Job Centre Rant

Loz01

I tried claiming jobseekers as I was on a very low hours in my job so sometimes getting no money for a week or two. They wanted me to attend a numeracy and literacy course with school leavers (I am 26) so see if I had any issues. I politely told the guy that I have a psychology degree and the course was also on the same day I do voluntary work. He told me I had no choice and would be sanctioned if I didn't attend.

The last advisor I saw gave me the wrong information so they somehow 'calculated' that I earned £200 a week (it was a months wages) so I didnt get any jobseekers allowance. She also failed to tell me I had to bring my CV in to be checked which the personal advisor bloke didnt believe so I had to go back to the original woman just to prove she hadnt mentioned it to me.

Also they were 40+ mins late on every appointment so I'd have to buy a 2 hour parking ticket. When I said this he suggested "why didnt I walk" - told him I lived 12 miles away down the motorway (not in the same town) and he just shrugged?!

Anyway Im not no it now so yay :rotfl: good luck everyone, keep battling on.

missapril75

Loz01 wrote: »

They wanted me to attend a numeracy and literacy course with school leavers (I am 26) so see if I had any issues. I politely told the guy that I have a psychology degree

Yes it is stupid isn't it. It's not a staff decision though, it's management/government.

Also they were 40+ mins late on every appointment

Two reasons for being late - one or both. What they are told to do is impossible to do in the time allotted hence an overrun and job seekers being late meaning everything thereafter is late.

csmw

osdset wrote: »

The point here surely is that claiming a benefit that has been, (unless the claimant has never contributed any National Insurance) PAID FOR by the claimant by virtue of many years NI contributions, should be subject only to the claimant actively seeking work, which is why the benefit title changed from unemployment benefit ( which implies entitlement) to Job seekers allowance ( which implies handout)

JCP and some of it's more zealous staff have taken it upon themselves to add more and more layers of conditionality to claimants that have already fulfilled the regulation by demonstrating that they are actively seeking work.

No doubt the Daily Mail reading benefit bashers would like to see the job seeking unemployed wearing sack cloth and ashes and a ball and chain for having the audacity to claim what is rightfully and lawfully theirs, clapping their hands in glee at the prospect of some poor sod getting a four week sanction for turning up late to sign on.

If Universal Credit ever manages to see the light a good many JCP staff will find themselves surplus to requirement, and can look forward to be rewarded for their loyalty by joining those they sanctioned in the past.

For whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

Over zealous. ..we dont make the rules surrounding conditionality we simply have to enforce them

john539

csmw wrote: »

Over zealous. ..we dont make the rules surrounding conditionality we simply have to enforce them

So in checking conditionality are you helping find jobs or has that got lost on the way ?

osdset

csmw wrote: »

Over zealous. ..we dont make the rules surrounding conditionality we simply have to enforce them

We were only following orders, where have I heard that before?

Enforcing rules is one thing, being unaware of just what those rules are or obfuscating information is another.

The sketchy implementation across the country of Universal Job Match being a good example.

Claimants are being coerced to use a system with very dubious security, and little in the way of real jobs. UJM is all about monitoring activity, it's a back door tool to enable yet more sanctions. Many JCP staff don't seem to know what elements of UJM are mandatory, and so make up the rules as they go along. It's far easier to say 'you have to register and actively use it' rather than explain just what the options are.

So what is the point of all this conditionality? It's not helping anyone into employment as far as I can see. But then again it's not about enabling job seekers.

Cloudydaze

Well I had my re-arranged for being late meeting with my advisor this morning. I turned up 10 mins early but then my advisor was running 20 mins late. All the seats were taken by little kids (guessing its half-term?) so I had stand like a lemon for 30 mins.

I took on board lots of the points raised here and just smiled and nodded politely through the meeting. I spent most if the time biting my tongue! I'm now booked on to some sort of networking course which I am sure will be a good use of my time (not!)

lukieboy96

Cloudydaze wrote: »

Well I had my re-arranged for being late meeting with my advisor this morning. I turned up 10 mins early but then my advisor was running 20 mins late. All the seats were taken by little kids (guessing its half-term?) so I had stand like a lemon for 30 mins.

I took on board lots of the points raised here and just smiled and nodded politely through the meeting. I spent most if the time biting my tongue! I'm now booked on to some sort of networking course which I am sure will be a good use of my time (not!)

So it's ok for them to run late but not you!!

Cloudydaze

Indeed!

To be fair, i could see it wasn't all the advisor's fault - there was a bit of drama when a toddler managed to do a backflip off the sofa on to the side table. 5 mins of v. loud screaming so difficult for any of the conversations to carry on!

bloolagoon

Cloudydaze wrote: »

Indeed!

To be fair, i could see it wasn't all the advisor's fault - there was a bit of drama when a toddler managed to do a backflip off the sofa on to the side table. 5 mins of v. loud screaming so difficult for any of the conversations to carry on!

Why was a toddler at the job centre? I thought under 5 claimed income support and saw specialist lone parent advisors, not mainstream ones.

Cloudydaze

I think the child could have belonged to a friend who was acting as translator. There were 3 women with 5 kids of varying ages who seemed to be together.