Is the Jobcentre making up reasons to stop benefits?

i have been claiming jobseekers allowance since december 2010 and i have never missed an appointment except for today. i walked into the jobcentre to sign on and i was greeted with "you should have been here this morning!" well i was never given a letter, i never recieved a text and i was not told verbally that i had an appointement. so anyway i sit down to have the little interview that they make you have when you sign and the assistant advisor asks why i missed my appointment? "because i was unaware of it, i recieved no text, no email and i wasn't told", to which the advisor replied "these are not guaranteed ways of informing you" WTF!!!!! so i can have an interview and not know about it!?! i then was told that because i'd missed the interview that i would be given my one and only warning and if it happens again i'll be sanctioned and loose benefits for 6 weeks and all over something that i had no control over. when i returned from the jobcentre i explained what had happened to my brother and he informed me that one of his friends had recently been sanctioned for missing an appointment- that he didn't know he had!! i believe that with the lack of jobs and the increase in unemployment add to the fact that they have just increased the benefit rate i wouldn't put it past our government to make up ways of kicking people off the dole. although that is just my opinion.

LOL

I got a sanction last week for being late, I was late on purpose because frankly, I had better things to do (Actually job searching at home) , I did phone them an hour before my appointment to inform them due to a doctors appointment I would be late....they said "ok that's fine"

I got there an hour late, and they asked "why didn't you ring us?

I said "I did ring you", they were like "No you never"

I was like "Ohhhh really, whats this out going number on my phone 2 hours ago then??"

They were like "Ohhh okay, well your sanctioned anyway"

Stoopid people, they don't help with looking for work at all.

Although I must say, Im on off the dole all the time because all my works temp.....whats your excuse being on there since 2010...fix up!!

I signed on on Aug 16th last year after I finished a 6 month job position, I'd only signed on once, and at the second appointment 2 weeks later, they said I was taking to long to find a job and they kicked me off!! LOL 2 weeks is taking the pisss? My mates been signing on for 4 years and they let her get away with it

Anyway, it just made me look even harder and I got a job that week, it was morally wrong but it was a blessing in disguise for me

a friend of mines got his last check this week, he has been on the unemployment roles sence 11/2010, when he call for a extension 4 weeks ago he got approved for 20 weeks, then 3 days later they call back soory your only getting 10 weeks, still no job, a week goes by they call him again sorry your only getting 3 weeks why!!!!!! they told him you been on or roles for

reply to post by josephamccoy

i live in germany. once i did not get an invitation for an interview. they send me a letter 2 weeks later asking me to come to a interview to explain why i missed the last invitation. i explained, i did not recieve a notice and it was ok. if i had missed an appointment on purpose or would not have a reason, there would be a sanction of 10% for three months.

I wouldn't doubt they screw as many people as possible. I consider myself to be fairly educated and well read but letters unemployment sends seem to be intentionally written to be as confusing as possible. Also the system they use to figure out your unemployment compensation is insane. I got laid off in January but had worked the previous seven months. Apparently I don't qualify because they are looking at a twelve month period that only includes two of the seven months I worked and since I was in college at that time I don't qualify.

upside? They told me if I am still unemployed in May to reapply. MAY I thought that was a joke but here it is March and I still have not found work.

reply to post by Sinny


The exact same thing happened to me and now I've just got a job too with no help off them ofcourse, what a useless thing they have going there. No more A4E aswell but that's an whole new story for the cooking pot, they're a lot worse than the jobcentre...

reply to post by Ladysophiaofsandoz


Bit of a joke isn't it? Anyway, good look finding work.

reply to post by josephamccoy

Unemployed here since 2009 but we don't have to go to an office. A letter needs to be signed, a few tickboxes checked and then returned in a postage free envelope. Sorry to hear it's still so old-fashioned over there. I don't miss it one bit.

reply to post by LightSpeedDriver


Lucky you and luckily for I only have to put up with this hell hole for another, maybe a year and a half before im out of here

reply to post by Sinny

i'm a machinist who can no longer be a machinist after a back injury. i ruptured a disc in my lower back when i lifted a piece of wood awkwardly, my doctor says i can work but i can't do any heavy lifting. i've had a discectomy so i'm not totally ruined (i volunteer at a local furniture project one afternoon a week keeps my wood working skills keen) but i have two discs that are on the verge of rupturing so i don't really want to rupture them because A) it will be seriously unpleaseant and B) i will have to have another discectomy! however i currently have an interview lined up with a massive supermarket chain next month so i've got my fingers crossed and my best suit ready.

