Universal Credit

jbs2166

Hi,

 I'm new here so hello all.

I have worked full-time as Highly skilled worker for the last 3years. Recently gone through a break up. Since the last 2months I have been unemployed and on Universal Credit. Unfortunately the experience has been bad. I have been looking for jobs and but so far been contacted that I was not offered those jobs. I have put a brave face on it so that I can carry on looking, so that I find a job.

Recently my work coach has messaged on the website to say there is a company interviewing for a job that's very unrelated to my experience. I have not seen any details of it  but only that the job is a Care assistant job and interview is from inside the job center.  They want my confirmation to book the interview.

I am worried for my privacy, because I do not want the work coach booking my interviews and communicating with the interviews. I wouldn't want the interviewers to know that I was claiming benefits, nor the Job coach from  inside the job center tell them all my personal situation. Also, not having confidentiality between the interviewer and Job coach strikes me with utter fear.

I'm new to this so please what do you think?

calcotti

It is part of the role of JobCentres to get people into work and the government is pushing this harder. They have just changed the rules so that you cannot restrict your work search to your previous field of work for more than 4 weeks.

They have to speak to employers and discuss claimants with them in order to secure the interviews. It's part of what you sign up for when you claim.

If you refuse to participate you can be sanctioned and your benefit payments reduced.

I think we are going to see a lot of jobseekers pushed towards care sector jobs regardless of whether or not they have any desire to work in that field.

jbs2166

calcotti said:

It is part of the role of JobCentres to get people into work and the government is pushing this harder. They have just changed the rules so that you cannot restrict your work search to your previous field of work for more than 4 weeks.

They have to speak to employers and discuss claimants with them in order to secure the interviews. It's part of what you sign up for when you claim.

If you refuse to participate you can be sanctioned and your benefit payments reduced.

I think we are going to see a lot of jobseekers pushed towards care sector jobs regardless of whether or not they have any desire to work in that field.

Okay, so I assume I signed up to no privacy or confidentiality between employers and the jobcentre? 

You said the government is pushing harder, but is there a reason why the Jobcenter have never and is not finding skilled workers interviews or jobs in their fields or similar ones like you claim they are doing now?

jbs2166

calcotti said:

It is part of the role of JobCentres to get people into work and the government is pushing this harder. They have just changed the rules so that you cannot restrict your work search to your previous field of work for more than 4 weeks.

They have to speak to employers and discuss claimants with them in order to secure the interviews. It's part of what you sign up for when you claim.

If you refuse to participate you can be sanctioned and your benefit payments reduced.

I think we are going to see a lot of jobseekers pushed towards care sector jobs regardless of whether or not they have any desire to work in that field.

Could I also ask, what would I do,  if the job does not pay enough to cover my bills and accomodation? Do I still have to apply for Universal Credit despite working in the job.

poppy12345

You don't have to continue with your UC claim. If you do find work whether there would be any entitlement to UC will depend on your circumstances.

Spoonie_Turtle

If the interview is from inside the Jobcentre then the interviewer obviously already knows candidates are claiming benefits.  Your feelings are what they are but I think you are overthinking this.  Work coaches won't be giving any more information than is necessary to employers who arrange interviews through them.  What other information do you think they might be giving that you wouldn't be giving on applications yourself?

(Edit: whoops, thread had moved on by the time I finished replying, sorry!)

calcotti

jbs2166 said:..  if the job does not pay enough to cover my bills and accomodation? Do I still have to apply for Universal Credit despite working in the job.

You don't need to apply for UC, you already have a UC claim. When you earn money a deduction is made for the earnings and you may or may not be due some UC to top up your earnings depending on your situation and the sums involved.
Universal Credit: How your earnings affect your payments - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

jbs2166

Spoonie_Turtle said:

If the interview is from inside the Jobcentre then the interviewer obviously already knows candidates are claiming benefits.  Your feelings are what they are but I think you are overthinking this.  Work coaches won't be giving any more information than is necessary to employers who arrange interviews through them.  What other information do you think they might be giving that you wouldn't be giving on applications yourself?

(Edit: whoops, thread had moved on by the time I finished replying, sorry!)

I understand your reasoning and appreciate your reassurance.

But there is confidential information that I provided Universal Credit and, I would want to know exactly what information is being passed to employers.Likewise with the employer,  I would want to know exactly what personal information the employer is passing on to Universal Credit. I'm pretty sure that there is a legal basis  for this ( maybe I've signed away my rights to this by claiming welfare).

I'm obviously okay witht the standard information that needs to be passed on. But, there must be a legal requirement for confidentiality or permission. I also believe that doing it through the Jobcentre is the beginning of intrusion and harrasing future employers without our permission. 

I can't understand why the job details are not given to the cliamant to apply. Why does JC staff need to apply on their behalf with forced sanctioned-consent? 

NedS

jbs2166 said:

calcotti said:

It is part of the role of JobCentres to get people into work and the government is pushing this harder. They have just changed the rules so that you cannot restrict your work search to your previous field of work for more than 4 weeks.

They have to speak to employers and discuss claimants with them in order to secure the interviews. It's part of what you sign up for when you claim.

If you refuse to participate you can be sanctioned and your benefit payments reduced.

I think we are going to see a lot of jobseekers pushed towards care sector jobs regardless of whether or not they have any desire to work in that field.

Okay, so I assume I signed up to no privacy or confidentiality between employers and the jobcentre? 

You said the government is pushing harder, but is there a reason why the Jobcenter have never and is not finding skilled workers interviews or jobs in their fields or similar ones like you claim they are doing now?

It is not DWP's job (or the work coach's job) to find you a (skilled) job - that is your job as a 'job seeker'. Your work coach is there to coach you in that role (as it may be the first time you've had to look for a job in a while) and assist where they can, maybe by highlighting to you that a local company is interviewing in the jobcentre in case you would be interested and like an interview.

That aside, and on to your specific case - you are a skilled worker and they have highlighted interviews in an area in which you have no experience (care). When you agreed your commitments, what types of jobs did you agree to apply for? Did you agree care sector jobs would be one of the job types? If not, then there is no reason for you to apply if you do not consider this to be a job you would want to do. It is quite possible that the jobcentre have sent a mass journal message to ALL claimants informing them of the care sector interviews and the message is not specifically aimed at you.

Jack_bauer24

I am glad I am on Work Capability Assessment (WCA) as I am suffering from Mental Health really bad and this news about Job Centre forcing people to look for work in not field sector sounds really stressful, so I am pleased I don't have to look for work at the moment!  

NedS

Jack_bauer24 said:

I am glad I am on Work Capability Assessment (WCA) as I am suffering from Mental Health really bad and this news about Job Centre forcing people to look for work in not field sector sounds really stressful, so I am pleased I don't have to look for work at the moment!  

Nobody is forcing anyone to do anything they don't want to - the press has blown it out of all proportion.

UC is based around commitments - the claimant agrees their commitments with their work coach - it's something you agree to, not something you are forced into. Anyone genuinely looking for work should have no issues agreeing a set of commitments that is appropriate for them.