No support from Job Centre

Summer69

Hi,
So I was made redundant in November due to Covid. I signed on and started receiving Job Seekers Allowance. I received a letter and a text. I received no other contact until a few weeks ago when I received a letter asking me to meet with my work coach at the job centre yesterday, which I did. All she told me was just as it had been 6 months my JSA has now ended. She didn’t ask for any evidence of job applications/interviews of which I have had many. I am now not entitled to a penny more in benefits. 

I asked if a work coach is not meant to assist with getting employment and she said “we don’t really do that”. But when I got home I looked into it and it says that you should have had regular meetings with your work coach and there should have been a claimant agreement - none of which I received. 

I’ve never been unemployed before so I don’t know how this is all meant to work but I’m feeling very short changed in terms of the “support” it looks like I should have received.

Could anyone else tell me what is meant to happen?

poppy12345

The pandemic has meant that all job centres have been closed so this is the reason there's been no face to face support. We are in very strange times. What's the reason you don't qualify for Universal Credit? Is it because of a partner that works or savings over £16,000?

Summer69

Yeah I know they were closed. But she said it wasn’t their job to find you work etc. I wondered if anyone had had any support via email/phone in that period. She really couldn’t have cared less.

I have savings so not eligible for UC which I do understand, although my savings are a result of me working 2/3 jobs and 60 hour weeks for 15 years for.

I had to move back in with my parents in the first lockdown as my pay was 50% less, and although I’m having to pay them rent I don’t get help with that as they are parents and not a landlord. 

So I get why I won’t be getting benefits even though it doesn’t seem entirely fair. I would have been better off not scrimping and saving and working 12 hour days! Just feel let down in terms of support and the attitude of my supposed “work coach” who claims it isn’t their job to help us look for work. She also told me that the only thing I could apply for is National Insurance credits and to go online but when I did that it says “if you are no longer claiming JSA and you wish to apply for National Insurance credits you will need to speak with your work coach at the job centre” 🙈

Teahfc

Local supermarkets always looking for staff in most regions. 

I find it amazing there are NO jobs in your area. 

Any job better than no job. 

Don’t wait for your boat to come in, go out and meet it 👍🏻

Summer69

Teahfc said:

Local supermarkets always looking for staff in most regions. 

I find it amazing there are NO jobs in your area. 

Any job better than no job. 

Don’t wait for your boat to come in, go out and meet it 👍🏻

I never said there were no jobs? I’ve applied for over 300 of them! I’ve applied for supermarket jobs but not getting interviews as I’m “overqualified” . Glad you think it’s so easy getting a job at the moment when the only industry you have worked in is decimated. If it was that easy then why, out of 250 staff in my company that were made redundant at the same time, have only 10 secured any employment so far? I am a Covid vaccine volunteer so I’m not just sitting around doing nothing! If I was work shy I wouldn’t have spent 15 years working 2/3 jobs and 12 hour days and be currently working for free! 

My post was asking about what service I should have gotten from the job centre 

[Deleted User]

Maybe it varies locally; the first time I spoke to my local Job Centre, they said you won't be with us long  
I was like, really! love the positive attitude, in a recession and from the jobcentre! I can't tell you how helpful and powerful hearing that down the phone was.
It kept me strong when some Employers ghosted me after interview and a good agency might help who gets you are prepared to give anything a go. The Employment board (on here) old threads certainly helped lift spirits.
I even applied to a job I knew once took reference and very nearly ruined existing employment in the past, but I did it, with the whole well it looks like a legal job opportunity/far better then what I've come from and I'm asking for tax payer money so put my thoughts to one side and went against what I personally felt. 
There was an admin job become available in a 'meat processing' factory, ooooh now I was glad to be back employed when that appeared.

Summer69

Deleted User said:

Maybe it varies locally; the first time I spoke to my local Job Centre, they said you won't be with us long  
I was like, really! love the positive attitude, in a recession and from the jobcentre! I can't tell you how helpful and powerful hearing that down the phone was.
It kept me strong when some Employers ghosted me after interview and a good agency might help who gets you are prepared to give anything a go. The Employment board (on here) old threads certainly helped lift spirits.
I even applied to a job I knew once took reference and very nearly ruined existing employment in the past, but I did it, with the whole well it looks like a legal job opportunity/far better then what I've come from and I'm asking for tax payer money so put my thoughts to one side and went against what I personally felt. 
There was an admin job become available in a 'meat processing' factory, ooooh now I was glad to be back employed when that appeared.

Thank you for your reply. I‚Äôm glad someone‚Äôs had some help from them. How did they help you when they were closed? I had no communication whatsoever 

elsien

To be honest, OP they didn’t do much in the way of coaching pre-Covid either.
I turned up every 2 weeks, showed them my applications so I didn’t get sanctioned, explained why I couldn’t go the jobs they were suggesting (I was a support worker, not a blasted tiler) then went away again for another two weeks. 

Their energies were focussed on their targets and getting the work shy to make some sort of effort. There were no courses they could offer that I didn’t already have the knowledge for. They really had nothing to offer those of us who were pro-active and well qualified. Sounds as if little has changed in the interim. 

Summer69

elsien said:

To be honest, they didn’t do a lot more than that pre-Covid.
I turned up every 2 weeks, showed them my applications so I didn’t get sanctioned, explained why I couldn’t go the jobs they were suggesting (I was a support worker, not a blasted tiler) then went away again for another two weeks. 

Their energies were focussed on their targets and getting the work shy to make some sort of effort. They really had nothing to offer those of us who were pro-active. Sounds as if little has changed in the interim. 

Have you looked at entitlement to UC? 

Thank you for your reply. At least they looked at your applications and gave you suggestions. They never asked me about applications etc at all! Couldn’t have cared less. Think you may be right that they don’t bother with the likes of us. 

Yeah, I’ve looked at UC and I’m not entitled to anything. 

elsien

Can you slant your CV to make you look less well qualified - and no I don’t mean lie. But leave off the management qualification for some roles (if it doesn’t leave a gap), for example? 

I had the over-qualified issue as well. And when I did get a job, it wasn’t down to anything the job centre had or hadn’t done. There is a demographic that they’re really not geared up to, and unfortunately it sounds like you’re in there. 

poppy12345

They are correct, it's not their job to find work for you, only you can do that. I understand too that during these times it's not going to be easy to find work.

Even if you didn't have those savings, living with your parents you wouldn't be able to claim for any help with the rent anyway.

Were you living alone before the pandemic? Even if you were entitled to UC, it's not a huge amount of money each month and most likely won't be enough to pay all your bills. Having savings means you're in a much better position than someone who doesn't have them.

It maybe possible to claim JSA again this tax year but i think you have to have a certain amount of weeks between claims. Others will know for certain once they see this.