Unreceived JSA Hardship payments

Sabaktes

Hello. I've recently been sanctioned and subsequently applied for hardship on the 22nd of November (Thursday, an off-cycle visit to the JCP, signing day is Monday) which was granted on the 23rd. I signed on the next Monday and received £19.29 the following Thursday, which, as I've been told after phoning the DWP is what I was entitled to from when I applied for hardship to when I signed on the Monday. I did receive a letter telling me that I would receive £33 per week.

On that same Monday I was instructed to go on one of those A4E 2-day courses (quaintly titled 'Finding and Getting a Job,') which pushed my next signing day back until the 10th of December. So, I was granted hardship on the 23rd of November and have received a whopping £19.29 since then. My question is: how do they expect me to live on £19.29 for almost three weeks? I'm signing on today and should receive hardship next Thursday - will this payment amount to what I haven't received? I'm usually not one for complaining, but then I was introduced to the JCP - since then I feel a very wronged man. Any clarification would be great as when I phoned the DWP to discuss this dilemma even the fella said that it doesn't work and that he could read from, in his words, a patronising list of things that I could do in the mean time (salvation army, food banks etc).

sniggings

isn't hardship payments not paid for the first 2 weeks?

Ask for a referral to a food bank, to get free food, you might have to ring the council or social worker to get a referral before a food bank will see you.

Did you appeal? hope you are doing Ok don't left the bleeps get you down.

Sabaktes

My sanction was in early November. I got hit with a 13 week sanction for 'failing to apply to a job' - a job that wasn't even listed on the bloody website when I'd been given it. I've asked for reconsideration but it was unsuccessful and the appeal that I sent should still be pending as I've come to understand that they can take a long time to process. As I said in the op, I received 4 days worth of hardship that I was 'entitled' to, which makes absolutely no sense to me. Hopefully I can remain reserved when I go to sign on today, as I'm in my right mind to tell them just what I think of this whole thing.

ddsdavey

With all due respect there is no way you would be penalised so heavily for "failing to apply to a job".If you leave a job voluntarily without just cause THEN you get multiple week sanctions/hardship.If you was already on JSA when sanctioned all they would have done was withold the following fortnights money not completely sign you off and place you on a entirely new benefit.Plus if the "job wasn't even listed on the bloody website" how did you initially get information about it? And why was it necessary to check the website if you had already been issued the needed information?!
Im not saying your lying for one minute buddy but i am saying check it out,that is EXTREMELY harsh for such a petty "offence",there is no logical justification for a 13 week sanction based on what you have told us.Its not like you were offered a job and turned it down or did not attend an interview etc you simply did not apply for a certain job?
I am new here so cannot post links or else i had further info/help.
Again,despite my words i am in no way disbelieving your story i just have never heard such a harsh scenario for such a seemingly petty "offence".
Hope you get it sorted bud.

sniggings

ddsdavey wrote: »

With all due respect there is no way you would be penalised so heavily for "failing to apply to a job".If you leave a job voluntarily without just cause THEN you get multiple week sanctions/hardship.If you was already on JSA when sanctioned all they would have done was withold the following fortnights money not completely sign you off and place you on a entirely new benefit.Plus if the "job wasn't even listed on the bloody website" how did you initially get information about it? And why was it necessary to check the website if you had already been issued the needed information?!
Im not saying your lying for one minute buddy but i am saying check it out,that is EXTREMELY harsh for such a petty "offence",there is no logical justification for a 13 week sanction based on what you have told us.Its not like you were offered a job and turned it down or did not attend an interview etc you simply did not apply for a certain job?
I am new here so cannot post links or else i had further info/help.
Again,despite my words i am in no way disbelieving your story i just have never heard such a harsh scenario for such a seemingly petty "offence".
Hope you get it sorted bud.

not applying for a job is one of the worse things you can do, a sanction for that can be much more than 2 weeks.

csmw

ddsdavey wrote: »

With all due respect there is no way you would be penalised so heavily for "failing to apply to a job".If you leave a job voluntarily without just cause THEN you get multiple week sanctions/hardship.If you was already on JSA when sanctioned all they would have done was withold the following fortnights money not completely sign you off and place you on a entirely new benefit.Plus if the "job wasn't even listed on the bloody website" how did you initially get information about it? And why was it necessary to check the website if you had already been issued the needed information?!
Im not saying your lying for one minute buddy but i am saying check it out,that is EXTREMELY harsh for such a petty "offence",there is no logical justification for a 13 week sanction based on what you have told us.Its not like you were offered a job and turned it down or did not attend an interview etc you simply did not apply for a certain job?
I am new here so cannot post links or else i had further info/help.
Again,despite my words i am in no way disbelieving your story i just have never heard such a harsh scenario for such a seemingly petty "offence".
Hope you get it sorted bud.

Sorry but the op is correct 13 weeks is the minimum sanction for refusing to or failing to apply for a matched vacancy

busy_mom_2

csmw wrote: »

Sorry but the op is correct 13 weeks is the minimum sanction for refusing to or failing to apply for a matched vacancy

Refusal of employment is a higher level sanction, 13 weeks 1st offense, 26 weeks 2nd offense and three years for third offence. Failing to comply with mandatory work activity is also a higher level sanction. So it is quite easy now to get a long term sanction.

As for hardship, unless you are a vulnerable customer it is normally nothing for first two weeks and then 40% reduction for remainder of the sanction. If you waited to apply for hardship you would have to prove you were in hardship for it not to be awarded form the day you claim if more than 14 days have passed.

Domfrizby

How much have you had now? Can everyone sanctioned get hardship payments instead? Do you have any kids?

sammyjammy

You say your signing day got pushed, was this informed to you in writing? It could be that you were expected to have signed your declaration two weeks after the 22nd as normal, if this was the case your claim will now have probably been closed which is why you've not received any money, you need to contact them quickly.

If it was in fact moved to the 10th as you say then becasue you've not signed since the 22nd Nov you'll only have been paid up until then in which case you'll be paid from 23/11 to 10/12 a few days after you sign on.

sniggings

Domfrizby wrote: »

How much have you had now? Can everyone sanctioned get hardship payments instead? Do you have any kids?

anyone can if you meet the terms, it's just easier if you have kids.

I advise anyone applying to first read up on the conditions and make sure you meet them as if you don't fill in the form correctly you will be refused.

Just saying you have no money is not enough...you would think it would be though :mad: