Job centre have stopped my JSA

[Perseus1]

Hope the job goes well and it may lead to something permanent!

 

I've always been put off doing just a couple of weeks work as in the past it was a right faff to get my claim back up and running again. I hope this 'rapid reclaim' thing is as good as it's name implies. I could never see why claims just couldn't be 'paused' for the duration of the temp work then activated again, with no change in circumstances. I thought that's what computers were good at?

 

I am the same here for seasonal jobs on the cards with no prospects. 50/50 it cause more grief than it is worth.

[louise2012]

Went to the agency this afternoon and didn't get the job.

[antone]

Sorry to hear that.

[louise2012]

Just an update, I went to the agency a few weeks ago and thought everything was sorted but Brook Street phoned me today to say the letter confirming the dates of when I was claiming JSA had expired as it now over 28 days old so have to contact the Job centre yet again to get an up to date letter

[louise2012]

I have been claiming contribution based JSA since September last year and as it's been over six months since I first claimed JSA. I have received letters about my NI contributions running out. Therefore, do I need to reclaim for income based JSA or will it be done automatically. I sign on every two weeks but my next appointment is at the job centre is not until next month. My last payment I received was on the 27 March.

 

The job centre haven't told me that I need to make a new claim yet.

 

Can anyone help or advise please?

 

Thanks

[louise2012]

Just an update, I've still not had any JSA paid to me since the 27 March and no new letters either. Should I wait until I see my adviser on the 19th and ask then or should I just complete a new application online?

 

Thanks

[Mr.P]

I'd suggest ringing the benefits office that handles your claim - The number should be on the letters received.

 

Unless the process has changed recently, you should have been moved over to income based JSA automatically.

 

If you are in receipt of council tax reduction and/or housing benefits, I would also suggest contacting your local council to make sure the claim with them is still "live".

[antone]

Sorry this post was missed.

 

It seems you're continuing to sign on and do anything else they ask of you, is that correct? If so, you should ask your Jobcentre for a copy of form JSA3 to make a new claim for income based JSA, as it sounds like you did not do so last September. Bear in mind that any savings you have or income from a partner (if you have one) will affect your JSA(IB) entitlement.

 

You could confirm the status of your claim by calling the Benefit Centre that pays you (not the Jobcentre where you sign on, as Jobcentres don't actually process claims) - you'll find the number on any letter they have sent you.

[antone]

I'd suggest ringing the benefits office that handles your claim - The number should be on the letters received.

Unless the process has changed recently, you should have been moved over to income based JSA automatically.

 

 

When one makes an initial claim to JSA, it's possible to claim only the contribution based benefit - a good few people do this as the form is simpler and shorter. So if no IB claim was made initially, JCP won't be able to automatically consider a claimant for JSA(IB) when their contributions exhaust.

[louise2012]

Yes I sign on every two weeks for JSA at my local job centre as normal. Also I've not received any letters recently to say that my JSA has been stopped for any reason.

[louise2012]

Hi everyone,

 

I know I don't post on here very often but since my temporary job ended in December I've found myself looking for jobs again and back signing on at the job centre. I spend most of the time looking for jobs in the morning, afternoon and night but also at the weekends too. Also any jobs that I do apply take time for each one but how many hours roughly do other people look for jobs each day?

 

Thanks

[jasta11]

It will vary a lot between people. I do most of mine online via agencies which use a 'click to apply' button so i can rack up quite a lot of applications in a short space of time. One of the few advantages of the internet!

 

Always remember that it's the quality of jobsearch that counts, not the quantity and you don't have to look for jobs every single day, as long as you do whatever is written on your JSA/Claimant Commitment form.

[louise2012]

My JSA/Claimant Commitment form says that i need to check job sites daily as well as looking in the local newspapers on a weekly basis.

[spb1957]

The Claimant Commitments are designed to make you fail, and are far in excess of what is actually required by law (Job Seekers Act 1995).

They will look for any slip up as an excuse to sanction you and stop your payments, although if you've managed to get through 5 months without being sanctioned (yet) you are doing very well.

[jasta11]

My JSA/Claimant Commitment form says that i need to check job sites daily as well as looking in the local newspapers on a weekly basis.

 

Then if it's on your JSA/CC make sure you write down on your evidence that you've done it. There's no way they can check if you actually did it and there's no way you can prove you did but they can find fault if you don't write down that you've done it. Screenprints from the jobsites with the date on are pretty good proof, I use that a lot.

 

As spb1957 says, these things are set to try and trip us up; miss out one thing and they'll try and claim you weren't looking for work. The whole thing has turned into a game these days.

[Mr.P]

Don't forget, the DWP does not acknowledge weekends and public holidays as "days off" from job searches. If your JSAg/CC states "daily", don't expect to have Sundays or Christmas Day free from this chore.

