Me and My benefits saga..

[lottiesnan]

I am currantly on JSA and some months ago i had a random call on my home phone ..The person on the other end said i had agreed to take part in a survey commissioned by the DWP...I dont remember having done this but agreed to answer the questions ...

 

Some were really quite personal and it took ages nearly 30 mins...At the end of it the lady i spoke to ,said i would receive a £5 high street voucher for my time and that i would be contacted again...

.

Never received the voucher but i had a phonecall this morning form the same dwp research asking for me to speak to them again.... I said no it was sunday morning and actually i didnt want to take part any longer in their survey...

 

The lady was quite abrupt and said but you have agreed.... I just said phone me later today because i cant be bothered with the hassle..... It is a withheld number ....

 

Is this actually ligitermate do the dwp allow people to cold call you.... Its making me quite anxious.... I would welcome your views on this please....

[ErikaPNP]

The DWP do use the telephone to conduct business and their telephones do with hold numbers, but I've never heard of them calling to perform surveys; that is normally done on paper and calling on a Sunday rings alarm bells with me.

 

What sort of personal questions did they ask of you? - Don't post the answers, just the questions.

[lottiesnan]

Well beside the usual name address etc

One of the most personal ones were ...Did i ever feel depressed........Have i ever comtemplated suicide... are my parent still alive.do they live close by... and loads of others... I remember them saying it was a research survey on behalf of the DWP...

I dont claim a sickness benefit only JSA

[lottiesnan]

They have just rang and i asked for more details and they are the The National Institute of Economic and Social Research ??

[leemack]

Personally, I don't give personal details over the phone to unsolicited callers. They could be anyone, and could claim to be anyone. It makes people annoyed when they call me and say 'I'm x can you confirm your date of birth and postcode' and I say no. If I've called them, or I'm expecting the call, then that's different.

 

If I were you I'd refuse to give further information and make a complaint in writing to the jobcentre that unsolicited callers have been asking for personal info based on details given out by the DWP - and that if you did agree to take part in a survey, the implications weren't fully explained to you and therefore you did not give informed consent, and now withdraw your consent.

 

You're under no legal obligation to take part in the survey, don't let them bully you.

[lottiesnan]

Thankyou for that advise.

I was made to feel like it was something i had to do as the caller became quite cross when i said i didnt want to take part...

[ErikaPNP]

No, no no!!

 

Next time you get a call from them, or anyone else purporting to be calling from the DWP, tell them that you will not be answering any personal questions over the telephone because you have no idea if they are who they say they are. If they want you to take part in a survey, they can get you to complete a form and hand it into your local jobcentre if you want to partake in it.

 

Leemack is spot on.

[lottiesnan]

Thankyou for the advise.

I told them lots of personal things last time and had i have had my wits about me i would have said this information bears no relevance to my JSA,

but i didnt ... I suffer quite badly with Anxiety Disorder and this sort of thing is enough to give me a panic attack....

So i will write a letter of complaint and pass that by hand to the Jobcentre i attend in the week...

Thankyou again ...This passing of information should not be allowed should it !

[flumps1976]

Up to the end of last week I did not receive any e-mails stating that there would be a nationwide teleohone survey. The DWP customer Service Managers at local job centres can use telephone interviews if we are trying to determine if a new process could be viable benefiting everyone but these are usually conducting in the office after your appointment or signing very rarely y telephone.

As far as I aware the DWP don't usually commision alternative parties to conduct surveys on their behalf as any information required can be collated during normal business hours.

This would alarm me and like the others I would refuse to divulge any information.

[45002]

The DWP do use the telephone to conduct business and their telephones do with hold numbers, but I've never heard of them calling to perform surveys; that is normally done on paper and calling on a Sunday rings alarm bells with me.

 

What sort of personal questions did they ask of you? - Don't post the answers, just the questions.

 

Not always,i had calls from DWP where a 0800 or 0845 number show up on caller display.

 

 

I simple wouldn't answer Any calls on my Landlines,that are "Withheld" showing up on caller display.

 

There again,i rent a wonderfully service from BT called

 

Anonymous caller rejection,well worth the extra rental i have to pay for this service.

 

http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8482/~/what-is-anonymous-call-rejection-and-how-do-i-use-it%3F

[ErikaPNP]

The phones automatically with hold numbers but there is a code that they can dial to make the number appear on a caller display which they will use if the caller does not accept anon calls.

 

I've asked the BDC's I deal with to do this for people who don't accept anon calls.

[flumps1976]

yes it's the 1470 option, I don't accept witheld numbers on my home landline but sales calls still get through ggrrr. The only problem using this facility from my own personal experience is that the customer keeps my direct line and will only ever call me then about every enquiry they have, (this is not always bewnefit related, I've been asked about business opening days and hours and if I could tell them the name of the take away just down the riad or the pub round the corner and they will be quite happy if I want to run out of te office to check for them!)

[lottiesnan]

I am currantly om Jobseekers allowance and have been for the last 3 months...

 

I am having a Scarf Bunionectomy on my right foot early October...Non weight bearing for two weeks ,Then light pottering and then it will be on average 8 to 12 weeks to be back to normal....

 

Then hopefully i will have the left foot done and repeat the process all over again...

 

My normal work is waitressing but my podiatrist says it could be up to a year to go back to that kind of work.... I lost my last job because of the problems i have with my feet...

 

Podiatrist tells me its a short procedure but long recovery

What do i do about my benefit...I would rather stay on JSA so i dont disrupt anything,but im going to be off for too long i think..

Would i have to cliam for employment Support Allowance??

And how do i migrate from one benefit to another...

