"Going on Holiday" = Benefit Stopped!!!

A4A1

:mad:
Hi all,
looking for some advice on the latest unbelievable decision from Jobcentre plus.

My daughter and a friend booked a 1 week holiday in Gran Canaria way back at the end of last year 2012.
She has told the Job Centre advisor this and has been told that " as she is out of the country (UK), her benefit payment will stop but that she can make a "rapid response claim" when she returns???

Anybody else out there experienced this before?, this is after all a 1 week holiday.
I have looked for advice on the JCP website but only mentions about being out of the country for over 4 weeks.

This is the latest in a long line of demands by her " advisor". in order to retain her benefit. Im beginning to think its becoming personal.
:mad:

DCFC79

I believe its right as you cant be job seeking whilst out of the country can you.

torbrex

She will be out of the country and therefore not available for work and that is one of the conditions of claiming JSA.
The advisor is acting on the information received, if your daughter had said nothing about the holiday she might have got away with it but on the other hand if the Jobcentre had found out she would have been excluded from claiming pending investigation.

Dogger69

It is not a "demand", it is quite reasonable that as she is not in the country and not seeking work she suspends her JSA claim. Once she returns she can reactive the claim (a rapid reclaim).

There is nothing personal in this - the same rules apply to everyone.

cmw1212

Sadly whether you agree or not those are the rules someone on JSA has to be available for work and if you are not in the country you are not available. Obviously I don't know what other demands the advisor has made so can't judge but yeah holidays abroad don't get paid (well unless its the non signing week... I whispered that!)

A4A1

Thanks for your quick responses, ..... suppose if thats policy then there is nothing else to be done, ............. just have to wait and see how long the " rapid response claim" takes when she gets back.
Just that I have never heard of anyone else having their claim stopped because they are going on holiday,.... but accept if they are not available for work then you dont get paid!.

ubdai

I did do the naughty when I was younger. Told them I was off to Aberdeen to go job hunting then went to the States. Got a nice tan and was quite lucky that in the same week Scotland had a mini heatwave, so had an excuse for the tan.

kingfisherblue

This rule isn't new. My daughter was on JSA in Autumn 2010 and her boyfriend's family paid for her to go to Turkey with them for a week. She had to sign off JSA, and was told to make a rapid reclaim when she returned. As it happens, she signed on with an agency to be a care worker, starting the week after her holiday, so she didn't go down the route of a reclaim. She is now working in a permanant job as a direct result of the agency work.

My understanding is that you don't need to sign off if you are still in the UK, as you can still get home relatively easily if you are offered an interview.

I hope your daughter enjoys her holiday, and good luck with her job search.

olias

ubdai wrote: »

I did do the naughty when I was younger. Told them I was off to Aberdeen to go job hunting then went to the States. Got a nice tan and was quite lucky that in the same week Scotland had a mini heatwave, so had an excuse for the tan.

So OPs daughter could just have said she is looking for work in Gran Canaria?

Olias

[Deleted User]

A4A1 wrote: »

Just that I have never heard of anyone else having their claim stopped because they are going on holiday,.... but accept if they are not available for work then you dont get paid!.

Yes it happens. Unless you lie or are very lucky not to be caught!
According to JCP I was on "holiday" so closed my claim the very moment I spoke to them about not being home (ahem sanction so it didn't bother me much in the end) although on the day I would of signed, typical I received a letter saying we're RELOOKING at your sanction! (way hey!)
it is because you need to be able to prove what you have done in the 'full fortnight' since last signing and produce a signature so I can totally get why it is justified

Trust me, it is far worse just not showing and then they would sanction

It was kinda the best holiday anyway!!!!! can't help think they done me a favour as soon as I lost the jobcentre, things started looking up!

Bamber19

olias wrote: »

So OPs daughter could just have said she is looking for work in Gran Canaria?

Olias

No, Aberdeen was ok as it is part of the UK, although in my brief stint working for the DWP we used to have a form people could fill in if they were on holiday in the UK to sign on when they come back or, if away looking for work in the UK they could sign on at a different office for that week.