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Jobseekers advice re: seeing child.
JJ85_2
Posts: 10 Forumite
Hey all,
Hoping someone can help out with this one.
I have a friend who has a young (toddler) daughter who lives with her mother in another part of the country, this involves him having to have long expensive train journeys to see her, he does this as often as possible.
Recently he's been told by the Jobcenter that he can only go and see her 2 times per year due to their "holiday" rules, even though he still actively seeks and applies for work whilst away, and still attends all signing dates and work programme appointments etc.
This has come to a head recently when his advisor has warned him not to go again because "we will find out" and once his appointment was over and everything signed, when he went to leave he was asked to stay and discuss it further to make sure he wasn't going to go, he declined and left.
Is there any kind of rule which would come into play that would get around this?
Obviously whilst him and his ex partner can still be amicable for the sake of his daughter, they split up for a reason, and therefor moving there several hundred miles away from ill family members isn't the solution.
He has asked to have his daughter come and stay with him some of the time but as yet his ex has been against this.
Surely with all of the bad press on absent fathers lately, they should be trying to accomodate a father who actually wishes to do right by his child, rather than making it nigh on impossible for him.
He has the choice of going behind their back, losing his JSA and not being able to afford to visit her, or not going behind their back, keeping his JSA and missing the most important years of his daughters life, apart from 2 weeks per year?
I had a quick look for him and the only thing related to "being in care of a child" looks like it means full time, but it doesn't specify.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hoping someone can help out with this one.
I have a friend who has a young (toddler) daughter who lives with her mother in another part of the country, this involves him having to have long expensive train journeys to see her, he does this as often as possible.
Recently he's been told by the Jobcenter that he can only go and see her 2 times per year due to their "holiday" rules, even though he still actively seeks and applies for work whilst away, and still attends all signing dates and work programme appointments etc.
This has come to a head recently when his advisor has warned him not to go again because "we will find out" and once his appointment was over and everything signed, when he went to leave he was asked to stay and discuss it further to make sure he wasn't going to go, he declined and left.
Is there any kind of rule which would come into play that would get around this?
Obviously whilst him and his ex partner can still be amicable for the sake of his daughter, they split up for a reason, and therefor moving there several hundred miles away from ill family members isn't the solution.
He has asked to have his daughter come and stay with him some of the time but as yet his ex has been against this.
Surely with all of the bad press on absent fathers lately, they should be trying to accomodate a father who actually wishes to do right by his child, rather than making it nigh on impossible for him.
He has the choice of going behind their back, losing his JSA and not being able to afford to visit her, or not going behind their back, keeping his JSA and missing the most important years of his daughters life, apart from 2 weeks per year?
I had a quick look for him and the only thing related to "being in care of a child" looks like it means full time, but it doesn't specify.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Comments
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If he is continuing to job seek and be available for interviews etc during the visits he does not need to tell them. If he wishes to be excused from job seeking activity he needs to declare it, and only two such periods are permitted in a rolling year.0
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He is still doing all of his agreed items on his JS agreement (and more) and has never missed any appointments/interviews etc because of being away, he exceeds the required 'actions' for his agreement all the time, they are well aware of this but have said he MUST fill out a holiday form if he wishes to be away, regardless of him carrying on jobseeking.
Is there anything specifically that he can refer them to to get them to back off a bit?0 -
He is still doing all of his agreed items on his JS agreement (and more) and has never missed any appointments/interviews etc because of being away, he exceeds the required 'actions' for his agreement all the time, they are well aware of this but have said he MUST fill out a holiday form if he wishes to be away, regardless of him carrying on jobseeking.
Is there anything specifically that he can refer them to to get them to back off a bit?
I don't understand why he is telling them?0 -
Is he going to be away on his signing on day?He is still doing all of his agreed items on his JS agreement (and more) and has never missed any appointments/interviews etc because of being away, he exceeds the required 'actions' for his agreement all the time, they are well aware of this but have said he MUST fill out a holiday form if he wishes to be away, regardless of him carrying on jobseeking.
Is there anything specifically that he can refer them to to get them to back off a bit?
He could go away as many times as he likes during the year as long as he's back on his signing on day. There is no need to inform them where in the country you are on any one day...as long as...as has been said....he keeps looking for work.:footie:
Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. 0 -
Because they have asked him. Because they have said they will find out.jacques_chirac wrote: »I don't understand why he is telling them?
Because, presumably, if he doesn't tell them when they ask and they find out then he will have to pay back the benefits he has received.
[Just to point out that I'm not the OP and only guessing!]0 -
How many days is he away for each time? How many times per year is he planning to go away? I don't see a problem if he goes away for 4 nights every fortnight. You can do whatever you want for two days each week. You do not need to be looking for work for example on the weekend. Those days can be exchanged as you feel fit...so you could take Friday and Monday off and search for work the following or previous weekend instead. Someone is being a bit pedantic in the jobcentre.JimmyTheWig wrote: »Because they have asked him. Because they have said they will find out.
Because, presumably, if he doesn't tell them when they ask and they find out then he will have to pay back the benefits he has received.:footie: Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. 0 -
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JimmyTheWig wrote: »Because they have asked him. Because they have said they will find out.
Because, presumably, if he doesn't tell them when they ask and they find out then he will have to pay back the benefits he has received.
[Just to point out that I'm not the OP and only guessing!]
It might be helpful to let the OP reply rather than guessing. If he was asked if he had been on holiday the correct answer would be no.0 -
Just relaying what other's have already said.
If he's going to keep all appointments he does not need to tell them, they say he does, but he doesn't.
They won't find out, they don't have PI's watching everyone's moves.
Infact, a friend goes up and down the country every 3 months to see her family/parents.Save, save, save, save.0 -
Yeah don't tell them?He is still doing all of his agreed items on his JS agreement (and more) and has never missed any appointments/interviews etc because of being away, he exceeds the required 'actions' for his agreement all the time, they are well aware of this but have said he MUST fill out a holiday form if he wishes to be away, regardless of him carrying on jobseeking.
Is there anything specifically that he can refer them to to get them to back off a bit?
As long as they do not miss appointments , always have a phone with them and continue to look for work and can come back in a days notice for interviews there should be no problems.We’ve had to remove your signature. Please check the Forum Rules if you’re unsure why it’s been removed and, if still unsure, email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com0
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