How do you manage to survive on your jobseekers money?

MusicalLawyer

When I was on JSA I was able to claim the money back for going to interviews, if I kept tickets / receipts etc. When I drove, they would calculate x amount per mile, and refund me in cash at my signing on appointments. You have to claim it back within a certain time period though, think it's like a week or 2 or something.

LadyMissA

MusicalLawyer wrote: »

When I was on JSA I was able to claim the money back for going to interviews, if I kept tickets / receipts etc. When I drove, they would calculate x amount per mile, and refund me in cash at my signing on appointments. You have to claim it back within a certain time period though, think it's like a week or 2 or something.

When you are on JSA they do not pay for travel to agencies only real interviews (which I paid myself) and in the first year and then claim from the WP but on JSA now travel is not paid unless they want to.

LadyMissA

Kirri wrote: »

I was going to cancel my phone and just keep the broadband but I've had 2 telephone interviews now so it's something that needs to be kept and paid for.

I have to have the phone as I have no mobile so no one can call me etc so bit poinless to have only broadband but you still would need a line however so not sure if that would be cheaper or even in someone like BT do that

HappyMJ

Kirri wrote: »

I was going to cancel my phone and just keep the broadband but I've had 2 telephone interviews now so it's something that needs to be kept and paid for.

You could get BT Basic for £4.80 per month. It comes with a few inclusive calls but it's mainly for receiving calls. You can also add on broadband.

LadyMissA

HappyMJ wrote: »

You could get BT Basic for £4.80 per month. It comes with a few inclusive calls but it's mainly for receiving calls. You can also add on broadband.

£4.80 and no line rental?

LadyMissA

I_luv_cats wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/business-11552171

Q6. Having been made redundant in May 2010 I have recently submitted a claim for jobseeker's allowance and will be interviewed to determine my eligibility. Since nearly all interviews I will be attending will undoubtedly require travel can I claim travel costs? A day-return to London is almost as much as the weekly JSA! Andy H, Portsmouth.
I am pleased to tell you that in some cases we can help with travel costs to attend job interviews - through the Jobcentre Plus 'travel to interview' scheme.
This provides help for jobseekers who receive a benefit like JSA and are attending an interview in the United Kingdom outside their local travel to work area (usually one and a half hours).
Customers who need help with travelling expenses to attend job interviews should always book an interview with a personal adviser in their local job centre before the interview to confirm that they will be eligible to receive help through the 'travel to interview' scheme.
Your adviser can discuss this with you but where possible, customers pay their own travel costs, which are then reimbursed by Jobcentre Plus after it has been confirmed that they attended the interview.
Where customers cannot afford to fund their travel costs upfront, advance assistance may be provided.
As well as this, Jobcentre Plus has an agreement with the Association of Train Operating Companies, which offers discounted travel in England and Wales for longer-term and more disadvantaged unemployed people

yeah thats great but Darra Singh is no longer at the DWP so thats a bit out of date since its dated OCTOBER 2010

LadyMissA

you want to also look here now

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3157662

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Jobseekers/programmesandservices/DG_173631

TRAVEL TO INTERVIEW SCHEME IS CLOSED!!

I_luv_cats

LadyMissA wrote: »

you want to also look here now

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3157662

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Jobseekers/programmesandservices/DG_173631

TRAVEL TO INTERVIEW SCHEME IS CLOSED!!

I deleted my post. (TIS was all that popped up)

Are there charities or providers that run the old fashioned job clubs of yesteryear that can help support people with updating/creating a CV, use of a phone, internet, stamps etc. (before the work programme kicks in)

JSA appears to be a stretch too far beyond living expenses these days before you add in huge job seeking costs!

sophlowe45

Kirri you're living in London?

Take the bus for central London job interviews, can you get half price bus travel through the job centre?

Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card - daily price cap £2.10, use Boris bikes wherever possible?

Charge your phone and laptop in the libray sometimes and use their wi-fi whilst there, especially nice libraries in central london if you have travelled there for an interview anyway. Switch your phone off at night so battery lasts twice as long.

Shower at the gym rather tham home.

Kirri

sophlowe45 wrote: »

Kirri you're living in London?

Take the bus for central London job interviews, can you get half price bus travel through the job centre?

Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card - daily price cap £2.10, use Boris bikes wherever possible?

I am living in an outer zone, it would take forever to get through the traffic for an early interview in rush hour unfortunately into zone 1, it can take 1 hour to even go into the next zone on a bus in the morning rush hour from here! Dread to think how long it would take to go to zone 1 - even on the night bus when there's no traffic it's a really long journey. It would also be multiple buses to get to central London so it's not really a feasible option compared to the train.

I did only find out about the price cap this week though on the discounted rate, never knew about that and that is handy.

Don't have boris bikes out this far, but they are not that cheap I don't think? Would arrive at the i/v quite sweaty too!