not sure how to title thread but I'm a little confused and have quick few questions I need cleared up looked on NatWest website and it's all just trying to get you to get an overdraft.... What I'm wondering is this, I have 2 bank accounts, one of them is a select NatWest account and it's one I pay all my bills out of and I keep it DELIBERATELY empty aside what needs to go out of the account (It's my main card I use all over the place online etc it's a visa debit). I've no idea if this account can go overdrawn or not? so for example say I'm a victim of card fraud on this account and it has 20 quid in. Can only 20 quid be nicked and other payments will be refused because not enough money in my account? or will the blasted account just go overdrawn and lump me with hundreds of quid missing because I don't have some stupid "overdraft limit" basically I just don't want anything to do with an overdraft. Also how do NatWest deal with card fraud on a debit card if it occurs? anyone chime in? It seems I have to apply for an overdraft then set an overdraft limit... which would be 0....but from my reading that seems only way to make sure my account doesn't go overdrawn? because without a control it will just go overdrawn and I'll get unarranged overdraft fees. It seems as if they want you to get knocked into your OD accidentally or via fraud. I just don't want my account to have ability to go overdrawn at all. I don't want the ability for any money other than my own to leave my account.

something is wrong with your claim, unless you are missing the full story. If you leave your job it used to be roughly a sanction of 6-13 weeks not 3 years? you have to commit 3 offenses to get the maximum sanction. First it's 6 week sanction, then 13 week sanction and only then is it 3 years.

I've had other advisors before in fact a few different ones and NONE of them have been like this at all. She was off sick the other week as well and I had a different advisor then again and they were totally fine.

I've recently moved JSA offices due to moving house and have been assigned a new advisor. I don't feel particularly comfortable dealing with her as she seems to get personally involved and throws sanctions threats around willy nilly rather then actually helping me. I was recently made to go on a ''opportunity'' as she put it with capita in which they interview for a place and if you pass they train you for a few weeks and offer you a job interview at the end. She told me it was mandatory to attend which I later found out was not. On the following advisor meeting she told me I did not get a place resulting in her getting really ****ed off and threatening me with more sanctions, saying she would investigate it further with the interviewers acting as if messed up the interview on purpose or something. She also lied and tried to force me to sign up to UJM and told me I could be sanctioned if I didn't give her access.... which of course was a total lie. She's just getting worse as well and seems determined to sanction me for no reason? I always bring in evidence I've applied for jobs print off of emails etc. But she purposely on the spot constantly and makes me feel uncomfortable for no reason. Has anyone had any similar experiences? also is it possible to change JSA advisors and how would I do it? Or any further advice on what to do such as writing a letter of complaint or something? Thanks

This is utterly ridiculous. How can people get jobs that don't exist!? also some people just lack qualifications and its hard for them to find a job ITS JUST THE WAY SOCIETY IS! what makes us first world is that fortunately a person like that doesn't end up in the street and can live at least a baseline existence. They want to turn this place into the next Somalia, you know what happens to poor people with no hope? they turn to crime pure and simple.

Exactly my issue, they made UJ sound mandatory and didn't mention fact you don't have to tick the box... then I'm told to stop keeping job journal? Brb sanctions...?

Yeah, I told them to change my mobile cause I couldn't afford it any more (lie) to my landline so I don't have voicemails telling me to attend crapp.... they can send me a letter.

Is UJM website mandatory yet? They keep pressuring me to sign up, To be honest with you I don't want to store any job details electronically on some system.... Charlotte how do you show your advisor you've applied for jobs? I use the job journal but they told me it's being phased out I have to do it all online.

The universal job match thing is interesting, I was told by my advisor I have to sign up to UJ and then give them access.... not at one point did she mention it is not mandatory. I'd rather not have them snooping in my account to be honest with you. Is it mandatory to sign up to UJ yet?

What form does that information take? I have only ever been following my job seekers agreement, and no other advisor has ever said anything aside this one. I mean I may be back to my usual advisor next week so it'll be interesting to see what she says. Ingeus also never made me just apply for anything.

I don't think its mandatory yet to sign up to it? I'm not sure though...

Yeah seems they are getting really strict, but I'm unsure how it's really going to help anyone anyway.... also the tactics of not informing claimants is really bad. I can't quite believe this is a government department and it's a total shambles, ingeus are no better saying that though.

Your story sounds very similar to mine, see my thread I just posted, seems they are pulling dirty tricks out the bag... that's impression I get. But you are very right not to agree to do anything you DON'T have too. As long as it is not mandatory and you can't be sanctioned for it.

Hi, Quick question to all of you who have had the wonderful experience of being bullied to register on this website I've got some points that need clearing up. I went into JSA today and saw a different advisor, normally they don't mention anything about my job search or universal job match. Today I was told by a different advisor randomly I need to broaden my job search to apply for any jobs as I've been on JSA a while including any jobs I can find like cleaning etc. Now I'm not trying to be an ass here and pretend I'm too good for anything however the jobs I'm applying for are what I have experience in sales/admin etc. so I'm not about to just randomly apply for a job firstly I have no experience in and I don't even want to do... I'm under the impression you only have to apply for jobs listed on your jobseekers agreement and apply x times a week. I was then told oh you have to sign up for universal job match too and tick the boxes to give us access to your account (now I'm aware you DON'T have to give them access to your account) but of course she makes no mention of this. Seems the DWP are starting to play dirty tactics not telling you things are not mandatory. Am I wrong here? The letter even says "it is PREFERABLE if you give us access to your UJ account" I don't see mandatory anywhere... basically all I've been doing is using a job journal as normal writing company name I applied for and position and it's been fine with my other advisor. So how have you guys handled this? I have good social acuity so I usually just talk my way out of situations and bull**** they feed me and I'm too aware to fall for their crapp, ingeus tried the same thing making me sign a data protection waiver. I feel bad for people who are less clued up and fall for these underhanded tactics... Generally UJ isn't really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, however in my life having a basic understanding of legal rights I NEVER EVER sign anything or agree to anything I don't need too and to be honest it's a very good rule of thumb. Even if whatever it is I'm signing may be harmless. Edit: Also just noticed the massive UJ thread, stupid me not keeping an eye out, however my questions are pretty specific so it'd be good to get some tailored responses. Thanks

