"Signing off" JSA.

Energize

I have discovered that I cannot viably make the required 10 employer contacts a week with my psychiatric conditions, most of the jobs available would be unsuitable for someone with my problems, and so I want to sign off JSA, the stress of it is just not worth the money. Hopefully I can get my ESA claim approved anyway. What is the procedure for this?

mrcow

Tell them you don't want to claim anymore.

Or just don't turn up for your next appointment, they'll soon sign you off.

Arg

You do not need to make 10 contacts a week.I think the required amount by law was 3 work search activities a week.
There's a bit at the back of the jobcentre booklet that should have a section to fill out and hand them to close the claim.

Energize

The job seekers agreement says I have to spend at least 2 hours a day searching for work, searching the direct.gov website everyday, writing to at least 4 employers a week, phoning 4 employers a week and visiting 2 employers a week. It's absurd.

1940sGal

Energize wrote: »

The job seekers agreement says I have to spend at least 2 hours a day searching for work, searching the direct.gov website everyday, writing to at least 4 employers a week, phoning 4 employers a week and visiting 2 employers a week. It's absurd.

Personally I got told the '3 a week' thing. I was advised of what those 3 could consist of which included searching local papers, JCP website, other job sites and contacting employers.

Is it definitely written down in the Job Seeker's Agreement that you have to do those 10 things a week?

Sazzarella

The job seekers agreement is come to with the advisor and the seeker at the first interview. Last time I signed on they only wanted me to do 5 things. I signed on again on Thursday after my temp job finished and its gone up to 9.

Energize

1940sGal wrote: »

Is it definitely written down in the Job Seeker's Agreement that you have to do those 10 things a week?

Yup, that's exactly what it says, on Tuesday I have an appointment with an adviser so I'll talk to them about it then.

princessdon

10 seems very extreme even to me. I can understand 10 "things" ie check website a, website b (that is 2 things) but that seems very much like overkill.

Do you have a friend you can take with you to your appointment to help challenge this?

just_trying

Yes, i agree it's extreme but he agreed to this when he signed the agreement. When you next sign on tell them you want to claim esa now, don't simply sign off or not turn up.

aliaslotte

My agreement featured 12 things a week:
Write to 5 employers.
Visit 2 employers.
Search jobcentreplus 5 times a week.
Plus they wanted me to sign up with two agencies [completely unrelated to my experience, qualifications and the types of jobs I was looking for] and document all weekly contact with them.

My friend, who signed on this week [in contrast to my signing on a month ago], has a similar number of things on her agreement.


To sign off, complete the green booklet and post it back to the jobcentre. That's all I did.

morganedge

Wonder why it seems so different for different people?

I have a friend who has been signing on for nearly 3 years now. Spends all day playing computer games and loves his life. He's slightly 'odd'...
I've seen his jobseekers book. I think he has to have 6 'things' in there each week, and it's usually mostly just ''asked mate if there were any jobs going'', ''looked through the jobs section in the paper'', ''asked family friend if he knew of any jobs'' etc etc. Usually the same lines over and over again, week after week....

I'd just stretch the truth a bit if I were you. Chances are you'll be fine for ages and will get your benefit money no worries.
Even if they stop your benefits after a few months for not doing enough (unlikely) at least you would have had money that you would have otherwise not had.

Or you can maybe sign on to a different benefit if you can get your doc to co-operate?

If you really just want to sign off though (i wouldn't), you can either just not show up (gets cancelled automatically after a while) or fill out the booklet and send it back to them.