on before. What details do you need to bring with you? I only intend to make the minimum amount of visits as I have a feeling I'm not going to like this, so I want to bring everything I need in one fell swoop, so I don't have to go back until required.

Thanks guys.

Horace

Morning all..well done MG - loving the idea of laminating the letter:cool: Hope your mum gets sorted out too - I hate folks that take advantage of pensioners, my mum is building a case with trading standards about the eejits who built her extension, they incorporated the main drainage manhole into the floor (we knew it was there anyway), however when they did it they bodged the job and mum ended up with a plague of rats living in the ceiling..they returned and fixed the job and all was well for a while but the rats are back and causing untold damage. What is even more annoying is that mum got three quotes and testimonials and this builder wasnt the cheapest:mad:

Am really organised today, the chicken casserole is in Pot and will be ready tonight (I part cooked it already because I didnt want raw chicken hanging around in the casserole pot overnight - cooked for an hour). I have found a different website to use for looking for jobs - I am looking at hotel jobs now as well. Must complete the applications for the Stroke folks too - I need a kick really because I am full of doubt, I have to put down why my business finished and I am feeling that I am not good enough:( (I know that I am, I am fretting about my age etc). It would be great to get one of the Stroke jobs because it means that I could move back in with my parents and actually walk to work (admittedly it would be about 2.5miles) - this would be a necessity in the winter if we have another winter like this year. Looking at the one job I have all the essentials and even the desirable requirement I have some understanding of it due to my own disability.

Landlord's chappies came visiting this morning they wanted to look at my bathroom because there was a water stain in the flat downstairs so I explained that it was from the time before when my toilet cistern leaked and they had since repaired it - I had to kick my neck massager under a towel so they wouldnt see it :eek::o I was asked why I had crates everywhere and I said that I was packing stuff away to go into storage. To be honest I thought they had come to replace the oven which I have been complaining about for months now because it doesnt work - it is such an inconvenience because I cannot properly bake bread. I have no breadmaker and do not have room in my tiny kitchen for another gadget.

I found a fabby loaf recipe yesterday - I watched Baking Made Easy with the ex model Lorraine Pascal, a loaf called Doris Grant from WW2.

tellmeitsfriday

SunFlower wrote: »

Well done MG, on it being officially official and starting MiFi3.

Right, I didn't get to sign on yesterday as I felt really ill yestaerday morning, had to get my homework done for college (I got a lot, but not all of it done), and send off CVs to agencies (didn't get them all done), so today is the day to finish what I started.

Here's the question, though: I've never signed on before. What details do you need to bring with you? I only intend to make the minimum amount of visits as I have a feeling I'm not going to like this, so I want to bring everything I need in one fell swoop, so I don't have to go back until required.

Thanks guys.

I think you ring them up - they take a myriad of details from you over the phone, and then they make an appointment for you to go to the job centre... at least that's what happened when I was made redundant 3 yrs ago....

SunFlower

tellmeitsfriday wrote: »

I think you ring them up - they take a myriad of details from you over the phone, and then they make an appointment for you to go to the job centre... at least that's what happened when I was made redundant 3 yrs ago....

I range at least a million times yesterday but they never picked up. I will try again...

Horace

Sunflower having recently signed on myself, you need to ring them up and they will spend half an hour going through their form and then they will make arrangements for someone else to phone you to go through the rest of the form (to justify their mere existence they cannot do this in one call). At the end of the call they will tell you when and where you need to sign on and what you need to take with you - in my case I had to take tons of stuff due to being self employed. You will need proof of your address, your passport, photocopies of your bank statements e.g. current account, savings account and any share certificates that you hold regardless of whether or not they pay a dividend. At this meeting in the jobcentre, you receive your signing book and the evidence book that you need to complete to demonstrate that you are looking for work (mine is full already). They will photocopy your evidence and get you signing on and then this is passed to a decision maker who will say yes or no as to whether or not you can sign on. You continue to sign on on the day and time prescribed regardless of whether or not you are receiving any money whilst they make a decision. You cannot miss your appointment either because they penalise you - after a month you are invited to sign on at an earlier time with an adviser who goes through your efforts to find work and give you more advise about jobhunting - this is a half hour appointment and you sign on during that meeting (I have my appointment on Friday).

The number you need to call is 0800 055 6688 - I managed to get hold of them round about lunchtime.

Good luck with your quest.

LynT_2

SunFlower wrote: »

I range at least a million times yesterday but they never picked up. I will try again...

You can apply online - they will phone you back with appointment:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_178228

SunFlower

Horace wrote: »

Sunflower having recently signed on myself, you need to ring them up and they will spend half an hour going through their form and then they will make arrangements for someone else to phone you to go through the rest of the form (to justify their mere existence they cannot do this in one call). At the end of the call they will tell you when and where you need to sign on and what you need to take with you - in my case I had to take tons of stuff due to being self employed. You will need proof of your address, your passport, photocopies of your bank statements e.g. current account, savings account and any share certificates that you hold regardless of whether or not they pay a dividend. At this meeting in the jobcentre, you receive your signing book and the evidence book that you need to complete to demonstrate that you are looking for work (mine is full already). They will photocopy your evidence and get you signing on and then this is passed to a decision maker who will say yes or no as to whether or not you can sign on. You continue to sign on on the day and time prescribed regardless of whether or not you are receiving any money whilst they make a decision. You cannot miss your appointment either because they penalise you - after a month you are invited to sign on at an earlier time with an adviser who goes through your efforts to find work and give you more advise about jobhunting - this is a half hour appointment and you sign on during that meeting (I have my appointment on Friday).

The number you need to call is 0800 055 6688 - I managed to get hold of them round about lunchtime.

Good luck with your quest.

Thanks so much, Horace: the local number for my local jobcentre just keeps ringing out, and the 0845 number just went wierd as well.

As for the rest: Jesus - it's more work to keep signing on than it is to get a job. Those who sign on as a matter of 'CBA working' are welcome to it. What a palarva! :eek:

greenbee

SunFlower wrote: »

Thanks so much, Horace: the local number for my local jobcentre just keeps ringing out, and the 0845 number just went wierd as well.

As for the rest: Jesus - it's more work to keep signing on than it is to get a job. Those who sign on as a matter of 'CBA working' are welcome to it. What a palarva! :eek:

I watched the programme on the future of the welfare state on iplayer last night... They should have interviewed you and Horace and MG...

SunFlower

Sorry to be thick, but I've never done any of this before: Council Tax benefit? Housing benefit? Am I entitlted to the CT bit? Probably not the housing bit as live at home with mum, but ????

Horace

The local jobcentres never answer the phone - thankfully mine is virtually next door so I don't have far to walk and I always end up in there earlier than I need to be:o

You will need your NI number too. At your initial appointment take your bank statements, share certs, proof of address and passport or other form of photo ID. It was much more of a palaver for me because they wanted literally everything including a copy of my accounts, cashflow etc...all my statements showed a minus balance with the exception of my ISA which has 95p in it:(

Alas for me the agencies in Birmingham have told me that I am unemployable:mad: So !!!! 'em!