Do I have to attend a4e/work-programme course?

hughesa

My advisor at a4e has no attention of finding me a job. I hate going to my weekly appointment as all he does it say go look for jobs on the computer, which is something I do every day at home. It takes me 1 hour to travel up there by buses. Anyhow, he is now trying to fob me of on some course. It is a 4 week course and he says there is a guaranteed interview at the end of it. It is a call-centre job, filling out surveys basically.

Call-centre type work is what I have been looking for and I am getting interviews. I hate courses and have been on enough of them in my life. I have to attend this course every day 9-5. I have to travel 45 minutes. I have to spend money on bus fare and food through the day of course. I just feel those 4 weeks can be spent by myself looking for work. He is only putting me on this course in order to fob me off, I can just tell.

Is this mandatory or is it optional? I got the letter confirming my place today (he told me I would be going on it last week) but when I tried to call him up today to say I am not sure if I want to go on it and also to get some more details about the course, which he did not give, he has gone on holiday for 2 weeks. Do I have to attend this course? Will I lose my benefits if I do not? Please advise. Do no judge. Thanks.

Mara69

Are you sure your travel costs aren't met by A4E or the DWP? And as for lunch, do you not lunch at home? You certainly won't any other food on the course

SmokeBreak

Through my understanding, you only have to attend 5 of these horrible A4e meetings then you shouldn't have to go for a while. Saw 4 different people at 5 different meetings.

FBaby

How is this any different to million of people who do a 9-5 job, have to travel to get there, often longer than 45mns, to do a job they hate and they feel meaningless? If this is what you have to do to get your income, then that's what you have to do.

The good news is, hopefully, your hard work will pay off and you will be offered a job soon and you won't need to continue on the course.

midnight_express

It is optional in the sense that they can't force you to go. However, if you don't go you will get sanctioned, probably for 13 weeks. Then they will then rerefer you to the course and if don't go you will be sanctioned for 26 weeks. The third sanction will be three years. They pay your fares to attend courses.

satarical

If I was you I would grab anything that is offered that might lead to a job. However in my case I don't want a job having retired on a full ill health pension 4 years ago when I was 60.
But if it meant keeping my benefit income, I would still go even if it is to meet new people and get out of the house.

JethroUK

hughesa wrote: »

...... I just feel those 4 weeks can be spent by myself looking for work...........

I.

you mean "another" 4 weeks like the last year you have spent "by myself looking for work"

you are on mandatory work programme BECAUSE you've had at least a year " by myself looking for work" and you are not good at it

stop being a baby - get yourself a job - then the tax payers won't have to fund you " by myself looking for work" - then your advisor won't need to evidence (to the tax payer) what you are doing day to day - then you won't need to be on work programme at all

simples

PS you'll find out that an actual job is a lot harder than just looking for one

better get used to it

seven-day-weekend

If you were at work and wanted to have a medical treatment that would take a week, you would use annual leave. So is there any reason you could not book a week's holiday? You are allowed (iirc) two week's holiday a year whilst you are a Jobseeker.

Dunroamin

You've been looking unsuccessfully for call centre work for a year, you've now been offered a place on a course for this kind of work, there's a guaranteed interview at the end of it and you don't want to go?

How much more help do you want to find work?