JSA question help required

jsaen

Glad i found this forum really need sme help please.

Been on JSA for 18 months now after working for same employer for 10 years since college. Have attended all signings provided proof from interviews attended (complementary emails e.t.c) and now been on the "job coach" scheme for about the last six months (not missed an appointment until this)

Anyway to get to the point, two weeks before xmas my partner left me and i had briefly nowere to live very little money and was obviously in a pretty bad way. I kipped on friends sofas for aslong as i could without getting under there hair and eventually stayed at my old mans 100 miles away from were i lived.

I had an interview this week which i did not/could not attend and i ignored voicemails from my job coach. The next week i fronted up and called him back to apologise and explain the situation i was/still in at the time. He was sympathetic and we made another appt which i attended upon which he put me on an It course.

I explained i could not guarantee my attendance at this course as my living situation was/is still in the air. I eventually managed to attend a couple of days of this course in the past fortnight and complete 85% or so of the module with a pass.

Thursday just gone i received a letter stating my payments will be suspended for the period of 4 weeks (9th jan to 5 feb 2014)

"This is because we recently told you that a decision would be made about a doubt"

I was never told a decision would be made about a doubt by anyone...

"On whether you failed to comply with the requirements of the scheme to which you have been referred.We have now decided that you did not comply e.t.c and did not have good reasons for doing so"

I sent a letter recorded delivery on Thursday stating that i felt my reasons were genuine and if they are not regarded as serious then i am not sure what would be.

I am due to restart the course tommorow but now feel deflated (the cost of travelling to this course has already been £44 in train tickets and will be again tommorow and even more for the rest of the week something i now cant afford)

I am due to sign on again Wednesday which i will attend but i am planning on emailing my job coach tonight explaining the situation.

Thanks for any help in advance

sammyjammy

Emailing your job coach is pointless, it is not they that decide whether you should receive your money or not. Despite your personal difficulties it is unacceptable whilst claiming JSA to not turn up for an interview, particularly one that your job coach knows about. You will be given the opportunity to explain your reasons to a decision maker who will decide whether or not you will lose the benefit for this period.

Sorry that's not what you want to hear, hope things work out for you.

jsaen

thanks for your reply

So the fact i have evidence of attending various interviews and positive emails from prospective employers counts for nothing?

Sorry for being stupid but when and how do i have a discussion with a decision maker? I would hope to hear something early this week after my letter which was signed for or Friday morning

again thanks for your help

sammyjammy

Its not about what you did its about what you didn't do. You had a job interview which you could have potentially been offered the post which for one reason or another you chose not to attend. You don't get to have a conversation with the decision maker but yo do get to tell your version of what happened in writing on which they will make their decision based on the law.

jsaen

ok thanks

well i have made my point in writing so hopefully they will use some common sense

thanks again for help

StormyWeather_2

jsaen, I'm sorry you're having such a bad time.

Can you prove you had no where to live? Do you have anything in writing from either a previous landlord or your ex?

Have you filled in the request form for a reconsideration or the appeal form?

jsaen

StormyWeather wrote: »

jsaen, I'm sorry you're having such a bad time.

Can you prove you had no where to live? Do you have anything in writing from either a previous landlord or your ex?

Have you filled in the request form for a reconsideration or the appeal form?

Thanks not your fault and cant be helped i am getting there slowly

I do not have proof as such as my ex i have no idea were she has gone (she changed the locks e.t.c)

I have not filled in the request form for a reconsideration or the appeal form yet as i have not received a reply from my initial reply last week

again thanks

anamenottaken

If you are still living "100 miles" away from your previous area, why have you not registered with a jobcentre closer to your current address?

StormyWeather_2

You have to ask them to send you the forms or visit a job centre to pick them up. You could try the one near where you are now.

I don't think just a letter will do any good.

jsaen

anamenottaken wrote: »

If you are still living "100 miles" away from your previous area, why have you not registered with a jobcentre closer to your current address?

I am spending some days there some days down here i have not missed a single signing on appt in the whole time nor have i ever not completed the job search correctly

I have no changed as i soon hope to be back "home"

jsaen

StormyWeather wrote: »

You have to ask them to send you the forms or visit a job centre to pick them up. You could try the one near where you are now.

I don't think just a letter will do any good.

Thank you Stormy

I will request the forms when i sign on Wednesday thank you