I have some sympathy for Wales and it's people, back in the early eighties I did a spell of shop fitting for a franchise named Pizzaland ( which later became Pizza Hut) they opened a new branch in Swansea.

I was there for about five weeks in all, as we were nearing completion the shop manager was holding interviews for waitressing staff, on the Monday morning there was the biggest queue of women I have ever seen in my life waiting for the chance, many had come from Port Talbot, and a lot were ex miner and steelworkers wives, it turned out that there had been in excess of 500 applicants for 10 jobs.

 

Even the Welsh guys that did the tiling were doing a 150 mile round trip every day because there was no work in their local area. Port Talbot was one of the most depressing places I have seen, everything was Grey with what looked like a permanent fog about ten feet above the rooftops, I remember thinking at the time that if I lived there I would bust a gut to get out, anywhere would have been a better option.

Yes Port Talbot was a depressing area, much the same as most of the industrial areas from Newport right through to Swansea were.

By the late 70's into the early 80's Swansea was I admit getting a bit run down. Whilst working there in Wind Street, I also worked in the evenings including the weekends, at a local nightclub - The Townsman - where I was the drummer in the resident band. That was just a hobby really, but I will always remember thinking that Swansea needed a facelift. My wife originally came from Gowerton which was were we moved to for a while.

Yes Port Talbot was a depressing area, much the same as most of the industrial areas from Newport right through to Swansea were.

 

By the late 70's into the early 80's Swansea was I admit getting a bit run down. Whilst working there in Wind Street, I also worked in the evenings including the weekends, at a local nightclub - The Townsman - where I was the drummer in the resident band. That was just a hobby really, but I will always remember thinking that Swansea needed a facelift. My wife originally came from Gowerton which was were we moved to for a while.

Yet you spam without reading , or did you miss the part where i specified I WAS FORCED TO SELL MY PUSH BIKE TO MEET WORK PLACEMENT COSTS NOT COVERED BY THE PROVIDER.......

in addition Aberdare/Merthyr are the nearest major towns , Both are a hefty journey of around 3 miles mostly on unlit roads with no footpaths. Bus's ...... from where i live 8am-7pm (and i have about a mile walk to the stop) , To get to Cardiff from Aberdare means you need to be at the station for 6.20 am but the first bus wont get you there till catching the 7:50 train (there are NO push bike facility's all you can do is chain your bike up and pray, The amount of slashed tires and stolen parts i had to replace prior being FORCED TO SELL THE BIKE was horrific)

Valleys transport has been acknowledged as poor With Idiot Duncan Smith even conceding that due to a lack of facilitys in the region push bikes are not too useful ( You say in the 60's / 70 when 1: The roads WERE miles safer , 2: Most bus/train stations had bike racks , 3: Allowances were made for being sweaty unlike now where your expected to be pristine )

So where do you lock a pushbike up , No bike Racks and a bus/train station that's full of junkies/kids with cheap cider , Or a towncenter where the risks like 100x more. Oh thats right you can cycle the 20-30 miles to cardiff in this lovely weather and up some major hills , And still be "Work presentable"

Really, this forum is about benefit issues. By all means offer suggestions about transport, but the poster in question has said a bicycle is not possible. Given this, please do not continue to scold or judge the poster. Such things are not permitted here.

Well just had some rather unique info from the south west wales district manager which has appaled me to say the least,

My initial reply (where they ask me to fill my reason in on the back of it) was not recieved on time EVEN THOUGH they posted It On the 1st of just requiring it back by the 8th they "forgot" about the double bank holiday delaying mail.

Then my Request for reconsideration was recieved into the office on the 28th June but has been "misplaced" and the one the work providers "sent" in for me theres no record of it. So just phoned up and got an asian sounding woman telling me the regional manager is a liar and the fact I Have the decision makers number they called me from a "coincidence".

Best of it , I have been threatened that if i don't attend an interview I have arranged on friday I will be further sanctions ( Jobs 9-5 so its great hours) But I have no gas , no electric and no money so how am i supposed to attend it lol (The company have been nice enough to let me rebook the interview but a jobsworth withing the jobcenter is playing happy hell over it and that i dont have a "valid" reason.

