I got a similar letter the other day. Lowell and EDF. Although my situation is a lot more complex.... it's a pretty old bill from uni days when I was in a house share. Someone evidently didn't pay what they had to now i've got a letter through. I had no idea and i've got no contact with those individuals anymore. I'm just going to ignore it. If i'm forced too i'll have to try set the record straight and tell them the situation but since these companies buy debt for pennies and chase whoever they can(they don't care if it's you or someone else who owes it) they can politely off. I'm more surprised EDF made no effort to contact me in this said time? it's been years....

Hi guys, I took part in a WCA not long ago (I've been on ESA WRAG for the last year and this was a reassessment). They found me fit for work but I hadn't been able to secure all my medical evidence in time so instead submitted it along with my MR and the decision was overturned and I got letter saying I had scored the 15 points. Now here is the confusing part..... before I had all my evidence (and could submit my MR) I had to claim universal credit for around 4-5 weeks. I didn't fit the gateway conditions but I didn't have a choice at the time. I wasn't informed I am living in a "Live service" area and should have claimed old style JSA instead of UC I was just told to claim UC, now that my decision has been overturned will I go back onto ESA or will they try keep me on UC? I'm concerned as it means I lose out on money and apparently will be subjected to harsher conditionality (And shouldn't be on UC in the first place). I don't even live in a full service area. Does anyone have any idea what will happen? or what my next steps should be? There wasn't a change in my circunstances at all I was just forced to wait for more medical evidence and then appeal the decision and had to make a claim for UC or i'd have been without money. Thanks in advance for any help. Universal credit is really making a big mess of things.

Just to add other information, when I phoned in last year (I think I had flu or something and I phoned in ill it was a while ago) I spoke to my Ingeus advisor and they never mentioned informing JSA, he just basically said yeah that's fine booked me another appointment. I'm confused why it has been different this time? when the receptionist said they have to inform JSA I was a little perplexed if i'm honest but just thought perhaps the protocol has changed? But it's just ended up in me feeling confused and receiving a sanction.

Hi guys, making this post for a friend of mine. Wondering if any of you awesome folks could offer some experience/helpful advice. So basically I was mandated to attend an Ingeus appointment last month, however on the day of my appointment I was suffering with a terrible migraine (I get them occasionally and they can be quite bad). I have phoned in sick before and never had a problem (I think last time I missed an Ingeus appointment was last year). However I phoned in sick this time on the day of my appointment early in the morning (my appointment was some time in the afternoon I think) explaining I was ill and if it would be possible to rearrange. I rang them and tried to speak to my advisor but he was busy so I spoke to the receptionist at the main desk on the phone said that would be fine but they would have to inform JSA that I was phoning in ill and missing my appointment which I said OK that's fine. Fast forward a week later after I phoned in I got a letter in the post from JSA with a page of questions just asking why I was off ill, who I spoke to, did I phone in before hand etc? 6 or so questions just asking me to state the reason I missed the appointment. I filled it all in explaining the situation exactly and sent it off thinking that would be the end of it. Some time passes and I now get a letter saying they are stopping my JSA for 4 weeks "We have now decided that you did not comply with the requirements of the scheme to which you have been referred and that you did not have sufficiently good reasons for doing so". What are my next steps here? I know you are allowed 2 periods of sickness in a a year up to a maximum of 2 weeks each. I've had no other periods of sickness this year. I phoned in ill as I've done in the past last year as normal. Yet now they've acted like I did not phone in and just skipped my appointment and sanctioned me. As I said i've not been ill at all this year and attending my JSA appointments etc as normal. I have always followed the rules correctly so I just don't understand how they can sanction me? it seems to be a case of shoot first ask questions later.... Thanks for any help.

This is very disappointing indeed. But nothing I think we don't already suspect. We've been hearing a long time about sanction targets etc, to me it's just disgraceful. I understand the need to have conditionality attached to benefits to encourage people off them. But looking to actively deprive people of money to be able to eat and pay their bills is disgusting. The DWP continue to deny it despite MANY ex employees coming out and confirming these rumours.

