Sanctioned for missed appointment

[Hannah2210]

I got sanctioned by a4e for missing an appointment after I did phone up to rearrange and my advisor was on the phone and never called me back. I am 7 an a half months pregnant now and have been sanctioned an have no money also my rent has been stopped now so I could loose my house Im writing a letter to complain to a4e because I think this is their fault I tried for a reconsider but they never!! (edited)

Edited July 5, 2012 by ErikaPNP
pm sent to member

[flumps1976]

have you applied for hardship? you are in a vunerable group being pregnant so would be eligible from the first day of a period of sanction, but you do need to request a reconsideration and make a complaint.

Have you been advised about closing your claim for JSA and claiming IS instead? You can usually claim IS once you are 29 weeks pregnant.

[Hannah2210]

I did sign for income support last week n I put in for a reconsider but they never reconsidered me the hardship payment is comeing soon but thats only 56pound so not much help I think its discusting how u can be sanctioned wen pregnant and I have wrote a letter of complaint to a4e

[ErikaPNP]

When you say they never reconsidered you, do you mean they did not revise the decision in your favour or they did not reconsider it at all? If it's that they never reconsidered he decision at all, can you tell us when you applied for reconsideration? Being pregnant is no barrier to receiving a sanction but regardless I don't think you should have been sanctioned in the first place without being given the opportunity to put across your points.

 

A sanction should not affect payment of housing benefit because a sanction does not terminate the claim, it only stops payment of it so it shouldn't send a notification. You can still claim housing benefit - please contact the local council and ask them to reinstate (and backdate) your housing benefit. If there is another reason your housing benefit has been stopped, please tell us what this is so that we can help you with that as well.