New job: when to REALLY sign off JSA?

gettingready

When I signed off last time (nearly 3 months ago) I was told that I could not apply for/get anything at all as I was not signing on for 26 weeks (6 months) and those 26 weeks had to be on income based JSA - mine was contribution based so even if I did sign on for 6 months.. still would not "qualify" for anything at all.

As I said before, my adviser pretty much begged her manager to sign off that £100 for travel expenses for me. I only got paid after 2 weeks so imagine havinf 100 for 2 weeks when my travel was £32 per week.

gettingready

Nasa - thanks, will have a read:

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCwQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dwp.gov.uk%2Fdocs%2Fcires-sf-alignment-payments0311.pdf&rct=j&q=alignment%20to%20wages&ei=2XVTTuaJBMiu8gPVsKnMBQ&usg=AFQjCNH3ILPwR4wLQYwcAxf8yv4ZpAEWAw&cad=rja

for "alignment to wages" - generally the maximum amount will be 75% of your applicable I.S. (or JSA) for a maximum period of 2 weeks,

sorry but that is just another joke...

it should really be a minimum of 100% of the JSA PLUS travel expenses - till pay day

as when you work - your expenses go UP and not down...

no wonder sop many people stay clear off going back to work...for long periods of time

how likely is it to find a job within a walking distance and one with free lunches?

NASA_2

Staff also felt that converting the Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) claim form to online without the facility to capture all the required information means Benefit Delivery Centres (BDCs) have to write out to customers for more information leading to delays in making payments.
“ESA claims cause us the biggest problem. Not all the information is captured on the online form. In almost all the cases we have to ask for further
8
Social Fund alignment payments
information. We need to get the balance right of moving on with technology” (Benefit Delivery Centre officer)

First time I have ever seen this acknowledged. Really time they did something about it.

gettingready

Not only that - I have filled the JSA online on the 6th (Saturday) as my last day of work was the 5th (Friday) - got an email msg saying someone will contact me within 3 working days for a date of appointment at JC.

Tuesday, have not heard from them so called them. Was told it is day 2 and they said they will call me within 3 days so told me to wait for them to call. Said no - as I was already on the phone to them I wanted a date for an appointment. Finally got one for Wednesday and guess what?

At the JC I was told my claim starts on Tuesday as this is when I had contact with whoever it was I was speaking to on the phone. I said no way, I put a claim on the 6th Saturday and I want by JSA paid from the date I have submitted my claim. Apparently - it does not work like that LOl HIllarious if this was a joke but it is true - they start yoru claim from whenever someone calls you and offers you an appointment and NOT from the date when you filled n online form.

So - what is the point of having on online form with a "submit" button then?

I had to fill in anotherform telling why I want my claim "backdated" to the 6th and why I "did not apply" on the 6th - it was a SATURDAY (!!!), they were closed, I filled the form online on the 6th (!!)

Rant over

GlasweJen

gettingready wrote: »

Nasa - thanks, will have a read:

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCwQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dwp.gov.uk%2Fdocs%2Fcires-sf-alignment-payments0311.pdf&rct=j&q=alignment%20to%20wages&ei=2XVTTuaJBMiu8gPVsKnMBQ&usg=AFQjCNH3ILPwR4wLQYwcAxf8yv4ZpAEWAw&cad=rja

sorry but that is just another joke...

it should really be a minimum of 100% of the JSA PLUS travel expenses - till pay day

as when you work - your expenses go UP and not down...

no wonder sop many people stay clear off going back to work...for long periods of time

how likely is it to find a job within a walking distance and one with free lunches?

Don't unemployed people eat lunch?

gettingready

GlasweJen wrote: »

Don't unemployed people eat lunch?

Actually, very often they do not.

And if/when they do - they make it out of whatever little shopping they manage to get while getting JSA.

When that (JSA) is stopped - then what?

Really, very very stupid comment.

NASA_2

Most unemployed people I have seen, and I havent seen them all I admit, seem to have as much of a weight problem as I do.

They seem to eat well enough.

gettingready

Weight problem can come from eating wrong (cheap) food and that is normally the case.

Not being able to afford decet food and living on bread/potatoes/pasta/rice as the main ingridients

HappyMJ

gettingready wrote: »

Weight problem can come from eating wrong (cheap) food and that is normally the case.

Not being able to afford decet food and living on bread/potatoes/pasta/rice as the main ingridients

Define decent? Yesterday I had a slow cooked venison stew with some cheap venison stewing meat the butcher had on offer and plenty of vegetables such as carrot, swede, onion and a few others on a bed of mashed potatoes. Whole dish cost a bit more than £8. It'll probably be about 8 servings. Ate some of it and froze the rest. I'd call that decent. Small portion of meat, lots of vegetables, some potato. Quite balanced I would have thought. Not sure but £8 for a week's worth of dinners is easily within anyone's reach. Won't eat it every day I'll probably get it out and microwave another portion twice a week.

leecovuk

Regarding the financial level of benefits available, and the problems discussed in this topic, I wonder what the suicide rate is amongst the unemployed or low paid temp workers.
Maybe also for people starting a new job; due to the stress of it and the initial financial problems after signing off.

I have a tendency to depression and anxiety already, and my recent struggles have many times had me googling and realistically considering the exit bag and gas method.