Finishing the work program

Batman_100

Hi there.

Here's a run down of my circumstances and I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice.

I was referred to the work program by JCP in April 2014 and I'm due to finish my two years there at the end of next month.

I started a full time job in August 2015 and closed my JSA claim. I was made redundant from that job last week but I'm due to start another job on a three month temporary contract any day now. As I'd already been offered my new job the day after finishing my old one, I did not see the need to open a new JSA claim and my work program adviser advised me not to as there would be no financial benefit because of the waiting days rule with Universal Credit.

I'm hoping my new job will last longer than 3 months, but if it doesn't I was wondering what the procedure would be bearing in mind I will have left the work program by then.

Would I go straight on to JCP's post-work program process or would I be classed as a new claimant and be treated like any other person signing on for the first time because it will have been more than six months since I terminated my last JSA claim.

I did have an interview with my work program adviser last week and she told me that they can continue to support me through their in work support team for the first six months after starting my new job, but they won't be able to help me if I'm out of work for longer than 2 days. To me this sounds like an impossibly short period of time to find a new job. I did try and ask her about the post work program process with JCP but she was very busy with another customer and I couldn't get an answer from her.

Does anyone know more about this and would be able to offer me some advice?

Many Thanks.

Mersey_2

Either way shouldn't make much difference to you in reality, if your concern is the JCP regime.


The post-Work Programme support lasts 6 months and apart from being with a different advisor - from another JCP usually who comes in 1 day/week - it isn't much different. The main difference is that signing times are changed each week/fortnight.


After 3 months, any new claim would be classed as new though ie not a linked claim so your reasoning/thought process is correct.

Batman_100

Mersey wrote: »

Either way shouldn't make much difference to you in reality, if your concern is the JCP regime.


The post-Work Programme support lasts 6 months and apart from being with a different advisor - from another JCP usually who comes in 1 day/week - it isn't much different. The main difference is that signing times are changed each week/fortnight.


After 3 months, any new claim would be classed as new though ie not a linked claim so your reasoning/thought process is correct.

Thanks for the help. I thought the new post work program regime was super strict with you having to go into the job centre 9 to 5 Monday to Friday to do job searches?

But would that not apply if I'm making a new claim and not a rapid reclaim? And would that be affected by work program referring me back to JCP?

Mersey_2

No, there just aren't the staff, chairs or PCs for that. Between 2% - 5% are daily signers - but they're usually claimants who have refused a JSD direction, or who the DWP suspect are working on the side.


Job search requirements should be the same as before in your Claimant Commitment. It may be the 35 hours' of evidence you're thinking of you need to note on the UJM site.


JCPs are only open for Claimants for 5 hours each weekday (80% of which are appointments for signing), so Conference speeches by Gov't Ministers tend not to make it into reality when faced with the PCS and the reality of a reduced DWP estate (ie lost of JCPs have closed and staff moved to call centres).


A new JSA claim is classed as a rapid reclaim if made within x weeks, hence it's a 'linked claim.'


I assume you'll be claiming Universal Credit online. The Regs are different. Whilst conditionality is an element, JCPs cannot close your claim as with JSA. UC remains live for 6 months (to help if you come in and out of work) even after you start work, unless you withdraw your claim. Again, you can only withdraw your UC claim over the 'phone via the UC national contact centres (0345 600 0723). JCP staff cannot do this.

Batman_100

Mersey wrote: »

No, there just aren't the staff, chairs or PCs for that. Between 2% - 5% are daily signers - but they're usually claimants who have refused a JSD direction, or who the DWP suspect are working on the side.


Job search requirements should be the same as before in your Claimant Commitment. It may be the 35 hours' of evidence you're thinking of you need to note on the UJM site.


JCPs are only open for Claimants for 5 hours each weekday (80% of which are appointments for signing), so Conference speeches by Gov't Ministers tend not to make it into reality when faced with the PCS and the reality of a reduced DWP estate (ie lost of JCPs have closed and staff moved to call centres).

Before I started work last summer my adviser sent me to a seminar entitled 'life after the work program' in which a JCP adviser gave us a talk on what they expected of us once we finish the work program. They told us how we'd have to come in to the job centre 9 to 5 Monday to Friday to do job searches and that they have a zero tolerance approach to lateness and absence and that they don't accept lack of transport or childcare as an excuse for non-attendance.

I found this had to believe at first since there are only 10 computers for the public to use at my local job centre, but I presume they have plenty of computers in a back office for the post work program people to use.

I don't know where you get the idea that job centres only open for 5 hours a day from. My local job centre is open from 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday except for on Wednesdays when they open later at 9.30am due to staff training.

Batman_100

But my main point is: if I haven't found work within 2 days of my current contract ending, will I automatically be referred to post-WP or will the fact that I haven't claimed JSA in the last 12 months mean that they will treat me like a new claimant?

Batman_100

Batman_100 wrote: »

or will the fact that I haven't claimed JSA in the last 12 months mean that they will treat me like a new claimant?

Should have said claimed JSA in the last 6 months.

Apologies for the typo.

Mersey_2

No, there aren't any more PCs for post-WP support.


It was probably a shock tactic. As I said 2-5% of post-WP claimants are asked to attend daily, but even those are only in JCPs 10 mins x 5 days per week.


5 hours per day are the hours JCPs are available for claimants. I assume there's no signing during a 60-90 minute lunch period and no signing appointments after 4pm.


There was a trial of 'intensive support' of the sort you mean but that was almost a decade ago in the first months of the WP before A4e's woes and other companies went bust. There just isn't the staff, PCs or time for that.