Missed JSA Appointment now in trouble, PLEASE HELP

misspereira

Hi everyone, this is my very first post and I really need some advice! So much so that it's now 2 o'clock in the morning and i can't sleep a wink!!

Basically I had been promising my boyfriends mum to go with her shopping for the day. Neither of us gets out much and don't have many friends so this was an opportunity for us to get a bit out and about.
I arranged it with her finally after a few weeks of promises without realising it would land on the same day as having to sign on at the job center.
I did notice yesterday but, as it was too late to ring them then, i popped into the jobcenter first thing in this morning. I kinda rushed in and old the chap at the desk near the entrance that i had to take my boyfriends mum to this city for an appointment and needed to reschedule. He promptly asked if i could make it back by the afternoon to what i replied that i wasn't sure what time I'd be back but I'd hope to be back in time.
Off i went with my "mother in law" hoping it would be ok.
Unfortunately it got a bit too late (with her wanting to stop every 5 minutes) and i thought the best thing would be to ring them and apologise and rebook for Monday...
When i was on the phone i explained this to the lady who answered but she asked me to take them proof of this "appointment".

I'm really stressed about this because I just don't know what to do or say on Monday to get out of this!
I am terrified of the moment when i have to justify what this appointment is! !!
What can i tell them?

Please HELP!

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

Thou Shalt Keep Appointments and if possible do life around them. If not let them know IN ADVANCE that you can't attend and reschedule.
Sorry it's a Coercive controlling system and far from what Careers Service/Welfare Advice should be.

kizzie_nikita

Unfortunatly, job centre comes above all else in life. There have been many urgent things i've had to do, but never been able to 're-book' the job center, and taking your MIL out, is not urgent, or a reason to re-scedule.

Don't know how long you've been with the JC, but i hope you soon learn that no matter what you want to do, you have to fit it around them because you'll soon be getting sanctioned otherwise.

I would just tell them on Monday you can't get proof as it was for her and take any consequences that comes with it, likely it will be no money for 2 weeks.

sweetilemon

In the same way you can't just not make it in to work when your MIL suggests a shopping trip, the same applies with the job centre. It is unfortunate they fell on the same day but as with a job, the less life affecting task should have been rescedualed and job centre taken priority. The best action now would be to go in, explain the situation and take the consequence. We all live and learn by our mistakes.

denla

Just pretend your family member was sick in bed all day and you had to stay by her side because she refused to go to the doctor. No proof for that kind of scenario.

ILW

Sums up the doley attitude very nicely.

McKneff

If you want free money from the tax payer, you have to do as you are told so you can get it.

Simple as that.

Enterprise_1701C

On top of all that you've lied to them!

Next time disappoint the person you are meeting rather than the Job Centre.

FBaby

To be honest, that's quite bad management of dealing with what is essential to receive your income. You could have told your step-mum you needed to reschedule, you could have told her you could only go in the morning/afternoon depending on the time of your sign on. Once you'd started on the road of lies, you should have made it a priority to come back on time. You clearly decided that a day of shopping was more important than doing what you require to get your income. Surely you can see why in this instance a sanction would be appropriate?

Let's face it, people will struggle to think of an important
appointment one gets where you can't get proof of it one way or the other, so you might as well face the consequences.

ILW

This could be a wind up.

Sambucus_Nigra

Priorities eh? Who needs them.