Yep I thought as much, it's a method to massage figures. Shock horror.... I looked it up myself.

I've also looked into MWA a bit more and to be honest I wasn't given appropriate reason to be sent on it I feel.... all my advisor said was a gap in your cv becoming a problem etc well someone made a FOI request to the DWP to detail who is appropriate for MWA and apparently that is not a good enough reason to refer a claimant.... dentifying claimants suitable for MWA 1. The following JSA claimants must not be referred to MWA:  young people aged 16 and 17, as the primary focus for this age group is education and training  those participating in the Work Programme. 2. Other than that, it is at the Advisory Team’s discretion whether to refer a JSA claimant to MWA, bearing in mind the policy intent as detailed below. 3. A JSA claimant potentially suitable for MWA is one identified through the work targeted interview process as lacking, or failing to demonstrate, the focus and discipline necessary to effectively:  seek out and pursue job opportunities  secure and retain employment. 4. As MWA places are limited, it is imperative the provision is deployed appropriately. Where the primary barrier to a claimant finding work is a lack of focus and discipline on their part, MWA has the potential to help them. But where that lack of focus and discipline has a serious underlying cause, for example:  a significant disability (whether physical or mental)  a low level of basic skills  a chaotic lifestyle due to drug / alcohol misuse or where the primary barrier is something else altogether, for example:  a background that includes serious criminal convictions MWA participation would only be beneficial, and therefore appropriate, if it were deployed as a step within a structured approach designed to address the claimant’s multiple barriers. Deployed in isolation, or as the first or primary step, MWA would be wholly inappropriate. 5. It is debatable whether MWA is appropriate provision for claimants who are:  working (paid or voluntary)  undertaking employment related study / training  taking part in or recently completed a Jobcentre Plus employment-related measure (contracted or non-contracted) aimed at helping them move closer to the labour market therefore, in such circumstances it is imperative that Advisory Teams consider most carefully the merits of an MWA referral on a case by case basis. 6. MWA may be beneficial for a claimant that has recently received a labour market related sanction / disallowance, providing an opportunity for them to develop the skills, disciplines and behaviours sought by employers. (NB MWA must not be used as an alternative means of addressing conditionality doubts. If there are doubts about a claimant meeting JSA conditionality i.e. availability and actively seeking, those doubts must be addressed appropriately). 7. If a lack of recent work experience is proving to be a barrier to finding work for an otherwise well-focused claimant (even if they may be seeking out and pursuing job opportunities), Advisory Teams should seek to address this with the claimant by discussing the ways in which this experience could be gained - for example through Work Together, work experience or by pursuing volunteering opportunities. 8. Where a claimant is unwilling to address a lack of recent work experience, and Advisory Teams believe an MWA placement would address this barrier and help a claimant move closer to the labour market, they should consider if a referral to MWA is appropriate for the individual claimant. 9. MWA is not an appropriate means of providing recent work experience unless other options have been explored and are unlikely to lead to the removal of this barrier – for example, the claimant will / does not pursue options that would remove the barrier. 10. If a claimant is due to commence Work Programme (WP) provision within the next few weeks, Advisory Teams must consider seriously whether a referral to MWA is the best use of this limited resource. (NB In circumstances where a claimant approaching, or reaching, their WP entry point has previously failed to start, or failed to complete, a MWA placement, if the grounds for making the original referral remain valid then a further referral to MWA must take precedence over the WP referral i.e. a temporary exemption, using the criterion ‘customer on other suitable provision’, must be applied to the WP referral) 11. The final decision on a claimant’s suitability for MWA is one that must be made in consultation with a Work Services Manager e.g. a case conference approach. 12. To provide the necessary audit trail, it must be recorded as a LMS conversation that the required consultation has taken place. I bring in ample printed proof of my job search activities.... also it is not supposed to be used to generate work experience. So I'm questioning why I've just been sent on MWA randomly with no explanation? I may file a formal complaint against my advisor to be honest, she doesn't even check my work search log half of the time. What should my next steps be? I feel like this referral was more of a punitive measure rather than one aimed to help as It wasn't explained at all as I said how this is supposed to benefit me?

