Help! Employment agency may cause my eviction.

StuckInARut_2

Hello,

I am in an awful situation at the moment; being that the Jobcentre is closed doesn't help (can't find anywhere to speak to someone one-to-one for advice) and I just hope someone can make some sort of sense of this and maybe even tell me that I have some sort of rights regarding what I'm facing right now. I felt I needed to paint a fairly vivid picture, so here's my problem...

I am not getting given anywhere near enough work (from this agency) to support myself. I don't think I can just leave can I? I'm almost certain that my benefits will not be granted if I walk out.

Is there ANYTHING I can do?

I need them to make me redundant, but they won't. I need to go back on JSA, just to get my rent and bills paid. I live on my own and have no friends or family that I can turn to.

I started work for them in the first week of this month. They are not able to supply me anything approaching regular work, in fact, the work has dried up to such an extent that I have only worked two days in the last ten (not counting Christmas Day). The previous week, I was given two days work and the week before I was given four days.

So, my rent (private tenant) is just over £91 per week and that is basically what I got paid (after tax) for my last ‘wage.’ I have to live, eat and pay water, electric, council tax and so on; that means I don’t have this last month’s rent money. There are bills that won't be paid, either. I’ve told them this, over and over and they just stare at me; do they not understand? I’ve told them I could be made homeless because I can't survive like this. I fully realise agencies cannot guarantee regular work, but they know full well that the work is at such an all-time low, what they're doing is plainly WRONG.

I’ve asked them three times now, to make me redundant as they obviously appear to have no real use for me and I have been sent home on three occasions, having to fund my own daily 30 mile round trip. This has led to me paying for transport they should have provided- to get me home, to the tune of £42. My requests for a refund have fallen on deaf ears. One day, I’d even begun work and was taken off the shift after 20 minutes, to be replaced by another worker(!) What is THAT all about? This may appear that someone doesn’t like my work or thinks I’m not up to scratch, but it’s not that sort of job. It's tiring and can be quite physical, but if you’ve a full set of limbs and can move about, you can do it. It’s as simple as that.

There are many other things they continue to get wrong- they are VERY incompetent- and it doesn't concern them, at all. Other people there are having problems with non payment of wages and I've asked why I'm not getting wage-slips emailed to me (as arranged.) I'm getting no answer to that one either. It's always 'We'll look into this- it's not right.' They they walk away...

So much more I can say- and it's taken me hours just to edit this and attempt to make it look comprehensible to someone who isn't in my shoes. But, surely what I've typed here is enough to show that they are causing me incredible amounts of misery and worry. I didn't choose my username for nothing!

To close, I didn’t mention that I am a life-long sufferer of depression and really want to work – I actually enjoy working there. But working and EARNING a wage is what all this is about. And it’s NOT happening. They are keeping me on their books, to take their commission on the work that I am doing (rarely) and we were all told the job would finish around the Christmas period. Why on EARTH are they keeping me (and others) hanging on a thread and with the threat of eviction looming closer, daily?

Surely they HAVE to let me go?!

Please someone- tell me something positive. If I can go into the New Year with some of this weight lifted from my shoulders, instead of sitting here getting upset, angry, tearful and morbid; I've been doing that since last week.

Thank you for reading this.

paulineb_2

You can still claim housing benefit even if you are on a low income, you can also top up your earnings with JSA if your wage falls below 71 pounds a week. I worked part time last year and I earned 84 pounds a week and my housing benefit was assessed and I only had to pay 6 pounds a week in rent.

You dont need to go back on JSA, you just need to get your housing benefit sorted out. As for being made redundant, if you are working for an agency, I would assume that you cant be made redundant anyway, you can pick and choose what work you take or dont take and if you want to go back and claim JSA on the basis that you arent getting enough work to survive thats your choice.

People on low incomes do get housing benefit, its the housing benefit people you need to contact, fill in a change of circumstances form and hand in proof of income to them.

paulineb_2

What you should have done was, as soon as you came off JSA and started working for the agency, was fill in a change of circumstances form and hand in payslips (when you got them), so that your claim for housing benefit and council tax reduction could be calculated on your new earnings.

