Sanctioned but want to claim hardship.

Martynb_

The DWP are sanctioning my JSA for one month because I fell short of meeting my JSA agreement. I will have to claim hardship allowance because I have no income. I may have to got to a food bank also.

But this all culimated when the woman at the job centre gave me uncompromising treatment Spanish-Inquisition style. I made an initial complaint about her behaviour which I thought was very unprofessional, she claimed that I had not looked for work and just filled my timetable in that morning. I was fuming because I do look for work but I canot find anything suitable. There was some other stuff such as "What are you going to do when the government ask you to look for work 35 hours per week?" and "there are plenty of jobs out there".

So I complained but accepted that I had fell short of the JSA agreement.

But now I must claim for hardship. But I got a letter last week saying that the woman acted in a professional manner. I wish to write a response to this letter in my defense exclaiming that she acted like a bully.

But will this go against my ability to claim hardship? The decision makers all collaborate, and only last week I heard that someone was sanctioned at a job center and the staff joked about it, suggesting perhaps that there was a tip-off somewhere. I don't know.

Dovah_diva

Your complaint should have no bearing on your claim for a hardship payment.

Martynb_

Dovah_diva wrote: »

Your complaint should have no bearing on your claim for a hardship payment.

Is there proof? I/you/we have to be very careful these days. I'm starting to learn that now.

One_Enchanted_Evening

I would concentrate on your hardship claim and forget the other issue, unless you have definite proof of your claims against her, you will be banging your head against the wall.
Move on and try and keep to the rules in future.

ArtoDeeto

Martynb_ wrote: »

I was fuming because I do look for work but I canot find anything suitable

I would ask what are you looking for? If you can't find anything suitable it would suggest you are looking for a job that doesn't exist.

Martynb_ wrote: »

But will this go against my ability to claim hardship?

No

james_smitha

Dose the job center have windows? Go past one night to have a look

ArtoDeeto

Martynb_ wrote: »

I was fuming because I do look for work but I canot find anything suitable

What do you consider suitable? Is it a certain amount of money or certain job or both?

IF someone comes in and says nothing is 'suitable' I invariably find 300 jobs that are 'suitable' but then it turns out 'suitable' is £35.000 in your dream job. You have to start somewhere and then your provable ability will fasttrack you to the top of the company...

mr_nuts

The problem right now is the bar keeps getting pushed higher and higher each week but there's not an equivalent increase in jobs.

bigbill

As far as I am aware this is still good LAW

http://www.administrativeappeals.tribunals.gov.uk/judgmentfiles/j2249/CJSA%201814%202007-00.doc

you only need to do more than 2 things each week to satisfy the conditions for JSA, any JSA agreement CANNOT change this or make it higher than 2+ things weekly?