A4e But not on JSA

peter60

Currently looking after parent and in receipt of Carer's Allowance (NO Carer Premium) was with A4e 12 months ago on the work programme, got a job last year but had to give it up after a very short time to care for parent

Received letter to go for a Mandatory interview to discuss 'new opportunities' otherwise my benefits could be affected.

My understanding is with carer's allowance no work focused interviews are compulsory ONLY if you receive carer premium and then it is conducted at the jobcentre. Obviously A4e must still think Iam in recept of Jobseekers allowance or maybe am claiming ESA but I'm not so am inclined to just ignore the letter - don't care for the organization and reluctant to have anything further to do with them.

Anybody else had similar situation happen/Advice Please

Understand only benefits like JSA and ESA can be affected, of course if these were stopped it would affect things such as housing benefit etc., but I am on a non means tested benefit only so pretty sure my benefit cannot be affected

really think A4e should have been informed by DWP though think they cant because of data protection but its not my job to do it for them so will just ignore

sniggings

I tend to agree, if you are only getting cares allowance then no problem, I also agree that dealing with A4E would want to be avoided after what they have been accused of.

Tehya

''While you are getting Carer’s Allowance, you can have a work-
focused interview with a personal adviser at Jobcentre Plus.
You do not have to have an interview, but the adviser can talk
to you about part-time employment or training.''

This is from the notes that are attached to the CA award I received so NO you don't have to attend unless you were getting an IS top-up.

Elvisia

I am on Carers Allowance and I was also on the WP, they keep ringing me to say I have appointments to look for work, but I am no longer signing on and I am now working for myself (under £100 a week) so I should not be under them anymore. When I signed on for Carers Allowance I was told if I wanted I could get an interview at the Job Centre, but that was only if I felt it would help. Do A4E know you have signed off, I told them several times but they don't seem to have understood. Whenever I said "I signed off six months ago" they go "oh, did you, the Job Centre didn't tell us" and then just make a note of it.

peter60

I did inform them several months ago when they pestered me - they just said data protection limits the information given out by the DWP - what I told them went in one ear and out the other it seems

Its impossible to have a sanction because I'm not in receipt of any sanctionable benefit - its laughable!! Its hard enough being a carer without being pestered with nonesense

sniggings

peter60 wrote: »

I did inform them several months ago when they pestered me - they just said data protection limits the information given out by the DWP - what I told them went in one ear and out the other it seems

Its impossible to have a sanction because I'm not in receipt of any sanctionable benefit - its laughable!! Its hard enough being a carer without being pestered with nonesense

who did you tell? if it was A4E I doubt they will listen as they will get paid for every person through the door I would have thought.

peter60

Trouble is who else to tell? I'm not in receipt of JSA/ESA so its really nothing to do with DWP - if they look my claim up they'll see it ended 12 months ago! A4e told me there are restrictions on information which can be passed around (in fact they hadn't heard anything from DWP which I can believe) Its just they are hopeless.

Now that I've calmed down (a bit!) if they referred me for not attending the interview to the DWP its a doddle for them to see I'm not in receipt of said JSA etc so a sanction couldn't apply - after all they can't take a benefit off me I'm not getting!

Their system really only allows to be on JSA/ESA or you get a job

Elvisia

My preferred mode now is just to ignore them, as they can't sanction my JSA as I no longer get it, and I don't think they can sanction CA as that is nothing to do with them. The Job Centre is supposed to tell them you have signed off, I also told the WP in a variety of different ways (phone calls, email, writing) and it lasts for a bit then they ring up again. I assume I am perhaps on someone's outlook calendar as coming up as having meetings with them? I get messages saying I need to call them to confirm my July work review. It's almost tempting to turn up there and when they say what have I been doing to get a job I say "nothing, I already have one" but I couldn't guarantee I'd get out of there without them trying to get payment for me getting back into work! My WP is Seetec, and I can't work out if it's the WP generally being useless, or just the girl who was/is my advisor.

Personally I would write back to them (without a stamp so they can pay for that their end) saying you are no longer signing on, so could they explain what benefits they will be sanctioning.

peter60

I've decided to give them a wide birth-if they do contact the jobcentre then the jobcentre can only respond with the news that my claim ended with them over a year ago! - that way the message might sink in. I've seen mention in other forums about this happening to others.

CA can't be touched as it isn't a condition that we go on the work programme in order to get it-if I was receiving income support as well (Carer's Premium) then I'm not 100% sure.