Hi guys, So 3 months ago I was made redundant from my job, it was a good run while it latest but I knew it'd be a sort of year or 2's worth of work. So I've been claiming for 3 moths and I assume I've just hit the 13 week marker this week for MWA (Says in guidance notes people are generally not referred before week 13). My advisor has instantly sent me on it and I've personally no idea why. When reading the MWA guidance it is for people who perhaps struggle with the discipline of a job etc, well none of thta fits me because I've been working before this for quite a while. I've just had a hard time finding work again as I've moved back to my home town and it's a small place not really much going on around here.... but I didn't have much of a choice. I don't understand how MWA is supposed to give me any useful experience. She just said it was because of a potential gap in my CV growing.... yeah like 4 weeks of random work will stop that. Has anyone gone through this and what should I expect? it says the maximum is 30 hours a week so I assume 6hrs of work a day? How do they expect me to continuously fill out application forms and write covering letters for "5 hours of jobsearch activity" whilst working near full time? Also what kind of placements can expect to do? it just says placements that offer "benefit to the community". I don't want to do something for 4 weeks I feel will offer me zero benefit....if it's something of use then that's fine I can just complete the 4 weeks but my worry is searching for work whilst doing it.

Yeah they tried last time I signed on till they were blue in the face.... I just gave in printouts to show I was actually applying for work, also applied for any jobs they gave me themselves. Maybe i'm just being paranoid but I refuse to use UJ just based on principle. I don't need big brother watching me any more than they already do. I found work before without UJ I will do it again, but they're like a dog with a bone and NEVER shut up about it.

I've got couple questions about UJ, I avoided ticking the box when I last signed on before I got a job and i'll probably do the same again, however I do know that they can mandate you to log in daily, if you don't tick the box for them to check your UJ account are they able to see this? (Cause i'll be honest there is no need to go on UJ daily... it's a bad website and most of the jobs are pinched off of reed / monster etc anyway). I'm just going to bring in printouts of jobs i've applied for as I have done in the past. Advice would be appreciated.

I've just signed up to jsa again after being in work the last year and half or so, must say the treatment on my first sign on was appalling.... instantly I was treated with contempt by my advisor. There has been a serious shift in attitude since I last signed on I've noticed. They are incredibly tough now and all for what?! I'm not completely sure. I was just made redundant yet I'm treated like trash on my 4th day signing on, was a little in shock to be honest :S. This 35 hours a week job search malarky makes no sense either? How do I log this. I just used to bring in print off's of my jobs I had applied for, usually 2-4 a day depending on how long it took to fill in application / do covering letter. I plan to do the same unless stated otherwise, and i'm DEFINITELY not signing up to UJM. I remember all the horror stories of advisors holding people to ransom using that system.... I've of course made a profile / public cv. It's all becoming rather draconian....

Did the rapid reclaim window only used to last 13 weeks? Yeah i'm looking around now, obviously there is no definite answer I will lose my job but it's just a possibility I have to think about. Indeed. Like me because I've had a few different temp positions over time.

Hi guys, not sure if anyone has any answers to this but I'd try ask anyway. I started some part some work 3-4 months ago, it was only meant to be a Christmas contract but I jumped at the chance. Just felt so much better to finally find something to do and it's because they were short staffed and really needed a van driver so they instantly offered me the job. Now my position apparently could end at any time they told me or they may keep me on it depends on the workload. It was only meant to last for a short period but they've kept me on longer already so I'll have to see. So it looks like I could end up back on JSA again unless something else crops up (which could be likely as I did relocate to try find more work). Basically I was wondering how long does it take for your claim to "Reset"? I was on post work programme support I think and would rather avoid it at all costs (obviously if my job ends no choice). If my claim resets at least I'll then again have a few months to find part time work again before being sent back to something. Does anyone have any info about this? I recall my advisor saying 3 months to me long ago but I can't be sure. Many thanks

Let me tell you the best part about MWA.... I did think people were being a little bit melodramatic saying how bad it was blah blah, I thought ok fair point let's see for myself. I went on MWA and did a stint in a RSCPA charity shop. I got speaking to some of the staff there who had been there long term, a couple years or more. A lot of them were saying how a whole lot of other long term staff were laid off not too long ago (Funnily enough when MWA began). So basically it seemed to me at least the RSPCA have been cutting paid jobs to make way for the forced unpaid labour.... Nice DWP, nice. Great scheme you've got there.

