After the Work Programme

lakes17 · 4 May 2014 at 10:10AM

topaztiger1983 wrote: »

I have an interview for a voluntary job at a local charity shop next week so maybe they will leave me alone more, as the have said that the positively encourage voluntary work, before anyone says anything I know I have to declare it, My interview is on the 12th May & I have an appointment at JCP on the 13th May so I will tell them then if I know I have got the job

Good luck with your interview you're taking the right steps towards gaining paid employment. Just a word of caution though - the JC will still expect you to perform the same level of job seeking as detailed in your agreement to continue receiving JSA. They can still sanction you if they feel that you're not keeping to your side of the bargain.

topaztiger1983 · 4 May 2014 at 10:25AM

yeah I known, but maybe they won't ask me to go on so many silly courses

donnajunkie · 4 May 2014 at 4:28PM

topaztiger1983 wrote: »

yeah I known, but maybe they won't ask me to go on so many silly courses

if you are lucky maybe but probably not. they have still been sending me and my fellow volunteers on stupid courses that clash with our voluntary work. they may look on you more favourably and be less likely to make you do workfare because of your volunteering.

topaztiger1983 · 5 May 2014 at 9:18AM

topaztiger1983 wrote: »

I have an interview for a voluntary job at a local charity shop next week so maybe they will leave me alone more, as the have said that the positively encourage voluntary work, before anyone says anything I know I have to declare it, My interview is on the 12th May & I have an appointment at JCP on the 13th May so I will tell them then if I know I have got the job

I have just realised that the interview is on the 14th, not the 12th so I will tell JCP that I have an interview, then I will let the know as soon as I know if I have the job

donnajunkie wrote: »

if you are lucky maybe but probably not. they have still been sending me and my fellow volunteers on stupid courses that clash with our voluntary work. they may look on you more favourably and be less likely to make you do workfare because of your volunteering.

That sounds about right for JCP, to be honest I want to volunteer as I can't find any paid work as I do not have any recent work experience, also it is nice to make a difference to a local charity & I want to feel like I am doing something for my money, so volunteering is a great opportunity & I will be looking to work for them 9-5 Mon-Sat until September & and then when I am at college from September (2.5 days a week), I will be looking to keep working for them for the other 3.5 days a week, so all in all I think that kind of commitment should hopefully help me to find paid work in the future

donnajunkie · 5 May 2014 at 3:54PM

topaztiger1983 wrote: »

That sounds about right for JCP, to be honest I want to volunteer as I can't find any paid work as I do not have any recent work experience, also it is nice to make a difference to a local charity & I want to feel like I am doing something for my money, so volunteering is a great opportunity & I will be looking to work for them 9-5 Mon-Sat until September & and then when I am at college from September (2.5 days a week), I will be looking to keep working for them for the other 3.5 days a week, so all in all I think that kind of commitment should hopefully help me to find paid work in the future

they just want to annoy people. if you didnt want to do voluntary work they would be telling you to do it. so when they get people who do want to to do it they send them on stupid courses that clash with it.
you wont be allowed to do more than 16 hours per week by the way.

topaztiger1983 · 5 May 2014 at 4:07PM

Thought you can do any hours if it is voluntary

Volunteering while getting benefits

What if I get State benefits?

We know that volunteering can give you a much better chance of finding paid work.
So you can volunteer as many hours as you like while you’re getting benefits as long as you keep to the rules for getting them

The basic rules

The basic rules are that if you get Jobseeker’s Allowance, you will still need to
be looking for paid work. You must be free to go to an interview if we give you 48 hours' notice. You must be able to start work within one week of us giving you notice

Jobseeker’s Allowance

You can still be a volunteer and get Jobseeker’s Allowance as long as you:
• follow the basic rules for volunteering
• are still actively looking for a full-time paid job
• are available for work (or treated as being available for work)
• are still able to go to an interview at 48 hours' notice
• are still able to start a job at one week's notice, and
• let Jobcentre Plus know before you start, and tell them about any expenses you may get

That is from a leaflet I found from JCP

donnajunkie · 5 May 2014 at 4:15PM

topaztiger1983 wrote: »

Thought you can do any hours if it is voluntary

Excerpt from Volunteering while getting benefits

What if I get State benefits?

We know that volunteering can give you a
much better chance of finding paid work.
So you can volunteer as many hours as
you like while you’re getting benefits as
long as you keep to the rules for getting
them

The basic rules

The basic rules are that if you get
Jobseeker’s Allowance, you will still need to
be looking for paid work. You must be free
to go to an interview if we give you 48
hours' notice. You must be able to start
work within one week of us giving you
notice

Jobseeker’s Allowance

You can still be a volunteer and get Jobseeker’s Allowance as long as you:
• follow the basic rules for volunteering
• are still actively looking for a full-time paid
job
• are available for work (or treated as being
available for work)
• are still able to go to an interview at 48
hours' notice
• are still able to start a job at one week's
notice, and
• let Jobcentre Plus know before you start,
and tell them about any expenses you
may get

That is from a leaflet I found from JCP

unfortunately they employ alot of *ankers who will insist you cant do more than 16 hours. so unless you are willing to put up with all the hassle of complaining etc then you may have to accept just doing 16 hours.
of course if you ignored the rule and did more than 16 hours you are unlikely to get found out but it is risk.

topaztiger1983 · 5 May 2014 at 4:22PM

Well I have an appointment at JCP the day before my interview, so I will ask my PWPS advisor to see what she says, best I can do

I would not want to risk it as I have been given a warning about working while on benefits, "benefit fraud", even though that was in 2008 (I was working on benefits & I told them the truth so Igot away with a slap on the wrist), so I would not want to get caught doing anything that I could get in trouble for

Jerry_Mander · 5 May 2014 at 5:55PM

ray1971 wrote: »

There are no plans at the moment to implement the help to work scheme for existing stock PWPS claimants.The new scheme will only apply to claimants completing the WP post 28th April 2014.
HTH.

What's your source for that ray?

There are a lot of rumours that that's the case but I've seen no concrete, DWP-sourced documentation to back it up.

topaztiger1983 · 6 May 2014 at 5:43PM

I have spoken to JCP today & they said they could not see why I could not work as many hours as I wanted (voluntary), also they said it was nice to see someone doing something without being "forced" by them

Also I have had contact with a company in Leeds & they want me to go for an interview next week, so I may not start my voluntary job, but still I am going to keep my options open

After the Work Programme

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