jsa problems help please.

lor6126

Hi folks, appreciate any help.
I made a telephone application for jsa on monday and completed it with a visit yesterday. i was advised to do this after faling my work capability assessment for which i am currently waiting for a mandatory consideration.

My problems started right with signing the claimant commitment form There no way with my health problems i can complete everything they want me to do.

I asked yesterday about seeing a disability advisor and was told there is none available at the moment. This week alone there are 3 visits arranged which im not mobile enough to make. My daughter took a day off yesterday to take me, but she cant do that again today and tomorrow.

The questions i really want answered are, if i try and live on my PIP until my reconsideration can i still claim housing benefit if not on esa or jsa.?

Do i telephone and tell them im not coming? iv already signed the jsa agreement. can i be sanctioned in some way from my esa in the future for not attending.

If i did carry on with the claim can i have it modified in any way as i cannot complete everything on it bearing in mind i have not managed to speak to a disability advisor.

The advisor who dealt with me was sympathetic but only to a point. I realise her job was/is to make sure i am looking for work.

pmlindyloo

lor6126 wrote: »

Hi folks, appreciate any help.
I made a telephone application for jsa on monday and completed it with a visit yesterday. i was advised to do this after faling my work capability assessment for which i am currently waiting for a mandatory consideration.

My problems started right with signing the claimant commitment form There no way with my health problems i can complete everything they want me to do.

I asked yesterday about seeing a disability advisor and was told there is none available at the moment. This week alone there are 3 visits arranged which im not mobile enough to make. My daughter took a day off yesterday to take me, but she cant do that again today and tomorrow.

The questions i really want answered are, if i try and live on my PIP until my reconsideration can i still claim housing benefit if not on esa or jsa.?

Do i telephone and tell them im not coming? iv already signed the jsa agreement. can i be sanctioned in some way from my esa in the future for not attending.

If i did carry on with the claim can i have it modified in any way as i cannot complete everything on it bearing in mind i have not managed to speak to a disability advisor.

The advisor who dealt with me was sympathetic but only to a point. I realise her job was/is to make sure i am looking for work.

What visits have been arranged? Why can't you complete them? (Need to know reasons so can suggest ideas )
As I see it your options are:

1. Ask to have your commitment form changed to take account of your disability. (You may to write formally to the Job Centre for this - ring and ask)
2. Try to find ways to make the visits (please give more info. so we can suggest things)
3. Go sick for a week/fortnight (you need a form from the Job Centre) Perhaps by this time an disability advisor would be available.
4. End your JSA claim. You can still claim HB and CT reduction on the basis of a low income but there may be a delay so if you decide on this route then you need to ring quickly and tell them your change of circumstances. When you have a decision of your reconsideration and then if you go to appeal you will have the assessment rate of ESA backdated to when your JSA claim ended. There should be no period when you are not paid.

lor6126

hi pmlindyloo, first visit yesterday for completing claim. Another later today for 1st signing and again tomorrow for registering with jobsmatch.
And another i forgot to mention to a workgroup on Monday to make a cv.
Im housebound unless my daughter takes me out but she also has a fulltime job.

I asked the advisor about changing the part that says i will travel 90 minutes for work, she refused.
I also have had to agree to applying for 6 jobs a week in admin/clerical, she suggested this area when i struggled to suggest what kind of work i could do with my health problems.
She also got annoyed when i asked to use the lift as i couldnt manage the stairs, and when i said i would have problems filling in the work booklet by hand. ( I do everything on laptop usually as i have problems using a pen.)
Thank you for your help, you also gave me very good information on my original thread.

pmlindyloo

Have you sent some further evidence for your reconsideration?

Re: your advisor about the Job Centre. Did you outline all your disabilities to the advisor? Did you take in letters from medical professionals? Have you got a diagnosis of your disabilities?

There might be cause for a complaint to the Job Centre if they have discriminated against you as regards your job centre commitment. They should have taken into account your disabilities if you have proof of them.

fannyadams

Could you get the job centre to agree to a taxi for you there and back (I assume you can't catch the bus due to your mobility issues), I thought they were supposed to help with fares when you have to attend outside your normal signing day (this is what my job centre told me).
If you are housebound do you have a carer? can they come with you? what does your social worker say?
Sorry I can't be of any help.