I'll have to look into this, I've just signed off for now losing a little money per week because it feels so good to not have to go to the job centre, if I need to make up the shortfall I'll have to sign back on I guess whilst working part time but I assume I'll be subjected to the same idiocy as I was when I was unemployed. If they start with bollocks such as community work placement or any of that I'll be signing straight back off....

Yeah MWA may be lesser of 2 evils, I did it and it lasts for 4 weeks, annoying but that was the end of it for me for a while.... didn't help me with anything. In your case having to sign on every day could last longer than MWA. However community work placement is a lot longer so try to avoid that.

So you have to do a reclaim of your HB? there isn't a form you can fill in to just switch over? I did it when I signed off for 3 weeks just filled in a nil income form and my claim carried on as normal. I mean nothing is changing i'm still earning just below JSA so I assume my HB entitlement won't change? Didn't know that, what does that involve?

Hi guys, I' really pleased I've landed a part time job, it's only 9hrs a week at the moment but weekends so I get a bit of bonus pay. It's better than nothing! I want to sign off JSA now it's been way too long. I'll lose a little money each week (I'll be earning near to jsa but not the same amount) but I really don't mind, i'm so glad I have to option to now sign off! I was wondering though, how do I go about dealing with rent benefit? obviously i'll still need to continue claiming that until I get more hours, what do you have to show the council / ask for when you tell them you are in part time work? Do you have to tell them you've signed on JSA and fill in a form or something of hours worked / income? Thankyou all!

Does anyone have any idea what other schemes are upcomming that the job centre can place you on.... I did a stint of MWA (Mandatory work activity) it wasn't so bad but didn't do anything to actually help me. Of course I just did it because I was told to. But I was wondering what other things I could potentially face? I've heard stories that there is now a supervised job search course that lasts 12 weeks. Apparently it's diabolical a guy say he went on it. He said he sat there pretty much the whole 8 hours just staring at a screen for 12 weeks because there were only so many vacancies he could apply for. Then there is the community work activity (Not sure of the name anyone correct me?) which is basically like mandatory work activity but lasts for 6 months full time! Obviously you are only at risk of being sent on this I assume if you are not applying for enough jobs / being active. But then again I feel like a lot of the time they dish out these courses as punishment more than anything. Does anyone have any idea what's on the horizon? My advisor said 3 months once if I recall, but i've also heard 6 months being thrown around.

bump for anyone else to input

Interesting, I should have asked this guy more questions but he said yeah JSA completely funded it for him and he was soon to start looking for security work when it comes through.

Around 350. Even if the DWP helped me to fund it with a portion that would probably be workable. It's pretty much guaranteed i'll find work, and to be honest the job centre have sent me on so many pointless health and safety courses etc (Which have not helped) that probably have costed more than just helping me fund an SIA....

Hi guys, Wondered if anyone has any info on this. I was offered door work last year through a friend but I lacked an SIA and I asked Ingeus about training for an SIA and they never got back to me. Fast forward to recently, well I've been offered work by my friend again this year but again I lack an SIA. However another guy who was on a course with me told me the job centre paid for his SIA (Or helped him fund it can't remember). Does anyone have any info about this? It's pretty much guaranteed work for me if I could get hold of a licence.

Thanks, I'll have to go to the council and tell them nothings changed then I guess in terms of income I've just signed off for a bit whilst I deal with other things then I'll probably sign back on.

MY thought exactly, I've been working 35 hours a week in a RSPCA charity shop. Then I hear they laid off all their paid shop floor staff a while back and now it seems to me they are just using JSA claimants now to staff their job entirely... there are no paid shop staff at all left.