[trebormoinet]

I have been given by the DWP 2 advisories when it comes to job searching :

 

One paper template they issue says 35 hours or more must be spent job searching the other paper template they issue randomly says I must show 10 steps each week I have taken to give me the best chance of employment although this number may change

 

 

As an example my last weeks activity was thus:

 

I spent 10 hours per week practising interview techniques with various friends

I spent 8 hours researching the food industry and potential job opportunities personally visiting mcdonalds,kfc,burger king

I spent 8 hours researching potential job opportunities within the hospitality industry personally visiting rose and crown, queens legs, dog inn

I spent 2 hours having haircut and manicure to maintain my appearance

I spent 6 hours per week visiting family inquiring about potential job vacancies

I spent 7 hours logging into UJM each day to record my job search activity and search for suitable vacancies

[tommy456]

I have been given by the DWP 2 advisories when it comes to job searching :

 

One paper template they issue says 35 hours or more must be spent job searching the other paper template they issue randomly says I must show 10 steps each week I have taken to give me the best chance of employment although this number may change

 

 

As an example my last weeks activity was thus:

 

I spent 10 hours per week practising interview techniques with various friends

I spent 8 hours researching the food industry and potential job opportunities personally visiting mcdonalds,kfc,burger king

I spent 8 hours researching potential job opportunities within the hospitality industry personally visiting rose and crown, queens legs, dog inn

I spent 2 hours having haircut and manicure to maintain my appearance

I spent 6 hours per week visiting family inquiring about potential job vacancies

I spent 7 hours logging into UJM each day to record my job search activity and search for suitable vacancies

Your joking us ?

 

Any jobseeker who can demonstrate that s/he has taken more than 2 ‘reasonable steps’ a week (or fewer if it is not reasonable to expect them to do that many) to find work has complied with the law. A jobseeker’s ‘agreement’ or JSA ‘claimant commitment’ is a fluid plan and is supposed to guide a claimant into work. If it imposes excessive and unreasonable steps for a claimant’s particular circumstances, it is unenforceable,

that is the law

 

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/243530/response/596234/attach/html/3/5312%20reply.pdf.html

 

Unless you are not claiming JSA but claiming UC I still would refuse or make it up like they do 35hrs is a joke, when there are no jobs advertised that paying a livable wage

[notmeguvhonest]

I only spend about three hours a week on my job search, two of them at the work programme offices. In that time I apply for approximately 40 jobs. I am spending the rest of my time getting ready for self employment.

[tommy456]

When i was on the dole most weeks it was under 1 hr a week, I never have had a job from applying to job adds always either through a friend or by researching companies that i think i would like to work for because they have a good reputation for treating staff with respect & like people and pay accordingly then i would ring them or go and knock on their door, this JC nonsense is a joke, I have had several jobs by doing this, none by applying on line ect , and i have never had a cv

[trebormoinet]

Any jobseeker who can demonstrate that s/he has taken more than 2 ‘reasonable steps’ a week (or fewer if it is not reasonable to expect them to do that many) to find work has complied with the law. A jobseeker’s ‘agreement’ or JSA ‘claimant commitment’ is a fluid plan and is supposed to guide a claimant into work. If it imposes excessive and unreasonable steps for a claimant’s particular circumstances, it is unenforceable,

 

I think your quoting from the 1996 benefit act but since then there has been many ammendments

 

latest information is published here

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/409877/admr4.pdf

 

Basically unless we can show an exception we are expected to do 35 hours per week job search

[tommy456]

I think your quoting from the 1996 benefit act but since then there has been many ammendments

 

latest information is published here

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/409877/admr4.pdf

 

Basically unless we can show an exception we are expected to do 35 hours per week job search

 

That ruling was for JSA which apparently has been replaced by this UC and the new rulings that are far fetched and just not practical for the majority as in reality no one will really spend 35 hrs of their lives each week searching for a job, as there just isn't enough jobs out there, unless they expect people to apply for jobs that they are not qualified to do

[trebormoinet]

The reasoning is that if your able and capable of working 35 hours per week then your capable of spending 35 hours per week job searching, my example is tongue in cheek however they are all legitimate activities that can be recorded in order to satisfy job seeking conditions, as you can see there is no mention of applying for an actual vacancy for that week and that is acceptable if lets say I were awaiting responses from previous applications, length of time unemployed , state of jobs market etc are all factors the DM has to consider.

 

The system is being set up for people to fail regardless of any effort they put in, the only people who survive are those they try to weed out. I have never had a sanction, I just make sure I know the rules and play the game, I see people who make genuine effort and get sanctions because they make a simple mistake or had a work coach on a bad day and it is wrong so wrong but as long as 75% of the population agree with these measures they will continue and I fear become more severe each year.

 

I seriously believe I am singly handedly responsible for much of what has happened, I was once interviewed years ago by the DWP as I was long term unemployed and wanted to know my views on how I felt for some sort of survey, so I decided to speak candidly rather than give the expected response which was one of shame and guilt.

 

Stability I blurted out, being unemployed gives me the stability that work cannot provide, I know exactly how much money I will get each week and I have learned to live within those means and my rent is always paid.

 

I believe work is a right and not a privilege, I considered myself a martyr by allowing others who wished to work take my place in the queue, when there is no one else in the queue then I will happily take my place.

 

They were taken aback, noted my responses and sent me on my way, fast forward to today and being unemployed is no longer stable.

[tommy456]

So when these people fail en masse and become desperate , that won't be the only thing to be unstable, as crime will sore prisons will become even more overcrowded ,So the tax payer who was paying £73.10 or what ever it is for a single person over 25 per week will suddenly be paying in excess of £500 per week+ per person to keep them in prison , makes a lot of sense doesn't it

[SabreSheep]

Not really,

 

look how many crimes no longer attract a prison sentence

 

And crime figures are dropping despite the level of sanctions rising.

 

Work houses coming soon in 2016