I've removed a couple of posts in this thread as the content of them is not appropriate. Please do not insult other posters. If you feel someone has flamed or otherwise insulted you, do not respond in kind. Click on the black "!" triangle at the bottom of the post to report it to the Site Team and we'll take a look.

I don't want to have to close this thread, as the issue has not been fully resolved yet. But I will if I have to.

I realise that my next comment is way off what this thread is about, but unless they have cut back on the buses and trains coming down from the valleys, many of my colleagues who worked with me at Prudential Buildings in Kingsway in the 70's had no problem in getting to work in a morning.

 

Even after I married and moved out of the family home and bought my own first property in Penycoed at 23, my wife was able to get to Newport High School every morning where she taught.

 

I strongly believe that where there is a will there is a way.

you are quite correct the situation has changed completely..the infrastructure that once existed for people to get to work from the valleys to cardiff, has now almost disappeared and did so over the years with the introduction of 'privatisation' i well remember the people from the valleys commuting happily to cardiff...there were even buses supplied to those who worked at the inland revenue in llanishen, and the rof factory on caerphilly rd...sadly the latter is long gone...anyone who wants to live and work in the valleys now face an uphill battle...and punishing people for simply missing an appointment...cutting off all income is not the answer...the poster now cant even afford to get a job if they wanted one...how would they fund the transport costs with no income for maybe the first month....

just had a look at your providers website and nearly choked when I saw the advert saying 'refer a friend to us and jobcente will pay you £50.....personally i would think twice about even referring my worst enemy!! talk about 'gestapo' type tactics....'inform on your friend and we will reward you'

link here

http://www.tbglearning.com/

Where does it say the Jobcentre will pay you? It refers people to their own centres. Still, I'm always wary of providers in general.

Edit: I meant that it seems to be seeking private referrals. The Jobcentre, for all its faults, doesn't work by asking folks to refer others to providers - the rules are pretty clear about who is and is not to be referred.

The website is pretty false.

The courses they run require you to already be in work or to sign off (I already asked as Im a qualified Technician , and am a few units short of being able to complete my pgce But nope no help to finish that off and get a job , and no time off from the work "experience" to attend a part time college course)

The referal has the Jobcenter looking confused But from what was said they think the moneys from when you are referring a person who's in work to the for some overpriced "training" which they then take up.

It does make you laugh that they do very little to help people get jobs , and in fact harm peoples ability to job search compared to the old "job clubs" that i attended fresh out of uni who actually helped and gave advice.

Currently reading some info from citizens advice where they say in the last 2 years they have seen a nearly 465% increase in sanctions with the ill and less benefit savvy being the primary targets. It seems very much that they will justify forcing you to spend upwards of £60 of £71 jsa on interviews and if you do not comply they can and will sanction you again.

sorry you are right it does say local centre (provider) saw it late last night and obviously read what i thought i had seen...

Really, this forum is about benefit issues. By all means offer suggestions about transport, but the poster in question has said a bicycle is not possible. Given this, please do not continue to scold or judge the poster. Such things are not permitted here.

That's not the tune the site team sing when other posters have attacked me for where I live even though people have posted on this forum asking about how to get UK benefits when they live in Spain and no-one has said a word about that. Not to mention the post that the moderators let sit for months in which a poster called an employer a nasty name in French (http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?245901-Dismissal-with-no-prior-warnings-(Constructive-Unfair-Dismissal-)&p=3864306#post3864306 - I point to my post for the date but the post in question was made in March). Apparently, it is 'not judgemental' to call people libellous names if they are employers or other unfavoured groups.

Ask yourself, will you, whether you would be saying what you said if the poster had wrote several posts agreeing with everything the poster in question was saying.

