Job Centre issue - Help Needed
Abomination
Posts: 6,483 Forum Member
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Okay, I've done too many threads about the job centre in the past but they're really stressing me out now to the point I'm not even sure why I bother trying to survive any more, and I could really use some reassurance either from here or from somewhere someone can suggest.
I had a doubt raised against me on January 30th, from my 'regular adviser' who decided my job search print out wasn't adequate as he'd "pointed out to me before". This is despite the fact that not only had he never said anything about it before, he'd not actually seen me since last November and every adviser I'd seen since then was more than satisfied with my efforts (which on this occasion included no less than 6 interviews for the following week!). He raised a doubt against me which stopped my JSA on the spot.
I find out two weeks later in a passing comment at my next sign on that my benefits have been sanctioned. I'd received no written confirmation of this, and still haven't. I filled out a form of appeal but haven't had a response from that. I ended up applying for hardship payments last week as my sparse savings dried up and I was in urgent need of money - I haven't had a response from this either.
I went for my usual sign on last Thursday and was told that the sanction period was ending and that my money should go back in as normal from now. I expected as much given that I hadn't had a single payment since January 15th. I've paid a few bills with the last of my money, only to wake up today and find out that my money hasn't gone in - I count that in at 33 days so far since they've stopped my income, definitely more than the 28 days you can expect at worst. That clocks in at 48 days since I last received a JSA payment.
Now I don't even have enough money to withdraw from an ATM. I can't call them because I haven't paid my phone bill, and as I'm currently in the process of changing property I can't even afford to get to my old job centre which is a good 80 miles away. I had a promising job prospect lined up in London with a second-stage interview tomorrow, and now I can't afford to get there or even tell them that I can't afford to get there. I tried talking to my new local job centre but they refused to speak to me about anything, including a branch transfer, until my sanctioning issue is resolved.
I just have no idea of what to do any more. They won't be satisfied until I've topped myself, and frankly that's quite where my mindset is in all of this at the moment. I can't live on one meal a day for much longer, or sit in a dark cold room too stressed about paying for gas or electric. I've nobody who can realistically financially support me in the mean time, and am seriously running out of options.
Any suggestions on who I could turn to? I want to be doing something, but I'm at a dead end (and my wits end) trying to think of what.
EDIT: In retrospect, this thread probably better suits the 'Advice' section. Sorry about that.
I had a doubt raised against me on January 30th, from my 'regular adviser' who decided my job search print out wasn't adequate as he'd "pointed out to me before". This is despite the fact that not only had he never said anything about it before, he'd not actually seen me since last November and every adviser I'd seen since then was more than satisfied with my efforts (which on this occasion included no less than 6 interviews for the following week!). He raised a doubt against me which stopped my JSA on the spot.
I find out two weeks later in a passing comment at my next sign on that my benefits have been sanctioned. I'd received no written confirmation of this, and still haven't. I filled out a form of appeal but haven't had a response from that. I ended up applying for hardship payments last week as my sparse savings dried up and I was in urgent need of money - I haven't had a response from this either.
I went for my usual sign on last Thursday and was told that the sanction period was ending and that my money should go back in as normal from now. I expected as much given that I hadn't had a single payment since January 15th. I've paid a few bills with the last of my money, only to wake up today and find out that my money hasn't gone in - I count that in at 33 days so far since they've stopped my income, definitely more than the 28 days you can expect at worst. That clocks in at 48 days since I last received a JSA payment.
Now I don't even have enough money to withdraw from an ATM. I can't call them because I haven't paid my phone bill, and as I'm currently in the process of changing property I can't even afford to get to my old job centre which is a good 80 miles away. I had a promising job prospect lined up in London with a second-stage interview tomorrow, and now I can't afford to get there or even tell them that I can't afford to get there. I tried talking to my new local job centre but they refused to speak to me about anything, including a branch transfer, until my sanctioning issue is resolved.
I just have no idea of what to do any more. They won't be satisfied until I've topped myself, and frankly that's quite where my mindset is in all of this at the moment. I can't live on one meal a day for much longer, or sit in a dark cold room too stressed about paying for gas or electric. I've nobody who can realistically financially support me in the mean time, and am seriously running out of options.
Any suggestions on who I could turn to? I want to be doing something, but I'm at a dead end (and my wits end) trying to think of what.
EDIT: In retrospect, this thread probably better suits the 'Advice' section. Sorry about that.
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Comments
1. First, speak to one of the charitable agencies who can give benefits advice. Your local Citizens Advice say. But most towns and cities, and even some villages, also have advice centres with people you can speak to. These centres tend to have a lot of experience in dealing with the local job centres and DWP offices.
2. Write a formal letter or complaint to your previous job centre, detailing all that you think has not been handled correctly. You are not supposed to be sanctioned without notice, in the form of a letter, informing you that a doubt has been raised and giving you seven days to reply. Unless the rules have changed that is still supposed to be how it works. I've had a couple of such letters, both as a result of the idiots at my Work Programme Company, and in both cases I wasn't sanctioned because I replied properly and corrected them on what happened. State in the letter that they have 14 days to reply, and if they cannot do so within that time you formally request your complaint be referred to the Director General of Operations for the DWP.
https://www.gov.uk/complain-jobcentre-plus
Make sure you keep notes of what is said in your meetings at the Job Centre, and keep copies of all letters/correspondence you have sent and that you receive. These can be included in any formal complaint, but don't send originals, send copies if you need to.
Can you get to your nearest CAB? Maybe they could help you. Good luck with getting a solution.
EDIT: The above post wasn't there before I started mine. Looks like you've got some good advice now.
How much will it cost you to get your job interview?
Also, is there anyone who can at least help you get to the interview tomorrow? That would give you something to focus on. A spark of hope.
And follow Captainkremmen's advice. If I am not mistaken, Citizen's Advice can also give you a food bank voucher if nobody else can help you.
Don't give up, OP. It's a rotten, flawed system, but things will get better for you.