35 hour a week work search is becoming difficult. How to not get sanctioned?

donnajunkie

Enigma16 wrote: »

Hi. I went on Universal Credit about a month ago. I was supposed to see a work coach about a week or so after signing on, but my dad hasn't been too well and was back n forth at hospital so I forgot entirely about the appointment. I thankfully didn't get sanctioned after explaining why I missed the appointment. Anyway, I went for another appointment (not to see a work coach) and they arranged for me to see a work coach on Monday.



The thing is, I have been struggling with the 35 hour per week job search. I have only been able to do a couple hours of job searching each day because there isn't a lot I can apply for due to not being qualified for a lot of jobs. I mainly apply for minimum wage type of jobs, in the industrial sector (warehouse and factory etc) and customer service. There just aren't a lot of those jobs out there, especially not enough to complete 5 hours of applications per day.


I have even travelled around to a few places on foot (I don't drive) and using public transport to visit some potential employers, but no luck as of yet. I am a bit stressed that I will get sanctioned for not completing 35 hours of work searching.



What can I do?

I believe its any job seeking related activity, not just applying for jobs. Appointments at the jobcentre count, researching a job counts, working on your cv counts. Even travel time counts i think. Voluntary work can count to a maximum of 50%.
So basically if you are strugglng just blag it and put things they cant ask for proof of to ensure you reach 35 hours.

donnajunkie

Enigma16 wrote: »

I worry about lying because the work coach asks for evidence, right? I don't know how it works with the work coach as this is my first time seeing her. The last appointment I had, the woman told me the lady I am seeing is nice. How true that is, I don't know.

I would clarify. For example ask if i phone about a job does that count. If they say yes ask how do i prove that. That will give you a good idea whether you can blag it with tasks that cant be proved.

donnajunkie

Neil_Jones wrote: »

But do this sparingly, there was a big article in one of the newspapers about people who apply for things (this was in a fish and chip shop I think it was) and then don't bother turning up for an interview. That on its own wastes everybody's time including the OP's and the potential interviewer and I would argue it's disrespectful to them.

I would say that if the OP is going to apply for things jusgt to appease the Jobcentre, then apply for things that you will at least consider going for an interview for if you're lucky, so don't apply for a job in John O'Groats if you live in Cornwall. if you get an interview you can put that down for the evidence.

There are other avenues to look at; Apprenticeships for example. The pay is peanuts, granted, but they're usually full time and it often means a greater take home pay than you get on Jobseekers.

Yes aim for jobs you are serious about but if you havent hit the 35 hours then unfortunately you do have to waste peoples time by applying for something unsuitable. Ensure it appears suitable though. Dont go applying to be a rocket scientist.

moneyistooshorttomention

andydownes123 wrote: »

Play the game and apply anyway. Sorted.

It does sound very onerous to me to be expected to spend so much time "searching for jobs". There just aren't many jobs out there. I think you'll have to spend time asking for jobs also at firms that haven't even advertised in order to ask for enough jobs.

Sounds like you'd better "drag it out to take as long as possible" on each job application you make too. Any travelling to job interviews should take the longest amount of time (ostensibly or otherwise) that you can manage to "get away with". Though be aware that I wouldnt put it past the DWP to check the length of journey from your home to any potential place of employment on Googlemaps or the like (I know how the Civil Service functions - because I used to work for them:cool:).

Prior to my Civil Service job - I had periods of unemployment. Thankfully it was before this "35 hour" malarkey came in. But I found there wasn't enough jobs I genuinely intended to have if I could. So I applied for the ones I really meant to have if possible. I also put in a lot of fake job applications for jobs I certainly wouldnt have taken or wasnt qualified to get - in order to bump up the number of jobs I had on my records as having applied for.

I knew very well that I was only going to do jobs that were within the 8.30am-5.30pm Monday-Friday slot/indoor/office or similar jobs and a reasonable (In my opinion) journey from my home. But I asked for shiftwork jobs/jobs too far from my home/etc - and thought "I'll cross that bridge if I come to it - if any of those fake job applications resulted in a request to come for interview by the employer.

Farmer_Johnson

donnajunkie wrote: »

I would clarify. For example ask if i phone about a job does that count. If they say yes ask how do i prove that. That will give you a good idea whether you can blag it with tasks that cant be proved.

That is a dangerous route to go down. Once you start lying you need to have a very good memory and an ability to think on your feet.

Much better to do what is asked and be honest.

As others have said, at this time of year there is a huge amount of work going, from pubs and restaurants to warehouse or postal work. Even if you are someone who struggles to find work at other times of year it is far easier now.

JonVarnas

Just apply for any old crap - that's what I do. Most work coaches are so overworked they won't delve too deeply into your work search. Apply for anything that doesnt't need specific qualifications with a below par CV and most employers won't even get back to you, but you'll have the proof that you've applied.

Neil_Jones

The Advice for Decision Makers which presumably applies to the advisors in the Jobcentre as well is documented online, see from paragraph J3075 (on PDF page 17) here suggests the 35hrs isn't necessarily a minimum:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720614/admj3.pdf

Not to find a loophole but it appears that as long as you do everything reasonable then that will be good enough. Of course you read stories about people who get sanctioned because they didn't 'look for work' on Christmas Day but there we go.

[Deleted User]

Tarambor wrote: »

I find it hard to believe that you cannot find work at this time of year. Employment agencies, especially those who recruit in the warehousing and factory sectors, are screaming out for workers. Warehouses and places like food factories have agency as the bulk of their staffing.

If you genuinely want to find work go and sign up with half a dozen employment agencies advertising for warehouse and factory workers.

I always used to think this - until, my nearly 50 year old friend who can't drive approaches their 4th week unemployed.

All the agencies spin her a line about how it would be so much easier to place if she was a driver. (I don't think it's responsible of them really) As they have said come back when passed test etc - my friend won't hear how I think some of these agencies must be stringing her along. There was an agent recently who after 2 (one included trying to get me in with an ex employer only 12 months on!!) attempts to place me simply said shall we carry on and have long since moved on. They do lose interest very quickly. People who cannot drive are totally stuck.

buglawton

andydownes123 wrote: »

Play the game and apply anyway. Sorted.

The DM portrays the 100s of totally inappropriate applicants for this chip shop job (they never take it) - many of them from 100s of miles away - on the 'workshy'. In fact all they're doing is following 'the rules'.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6409257/Chip-shop-owner-furious-workshy-job-hunters-just-trying-qualify-benefits.html

gomer

And there I was thinking this was about finding constructive ways you can actually get gainful employment by going to college for free and getting the qualifications you need so that you wouldn't be so limited in what you can apply for.





OK then I suppose you might as well Just lie and blag it and spend your dole money down wetherspoons procrastinating about what excuse to give your adviser next week lol