Universal Credit Sanction?

MoodyMand45

Unfortunately my job coach is sanctioning me for refusing to apply for a zero hours contract job, i decided to refuse over concerns about paying my rent and bills but the coach says this is a high level offence and will be a 91 day hit.
This is the same coach i have had issues with in the past, i do have an Interview for a full time job next week but she doesn't care saying refusal of any work is unacceptable.
I assume i will lose all money for the period as i doubt mandatory reconsideration will overturn it.
Does anybody know what i should do at this stage?

tomtom256

Have you agreed to look for and take up any work within your commitments?

If you have, then yes potentially you could face a sanction and it would bedown to a decision maker and not your work coach, if and for how long you would be sanctioned for.

Spoonie_Turtle

MoodyMand45 said:

Unfortunately my job coach is sanctioning me for refusing to apply for a zero hours contract job, i decided to refuse over concerns about paying my rent and bills but the coach says this is a high level offence and will be a 91 day hit.

Wanting something more reliable than a zero hours contract is understandable, but can you explain your reasoning here?  If you took a zero hours contract your UC wouldn't stop unless you earned enough for that anyway.

marcia_

 I would have just applied and played dumb so i was not offered the job 

MoodyMand45

Spoonie_Turtle said:

MoodyMand45 said:

Unfortunately my job coach is sanctioning me for refusing to apply for a zero hours contract job, i decided to refuse over concerns about paying my rent and bills but the coach says this is a high level offence and will be a 91 day hit.

Wanting something more reliable than a zero hours contract is understandable, but can you explain your reasoning here?  If you took a zero hours contract your UC wouldn't stop unless you earned enough for that anyway.

I see, i suppose i was thinking it worked similar to JSA but i'm not sure.

MoodyMand45

marcia_ said:

 I would have just applied and played dumb so i was not offered the job 

I wished I'd done that now!

Spoonie_Turtle

Is there time to still apply?

calcotti

MoodyMand45 said:?..i decided to refuse over concerns about paying my rent and bills

Had you taken the job you would still have got your existing UC award in any months in which you received no hours of work. In months when you got some hours your earnings would have reduced your UC but your overall income would have been higher than for UC alone.

MoodyMand45

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Is there time to still apply?

Yeah i wonder if i could do that and use it in an appeal to prove i did apply.

Brie

I'm wondering what the circumstances were.

Was it a "you must apply for this" from the coach and you said "no, I can't, how will I pay my rent??" and the coach replies "do it or be sanctioned".   If so then I think you could say "now I've had the chance to think about it I will apply rather than be sanctioned".  

I've got to say I've got a lot of respect for people who need to exude a severe attitude because they are dealing with a lot of individuals who may not be willing to work.   The unfortunate flip side is that they get so used to being dictators that they can't then show any empathy for others.  I hope you get this sorted.

calcotti

MoodyMand45 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Is there time to still apply?

Yeah i wonder if i could do that and use it in an appeal to prove i did apply.

If you can still apply I think that should end the sanction because you will have remedied the fault that gave rise to the sanction.