You do not need to just apply for teaching jobs surely? I have three jobs on my job agreement

I used to think that but was told having your own car is irrelevent.
It isn't taken into account with your job search. I was told by a JSA adviser on this forum that the 60 or 90 minutes travelling time on your agreement was based on local public transport.

True but it also depends on where you live. Some rural locations just don't have public transport at any decent hour so it would then have to be based on travel by car....but not neccessarily at high speeds on a motorway. 90 minutes could get you quite a few miles away.

A village near me only has 2 outward buses at 9:30 and 10:30 to town taking 30 minutes and 1 return bus leaving town at 2:30. Utterly useless for any job so a car is definitely required....and it's only 5 miles from town....a 15 minute drive....they could say get a bike and cycle in to town as that would only take 30 minutes to an hour depending on fitness. Although it is possible to walk it in 90 minutes. And if the job pays well enough then a taxi can get to town in about 15-20 minutes or so for £8.50 each way. A taxi is a form of public transport albeit an expensive one.

I've been applying for a few local jobs but getting rejected flat out. It's their fault I've got no money as they delayed my JSA payment.
The money isn't mine to spend now. My parents have it in a savings account which can not be accessed by me at all until I have a job. In a sense it is not my money but is.
The money was less of an issue than the time! They gave me little to no notice so I couldnt organise to borrow the money (my parents are away at the moment and I am looking after my sister and the house and pets) so I can't just run off at such short notice. I also had prior commitments today such as doctors appointments for medication that I have been desperatly in need of and some other less than nice appointments (not filling details, lets just say VERY unpleasent)


I am just applying for teaching jobs at the moment. That could change tomorrow when I see my advisor for the first time though. Dreading it. I am still focusing on teaching as that is what I am trained to do.

Local public transport sucks lol. Just my opinion of our local system anyway

I agree. Our local system isn't great. I can go to the nearest cities within approx 60 mins. Whereas local town it is quicker to walk the 45 mins than get the bus!

Silly me double posted it

Do you want that job?

If so, then re-schedule the interview and get them to say in writing whether or not they pay interview travel expenses. Then you can get the Jobcentre to pay, but only if you ask them BEFOREd travelling to the interview.

@Voyager2002 - They dont pay interview expenses. Job centre have told me there is no help. I asked about rescheduling but they flat out refused.

You can? I have been told there is no funding for travel.

THats what they told me too

I agree that having your own transport whilst living in a village location will obviously improve your jobsearch, however if you have your own transport you should get treated the same way in your job search as someone with no transport. I.E they will not sanction you for not applying for jobs outside of public transport hours if you have your own car.

To reiterate the 30,60,90 minute jobsearch is based on the availability of local public transport and includes walking to the bus stop etc. I don't think using taxi's or getting a bike would come into it.

That isn't going to happen. I could not choose to live in that village 5 miles out of town with no public transport then lose my job and expect to be on jobseekers allowance for the rest of my life as the number of jobs in the village are about 5 and they are all filled by long term employees.

If you read the Decision Makers Guide regarding Good Cause and Travelling Time. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/m-20-12.pdf then it implies that someone living in a rural location is expected to have more travel time than someone living in a town with good public transport links. Especially the quote "the travelling time is normally one and a half hours or more each way by a
route and means of travel which is appropriate to the claimant!!!8217;s
circumstances". It doesn't mention bus only it says a means of travel appropriate to the client and that implies anything such as walking, cycling, taxi's anything....and also "Paragraph 6 does not mean that where normal travelling time from home to work and back would exceed an hour and a half each way, the claimant will have good cause. Some examples of where it may be reasonable for the claimant to travel for more than an hour and a half either way include where the claimant 3. lives in a remote location in which people usually have long journeys to work."

Also the travel time is 90 minutes each way. However, in another DMG the cost of using the transport can be offset so taking the job has to actually be worth it. You wouldn't neccessarily spend £17 a day on taxi's and/or train tickets for a minimum wage job 90 minutes away as you could easily be worse off than staying on JSA.

if the jobs not going to cover your rent and normal living expenses i don't see how they can sanction you for that,as the job cent-re would be putting you at a financial disadvantage,with their mentality though they wouldn't care,

I'd tell the people offering me an interview that you are unable to afford the train fare, you never know they may say they will pay for it. Otherwise just don't tell the JC anything, if you're only just signing on they're not going to start ringing up people at this early stage to see if you've applied, it generally happens once you've been signing on for a bit and if they are suspicious. Then if they do say anything just simply say you had no money as you have no JSA, in the highly unlikely event it went to sanctioning you can just appeal against it, surely no sane person would fail to see what a ridiculous situation this is to be in.

"surely no sane person would fail to see what a ridiculous situation this is to be in."

Elvisia you are so right!

Unfortunately the people running this country and the ones before have no appreciation of what its like to be backed into a corner , though in the majority of cases its no fault of their own.

Jobcetnre plus are very keen to place peolple into very low paid temporary positions .Anyone whos had to take a temp job and been claiming housing benefit will know the total nightmare that begins when doing this.They will soon scrap the jsa agreement and remove all rights,thats the way this system is going as its easy to shaft the unemployed.

I have a similar situation myself to contend with like HappyMJ and its giving me sleepless nights,apparently i have to go for an interview and if offered the job have to take it,its absolutely mental as i will then become homeless due to lack of funds to meet my rent etc.

Really don't know which way to turn.