That's my thinking, they were asking for my CV and all sorts and I'm like noooo cause I know what they try do. Send your CV to employers to shack you up in any crappy job. That's why I just want to avoid them long as possible without sanction.

more importantly they have my wrong address on their system still.... so it's obvious they still arn't sending letters to right place, I haven't been to ingeus in months but I Decided to phone em back to not risk sanction so I told em my new address, and now they still obviously havn't sorted it so I'm wondering if I can continue to avoid them.

Hi guys, Bit of advice, ingeus have my wrong address on their system and I've told them my new address via phone 2-3 weeks ago, my advisor said he'd make my appointment and make a note where to send the letter too. And said my appointment would be sometime on the Friday which I was thinking ok no problem. Fast forward to now again they have not sent the letter and I'm just trying to avoid going anyway to be honest because ingeus is a waste of time. I got a text not long ago saying my appointment was tomorrow at 1pm, and I was thinking well you've not sent me a letter? Am I right in understanding if no letter is issued the appointment is purely voluntary? and if it did come to it and ingeus say to JSA I didn't attend if I got sanctioned could I get it over turned? it is my understand that any appointment ingeus make has to be followed by a letter/MAN 2 days later.

I really hope you are right and it does not get implemented.

Just wondering what all of you are thinking about UC? From the start I have not believe one bit of **** talking by the government claiming UC was to "make things simpler, to save money, to make the process more streamlined and pay job seekers monthly like a real job" I believe those are all just outrights lies and there is more to this system than they are letting on, such as bringing in part time workers under JSA sanction regimes and trying to put them onto workfare. Also post any links to useful information about UC.

bump anyone else have any more input?

That's what I was thinking, it's all clear on my statements who it's come from no income from anywhere aside my mum (which is says her name on the statement), and then payments out to the friend I had debt with. That is it.

Hi question guys, I've been claiming housing benefit since last year, all has been normal up until recently. JSA basically had my wrong address on their system for ages now Leeds council have suspended my claim asking for statements from the last year (when I moved in basically). They seem to think I've been committing benefit fraud because jsa screwed up. Now I'm worried having to supply such a LARGE volume of statements. To make it clear I have not been working or earning anything. However.... I have had income coming into my account, not regularly but very occasionally I had a large sum of money I borrowed off my mom to pay a friend back (£2000). Purely the money that came in was from a family member and any money that was outgoing (Aside from bills) was too the friend that I owed. Then there were something like 3-4 payments of £50 from my mum helping me out because I was very low on money (life saver). now what will Leeds council say when they see this? I'm worried they will try and say I've received an income and cut my housing benefit / order me to pay some back when genuinely none of that money has gone into my own pocket only in and out. If that happens I am totally screwed. My account is literally almost empty now because I haven't received payments while my claim has been suspended. So what is classed as income?

Dammnit!! I probably could have kept ignoring them then. I thought oh crapp if they sent it to my old address I could be sanctioned, but their system did have my old address on it said on phone and I had been living in new property for 8 months. JSA didn't send them relevant info. I was employing aversion tactics on ingeus because they did nothing but waste my time and I have to travel so far to get in for it. He did say on phone to me when I missed that appointment "oh it was voluntary so it won't effect your benefit" when he did say that I did clock it and think hmmm what? I didn't know ANYTHING ingeus was voluntary. He phoned me loads of times over 8 months saying oh I'll send you a letter for your next appt and never got one so carried on as normal. But as I said this time he said he'd make me an appt month later I got phone call on day it was supposed to be and he said i'd missed it. So I assume that he just kept forgetting to make me appointments. Makes sense now though, I'm moving house in 2 months so maybe I can pull this off again. ha-ha we'll see. Obviously it's just risky and I was thinking sanction could happen any time. Rather get part time work to be fair.

Consider it dropped.

I had this issue, They were sending letters to my old address I think, what do you think would have happened to me if I continued to ignore them? (they used to phone leave voicemails i'd never phone back not sure if he forgot to make appts and actually sent letters). I didn't go to ingeus for 7 months roughly it seems JSA didn't give ingeus my new address and they said they aren't allowed to update it on their system only JSA can send them something to do so. Reason I phoned them today is this time I think he did actually make me an Appt and then phoned me on day saying I had missed it which he never did in past so I was like oh crapp I better sort it now and ring them back. I thought if they leave voicemail on your phone etc. or anything like that means they've made you an appointment and if you miss it you are in for a sanction? Only reason I phoned them today because I was worried of a sanction but they have my old address on their system still so I was worried that they would say oh well we sent a letter but you didn't attend boom sanction.