I think the moderation on this forum is biased against anyone who isn't politically-correct. 'Not being judgemental' is just a code for 'not ever criticising someone who claims to be a victim'. So, in other words, everyone is supposed to offer tea and sympathy - and ways to get more money from taxpayers - but no-one is allowed to say that there are other ways of doing things and that maybe, just maybe, if people stopped concentrating on their so-called victimhood, they could find a way to do things.

Oh, and for the record, at one time, I walked 2 and half miles a day each way to get to work because I didn't have a car, I don't like bikes, and the bus service was insufficient. I had to cross a rather tricky road at at roundabout, as well. It can be done. It just takes determination and planning. It also takes a sense of responsibility.

its not so much about 'tea and sympathy' but more of a social conscience...kicking someone when they are down is not the answer to the problems in this country...and if it continues then the riots of last year will begin to look like a tea party if this carries on...stopping peoples access to benefits is not the answer to the problems...it will make things worse...if you cannot afford to feed, clothe, and house yourself and your family...what do you suppose is going to happen? I will explain to you one more time so you that you understand...there are no to little jobs in the UK...those that are available to people are extremely low paid entry level jobs that do not in effect pay more than you would get on benefits...until employers are forced to provide a fair wage for a fair days pay..then nothing will alter...if you continue to punish people who sometimes through no fault of their own end up on benefits..then you are asking for trouble..already the crime rate for burglary have shot up in this area....i wonder why? no money, no hope, no benefit...you would soon be shouting from the rooftops if you came home to find all your possessions gone...call the police? the most you will get from them is a crime number but bu**er all else...it isnt about being politically correct, it is about being fair to your fellow man...because every day you should be using the mantra...there but for the grace of god go I....it could always happen to you...you never know...

Well a further update , They have found my reconsideration letter But are now saying it cannot be used due to being out of date dated 27 may , It seems like i am being kept sitting around in the dark

It shouldn't matter that they have found the letter now, it depends on what date the letter was dated stamped as being received at the office. As long as the letter was received within 1 calender month of the decision being made then they should action that, you can still submit a reconsideration as a late request but need to show good cause for the delay in the request.

I would ask what date the letter was recived as per the date samp.

Date stamp on it was the 31st of may. Spent nearly an hour arguing that it had been sent in and the fact was they made the mistake placing it in the wrong location. So it will be looked at further and they have promised to call me back by 10am. So all i Can do now is hope.

Well further informed is now the reconsideration dated the 31st of may will be accepted due to an error in the dwp sorting office , And due to the error a decision was made prior to calling me 25 mins ago that my sanction is to be removed. When asked about money/help as ive gone 4 weeks with no support/no cash bar the few quid my brother was able to send me I've been told it may take up to a week to get my claim back on the system and i will not be allowed a crisis loan..... Great news its been removed , But another week waiting and living without electric/gas and eating cheapie tesco's reduced price pasties etc (As in the stuff thats reduced to 5p at the end of the night when its semi stale)

good news about the result....though why it should take them another week to get their backsides in gear is beyond.....

You can request an same day payment and tbh that is what I would advise you to do.

Crisis loans won't be able t help as even though the sanction has been removed tere is benefit due to you which they would also advise you reqyest a same day payment for.

Get on the phone today as early as you can and advise the contact centre operative that you require a payment into your bank account today and can you please have a priority 3 hour call back from the team to discuss.

Thanks for the advice, I tried but have been told by the jobcenter that its not possible untill my details are corrected on the system.... They are saying im looking at a week today/monday untill i get anything and have advised I seek aid , But got booked in for citizens advice appointment at 3 as when i popped in they said this shoould be resolved as its officially reversed and refusing money still is fringing on illegal/incompetant given all the details of the case.

Flumps my sweet no chance of arguing for an Interim payment here?

http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/benefits-and-council-tax/welfare-rights-and-money-advice/benefit-payments-and-overpayments

Delays in payment. Interim payments, Crisis loans and complaints

 

If there is a delay in paying a benefit, the law says an 'interim payment' can be made in the following circumstances:

there is a delay in making the claim and it is "impracticable" for the claimant to do so immediately

a claim has been made but not in the correct way, for example, on the wrong claim form, and the claimant cannot immediately make a correct claim

a claim has been made but the benefit office is not able to deal with it immediately

benefit has been awarded but cannot be paid immediately

 

The benefit office has a discretion whether or not to make an interim payment. If one is refused the claimant cannot appeal against this decision. A refusal can only be challenged through judicial review - seek advice. More information about where to get advice.

