Quite an urgent question as time is f the essence. I have got my brother in law a guaranteed job and presently he is in benefits. Buuuuuut the training is in the Midlands and he lives in the NW. They will provide the training (with recognised qualifications) but he needs help with accommodation costs for the week. He asked at the job centre and was told to get the employer to email them confirming which he did. He then provided a second email saying they had just won the contract for the work to be done and they would like to give him a chance to prove himself after they have trained him. Now they are saying they don't know if they will help him with costs and general giving him he run around. Were fuming, he has actively sought employment and got it, and yet they seem hell bent on keeping him in benefits. He also has a criminal record (minor) and because I know them very well, they will over look that. He will not get this chance anywhere else.....and the course starts in less than a. Week. Apart from contacting his MP I don't know what else to do........if anyone can offer any advice at all........anything I would greatly appreciate it

Thank you

He can take out a budgeting loan for rent in advance.

The minimum amount has to be £100.

He should ask for 4 weeks rent in advance [eg £400].

Regardless the amount he states, JCP will decide how much he will actually get.

The form to fill in is at the Jobcentre reception.

Somehow it changed and maybe you get it from the council these days.

You need to ask council and JCP.

Short of www.couchsurfing.org or family/friends, there isn't really much that can be done at short notice. The wheels of the DWP grind slowly and the chances of getting anything out of them before the end of next week is minimal.

Same for going through your MP - The issue would be taken up with DWP central office, passed on to the local office, then back up the chain. Probably a month in doing the rounds, and by then, too late to do anything.

http://www.sectorskillsservice.com/financial-assistance/adviser-discretionery-fund.php

"FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Adviser Discretionary Fund (ADF)

Jobcentre Plus customers can be considered by the Sector Skills Service for extra financial assistance from an 'Adviser Discretionary Fund'.

Since May 2012 the Sector Skills Service has access to an 'Adviser Discretionary Fund' that can offer extra financial assistance to those people displaying a commitment to improving their opportunities to move into employment. This is NOT a payment from DWP Jobcentre Plus but is a payment from the Sector Skills Service and at the discretion of their Adviser.

Sector Skills Service can arrange a financial contribution, payable by voucher, to assist in purchasing smart clothes for interview purposes or to purchase essential work tools.

As the payment is by voucher it is deemed to be a gift and not considered by the DWP to be earnings that need to be declared. To qualify for the further financial assistance the person must have completed their main Workshop and at least one other Workshop. Should three or more Workshops be completed then the greater the degree of financial assistance that can be given. Further financial assistance is always at the discretion of Sector Skills Service.

Please ask our 'Support Coordinator' or 'Adviser' in the Centre for further details."

You supposed to get a job grant £100 after signing off. Fill in your signing on book at the back to say you found work, last day of claim and hand it in at the Jobcente.

You supposed to get a job grant £100 after signing off. Fill in your signing on book at the back to say you found work, last day of claim and hand it in at the Jobcente.

Job Grant was discontinued in April 2013. Not one of this government's better ideas.

I've just seen it on direct.gov and they only suggest housing benefit run on for 4 weeks if you've been on JSA for at least 26 weeks.

I've just seen it on direct.gov and they only suggest housing benefit run on for 4 weeks if you've been on JSA for at least 26 weeks.

Direct.gov is deprecated and no longer maintained.

See here.

Is the OP on the Work Programme? The provider gets a job outcome payment if job lasts for six months or longer so they may be willing to make out a cheque to help with housing for the week. They definitely gave me travel warrants to go to job interviews and sometimes pay for CRB checks.

http://jobcentreplusadvisor.co.uk/advisor-faqs/87-advisor-discretion-fund-

"If you are claiming JSA ( Job Seeker’s Allowance), then you may be able to claim up to £300 from a rarely publicised £23 million fund of which you will not have to pay back. It is designed for anything that will help you become more employable. Jobcentre plus Advisor shows you the simple steps you need to take to apply for an Advisor Discretion Fund (sometimes Advisor Discretionary Fund or Advisory Discretionary Fund).

The maximum you can apply for is £300 over a one year period. It can be used for items that will help you return to work and/or enable you to accept a job offer. An award must be linked to a specific job offer or job interview but it can not be used for ‘anything’. For example, you cant use an Advisor Discretion Fund payment for new computer software. It is intended for items such as clothing. ADF is to overcome small barriers that prevent a person from accepting a job offer or to attend a job interview (this is different to traval to interview costs – there is a different scheme for that). For example, clothes or travel to work costs until the first wage is received.

It is your advisor’s discretionary decision as to whether the expenditure would generally benefit the client’s pursuit for work, or, if already offered a job, to enable them to accept that offer.

Advisers consider requests and will treat each case on its own merit. Also, Job Seeker’s Allowance claimants are not automatically entitled to the grant.

You are eligible to apply for an Advisor Discretion Fund (ADF) as soon as you start claiming job seekers allowance in theory but the keyword about the advisor discretion fund is discretion. It is not possible to apply for ADF as it is offered at the adviser’s discretion within a narrow set of circumstances. Advisors will draw on the advisor discretion fund if there is a cost issue specific to making a good impression at an interview or which might prevent a person from accepting a job offer.

