Are job centres contacting people to attend again?

[Deleted User]

My mum missed a call from the job centre today as she was at a medical appointment. 

With the news that sanctions are to restart and job centres to reopen as of Wednesday she was worried they were ringing to give her an appointment but no message was left. 

She did email the work coach but got no response so decided to ring the helpline. 

The woman said she couldn’t really help, just said someone tried to make a courtesy call and got no response. 

Are payments automatically just been paid still? She won’t not get paid for not been able to answer the telephone? 

TheShape

At least in my area, there are a lot of so called Customer Care or Courtesy Calls being made.  If an appointment were to be booked there will be a notification for your Mum to sign in to her account and check the appointment details.

Claimant Commitments and Conditionality are still 'switched off' but there is a definite intention to re-apply Commitments and Conditionality 'soon'.  How quickly that moves to sanctions applying, I'm not sure.

I'd recommend that your Mum check her account regularly as any future appointment will be notified there. 

45002

https://www.pcs.org.uk/news/pcs-warns-reopening-jobcentres-to-public-is-perfect-storm

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/29/uk-benefit-sanctions-to-return-as-jobcentres-reopen-after-lockdown

[Deleted User]

TheShape said:

At least in my area, there are a lot of so called Customer Care or Courtesy Calls being made.  If an appointment were to be booked there will be a notification for your Mum to sign in to her account and check the appointment details.

Claimant Commitments and Conditionality are still 'switched off' but there is a definite intention to re-apply Commitments and Conditionality 'soon'.  How quickly that moves to sanctions applying, I'm not sure.

I'd recommend that your Mum check her account regularly as any future appointment will be notified there. 

Sorry I should of mentioned. As I think you are referring to the account in the sense of the UC journal? 

She’s not on UC she still claims the legacy benefit of JSA so doesn’t have communication through an account. 

I think she was just worried that she hadn’t answered and in case they were trying to make an appointment but I’m assuming they would of left a voicemail if that had been the case plus the call handler on the helpline said it had just been a courtesy call. 

I’m guessing with legacy benefits the only way they can inform you of future appointments will be to call, email or send a letter since there is no account . 

[Deleted User]

45002 said:

https://www.pcs.org.uk/news/pcs-warns-reopening-jobcentres-to-public-is-perfect-storm

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/29/uk-benefit-sanctions-to-return-as-jobcentres-reopen-after-lockdown

Yes I’ve already read them, that’s what led to the questions I asked. 

TheShape

MarkN88 said:

TheShape said:

At least in my area, there are a lot of so called Customer Care or Courtesy Calls being made.  If an appointment were to be booked there will be a notification for your Mum to sign in to her account and check the appointment details.

Claimant Commitments and Conditionality are still 'switched off' but there is a definite intention to re-apply Commitments and Conditionality 'soon'.  How quickly that moves to sanctions applying, I'm not sure.

I'd recommend that your Mum check her account regularly as any future appointment will be notified there. 

Sorry I should of mentioned. As I think you are referring to the account in the sense of the UC journal? 

She’s not on UC she still claims the legacy benefit of JSA so doesn’t have communication through an account. 

I think she was just worried that she hadn’t answered and in case they were trying to make an appointment but I’m assuming they would of left a voicemail if that had been the case plus the call handler on the helpline said it had just been a courtesy call. 

I’m guessing with legacy benefits the only way they can inform you of future appointments will be to call, email or send a letter since there is no account . 

Not sure of the legacy benefit plans.  I would think it unlikely that they'd leave a voicemail, wouldn't send an email, and would likely send a letter.

Wednesday morning is the time that staff generally briefed on future plans so more likely to be known at that point although messaging is often unclear.

tomtom256

Jobcentres are preparing to re-open, no actual plans of when they will open as yet, but getting PPE etc in place ready for the eventuality of the doors opening.

Conditionality will be coming back over the next few weeks, but no clear guidance on what that means or how it will be introduced.

A lot of customers are getting courtesy calls to check they are ok and to see what if any, extra support may be needed on the flipside of the pandemic, once conditionality is re-introduced.

[Deleted User]

So does that mean she will still get paid as normal on Thursday even though she missed the courtesy call? 

Just when she rings the number back it just says “the DWP tried to call you, there is no need to get in touch” and she did check with the helpline anyway and they confirmed it was just a courtesy call and they would write a note to say she contacted the helpline plus also my mum also emailed her work coach, so she’s done everything she could, nothing else she could of done. 

tomtom256

Yes, payments will still be automatically made, there is currently no change to that, as the appointments are not currently mandatory.

[Deleted User]

tomtom256 said:

Yes, payments will still be automatically made, there is currently no change to that, as the appointments are not currently mandatory.

Thanks for that I will be able to put her mind at rest. 

[Deleted User]

Just thought I’d update what my mums work coach replied this morning. My mum asked for an update in regards to face to face. 

They said they have not received full guidance yet, when they do open it will be for urgent enquiries only and she expects face to face appointments to not resume for a long while yet.