I also suffer with anxiety and extreme low mood and so i have managed to blow this up out of all porportion as you do...!!

I read so much about people on ESA and the problems they have im just a little worried they wont be sympathic to just what a painful procedure this is and how long it can take to recover.....

Appreciate any advise x

[Nystagmite]

You can have up to 2 weeks of sickness with JSA. Any more and it's ESA.

[lottiesnan]

ESA it is then im going to be incapacitated for longer than 2 weeks .. I will ask when i sign on next how and when i have to change over...

[lottiesnan]

I had my 13 week review yesterday....He looked at my contract and added office work and receptionist on there!!

I have never done office work in my life...He then gave me two jobs to apply for. 70 mile round trip on 2 buses for both... Would mind the travelling but there are both minimum wage and it would cost me a fortune in fares...

 

It stipulates that you should have, up to date computer skills, conversant with microsoft office ,spread sheets etc and able to type ..

By then he has lost me as i have NONE of the required skills.............

 

But he insists that i have to email them with my CV that says i have worked in Catering and Support work???? He says to blag it!!

 

I then tell him that i have an operation pending ,early october when i shall be off JSA and claiming ESA for around 8 to 12 weeks depending on recovery time.....

He then says Well dont tell them at any interview you may get?? I ask him what happens if i get the job and have to be on sick for 12 weeks...His reply was ...You cross that bridge when you come to it???

Surley they would sack me if i started work and a week later went of sick for an operation i knew i was having??

He then goes onto tell me that i should apply for xmas jobs at royal mail on monday when they are advertising... The are taking on oct through to jan ..... It says on the website Must have driving license with no more that 6 points on......... I dont have a License... And onec again this is the time frame i shall be off sick...With a foot operation so will hardly be in a position to be pounding the streets as a postman..

This so called review has worried the hell out of me......He is making me apply for jobs that are totally unsuitable,One of the posts i have to email says office junior...Im 54!! im going to look throughly silly:sad:

I have emailed them both and attached CV because thats what ive been told to do...But i wonder what he is going to do at my next interview on the 6th of october....

[worried parent]

Sorry but is this to wind us up. Do not believe the job centre would expect people to apply for a job that required driving when you do not have a license. Also the distance is completely wrong for travel.

[huggys boss]

I wouldn't worry about it.

Do as he says, apply for the jobs. If you get through to the interview stage, attend if you can and be honest.

It is not your fault if you are unsuitable for the positions he is sending you for.

[lottiesnan]

I have done this and believe me if he hadnt have had such a serious look on his face i would have thought it was a wind up...The office work is 35 miles from me one way....A distance he says is do able as we do have a fairly efficient albiet expensive bus service....

 

The post office work when i reiterated i do not have a license,he said tp apply they may have other jobs on offer besides driving...

 

I will do as im asked and just play along with what he says however ridiculas and try not to worry .

[seen this before]

what your saying is becoming more common,to restrictive exe this usually arises at the point of signing where there is a issue with the jobs available on the system its someone's point of view not requirements.however it must reflect your abilities and reasonable travelling distance the agreement need to be 39 hours only if left blank this exposes you to shift work.

 

you should have stood firm on your requirements and abilities,the travel time is one hour from your door those without their own transport are held back one hours travelling time isn't far.you may wish to refer here.

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/18/section/6

[Nystagmite]

the travel time is one hour from your door

 

I was told after 13 weeks, it's 90 minutes. That is what was written on my agreement (13 week thing) and then was change back to one hour last week

 

Surley they would sack me if i started work and a week later went of sick for an operation i knew i was having??

 

If I was an employee, I wouldn't be happy if you said after one week you're going to be having an operation that means you're going to be off for 8-12 weeks.

 

He shouldn't be making you apply for unsuitable jobs. With my previous adviser, it was always "can you do this job?" and he'd read out the requirements and where it was. (can't drive either)

[seen this before]

two advisor's tried to remove my distance from home that was made under the reasonable adjustments requirements.previously as the jobseekers act states this was wrong on their part.

 

its important not to let people make up their own laws/rules as they see personally for the above reasons.

[lottiesnan]

Yep mine has just risen to 90 minutes travelling time......I dont know why he is pushing me so hard...Maybe there are targets to be made... I will do everything that is asked of me but i wont lie ... Hopefully i will get my operation date soon ...Because i really feel in a little limbo till then...

In all honesty i thought as soon as i showed him the letter saying i was having surgery in the next few weeks he would back off till it was all over and done with...

He also put me down to work any hours.. And asked me to think about changing my email address because in his opinion it wasnt professional...Funny that because everytime i have signed on whoever has dealt with me have had a little chuckle and said its a cracker!!

[malcolmmirt]

Where do you live? Is there really nothing better within 90 minutes travelling time??

[osdset]

DWP advisors will tell you to apply for inappropriate positions, I was directed to a part time delivery driver job with Iceland, my jobseekers agreement stated that I am a time served Carpenter / Joiner with ten years site management experience, I refused the offer point blank on the grounds that part time work was not appropriate and I had no delivery driving experience, and "what part of Carpenter / Joiner don't you fecking understand?" You will also be expected to travel for a maximum of 90 mins to and from work (3 hour round trip) fare costs are not an issue with the DWP after all what else have you got to spend your weekly £67.50 on? Utility bills and food cost do not exist in the world of the DWP, and as for replacement clothing... ha ha don't make us laugh what do you think charity shops are there for?

If you want my advice play along with the charade send off CV's it's not difficult to word a CV in such a way that no employer will invite you to interview, in fact you probably won't get to interview stage anyway as there will be hundreds of applicants in front of you!