No Income for 12 Months - Advice Required

LondonT

Hello.

New to these forums, however I have frequented MSE for years now. First post, however, so please be gentle.

I have a little bit of a predicament, of which I somewhat feel rather worried about. I'll explain as much as I can, and hope someone here will be able to advise me on a way forward.

I was employed in a full time office job until November 2011, at which point I had to leave due to managerial issues, of which were getting in the way of work. It's deeper than I care to go into here, but in short, there are valid reasons why I left, and these have been approved by the people with whom they are of the business of.
I didn't claim any form of benefit, JSA, etc, as I believed I would be able to get straight back into a full time employment job. Needless to say, that unfortunately wasn't the case. It was in January 2012 I came about my new job, of which at the time I thought was going to be a permanent position. It wasn't. Overall, it was a debacle of a company that involved door-to-door sales, which I didn't like at all. I left after little over two weeks.
In February of 2012, I attended the Job Centre, after multiple calls to them, where they never got back to me on my claim. I applied four times online, only to receive no response. When I finally walked into the centre myself, without an appointment, and demanded to speak to someone, they informed me (after looking into it) that they had problems with their system and couldn't actually get in touch with me due to an error on THEIR part, thus explaining the six week silence and no correspondence.

We then jump forward six weeks, where they've messed my claim up multiple times, putting me down at a wrong address, falsely assuming I had a partner with whom I lived, etc etc. They made me appointments with them, only for me to arrive and them tell me that I don't have an appointment, despite getting letters and hand written confirmation saying otherwise. This happened three times. It just went on and on. They attempted to 'sanction' me for some unknown reason relating to living with a partner (who I definitely didn't), and as such I told them I wasn't happy with it at all, and they dismissed it without a care in the world.
I then moved houses, to another county, and told them, where they informed me I wasn't allowed to do so, as it would affect my chances at finding work. I informed them that I would be moving in with my partner, but they didn't seem to care, and it appears they cancelled my claim there and then, with no further correspondence. I felt deflated as by this time I'd been out of work for a while, and I am not work shy in the slightest.

Jump forward to April 2013, a full 12 months later, and I am in a position where I haven't claimed since the above (over a year ago), due to the debacle they gave me, with sanctions, losing my info, not contacting, etc. I have now moved into my new abode with my partner. Things are now tighter than ever and it's vital I get something done about it. I have been searching thoroughly for work, all over the country (not just this county, I'd happily move if need be), and I've had no luck. I feel really down about it all, and I am unsure how to proceed. I have had no income (nothing at all), and haven't had any claims, and I have been surviving with my partner through his wage. Naturally, there's only so long this can occur for, and that limit is now. I am aware this needs to be sorted but they have given me so much grief that I haven't been able to do so before now.

They messed me around countless times, and I've felt like I have been let down as a result, and reluctant to claim. I don't want to claim ever, but it's got to the point I think I may well have to. I am not work shy, and have worked since the moment I left school. I have never claimed when I haven't needed it and have been searching for work constantly.

Please, if anyone has any advice on what I should do, please let me know. I really don't know how to proceed any more.

tommytynan123

https://www.gov.uk/complain-jobcentre-plus

Its a start - but what a mess !!!!! At least the above should start the ball rolling.
Important that you keep all letters and the depth of mess would make me think of getting a ''recording machine'' for the phone.

I always go for the top first so consider MP ?? even local press may run an article. Don't let it rest for 1 second.

I wouldn't recommend this but some years back after a horrible family trauma we were broke - totally. Barclays were just not interested in helping us even though on one Friday their mistake had removed my o/draft allowance even though we were no where near the limit. In branch, 2.00pm ish, I was told ''can't sort it until Monday'' so I just sat there. I explained that I wasn't going to move one inch - not even at closing time - and their threats about the police were fine because my friend was a journalist and really wants this story. I was out by 2.30 with money - changed banks - and got £14K back from PPI claim.;)

patman99

Forget the past. Call them and start the ball rolling. Bear in mind that as you have not made any NI contributions for nearly 2 years, you are not really entitled to any benefits anyway.

LondonT

Thanks for the responses.

I have applied online, and hope to hear from them soon. I've never wanted to claim and this combined with the above issue, is why I haven't for over a year, and now it seems to be biting me on the rear! I'm in a situation now where my partner cannot keep up with the running of our residence, and remain sane. :-(