JSA Daily Signing

Darenth87

This will be of interest to those that have been advised no instructed that in future you will have to attend the JobCentre (JC) every weekday or face sanction. huh. ok. I was apparently one of my advisors more fortunate customers in that I had a choice over this. Sign on daily or put in at least 30hours a week making big bucks for a local company whilst I get lots of self worth and pride out of it gain valuable cv gap filling experience and generally get myself "ready for work". i know, its all laughable really....but anyway.

Feeling mighty peed off at having to trawl off to the JC every day (it has to be the lesser of the 2 evils) I expected to sit with my advisor, any advisor for say half an hour maybe an hour to see what help they can offer, discuss how I can improve my job hunting, find out about them paying for me to be retrained etc.

What I got was this:
1.arrived and called within 10 mins.
2. sat down confirmed my details.
3. asked to sign a slip of paper

that was it. i was in the chair for less than the time it takes to boil a soft egg. i was in shock. i asked "is that it" and the advisor (not really the best term to describe these automatons) said yes thats it. so i went all that way to sign a bit of paper. now ive got to go all the way home too. what an utter and complete waste of not only my time but surely their time too!
how does getting me into the jc every day to sign a bit of paper help me into work? can it magically triple the chances of at least one employer giving me a shot now? Its just utter madness. i feel for people with kids or without access to private transport. i live 2 miles away so i can cycle or walk but if i had a kid then id have no choice but to traipse there and back with kid or kids in tow.keep them amused at the JC. what if one of them is poorly? at least you can work around lifes curveballs when you was only required to sign once every 2 weeks.

i am seething over this regressive bullying tactic which comes hot on the heels of universal jobmatch......another "hoop" to ensure you jump through so that you can get your huge weekly benefit of £72 that enables you to rub uh hum "hard working" peoples noses out of joint because they believe everything they read about the lavish lifestyle that is possible on JSA.

if you think this is a rant.youre spot on right its a rant.id like to hear other claimants' thoughts and experiences concerning this new daily signing regime.

im told i have to do this for 13 weeks. what happens after 13 weeks? daily signing on saturdays and sundays perhaps?
i wonder if the JC will be open on Xmas day this year for me to trudge up there at anytime if the day they see fit to sign my name then head back home?

why cant they or perhaps why.wont they at the very least give you the same time each day? my times are bouncing me all over the place. my cynical nature leads me to conclude that the scattergun times are intentional and aimed at aggravating and irritating jobseekers to the point that they think sod this for a game of soldiers.ill sign off but most are caught in this draconian trap.

what i plan to do at future signings is take with me a folder of papers and try to frustrate the advisor by asking lots of questions asking for advice on training other places and ways of finding work, anything to take up their 3 minute slot and frustrate their process.

when you wait to be seen its interesting to earwig on conversations these advisors have with their customers and there must be a class or training course they attend that teaches them to talk like robots, very monotone, no emotion, very pointed and assertive.

woukdnt it be amusing if JC+ sacked 90% of these advisors and replaced them with benefit scrounging jobseekers under the WorkFare scheme? if the government really was so concerned about cutting the welfare budget surely this would be a help? lol.

post your ecperiences and rants or advice here to help fellow claimants who may be struggling to cope with the ever increasing numbers of hoops us circus monkeys are compelled to hop through.....

busy_mom_2

Most JCP advisers hate daily signing. The JCP is supposed to be kitted out with enough computers so the daily signers actually spend time doing jobsearch but at my office this keeps getting pushed back and back.
So please dont blame the adviser, yes they have a speech to give and are treated most of the time like robots.
Figures and stats have to be sent in to head office weekly and some daily detailing how many people have signed off, signed on, signed daily but no they do not have numbers for sanctions, daily seems the new flavour of the month.
There is a new pilot being tested for 30 hrs jobsearch per week in some areas.

mro

It's politics.

The government wants to get the unemployment figures down before next general election next year.

Get them to sign off or sanctioned, those treated as Not Actively Seeking/Not Available, by far largest group, their claims are closed & not sanctioned, so come off unemployment figures immediately.

KevInChester

It's a botherability exercise designed by the so called 'Nudge unit'. The thinking behind it is that you will get sick of it and sign off and just get one of those jobs that are oh so plentiful... (or continue as you were with your non declared work, yep they genuinely seem to believe that most claimaints work on the sly).

In reality this is just another way to further beat those who are in the unfortunate position of being unemployed. The vast majority of people I know and have known who sign on desperately want work. This government doesn't care, as long as you are 'off flow' that is all that matters.

tomtontom

Rather than trying to be difficult at the JCP, why not focus your efforts on finding a job? We may be able to help if you tell us a bit about your situation.

pmduk

I suspect the time spent travelling to/fro the jobcentre could more profitably be spent job-hunting.

BJV

Sorry I do not see the problem?


If you want to claim job seekers allowance then forgive if I am wrong but you are looking for a job?


