Hi all, I am struggling to get advice on this particular topic so any input is most helpful. I am 25, partner is 24 now but will be 25 at time of starting course. We would be undertaking a one year full time adult college course that would enable us to go on to higher education at uni. I am aware that we wouldn't be entitled to much at uni because of student loans etc but for the 1 year college course, if we both worked part time as well, would we be able to claim any kind of benefit to help with rent/housing costs or maybe working tax credits? I am currently classed as disabled, but undergoing treatment so hopefully won't be in a few months (i claim contribution based ESA and DLA) and partner is searching for work but is not claiming JSA at present. We live together independantly - no children and currently receive LHA and Council Tax Benefit. - any help much appreciated. Thanks.

Hi all, I need to send a subject access request off to these b******s and was wondering if anyone has a decent contact address for them. I only seem to have a PO BOX address on the letters and not sure if this is adequate for sending a SAR to? Thanks in advance people!

Hi Skintgirl, as Elche said, I think unfortunately their actions are not deemed to be illegal, just ethically and morally wrong (in my opinion). You say your condition has worsened. I think that possibly the only way you can put any come back onto your employer for all this is possibly a personal injury claim for your illness - if they have made it worse. If you could get this backed up by a doc etc I don't see why this shouldn't be a problem as this would not be reviewed by an employment tribunal. If you are in receipt of benefits you should be entitled to legal aid. Visit this website www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk/ If you contact them, they should be able to help you further and put you through for a free telephone legal consultation with an appropriate advisor. They're really helpful and definitely worth a call. Hope this helps. x

Hey guys, it's lovely how innocent people have to pay dearly and often for what seem to be regular corporate/HR/payroll screw ups! I used to be under the illusion that the 'little man' so to speak actually did have some protective rights in this country, but like so, so many others I have discovered that this is 99% never the case. That's a valid point about the overpayment provision, I'm sorry I missed that - I'm still quite new to all this. Luckily in my case my own contract clearly states rules about deductions and overpayments. I was wondering... are there any rules that state that an employer cannot drop an employees wage below the national minimum wage or anything similar? I don't see how the law reflects how people are supposed to live in this kind of situation. It just seems that an employers incompetence always prevails. The employer f***s up an employees pay, and the employer gets treated like dirt as a result. I understand that an employer has a right to recoup any losses such as this, but why do they have to be so harsh about it? Most employees are always going to be more than willing to sort these kind of situations out fairly as most employees will want to keep their job! I suppose that's listed under the threads 'life is just not fair people'. Gets me so angry!

Hi SkintGirl! Found your post lol! Your employer definitely does not sound very proficient when dealing with payroll do they! Do you have a contract? If so what does it say about decustions from wages? The employment Rights Act states that you must be informed in writing before any deductions take place and if they are a reasonable employer, they should let you make representation about frequency/amounts of deductions etc. The first thing I would do - and quickly, is send them a request for an itemised pay statement which you are entitled to under section 104 of the employment rights act 1996. You must give them 14 days to respond (and send it recorded delivery). If they do not respond to this, PM me and I can tell you where to go from there. Hopefully they will and then you will be able to see exactly whats been going on with your pay. If they have not given you any prior warning about the cock ups with your pay then you need to raise it in a formal grievance so you are following the correct procedure. Again, if you need help with this I have a great template you can use which quotes all the relevant legislation. Also, you stated you joined the company in June this year. Are you on a probationary period, disabled etc? Do you work full time or earn over £95 per week? The usual requirement is that employees are entitled to 28 weeks SSP. Hope this helps! Let me know any more info and I'll try and help where I can. x

Hi SkintGirl, thanks so much for your reply. Unfortuntely I have worked there less than a year and am aware that I can't go down the unfair dismissal route because of this. Although it seems very convenient that they have got rif of me now just over a month prior to me having been employed by them for 1 year! Nice! Was just wondering what you meant by me passing my probation? technically I didn't, as I went off sick just before I had chance to - did the fact that they kept me on til Nov act as an admission of me passing on their part? I also went back (due to pressure) for a few days but then went off again as they refused me occu health. Not sure if this means anything. When I did finally see occu health - the report I received from the doc was luckily 100% in my favour and did state that I am covered by DDA. I am also claiming DLA to answer your question. I'm so sorry to hear about your problems! Employers are such ******s!!! I had the same problem with SSP and am quite up to date on the law with this one if you need any help. Let me know!

Thanks

To who? Er thanks for your help but that's my point.

Hi all, I have tried to find an answer to this but can't seem to find anything anywhere! Wondering if you can help? Can an employer withold all SSP due to a 'suspected overpayment' whilst the employee is on long term sick, and still claim it back from the government? The reason I ask is because wouldn't this mean that in fact the company in question were getting twice the amount? ie: by keeping the SSP that was supposed to be paid to the employee and then still claiming it back from the government? (they would be getting twice the SSP wouldn't they?) I have had my wages witheld by my employer with no notification or proof whatsoever. They are in breach of their own contract and I am aware of my own situation legally regarding this but was just wondering if they can legally withold your ssp payments and then still claim it back. I'm currently off due to an RTA that wasn't my fault that has left me disabled and in need of further surgery, so not really off work by choice at the moment. Any help is massively appreciated! Thanks.

Hi all! I'm having a little situation as of late with my employers and am looking for some advice if anyone is able to help me? I had a nasty hit and run RTA a few months ago and received major damage to my arm requiring surgery and suffered quite a big loss of motion/Recovery time etc. I have been away from work approx 4 months in total now and am running into problems. I did try and go back a few weeks ago but found that my job had been given to a new member of staff, I was refused a phased return even though my doc had advised this, I was also refused a occu health assesment etc and THEN found that work was hurting me and was still in quite some pain with my arm which i need further surgery on in a few weeks anyway - so hence went off sick again. The whole experience was quite traumatic to be honest. When I went off sick again my employers told me that because I was one day away from completing my probatiobary period of 6 months before I had the accident, HR had told them that if I had more time off sick - ie; needed another operation, they would terminate my contract with immediate effect. I have valid sick notes to cover my whole sick period. Now my employers have asked me to attend a private medical assesment with a private doctor which I have agreed to, and then I have been asked to a 'Probation Monitoring Interview' afterwards. Hmm. Interesting. I'm guessing I'm going to get the chop but am feeling quite angry as none of this was my fault - I didn't want to have an accident and be away from work but it was all out my control. I was just wondering if they can do this? Seems very unfair - I've already lost my home and car because of this accident, didn't really want to lose my job too! Thanks in advance for your help!

sod it.

these bastards will always steal our money so why bother?

thanks for your reply. I thought they probably could do this to be honest, but always worth asking. bloody councils, i've never had a simple run with council tax - always a mess up at their end leaving me in dire financial straits as usual.

Do you have to pay council tax on a property that is un-banded? I have been living in the property since May and was informed upon registering to pay CT that the property was un-banded and payments would only commence when the valuation officer had banded the property. This has just happened and I have received a bill from the council for close to £700. Can they do this?

hi pizza maker, thanks for that, i'm aware of that but the council never put it through court and there never was a liability order - but they passed the debt onto the bailiffs anyway saying there was a liability order to collect on but obviously they were telling porkies. I was just wondering who I should report them to for this rather large faux pas?