Futher New Changes to JSA?

Mustangrod

Hi, I went to an advisor interview today at the local job centre and I was informed of changes that are going to come into place for JSA, it was strange actually because the advisor mentioned about applying for 10 jobs per week at the start of the interview, later I said "So there's changes coming in that will state everyone will have to apply for 10 jobs per week?" and she said "Oh you already know about that, funny how word gets around" and she gave me a look like how could you possibly know that? it was like she had let slip before that these changes were going to happen without realising what she had said to me.

So apparently this is a new change that will be taking place soon, the minimum will be 10 jobs per week rather than 3, I must admit the interview with her then became more of a talk about increased chances of Sanctions, which she then informed me are going to be increased in length again.

So this was supposed to be an interview to help me back into work or look at various options or anything that would help, but as usual as I have found it was of no use at all. Over and over again I find the job centre just warns people about possible imposed sanctions and increases in certain areas to maximize the chances of people being sanctioned rather than actually talking about or discussing Job based things, and they don't do enough to help. A few times now I have walked up the path to the job centre and seen people sat outside crying with their head in their hands, and I walk past just knowing that yes, perhaps they have not met the requirements of their job seeker agreement, but I also know that the Job Centre has not done enough to help them.

Anyway... The main thing I wanted to write was these changes are happening and people will be informed of it soon.

Mustangrod

Oh, and as we talked about futher risks of Sanctions and further increases in their length, I became frustrated I didn't want to go there to talk about that, I didn't become argumentative, I just stated my view point about an increase from 3 to 10 being to high of a increase, so the talk became slightly argumentative after this... I was frustrated and so was my advisor. She then said "We can put anything we like onto your jobseekers agreement and she changed the 3 jobs per week on that agreement on the computer to a 7. I'm going back in tomorrow, because I'm not really sure where I stand with it at the moment.

HappyMJ

If only there were actually 10 suitable job to apply for within a commutable distance. I wouldn't be able to apply for 10 jobs a week. Are you sure it wasn't to take 10 different actions each week...if they really want me to apply for 10 jobs a week then I could do it by applying for any job sending my generic CV most probably get an interview and then I'd have to show how unsuitable I would be for the job or how uncommitted I would be to the employer..wasting both my time and the employers time when I could be spending a day customizing my CV for the job that I really want.

Mustangrod

I'm 100% positive that she said it will be increased to 10 jobs per week. She also said "We think that people have had it too easy" she said this after she told me about this upcoming change, that was something I disagreed with her about, partly because before I was due to see her, I was watching and listening to a man aged about 60 with an inhaler in his hand, who told his advisor that he had OCPD as he struggled to get out of his chair.

And yes I totally agree, to fulfill this requirement of 10 jobs per week, people will have to apply for jobs that they aren't suited for, it's concerning to me, what's to stop them looking at the 20 jobs I've applied for over a 2 week period and they say "Oh, this job you've applied for is not suitable for you it's too far away and you don't have transport to get there, I'll have to send this off to a decision maker"

I'm heading down the Job Centre in a few hours because during that interview things just didn't seem right, I'm not sure if she was trying to make out that these changes are mandatory when they aren't by law, just so she could change my job seekers agreement and get me to Sign my name on the dotted line.

rogerblack

A jobseekers agreement has a wide flexibility.
Very shortly, 'the claimant commitment' is rolling out over the UK for jobseekers - even those where universal credit hasn't yet been started - or for those who are not eligible to enter the pilot.

This may include having to seek work for 35 hours a week.
How this will work in practice for people who literally can't do 35 hours due to the opportunities in the local area and their circumstances is a different matter.

Quoting from a letter from the DWP to an adviser -

From October 2013, we will also roll out the Claimant Commitment to claimants of Jobseekers Allowance. It will replace the Jobseekers Agreement (JSAG). Couples who live together but who have no children, make a joint claim to Jobseekers Allowance. Except for these joint claims, the Claimant Commitment will not be introduced for partners of claimants to Jobseekers Allowance. Similarly the Claimant Commitment is not being introduced for claimants of Income Support and Employment and Support Allowance.

Mustangrod

Thanks Rodger. Yes apparently this appears to be the reason why the Job seeker agreements are being amended at this moment, to get people ready for this change the "Claimant Commitment" At the moment the increase in amount of jobs to apply for is a matter of how long a person has been claiming JSA, for example a person claiming for 1 year will now have to apply for 10 jobs per week, a person of 9 months 7 jobs per week. Which is why my job seeker agreement has been changed to 7 per week as I stated above.

I asked an advisor today how will they monitor this 35 hours per week when this new Claimant Commitment starts and like you said Rodger they do not know, looks like the benefit system is up in the air again.

My argument today with the advisor was that these amendments to JSA at the moment are not done in the correct formal manner, there's no letters being sent out & people aren't being notified in a manner that's correct about these up coming changes, it's all very informal and slap dash, I wonder if anyone really knows what's going on including the government?

dookar

There's no change to the law, 'old style' JSA speaks of steps whilst 'new style' JSA speaks of time spent.

If they're talking about numbers of steps then it's old style and the law states a person must take more than 2 steps.

That's doesn't mean they can't require more of you - they could put 100 things on your JSAG and if you do 99 of them they could refer the doubt but it would be their responsibility to demonstrate that it would have been reasonable for you to take that hundredth step and that it would have afforded you the best prospect of finding employment.

ASE is a positive test of what you have done, not of what you have not done