Universal Credit - closing claim?

w06

Well as i’m In the LCWRA (support) group, looking for a job at all is voluntary, but actually half (one role) is yes my choice, but the other role is at suggestion of work coach and not something I’d have ever considered, anything worth a try really, it’s all experience and I know better for me than doing nothing

P.s. my original comment was a genuine I don’t understand, I wasn’t having a dig

chloe20

Yeah its all good don't worry. Maybe I didn't word it in the right way but essentially my beliefs are the jobcentre are absoloutely useless. The Tories don't care how or why you are off benefits, just that you are off them. Whether thats a sanction, or a workfare scheme that was so controversial a few years back etc

Like Michael Jackson once said....."they don't really care about us"

Ineededaname

I thought voluntary work experience, work placements etc could not be made mandatory by the Jobcentre? Courses and training can be.

It seems very drastic to close your claim. Just politely decline the work placements because, as you have said earlier, you already have a strong work history and you could make better use of the time. Then say what you will do instead.

I find it very odd your coach is trying to get you to do work experience if you've got plenty of work history behind you. They don't gain anything from you doing it, you're still claiming. The coach must actually believe it would benefit you. All very strange.

huckster

From what I understand the work placements are not mandatory, but if you are long term unemployed, they can require that you attend training courses to get you ready for work.

The argument I suppose is that if you have been out of work for over a year, you might be a bit rusty with presenting yourself to employers as being fit and ready for work.

The work placements would at least show a commitment to attend a work place by a certain time, put in a days work and do your best. It is something to add to the CV. People do lose motivation to work for many reasons and employers need to be convinced that motivation would be reignited by the right opportunity.

The way I view this, as I said earlier, is that there is a choice here. There is no point in making life more difficult by not having benefit money. Either arrange your own work placements and training etc or take up any arrangements offered by the Job Centre.

calcotti

According to this, work placements can be mandatory. See https://www.entitlfedto.co.uk/help/Claimant-commitment-Universal-Credit

See also
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720614/admj3.pdf

“J3042 The kinds of action which may be specified by the Secretary of State include
1. attending a skills assessment
2. improving personal presentation
3. taking part in training
4. taking part in an employment programme
5. undertaking
5.1 work experience or
5.2 a work placement
6. developing a business plan
7. any other prescribed action.
Note 1: The MWA scheme is prescribed as a work placement for 7 and and 5.22
Note 2: Taking part in work experience in 5.1 under a work-related requirement remains voluntary but where the claimant has agreed to work experience as a work-preparation requirement, they will be expected to comply, otherwise a sanction may apply.”

This appears to mean that work experience is voluntary unless previously agreed to in the claimant commitment in which case it effectively become mandatory. No such comment is made about work placements which implies that they are mandatory anyway.

chloe20

huckster wrote: »

The way I view this, as I said earlier, is that there is a choice here. There is no point in making life more difficult by not having benefit money. Either arrange your own work placements and training etc or take up any arrangements offered by the Job Centre.

This is good, sensible advice and I agree with it. Its just that having a strong work history I was hoping for a bit of leeway from the jobcentre and for them to give me a chance on my own of finding work for a bit. And then if I was unsuccesful then they could crack the whip if you like, but im barely 4 weeks into my claim.

Maybe I just got a bad jobcentre/work coach. Ive heard of some people that go 4 weeks at a time seeing their workcoach. Just pot luck what you end up being faced with

Btw can anyone reccomend any decent national websites etc for volunteer opportunities?

calcotti

Don't know how good it is but there is this one https://www.charityjob.co.uk

JonVarnas

chloe20 wrote: »

Maybe I just got a bad jobcentre/work coach. Ive heard of some people that go 4 weeks at a time seeing their workcoach. Just pot luck what you end up being faced with

Btw can anyone reccomend any decent national websites etc for volunteer opportunities?

When I was on the dole for 5 months earlier this year my advisor just left me to it. I saw her every two weeks and the meetings were only for 10 mins max and I was on my way. But I've also had more than my fair share of complete tools. There was one lady who would constantly try to get me working in a charity shop and every time she would arrange me to start I would get out of it. !!!!ed her off no-end:rotfl:Best bet is to continue your claim until you find something suited for you and don't let them get to you.

With regards to volunteering, there's do-it.org and you can always check out the CAB website if you want more substantial role. I'd wager with the ongoing mess that is UC, they'd be after as many advisors/assessors as they can get.

Good luck:beer:

NeilCr

JonVarnas wrote: »

With regards to volunteering, there's do-it.org and you can always check out the CAB website if you want more substantial role. I'd wager with the ongoing mess that is UC, they'd be after as many advisors/assessors as they can get.

:

A lot of CABs pretty much always need volunteers - UC or no UC

It's worth pointing out that the training to be advisor takes quite a while so, if you are expecting to be back in work soon, it may not be the role for you. There are other opportunities, there, though. Having said that my CAB has got a pretty good record of volunteers who were looking fo work finding something and leaving. That's a bit of a two edged sword for us!

I don't know about national sites but we have a local volunteer bureau and they always have a lot of vacancies on their website

TELLIT01

chloe20 wrote: »

Yeah its all good don't worry. Maybe I didn't word it in the right way but essentially my beliefs are the jobcentre are absoloutely useless. The Tories don't care how or why you are off benefits, just that you are off them. Whether thats a sanction, or a workfare scheme that was so controversial a few years back etc

Like Michael Jackson once said....."they don't really care about us"

The benefits system has been a mess for decades so blame can't all be laid at the feet of any one party. ESA, as an example, was created by the Labour government and implemented by the Conservatives. UC is the work of the Tory/Lib Dem coalition but if a government of any other colour were to be elected I very much doubt it would be scrapped.