I am just about to employ a new member of staff. One position and so far it has been advertised for 2 days and we have over 75 applications. With that many to look through it is important to know that someone has the routine to get up and out and contribute. If someone is unemployed ( hey it can happen to anyone ) I would much rather someone have made the effort to get off the bum and do something for the community than sit at home.


Voluntary work is not always demining and sorry but if I expect someone to clean streets, loo's, mend fences, help charities then surely I have to be prepared to do it as well and that means you too.


I am no better or worse than you so if I would be prepared to do it why not you?

lexington013

Just to add my tuppence into the equation. Went to sign on today after being made redundant. First time in my life I have been out of work. I'm in my early 50s and until recently had a well paid career that I had worked had to achieve.
Was "told" had I thought about moving back down south as I mentioned I had visited my elderly parents (I now have to advise the JC if I'm away from my home). I have lived and worked in the country (Scotland) for the last 17 years, it's my home, regardless of whether I'm English etc. to say I was staggered by the comment is an understatement! This JC representative then went on to praise my previous company, exactly what I want to here after being made redundant.
You really are made to feel quite insignificant, I have applied for 40 plus vacancies in the last 3 months. Thank god I have some savings. After 6 months I won't qualify for 1 penny of JSA, penalised for saving for a rainy day.
Maybe just put it down to the advisor I had today.........but god help some less savvy people who find themselves unemployed.
Talk about soul destroying.
My savings will pay the mortgage for a further 12 months,after that well I'm then a repossession or sell up and buy a cheaper house.
That's stressful enough and motivation enough to find a job that pays a fair wage. After 3 months I then have to apply for ANY job regardless of salary.
I'm not a scrounger, I paid my 40% tax and NI like we all have.
At the moment I have to sign on fortnightly.

barryboris

pmduk wrote: »

I suspect the time spent travelling to/fro the jobcentre could more profitably be spent job-hunting.

I'm also sure that there are plenty of hours in the week to go around for job hunting.

Darenth87

tomtontom wrote: »

Rather than trying to be difficult at the JCP, why not focus your efforts on finding a job? We may be able to help if you tell us a bit about your situation.

JCP already know what my situation is and have done or alluded to have known since the first day I signed on. you quickly realise they are now there to be obtuse......to be bullish and in some cases downright surly. they arent really there to help you into work.

Granted some advisors will do their utmost to be exactly that....an advisor so I dont mean to marginalise advisors but it does seem that treating signers is like a sausage machine factory. good ones seem to be the exception rather than the rule but i know im bound to upset a few along the way.......

irony seems to be lost on some people up there. the comment about taking up the advisors time was tongue in cheek yet it managed to attract thankfully one typically Daily Mail style of reply from somebody suggesting I use that time to look for a job! Not all Daily Mail readers are gifted with much about them but dont seem to grasp the basics of what a job centre plus advisor is there to do - help me find a job. so whether i can continue to look for work under my own steam OR take advantage of the advisors time shouldnt make any odds as we should both have the same goals (shouldnt we?)

if they actually helped people find work then we would be talking about the same difference- either i find work or they do, so to tell me to look for work instead of wasting my advisors time is a complete and utter nonsense but then again these misdirected comments tend to come from people who do not have the same concerns frustrations and worries as those actually in this situation. that or they dont have any true thoughts of their own on the subject but find it easier to jump on the back of the pap thats trollied out usually by or on behalf of britains, uh hum....."hard working families".....not just working families......oh no.......now its hard working families as if the word "hard" is there to try and put even greater distance between those in work and those not in work. i am.a hard working jobseeker! take that daily mail readers!

BJV

lexington013 wrote: »

Just to add my tuppence into the equation. Went to sign on today after being made redundant. First time in my life I have been out of work. I'm in my early 50s and until recently had a well paid career that I had worked had to achieve.
Was "told" had I thought about moving back down south as I mentioned I had visited my elderly parents (I now have to advise the JC if I'm away from my home). I have lived and worked in the country (Scotland) for the last 17 years, it's my home, regardless of whether I'm English etc. to say I was staggered by the comment is an understatement! This JC representative then went on to praise my previous company, exactly what I want to here after being made redundant.
You really are made to feel quite insignificant, I have applied for 40 plus vacancies in the last 3 months. Thank god I have some savings. After 6 months I won't qualify for 1 penny of JSA, penalised for saving for a rainy day.
Maybe just put it down to the advisor I had today.........but god help some less savvy people who find themselves unemployed.
Talk about soul destroying.
My savings will pay the mortgage for a further 12 months,after that well I'm then a repossession or sell up and buy a cheaper house.
That's stressful enough and motivation enough to find a job that pays a fair wage. After 3 months I then have to apply for ANY job regardless of salary.
I'm not a scrounger, I paid my 40% tax and NI like we all have.
At the moment I have to sign on fortnightly.

I genuinely hope that you find something and I am sure you will. The fact that you have been somewhere for so long shows so much. Work ethic, discipline, etc ,you really can not let this blip and I really do hope it is a blip for you get you down.



So sorry but you can not allow it to knock your confidence I know that that is easier said than done but please keep your positive attitude and do not give up there will be something just around the corner any minute now. Just keep applying and you will get it.