I have learnt the it is the governments intention to allow learndirect ( a profit making college that sells educational courses) to force the unemployed to take its courses and pay for them out of their benefits whether they want to take them or not or lose their entire benefits. I don't know about you but this looks to me like a massive failure of human rights and makes a mockery of any pretence that consumers are protected in the UK. How can they do this? This is like me arriving at your door to tell you that unless you buY this CAR/TV FROM ME YOU WILL LOSE YOUR INCOME BY LAW!

Hi all I'm getting JSA and am supposed to be on the work programme with Learn Direct. I was due to start with them before towards the end of last year but I secured a long term temp job so didnt have to go. That job has now ended and I'm back to signing on. I got told that I would have to go back on the Work Programme. I suddenly got two letters in quick succession saying that I'd failed to attend my Work Programme interviews and had to explain myself. Basically I live in village where we all have the same post code, there is a nunber 5 High St and I'm number 5 XX High Street so I never received anything and can only assume it was sent to the wrong address. I've always attended every interview the jobcentre has requested I attend, I'm applying for over 15/20 jobs a fortnight so it's not like I'm a shirker who isnt looking for work! I sent them the forms back and yesterday I should have been paid my JSA and my bank account is empty. I've not received any notification of not being paid and if they're not going to pay me I'm going to have to go and stay at my dads breaking their rules! So I have no money £10 left on my electric meter and no money. Sat for 25 mins on the phone this am trying to get through to find out what is happening but of course they're all on strike! I guess I try them again later today/tomorrow, but where do I stand? I can't go for no money for a month, I'd end up with no electric, no shower and no food. Any advice welcome x

Hi. Sometimes in December I have booked slot for Lite in the UK test (£50) charged in advance for it. At the test center I was told that I can`t take the test because my name given while registering on website does`t match the name on my passport. My name on the passport is ie. Peter Paul Smith, while registering I have only filled fields with first name, Piotr And surname, Smith - I have left middle name field blank because there was only *(star) next to first and surname fields.So I was sure it`s not needed. Also in 2011 I have booked the same test but was unable to take it at the time because I did`t have proof of address on me (thats fair enough. my mistake). When I showed for that test there was nothing wrong with my name, they were only unhappy with no proof of address. Now when you register on the website https://www.lituktestbooking.co.uk/eass/registrationPersonalDetails!input.action there is advice about the middle name, says if you have it you must include it while registering (there was no such advice in 2011, not even in December when my wife registered on website, they put it on recently.) In t&c only says: `If the following details are not correct on the day of your test, we may not allow you to take the test and we will not refund your test fee. Your name` I have complained to them but they refusing to refund the fee, what do you think, do I have any chance of winning that with them? I`m thinking of going small claim route if there is any chance of taking the money back from them, that rip off. Thanks