 

Or a person can claim a Social Fund Crisis Loan.

 

People experiencing delays in benefit payments can complain and may receive compensation.

Not my area at all! Though your next move really should be official complaint to and about the DWP copied to your MP. In fact I'd go an see your MP in person and get them involved.

I'm wondering now who has actually advised that a same day payment is not possible, as posted they should have considered an interim payment but not many managers like to consider these as they take someone who understands and can process clerically, when I first started I had 13 weeks training and 13 weeks to consolidation and could not continue until I had 100% success rate on processing both clerically and on the system. I can still pick up a clerical form and process now nearly 15 years later

I would not acceot the answer of it will take another week to process and would be asking for a supervisor to contact to discuss further.

* ahem *

forget the wondering!

Possible or not?

I'll show you my knee in either a Geroge Clooney or Takeshi Kaneshiro way if you lucky

Sorry I'm a wee bit ginned up so.....

Thanks for the advice guys , Citizens advice payed happy hell with them and a payment for £63 was issued to "tide me over" funny thing is the counter payment was made by the same agent who said nothing could be done so i must wait. It is of concern really that some staff are either unaware or unwilling to provide any support even after a sanction has been lifted. You get sanctioned at the drop of a hat , You are expected to continue job seeking BUT you have no finances to do so. and then when they miss-place a letter in the dwp sorting office your still held semi to account. Luckily for me I had 2 interviews today for jobs and both were more than polite to re-book them for me after I explained my situation

£63 is an odd amount but I suppose it is a positve start on what you are owed. Typical that it takes punch from CAB to do what I would have thought any reasonable person would have wanted to do in order to help....ah but I said reasonable and not all staff at DWP are any more...

Glad you have a bit to tide you over and that your prospective employers (fingers crossed for either interview) were flexible when others were not so forgiving.

Thanks for the advice guys , Citizens advice payed happy hell with them and a payment for £63 was issued to "tide me over" funny thing is the counter payment was made by the same agent who said nothing could be done so i must wait. It is of concern really that some staff are either unaware or unwilling to provide any support even after a sanction has been lifted. You get sanctioned at the drop of a hat , You are expected to continue job seeking BUT you have no finances to do so. and then when they miss-place a letter in the dwp sorting office your still held semi to account. Luckily for me I had 2 interviews today for jobs and both were more than polite to re-book them for me after I explained my situation

Thank god you've got some decent help and at last a payment of some sort! Hopefully things will become a bit easier for you from now on.

I know you might not feel like it at the moment but you really now have to make an official complaint about the way you have been left destitute and the way the DWP have handled all this. This has to be in the strongest terms possible and to do this please try and contact your MP and see if they will handle or at least back you in this.

It's not about the £20 you might get eventually but the truly horrific level of service and as you can probably imagine if it's happened to you it'll happen to others until they are challenged.

Nothing what so ever will happen to you if you complain far from it! In fact it'll tell them you know your rights and hopefully mean from now on they'll go the extra mile to ensure nothing like this ever happens to you again.

DWP Complaints Procedure http://www.dwp.gov.uk/contact-us/complaints-and-appeals/

Contacting your MP http://www.writetothem.com/ and/or http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/

How to escalate a DWP complaint if you're not happy with the response http://www.ind-case-exam.org.uk/

The problem is quite simple the DWP is understaffed and as a saving measure whole rafts of experienced and helpful knowledgeable folks (Flumps who posts here is a good example of all 3 of those) have been let go and replaced by temporary staff lasting less than a year. Whilst cheaper it causes no end of issues for the poor folks like yourself as to be blunt they're just not good enough nor knowledgeable enough as benefits is too complex for them and takes years to learn.