How to get off the WP

jobseeking_help

MPs' questions generally act as a laxative -ask the Murdochs.

Just a thought. In the past Training providers paid a % of what they make to employed paticipants. You might ask SEETEC if there's anything in it for you if they want the information.

If you have informed the Jobcentre of your employment SEETEC may still get the info that way as there is freedom of information between JCP and providers.

But I completely understand your reluctance for SEETEC to profit from your efforts

Elvisia

When I signed off I didn't say why, and at that point I wasn't in employment. It was a little while before I got any work, and at that point it was literally only a few hours a week. I am now declared as self employed, so if HMRC talk to SEETEC then they can find that out, but as far as the JC are concerned I am still unemployed.

I don't want SEETEC to benefit from my employment, and also I don't want them ringing up my clients to see if they are still paying me, I can't think of anything worse. I haven't told my clients I was signing on as it is embarrassing and they don't realise I had a break in my employment (it makes no difference, it just feels like I was unemployable).

I might ask my MP to forward on my letters, he offered to do it before when I originally spoke to him, then said he'd bring it up in his meeting with the JCP about the WP.

Were it not for the fact I would be late for a client I am so tempted to go to SEETEC on Friday when I have my apt and say I haven't been looking for jobs and say please can they sanction me and see what they do.

jobseeking_help

Elvisia

You have done really well to get a business going in these terrible economic conditions. I bet you have to work really hard.

I think if I was you then I would just put the phone down any time they rang or simply said that it was a wrong number. Ignore any further communication as they seem to be like wasps and the more you swat them away the more they come back, ignore them and they soon leave you alone. Work Programme Providers - just like wasps - why do the exist ?

In terms of JSA sanctions I don't think you should have any worries as you last claimed JSA nearly a year ago. And God willing that won't be necessary.

All the best

Elvisia

Just an update - did as everyone said and this morning guess what comes in the post.....*drumroll*....a letter asking me to go for an interview or my benefits will be sanctioned!!!

I am speaking to my MP again, not sure what else I can do. If I send another letter copying in Ian Duncan Smith will that do anything or just look desperate?

I am tempted to just write F*** off on the letter and return it, but I don't want that to be used against me!!

szam_

As above, ignore them.

They call? Answer it, if they say its them, put it down without saying anything else. They send a letter? Ignore it, throw it out, anything.

See the funny side of it, at the end of the day, they're the ones who can't seem to understand basic information.

They can't do anything to you. I'm pretty sure training groups cannot sanction you anyway, that would be JCP. Alternatively, you could say "sanction me then". Assuming they are actually being serious (which i very much doubt, they just want a fat wad of cash from the government) and they do speak to JCP, they'll be told there is nothing to sanction as you signed off long ago.

I had a friend who went to some local training initiative near by, they didn't help, they just criticized her, shouted at her (even though she was still part time and receiving no benefits anyway, just getting assistance from JCP who sent her there. When she found a full time job, they attempted to pursue her, trying to find every little detail about the job so they could chalk this up as a "result" for the training company (a job that she found, and had nothing to do with the woman who just put her down week after week).

scooby088

You are on the work programme for 2 years, regardless whether you have a job or not, if you come out of work and if you are within the 2 years you will still be referred back to the work programme, but with another adviser.

Elvisia

Does this mean I will still be getting letters and phone calls for another year as I signed off a year ago this month? The letters I can at least ignore (they're all going in a file just in case) but it was when they rang me up and had a go at me that really annoys me. The head office rang me up and asked me where I was!

Perhaps I should show up for an interview, be as unhelpful as possible then ask them why I am there? I don't want to tell them that I am working as they'll see $$$ signs and there is no way they are contacting any of my clients.

szam_

scooby088 wrote: »

You are on the work programme for 2 years, regardless whether you have a job or not, if you come out of work and if you are within the 2 years you will still be referred back to the work programme, but with another adviser.

Surely they can't pursue you after you've signed off and are working though? Fair enough, you can be referred back to it within those two years should your job not work out for whatever reason, but to me it just sounds like the company is trying to attain enough details to be paid by the government by making it look like they found the job for her?

I'd be in the the same boat as the OP and wouldn't want a company profiting from being completely unhelpful. The fact that they are still threatening sanctions and demanding meetings just compounds my thoughts about this further.

Elvisia

I have a horrible feeling this may well go on for another year until my two years are up.

I vow never to sign on again, I have opened up a high interest internet saver account and when the opportunity comes up for extra work - I taught clients all over Christmas and New Year and I will also be working all this weekend - then that extra money goes into this account so if I ever get out of work again I can survive for a bit before going back into the JSA hell.

scooby088

OP you haven't told them you are working? this maybe the reason you are getting letters and phonecalls, you can tell them you are working but not say where. As long as you told the jobcentre you are working then I cannot see any problems, the WP are not gods and cannot sanction anything as you are not claiming anything.

If I were you OP i would ring them and advise them that you aren't giving them any details and that if they want to know anything to contact the JC.