JSA Sanctions - Beer Money for Claimant Advisers?

Debt_Tired

Not sure if anyone who works for DWP/Job Centre Plus reads these posts, but can I ask if claimant advisers are given financial incentives to issue sanctions.

I get the impression that they are now taking people's benefits away for even the slightest infringement of the agreement made between the claimant and the state?

I don't mind if someone who clearly has no intention of getting a job is penalised, but I get the impression that they are even targeting those who do apply for jobs, etc.

[Deleted User]

sounds like more urban myth

HB58

It was fairly widely reported last year that JCP advisers have targets for the number of claiments they sanction each week.

This is just one of them, a quick search throws up many others

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/08/jobcentres-benefits-sanctions-targets

McKneff

If the claimants dont toe the line, and they know they will get sanctioned, what's the problem.

If they want the money that other people are paying into the tax system they have to prove they deserve it by doing as they are told.
After all, we have to do as we're told and get up for work each morning or we dont get paid. Speaking metaphorically of course cos Im retired but you get my drift.
Nothing wrong with that.

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

It is shocking that Claimants are subject to yet another level of vulnerability.

[Deleted User]

Complete rubbish that advisor's get financial incentives for sanctions. Yes, there used to be targets for sanctions but they are long gone and even when there were targets, there was no financial gain at all.

My office sanctions around 2% of our customers every month (that's 2 in every 100 claimants) and if you really think that is a lot then you need to take the tin foil hat off. When you think what the bare minimum is to comply with your jobseekers agreement it's sad that some people cant even be bothered to do that.

HB58

The whistleblower said that they picked on people with learning difficulties or language problems as they are the most vulnerable and less likely to know their rights. He also talked about 'tricking' people into being sanctioned. This is more than simply removing benefits from people who refuse to co-operate.

RILEYBULL

Under this govt all they want to do is stop your money AT ANY COST. they will lie through there teeth to stop/suspend a claim.

[Deleted User]

HB58 wrote: »

The whistleblower said that they picked on people with learning difficulties or language problems as they are the most vulnerable and less likely to know their rights. He also talked about 'tricking' people into being sanctioned. This is more than simply removing benefits from people who refuse to co-operate.

In any business you will have people who abuse the system for their own kicks. In my own office its hard enough getting advisor's to actually give (a deserved) sanction to a customer rather than stop advisor's handing them out randomly!

And to balance the discussion, what about the customers who work while claiming benefits? Or lie on their claim forms or job search? Or (and i'm not making this up) falsely claimed their baby had died so they didn't have to come and sign on. They got caught out when they said 2 weeks later that they couldn't sign that week as the same baby was in hospital!

Debt_Tired

I'm not worried about being trashed for not finding a job (I'm not work shy, I'm just mentally ill), but I'm worried that I'll loose one or two week's JSA for being late when it's not my fault, or for only applying for six jobs, when I should have applied for seven!

I have a friend who had his money stopped because he refused to apply for a driving job. He couldn't drive nor had a driving license, but they still stopped his money. Another friend had his money stopped because he didn't answer a question fast enough. Luckily on both occasions, their money was paid out on appeal.

McKneff

RILEYBULL wrote: »

Under this govt all they want to do is stop your money AT ANY COST. they will lie through there teeth to stop/suspend a claim.

Post of the month, informed, researched and well presented.:cool:

Im being sarcy by the way:D