It would be likely that on 91 pounds a week you'd have to pay some rent but certainly not the full amount.

paulineb_2

Ask the housing benefit people to backdate your claim to the day your circumstances changed, but they arent required to. You need to get this sorted asap, I would imagine they might be open on Monday, phone them or call them and ask if you can pick up a change of circumstances form asap as you want to claim HB based on your low income.

StuckInARut_2

paulineb wrote: »

Ask the housing benefit people to backdate your claim to the day your circumstances changed, but they arent required to. You need to get this sorted asap, I would imagine they might be open on Monday, phone them or call them and ask if you can pick up a change of circumstances form asap as you want to claim HB based on your low income.

Ah!

Thank you SO much, Pauline! Such a quick response too; for this and all your replies.

Thing is, I've not worked for 12 years (with my illness) and certainly would NOT choose to go back on JSA (even the couple of months I was on it, was not a nice experience at all...) and working does give one a sense of purpose after all.

When I last worked, I DID get HB and only paid a few pounds towards my rent. With all these big changes this year, I (wrongly) assumed that HB had been taken away from those who work! Reading up on things on the Internet and being assessed wrong (maybe I ticked a wrong box or two on the Benefits Calculator site?) seems to have set me off on the wrong path. I had two advisers at the Jobcentre (including for Disability) and others before this that gave me none of the information I required, sadly. But, I didn't know what to ask, I suppose. So, ASAP - I will get my HB sorted out, once I get this agency to pull their finger out and start supplying me with wage slips..

Again, when I'd worked for agencies previously, they're never been a problem when the work had dried up- I'd just go back to sign on. I'd been led to believe this was not the case anymore (the fear of sanctions, whenever you even unwittingly put a foot wrong..)

It may be that I've had so much going on in my life recently, that I've not got the right answers from people, because I've not asked the right questions. It does seem harder to get to speak to the people who hold the correct information these days. Thank goodness I came on here today- and thank you again, you have helped me a great deal to see that I'm not in the situation I was convinced that I was. :T

paulineb_2

If they dont give you wage slips I believe theres a form they can stamp, dont quote me on that though, I used to work with young people and I spent a long time dealing with housing benefit people, Ive also claimed housing benefit myself. Its important that you tell them your circumstances have changed as soon as they do, but if you dont know, you dont know, once you do, its easier for future reference.

Ask for a change of circumstances form, sometimes you dont need to fill in the full housing benefit form, generally when my circumstances have changed its just been a page Ive needed to sign and declare at the bottom.

If your workplace cant give you payslips in time, then they can fill in and stamp a form to say what youve earned since youve started work with them.

As far as Im aware the HB week runs Monday to Monday so its important you get this sorted asap, ask for the backdate, but be prepared they might say no, you just need to tell them you didnt realise that you could continue to claim. It can also take around 28 days for your claim to be processed, the sooner you deal with it all the better.

And try not to worry, the main thing is you take steps to sort it all out. Do try and get the payslips though, makes life easier.

sniggings

also sign back on as soon as you do less than 16 hours in a week, you can claim again.

They can not make you take work if you will be worse off.

When I signed on I asked my adviser about this, I asked about agency work and said I didn't want to sign off if the work was only for a week or so, so she wrote in my agreement I had to be offered at least 3 months work, or I could refuse it/

I'm not sure what the rule is on turning down agency work, so if anyone here does know?

But once it's in your agreement you are ok, just hope you get a decent adviser when you sign on.

StuckInARut_2

paulineb wrote: »

Ask for a change of circumstances form, sometimes you dont need to fill in the full housing benefit form, generally when my circumstances have changed its just been a page Ive needed to sign and declare at the bottom.

If your workplace cant give you payslips in time, then they can fill in and stamp a form to say what youve earned since youve started work with them.

