Single Mum JSA stopped. Please advise

bobajob_1966

LovelyLinziLoo wrote: »

I'm sure the appointment was for a monday and I went in on the wednesday(as usually would to sign on) so then explained the above to them. So was within 5 days. I'm not sure about if recieved a warning letter?

I am concerned that you are not sure of what happened. Perhaps you could gather together your paperwork and work out your dates before contacting them?

LovelyLinziLoo

No it wasn't just a bad day. A bad day doesnt require medication from the doctor. I'm now on Beta Blockers for stress. Which I explained to the job centre the wednesday I went in. Also as I'd forgot about the appointment I couldnt of let them know about my son being ill.

dookar

LovelyLinziLoo wrote: »

I think it must of been closed altogether not sanctioned. My letter says they've looked at my claim and cannot pay me JSA from 27/10/11. But the letter also says further down they cannot pay me JSA from 3/11/11?

It cannot have been closed (not correctly in law anyway)

To close the claim, they must be able to show that you have been issued a notification to attend, did not attend as prescribed in that notification and did not, within 5 working days, make contact in the manner prescribed in the notification.

The 'manner prescribed' was to physically turn up at the job centre and you did this on the Wednesday, so the claim cannot be closed (again, not correctly in law).

So I'm guessing you were sanctioned. The reasons you have given here could amount to good cause, depending on what you told them. A common error is 'I forgot' but not going into the reasons in enough detail as to why you forgot.

You can appeal the decision to sanction - but the key thing here is they cannot accept any evidence after the 5 days are up, you must show good cause within 5 days. After this time limit they must consider anything you say that expands on information given within the time limit though.

So, what did you tell them, what did they ask you and how did you answer? These are key to a successful appeal

purple.sarah

bobajob_1966 wrote: »

But you'd let people get away with anything, wouldn't you?

What the OP describes would not normally be good reason, she has not described illness but having a bad day. In the case of her son being unwell there would be nothing to stop her calling the JCP to rearrange the appt (unless he was in hospital, which she would be able to present evidence for), in which case she would not be marked as having not attended.

She didn't mention a bad day, she was talking about more long term debilitating stress due to her education situation, did you really think that all happened in one day?

stroodes

a bad day can be anything from dog dying or worse. my dog dying is worse, my children will forever.

toocleverbyhalf

stroodes wrote: »

a bad day can be anything from dog dying or worse. my dog dying is worse, my children will forever.

How true, someone on my wavelength!!:rotfl:

LovelyLinziLoo

dookar wrote: »

It cannot have been closed (not correctly in law anyway)

To close the claim, they must be able to show that you have been issued a notification to attend, did not attend as prescribed in that notification and did not, within 5 working days, make contact in the manner prescribed in the notification.

The 'manner prescribed' was to physically turn up at the job centre and you did this on the Wednesday, so the claim cannot be closed (again, not correctly in law).

So I'm guessing you were sanctioned. The reasons you have given here could amount to good cause, depending on what you told them. A common error is 'I forgot' but not going into the reasons in enough detail as to why you forgot.

You can appeal the decision to sanction - but the key thing here is they cannot accept any evidence after the 5 days are up, you must show good cause within 5 days. After this time limit they must consider anything you say that expands on information given within the time limit though.

So, what did you tell them, what did they ask you and how did you answer? These are key to a successful appeal

I'm not at home at the minute so no access to any letters but I definitely went on the Wednesday after the missed appointment on the monday. I told them my son had been off school ill but also I'd forgot about the appointment as hadnt been myself. They guy I saw the time before in tears was at the next desk and he was sympathetic again asking how I was now. I didnt mention the bullying as I dont like to talk about it. It was a big thing to put it on here. Tho I did tell her I'd been to the doctor for anxiety and had been given medication.
Is it worth me appealing? I should of started my job by mid November by the latest. I might be able to struggle through? The only thing that scares me is my housing benefit has stopped and I cant afford to pay that. My landlord already tried to call yesterday while I was out though that could of been because I've asked him do some jobs.

Thanks for any help.

dookar

I would say it's worth appealing, yes.

Both your son being off school and you forgetting " as hadnt been [your]self", could well constitute good cause. The important thing is you have mentioned within the five days so any further information you give now related to them must be considered in any appeal.

I would ask for a reconsideration first, write a letter expanding on those two points and explaining exactly how they caused you to miss/forget your appoinment - if it's true, make it very clear that you would not have forgotten your appointment had it not been for these things

purple.sarah

Whenever my JSA has changed and when it was cut off (when I told them I had started work) the letter notifying me of this included a leaflet on how to appeal the decision. Here is some information and the leaflet online. Try an appeal. You told them within five days that you missed the appointment due to a medical condition (anxiety) that you are on medication for and also you had a childcare issue that day with your son being off school. It's possible that this information wasn't passed on properly, it often seems to me like the payment department and the local jobcentre don't communicate properly or know what each other are doing. It's worth checking.

purple.sarah

stroodes wrote: »

a bad day can be anything from dog dying or worse. my dog dying is worse, my children will forever.

I can't even understand what you're saying...