P.s good luck with your job hunt.

I have been on the dole twice in my life. Once in 1970's, and when I was made redundant in 1994. Believe me when I tell you that you WILL get paranoid in how they treat you. Wait till they get you to "agree" to your back to work plan. They will ask you what your expectations are for getting another job. No matter what you say THEY will tell you what they want for you, from wage level to distance travel to "you will take ANY job that is offered to you". You will also HAVE to apply for approx 8 jobs a week and provide evidence of such. Refuse any or all of these requirement and you will be told "you are making yourself un-available for work" so we'll stop your money. Of course when you point out that you need at least £150 take home pay just to cover your bills and they'll say "well regionally the average wage is £120, we'll give you 4 weeks to look for a job at £150 then you'll have to lower your sights to £120" . When you point out ANY point that disagrees with them they will say" it's no concern of ours". When you point out that no jobs exist for you to write 8 applications for they'll say" no concern of ours". They have NO sympathy and are no affected one iota whether you lose your house, family or life as long as they get you off the dole and that means either stopping your money (when technically you are off the job seekers figures. JOB DONE) or on a training course (off the figures. JOB DONE) or any other way thay can get rid of you, JOB DONE. Just as an aside, when they ask you what job your looking for keep a straight face and say" I want your job" and watch them bumble a bit. I honestly wish you the best of luck trying to get employed again but DO NOT, DO NOT rely on the job centre to find you a meaning full job.

reply to post by crayzeed


I agree, I'll try saying"I want your job" IF I'm ever on it again, I hope not but one never knows -.-

They will use every trick in the book.
It's never really been any different, they are just so much more unashamedly blatant about it these days.

Just tell them you don't have a computer, and you don't have a phone.

They will have to use the postal service to inform you of interviews. Then when you tell them you never received the invitation. Ask them to prove to you that it was posted.

Yes... they do have records of all outgoing mail.

One of my friends just got hers refused. She works part time 14hrs a week. So she should still be able to claim it as the cut off limit for working is 16hrs/week. I wish you all the best. Im affraid the govt are trying to cut every thing. Even if its just a delay tactic which they will have to pay later. They still gain by keeping the money and earning interest on it.

"benefit" or taxpayer funded handout?That well has to run dry sometime.Just not enough to go around...

i remember being on job seekers when i lost my job to redundancies in 2007.
i signed on and immediately i was treated like scum by the staff.
they wanted to stop my benefits because i didnt go for a lorry driver job even though i kept explaining to them i not only dont have a licence but was also under age to get a licence (i was 19 at the time).
what really annoyed me the same day this happened an alcoholic nearly lost his benifits becuase and i quote' couldnt be arsed' but he kept them becuase he said fine my kids starve.

everyday i went to the jobcentre looking for jobs i applyed for everything i could possibly do as in qualified or old enough for and looked for jobs in every way possible.
but i was treated like scum and a scrounger

after a few weeks i signed off and went to college, they really made me hate myself, i can understand why so many people on benifits get the way they do as in pesimistic and dont try.
i was lucky i got family support to send me though collge but a lot of people arent as lucky.

the job centre really discusts me

Most of the staff at the job centre treat people like scum. I've had one or two decent agents, but mostly they've treated me like crap.

Even to the point of asking me to remove my degree's and qualifications from my C.V - so they can push me into a lesser job, as opposed to striving to put me into a job that is rewarding and suits my qualifications.

They are a nasty company, but necessary.

its hard been on the dole ...the poorest person in the uk is a single man on benefits

women seem to get a better deal if they have kids ...better still if the father is unknown

spent 3 months on benefits(as i was self employed) when i had a ruptured hernia ...man that was tough to live off 60 quid a week,don't know how people do it ... over 2 mil unemployed,that's a lot of money to hand out by the taxpayer ..not to mention the rent ,council tax,child benefit that the taxpayer has to pay for...

i'm lucky to be in a pretty secure job now..well not lucky i worked dam hard to get the job...
benefits in Britain can't keep going the way it is ..the private sector can't prop up the country much longer

as for the op's thread question ...hell yea the job center will try and make life unbearable for you ..that's how they operate

good luck finding work...