As far as Im aware the HB week runs Monday to Monday so its important you get this sorted asap, ask for the backdate, but be prepared they might say no, you just need to tell them you didnt realise that you could continue to claim. It can also take around 28 days for your claim to be processed, the sooner you deal with it all the better.

Yes, thank you Pauline- they're always really good at the HB offices here and make sure you understand everything, I have thought it's very likely I'd not get it backdated too.

It's possible, that if I were to present a bank statement to the HB offices, they may accept that as evidence of wage payment (though I will continue to ask the agency why they're not emailing them to me.) Hopefully somebody might verify if this is the case or not?

sniggings

StuckInARut wrote: »

Yes, thank you Pauline- they're always really good at the HB offices here and make sure you understand everything, I have thought it's very likely I'd not get it backdated too.

It's possible, that if I were to present a bank statement to the HB offices, they may accept that as evidence of wage payment (though I will continue to ask the agency why they're not emailing them to me.) Hopefully somebody might verify if this is the case or not?

I got 6 months back dated, so it is possible and yes they will most likely ask for bank statements for the period you are asking for, mine did,so worth getting them together.

if you go on your council web site, there should be a section there on housing benefit, check what the rules are for back dating housing benefit and see if you fit those rules.

Just type in google the name of your council and housing benefit backdating that was the way I found mine, a lot easier than searching on their site.

StuckInARut_2

sniggings wrote: »

also sign back on as soon as you do less than 16 hours in a week, you can claim again.

They can not make you take work if you will be worse off.

When I signed on I asked my adviser about this, I asked about agency work and said I didn't want to sign off if the work was only for a week or so, so she wrote in my agreement I had to be offered at least 3 months work, or I could refuse it/

I'm not sure what the rule is on turning down agency work, so if anyone here does know?

But once it's in your agreement you are ok, just hope you get a decent adviser when you sign on.

Hi, sniggins- and thank you for your response.

Ah yes, the 16 hour rule. I really need evidence of the days worked...

It's interesting what you say.. I didn't actually turn down the work, but I was threatened with a 'possible' (read into that what you will) sanction, if I didn't attend the agency for an interview. I went for THREE in the end! Well, thing was, I kept going back telling them I had appointments (true, at the doctors..) and that I'd return. My adviser at the Jobcentre even rung me at home once (!) to see 'how I'd got on'. She then sent me an email and put it on my agreement to say I had to provide evidence that i'd attended. She knew they'd take me on and turned the heat up so I had no option to sign with them. Agencies are never ideal (especially when you're only temporary and have to be 'flexible'..) and each time I've worked for them, I'd only get a couple of weeks regular work- at best. I don't think my adviser broke any rules, when dealing with me. Others I've spoken to think she did, but I agree 100% when people have told me that she kept treating me very heavy-handedly. So it has all the appearance of her overstepping her authority. If I could have chosen to, I would have not joined this agency. But as I say, it was pushed and pushed... Proper work is VERY difficult to come by, when you've not worked for any length of time, but I really was forced into this and it's not helped me at all. What I should have had is assistance back into regular work; it was not forthcoming, although they made promises to that effect.

I'm to ask them if they have any work for me tomorrow. If they don't, then that's surely the end of my association with this agency and I'll be resuming my JSA, should that be the case. Fingers crossed that they assign me with a different adviser this time.

StuckInARut_2

sniggings wrote: »

I got 6 months back dated, so it is possible and yes they will most likely ask for bank statements for the period you are asking for, mine did,so worth getting them together.

if you go on your council web site, there should be a section there on housing benefit, check what the rules are for back dating housing benefit and see if you fit those rules.

Just type in google the name of your council and housing benefit backdating that was the way I found mine, a lot easier than searching on their site.

That would just be wonderful, if I could get these weeks HB back! Thankfully, my rent won't be overdue until the start of January (only days away, I know) but chance enough to forewarn my landlord, so I don't incur any excess charges.

Yes, that's the way I find things a lot quicker too- just typing straight into Google, rather than trying to navigate my way through dozens of blind-alley links on different sites.