Help with formal clothes for interview

confusedmoney

Hi there ive read online on the dwp website that if your on jobseekers allowance you maybe entitled to formal interview clothing grant or payment. now ive only been on jsa since may2011 but i have no clothes at all except my informal trainers, tshirts hoodys etc. I cant afford to buy shirts, trousers and shoes out of my jsa because im only just breaking even by only eating on average 11 days of 14 before i get paid again and its stressing me out trying to find a job which i am doing on a daily basis and ive thought to myself why am i applying when i have nothing to wear for an interview and am getting depressed about it all the time. Also i think for me i have been on income support since i was 16 in 2004 on deppression and anxiety grounds and im now 24 and decided to go on jsa and to get a job asap. if anyone knows about this or can point me in the right direction that would be great.:A

koppita

What about putting a 'wanted' request on your local Freecycle? I'm sure you would get a reply and offer.

pcombo

confusedmoney wrote: »

Hi there ive read online on the dwp website that if your on jobseekers allowance you maybe entitled to formal interview clothing grant or payment. now ive only been on jsa since may2011 but i have no clothes at all except my informal trainers, tshirts hoodys etc. I cant afford to buy shirts, trousers and shoes out of my jsa because im only just breaking even by only eating on average 11 days of 14 before i get paid again and its stressing me out trying to find a job which i am doing on a daily basis and ive thought to myself why am i applying when i have nothing to wear for an interview and am getting depressed about it all the time. Also i think for me i have been on income support since i was 16 in 2004 on deppression and anxiety grounds and im now 24 and decided to go on jsa and to get a job asap. if anyone knows about this or can point me in the right direction that would be great.:A

Do you live alone or with someone?

Couldn't you borrow some money?

http://direct.asda.com/george/men-s-clothing/trousers-and-shorts/0407,default,sc.html

http://direct.asda.com/george/men-s-clothing/shirts/0403,default,sc.html

http://direct.asda.com/george/men-s-clothing/shoes/smart-shoes/041701,default,sc.html

http://direct.asda.com/george/men-s-clothing/suit-jackets/0445,default,sc.html

All cheap, All you need is trousers, shirt and shoes.

Suit jacket optional.

Oldernotwiser

You have to have been on JSA for at least 26 weeks to get help with interview clothes.

Pollycat

I don't know about a grant/payment from DWP but maybe you could try charity shops.

Some have decent men's clothes at reasonable prices.

Good luck with getting an interview.

confusedmoney

Hi there i know its been a while but i thought id update on this post. I was signing on as normal last week and the job advisor asked me why in 13 weeks i have not found work yet. I said that i have been trying my hardest but circumstances are not making it that simple. So she mentioned about the Advisior Discretionary Fund, and i said dont i have be claiming for 26 weeks and she said no who told you that. She then said i would be entitled to it the first week of claiming if i was having trouble finding work because i didnt have money for clothing (formal) travelling to interviews, etc. So i just thought id let people know ask about it if anyone is struggling because u dont need to be claiming for 26 weeks. she said they pay up to £170 for shows, shirt, tie, blazer, trousers and stationary including folders, paper etc if you have proof of an interview. Also she said travelling to interviews would be covered whatever the price, i said as i live in london i had an interview and registration event which was being held in edinburgh for neaqr enough guaranteed christmas work in london where i live and i said to her i wouldnt of thought they would pay for my fare all the way to edinburgh which could come in at anyhwere up to £200 and she said, that is not true they would pay any amount as long as the proof of interview was there, anyways i just thought id let you know. I got my money today for my interview clothing, they gave me £150 so it is possible and it isnt hopeless if you are struggling.

RAS

Thanks for the update and for the information that will help other people.

skater_kat

did they give you 150 up front to spend, a voucher for a shop? how did it work.

nannymiaow

confusedmoney wrote: »

Hi there i know its been a while but i thought id update on this post. I was signing on as normal last week and the job advisor asked me why in 13 weeks i have not found work yet. I said that i have been trying my hardest but circumstances are not making it that simple. So she mentioned about the Advisior Discretionary Fund, and i said dont i have be claiming for 26 weeks and she said no who told you that. She then said i would be entitled to it the first week of claiming if i was having trouble finding work because i didnt have money for clothing (formal) travelling to interviews, etc. So i just thought id let people know ask about it if anyone is struggling because u dont need to be claiming for 26 weeks. she said they pay up to £170 for shows, shirt, tie, blazer, trousers and stationary including folders, paper etc if you have proof of an interview. Also she said travelling to interviews would be covered whatever the price, i said as i live in london i had an interview and registration event which was being held in edinburgh for neaqr enough guaranteed christmas work in london where i live and i said to her i wouldnt of thought they would pay for my fare all the way to edinburgh which could come in at anyhwere up to £200 and she said, that is not true they would pay any amount as long as the proof of interview was there, anyways i just thought id let you know. I got my money today for my interview clothing, they gave me £150 so it is possible and it isnt hopeless if you are struggling.

I sincerely hope that having been given such generous help you find a job very, very quickly.

FBaby

£150 for interview clothes????? Is this a joke? You can get something that would more than do at Asda for 1/5th of this, not even talking about charity shops when you can get very suits for £20 or so. This is ridiculous, surely they should wait for the person to actually have an interview first, then to insure they didn't have a job in the previous 5 years or so, as they were bound to have had something decent to wear for that previous job, and give vouchers rather than cash (stopping people suddenly discovering charity shops and keeping the rest for more exciting spends...)

Redvee

The rules have changed greatly in recent years on the amount and process for getting clothes from JCP. Three years ago I had to go to certain shops, choose my clothes and get an invoice from said shop, go back to JCP to have the invoice agreed and stamped then back to the shop where I selected my clothes. Budget allowance was £100 IIRC.
Now I'm with JobFit the rules are very different, £20 max for trousers and shirt, luckily we have a big Primark in Brizzle so I was able to get trousers and shirt for £14. I did get my travel expenses paid for the interview I had this morning which went into my pocket as Redvee snr played chauffeur. Another stupid rule that I have to face is that with a lapsed FLT licence I can't get it renewed, however if I see a job that needs a FLT licence then I can go for it and tell the employer I can get a licence if they give me the job.:mad: