Universal Credit

JJC1956

NedS said:

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.

Maybe, but when you fill in your UC application form it asks a set of Generic questions, such as are you prepared to work for minimum wage, are you prepared to travel 90 mins each way to work etc

Jack_bauer24

NedS said:

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.

But it clearly states that people are expect to find work with not in they field sector, so Job Centre are forcing people into jobs that they don't want to, otherwise this rule wouldn't have come out, also they stating that if they don't get a job fast, people will face UC sanctions. So, they are forcing people. Do you work for DWP? 

NedS

JJC1956 said:

NedS said:

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.

Maybe, but when you fill in your UC application form it asks a set of Generic questions, such as are you prepared to work for minimum wage, are you prepared to travel 90 mins each way to work etc

Yes, there are certain predetermined expectations based upon what is reasonable, such as being prepared to travel upto 90 mins for work if that's reasonable for your circumstances but these are all negotiable if they are unsuitable to your individual circumstances. My last job would take me 90mins to travel the 3 miles to work, so if I limited myself to less I'd find it very difficult to find suitable employment.

Why would anyone on benefits not want to work for minimum wage - the way UC is structured with work allowances and taper rates, you are going to be far better off than on benefits alone. If you are lucky enough to be able to secure employment for more than minimum wage, that is great, but the reality is a lot of jobs in the UK pay minimum wage, and more and more are getting sucked into minimum wage as minimum wage rates increase at a faster rate than other jobs, 6.6% this year (I won't get anywhere near a 6.6% pay rise!). Do you realise that some staff (AA grades) in jobcentres will now be on minimum wage and many jobcentre staff also claim UC.

Spoonie_Turtle

Jack_bauer24 said:

NedS said:

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.

But it clearly states that people are expect to find work with not in they field sector, so Job Centre are forcing people that they don't want to, otherwise this rule wouldn't have come out, also they stating that if they don't get a job fast, people will face UC sanctions. So, they are forcing people. Do you work for DWP? 

They are not forcing people.  People have a choice - it's not much of a choice, granted, but you agree to the claimant commitment as a condition of receiving financial support.  There have a choice whether to fulfill their commitment, and that choice has consequences (either receive the money out choose to forfeit it).  As I said, not much of a choice, but 'force' is not the case.

The bolded part is wrong.  If people are genuinely looking for work, fulfilling their claimant commitment, there will be no sanctions for not securing employment.  If they pass up opportunities without good reason (e.g. turn down job offer just because they don't want the job, compared with turning down a job offer that is completely unsuitable for whatever reason, e.g. a single parent being offered night shifts which would be a good reason) then they can be sanctioned, but not simply for being genuinely unable to find employment.

Realistically it's tough all round.  Tough on claimants, tough on the decent work coaches who have to implement policies handed down from above and have to deal with stressed/angry/struggling claimants face-to-face.  But, this forum is for helping people get what they're entitled to within the rules as they are, not for debating whether those rules are fair or reasonable.

jbs2166

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!  

I don't want to scare you, but for you own Mental Health, please remain on that. This week UC Job Center have gone bonkers, they were posting Cleaning jobs for us to apply for and I was not looking for jobs like that  because I'm a skilled worker and for the last couple years have been employed.

tomtom256

Why would you not want to take any job, if gives you more money then UC? There is nothing stopping you from applying for more jobs once in employment.
Do you deem the jobs they are asking you to apply for to be below you, as if you haven't been offered a job in your preferred sector, something is going wrong somewhere.
How long have you been claiming UC for?

JJC1956

jbs2166 said:

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?pre

Hi to you

There are a lot of very intelligent people that are willing to give you help but at the moment nobody on here knows what your skills are, it might help if you gave them a bit more information, I personally log into ‘LinkedIn’ every day, there are national newspapers that advertise skilled jobs vacancies on different days of the week, there is the internet, there are specialised agencies for every work field, I understand your frustration in dealing with the DWP as I am dealing with them at the moment but that is another story.
40,000 plus care workers were sacked or laid off for not having the Vaccine, I would assume they are all reapplying for their old jobs but meanwhile they are still in the system..


The repetitive Mantra that I keep hearing from the work coaches are: ‘Would you like to go on a “Restart Scheme”? 

As for confidentiality, it doesn’t exist, when I signed up for UC, my housing association phoned me about my UC payment.!!
A couple of months ago I got a couple of phone calls from I assume was the UC fraud squad telling me that the Home Office had contacted them and told them I was living in the Schengen area (I wish) the point i am trying to make is once you fill some forms in, Housing, Home Office, HMRC and every other Tom, !!!!!! and Harriet know your details. To claim Council Tax deduction from my local council I just had to fill in a 34 page questionnaire online, whereas before you jus had to phone the council.
Good Luck in your Job Search

JJC1956

jbs2166 said:

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?

If you turn down interviews it will probably affect your claim, I suggest you turn up for the interviews looking a bit scruffy and bedraggled and give the interviewee your best ‘I’m not interested in this job’ look. If I was interviewing you, I would be looking at your body language, which tells me I am not going to offer you a job. 
You have to abide by their rules, whether you agree with them or not. 
Good Luck in your search
PS You still haven’t told us what job you are highly skilled in

Robbie64

JJC1956 said:

jbs2166 said:

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?

If you turn down interviews it will probably affect your claim, I suggest you turn up for the interviews looking a bit scruffy and bedraggled and give the interviewee your best ‘I’m not interested in this job’ look. If I was interviewing you, I would be looking at your body language, which tells me I am not going to offer you a job. 
You have to abide by their rules, whether you agree with them or not. 
Good Luck in your search
PS You still haven’t told us what job you are highly skilled in

I'm not sure if attempting to throw the interview by dressing down and looking disinterested is a good idea. That too can attract a sanction. Normally it wouldn't be picked upon by the work coach unless the Work Coach checked with the employer and asked how the interview went. In this instance the interview is due to take place inside the Jobcentre. If a person normally looks neat and tidy when attending the Jobcentre but then arrived for a Jobcentre-venued interview looking scruffy and unco-operative it could set off all sort of alarms - and sanctions.

JJC1956

Robbie64 said:

JJC1956 said:

jbs2166 said:

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?

If you turn down interviews it will probably affect your claim, I suggest you turn up for the interviews looking a bit scruffy and bedraggled and give the interviewee your best ‘I’m not interested in this job’ look. If I was interviewing you, I would be looking at your body language, which tells me I am not going to offer you a job. 
You have to abide by their rules, whether you agree with them or not. 
Good Luck in your search
PS You still haven’t told us what job you are highly skilled in

I'm not sure if attempting to throw the interview by dressing down and looking disinterested is a good idea. That too can attract a sanction. Normally it wouldn't be picked upon by the work coach unless the Work Coach checked with the employer and asked how the interview went. In this instance the interview is due to take place inside the Jobcentre. If a person normally looks neat and tidy when attending the Jobcentre but then arrived for a Jobcentre-venued interview looking scruffy and unco-operative it could set off all sort of alarms - and sanctions.

Ok, dress smart and look disinterested, why would anyone show any interest at an interview that they have no interest in the job they are being interviewed for