Would you say this crisis loan advisor was just being a pain?

dekaspace

I have been on and off benefits for about 6 years due to being on a few educational courses and jobs being temporary yet up till April this year had applied for 3 crisis loans in 6 years then due to a doubt on my claim a few months ago had to wait over 2 months with no cash so got 2 of around £31 a time.

I went in this morning as was told the law now is you can only have 3 a year and after 2nd phone one it must be a face to face appointment then 5 minutes later got a call back and a lecture that lasted 10 minutes where I was told(rather than asked) that why couldnt I budget better as I had to top up my rent with £60 this month as my discrecionary housing payment has to be reassesed and all my utility bills and phone and internet came to £30

She then went on that since I was on benefits I shouldnt spend £30 a month on phone and I explained to her that was line rental and internet costs which helped me with a job and the credit card debt was £5 a month which made up to £30

THEN she said it was suspicious my rent was due in the middle of the month and why couldnt I come to an agreement with landlord and pay it late! then when I said I couldnt she told me why didnt I pay most if it then pay the rest off my next payment and when I said my landlord is tight and rings me non stop if payment is a day late she didnt believe me!

This sort of discussion went on for 10 minutes then she put me on hold for 20 minutes then whilst unenthusiatically speaking told me she could give me a payment, but said in the future I wouldnt get a payment for overspending(it was just her general tone about everything sounded very judgemental and "yeah right")

Well I am getting my payment now but I dont know if i should give some feedback to the JC about her.

dseventy

dekaspace wrote: »

I have been on and off benefits for about 6 years due to being on a few educational courses and jobs being temporary yet up till April this year had applied for 3 crisis loans in 6 years then due to a doubt on my claim a few months ago had to wait over 2 months with no cash so got 2 of around £31 a time.

I went in this morning as was told the law now is you can only have 3 a year and after 2nd phone one it must be a face to face appointment then 5 minutes later got a call back and a lecture that lasted 10 minutes where I was told(rather than asked) that why couldnt I budget better as I had to top up my rent with £60 this month as my discrecionary housing payment has to be reassesed and all my utility bills and phone and internet came to £30

She then went on that since I was on benefits I shouldnt spend £30 a month on phone and I explained to her that was line rental and internet costs which helped me with a job and the credit card debt was £5 a month which made up to £30

THEN she said it was suspicious my rent was due in the middle of the month and why couldnt I come to an agreement with landlord and pay it late! then when I said I couldnt she told me why didnt I pay most if it then pay the rest off my next payment and when I said my landlord is tight and rings me non stop if payment is a day late she didnt believe me!

This sort of discussion went on for 10 minutes then she put me on hold for 20 minutes then whilst unenthusiatically speaking told me she could give me a payment, but said in the future I wouldnt get a payment for overspending(it was just her general tone about everything sounded very judgemental and "yeah right")

Well I am getting my payment now but I dont know if i should give some feedback to the JC about her.

The questions and points seem reasonable enough to me. I can't comment (as I didn't hear) how they were delivered, but I would hope that every application is vetted and questioned, with other options looked at.

Its reasonable to point out non-essential costs (like broadband) and suggest other ways of managing your money.

THe JC don't really have their own money, its just tax payers, so I for one are glad they scrutinise it (with the caveat about how its delivered).

D70

gettingready

non-essential costs (like broadband)

I am sorry but in this day and age how on earth is broadband not considered essential for a job search to start with?

How do they expect us to look for jobs?

Not everyne has access to free internet "somewhere else" and even if they did - how often can one impose on someone else to use their conection? Or travel (cost) to "free library"?

THe JC don't really have their own money, its just tax payers

Exactly - so they have MY money that I have paid in taxes (very high taxes as I was in the 40% bracket) over sevaral years.

dekaspace

dseventy wrote: »

The questions and points seem reasonable enough to me. I can't comment (as I didn't hear) how they were delivered, but I would hope that every application is vetted and questioned, with other options looked at.

Its reasonable to point out non-essential costs (like broadband) and suggest other ways of managing your money.

THe JC don't really have their own money, its just tax payers, so I for one are glad they scrutinise it (with the caveat about how its delivered).

D70

Well, every question she asked she tried digging as far as she could and then lectured me on money management and I felt it was bad advice to tell me to pay my rent late and then keep asking why I didnt want to, and when I said I am on medication for stress etc and didnt want the stress of being pestered by the landlord she wasnt very understanding etc.

I tried explaining to her the broadband and phone were to help me with my jobsearch and when the contracts started I was working and if they werent paid I would get late payment fees which would wipe out any money I would get on my next payment and make me even worse off etc.

So the entire call wasnt just asking questions it was why cant I do something and when I tried explaining she would say it didnt make sense and ask me the same question again and again.

starchild1972

If you are near a jobcentre (where they have the jobhunting computers) or near a library/internet cafe then broadband is not essential, certainly not as essential as a roof over your head.

gettingready

starchild1972 wrote: »

If you are near a jobcentre (where they have the jobhunting computers) or near a library/internet cafe then broadband is not essential, certainly not as essential as a roof over your head.

1) IF you are near
2) Internet cafe is not free and daily usage will cost mch more than a broadband at home

I for example often get calls from agencies that seen part of my CV on some website (registered with quite a few) and they call me and ask me to email them my full CV - I need internet at home, very often the speed in which you get your CV to a prospective employer matters too.

dseventy

gettingready wrote: »

I am sorry but in this day and age how on earth is broadband not considered essential for a job search to start with?

How do they expect us to look for jobs?

Not everyne has access to free internet "somewhere else" and even if they did - how often can one impose on someone else to use their conection? Or travel (cost) to "free library"?

Its non-essential like it is with any debt management issue. Rent/Mortgage, food, council tax etc FIRST, then the rest second, it is low-priority.

gettingready wrote: »

Exactly - so they have MY money that I have paid in taxes (very high taxes as I was in the 40% bracket) over sevaral years.

With several years at the 40% bracket one would have thought you have saved to get you by? Or if not don't expect that past payment to give you more right to benefits. As someone once said Past contributions bear no relation to future entitlement.

D70

dseventy

dekaspace wrote: »

then lectured me on money management .

People don't like to hear the truth sometimes. Sorry but the amount of "crisis"loans you have needed does suggest you need some feedback on your money management skills.

D70

gettingready

dseventy wrote: »

don't expect that past payment to give you more right to benefits. As someone once said Past contributions bear no relation to future entitlement.

D70

And why exactly not? THAT is what is wrong here that people who never ever bothered to look for/do some work get exactly the same as people who worked most of their adult lives.

Very, VERY wrong.

marywooyeah

I do think that broadband is essential these days in job hunting, and £25 is a bit high but like you say you have to pay line rental which I am assuming is around £12 (that really annoys me as it bumps up the cost of broadband quite a bit).
I can see why she asked about budgeting, but do think it was unreasonable to ask you to pay your rent late as this would put you in breach of your tenancy agreement.
I would ring and complain about her, it could get her to rethink the way she is speaking to people and avoid someone else being upset in the future.
good luck with the job hunt x

dseventy

gettingready wrote: »

And why exactly not? THAT is what is wrong here that people who never ever bothered to look for/do some work get exactly the same as people who worked most of their adult lives.

Very, VERY wrong.

*shrugs*. call your MP.

Thems the rules though.

D70