Advisor discretion funds do not have to be paid back but it is not a cash grant as no money exchanges hands. Advisor Discretion Funds (ADF) are awarded for specific items, for example ‘a smart shirt at £x.xx’. Where possible a customer is given an invoice payment form to take to a Jobcentre Plus contracted supplier to exchange for the goods. If this is not possible the Job Centre Plus will aim to reimburse the customer on production of a receipt. A customer is only paid directly in exceptional cases, and then they have to provide proof of purchase. However, once you reach stage 4 (unemployed for a year) you will not be able to apply for an advisor discretion grant. You can still get financial help (up to about £500) if you are on stage 4 but it comes via a different source.

To apply for an Advisor Discretion Fund, you need to arrange an appointment with your Jobcentre Plus advisor. This must be separate to your regular signing meet. Contact your local Jobcentre Plus here and search for your local office. The national Jobcentre Plus telephone number is 0800 055 6688. You can find out other information from this number including crisis loans, budgeting loans and cold weather payments."

"However, once you reach stage 4 (unemployed for a year) you will not be able to apply for an advisor discretion grant. You can still get financial help (up to about £500) if you are on stage 4 but it comes via a different source."

 

Why doesn't it say what that different source is.. The OP's adviser knows what that source is but does not want to cough up the money.

 

Was trying to search credit union loans. On LBC they suggested the unemployed starts small savings with credit unions [£10pw] and they will get a loan when needed.

 

Credit union interest rates are low, unlike pay day loan interests.

 

http://compare.loanpages.com/Loans-for-People-on-Benefits

 

Borrowing from family or friends.

Was trying to search credit union loans. On LBC they suggested the unemployed starts small savings with credit unions [£10pw] and they will get a loan when needed.

 

Credit union interest rates are low, unlike pay day loan interests.

Credit unions are well worth looking at if you can afford to put a small amount away each week. The interest rates on savings are better than just about any high street bank. On loans, the rates charged are quite low, but not necessarily the cheapest - For example, my bank offered me an unsecured loan at a rate of around 26%, credit union could do one for 12.7%, or I could use a credit card at 11.8%. On the bright side, I get 3% on savings with a CU.

A few things to bear in mind with credit unions. They expect you to have saved with them for a period before taking out a loan. The amount they will lend is usually linked to the amount you have saved. It is not always "instant access" to savings or loans, especially if you have to deal with them by post.

Those who are in receipt of HB or CTB can apply for a discretionary housing payment for rent in advance or deposit. Can not see it happening within one weeks time though.

Pay day loan is the worst thing because if it rolls over [not paid by the time agreed] you end up owing them a lot and only loan sharks is the next worst thing.

No wonder people sit on their backside and do not go back to work. You will find you are worse off when working [travel fares] and no actual [financial] help when needed to get back to work. £5billion spent on Work Programme advisers wages [who get us no job] and £100 denied to the jobseeker when he says I found a job and need a bit of money to actually start work.

Maybe the managers at the JCP will be more helpful if OP states it is unacceptable that he is getting no financial help when needed to finally start a job. If it is put into writing that he urgently needs £100 to start a job and requests the JCP help with available funds and replies to the letter within 3 working days. Addressed to the manager.

I'm not clear if your BIL is looking for permanent accommodation or has family/home to return to at weekends.

Bit of a long shot but maybe the council where the job is may be able to advise as he's moving there to work. May also be worth asking Shelter or even the Salvation Army.

Am I right in assuming that OP's BIL doesn't actually need to move for this job - he just needs a place to stay for the one week training course which will be outside reasonable travelling distance of his home?

In such a case I'd be looking for the employer to cover the cost of digs or a cheap B&B for the week.

Am I right in assuming that OP's BIL doesn't actually need to move for this job - he just needs a place to stay for the one week training course which will be outside reasonable travelling distance of his home?

 

In such a case I'd be looking for the employer to cover the cost of digs or a cheap B&B for the week.

I think you're right Antone. I was reading that the job was located in the midlands but on re-reading you're right. Ignore my post OP.

Direct.gov is deprecated and no longer maintained.

 

See here.

articulable I knew, but deprecated I had to look up

articulable I knew, but deprecated I had to look up

It's a common word among IT folks - we say a program or function is "deprecated" if it still exists and works, but is not supported or recommended by the developer.

So you can still access direct.gov, but it's not being updated with the latest information.

(I know you looked the word up, but I thought I'd better clarify for general consumption, heh.)

Sorry for the late reply. He is fishy of the assistance for work programe I think (but can find out) he lives in the NW but the course is in the midlands. Much appreciated for all the advice so far as he is still having no luck. I can't believe the system is in such a bad state to aid people into work. So he can try the advance discresiobary fund or a months rental advance?? Appologise as I have no I idea of the workings on what is available/ not available.

He can certainly ask the Jobcentre about Adviser Discretionary Funds, though I have a feeling that if he's on the WP, the Jobcentre will say he needs to ask them instead.

As to month's rent or a Discretionary Housing Payment, if he only needs to spend a week or so in the Midlands and then will return to the NW to actually work, I doubt a council would offer such a thing. It's normally expected that an employer will pay reasonable costs for an employee to attend a training course, and I'm not personally convinced there's anything wrong about that assumption.

He can certainly ask the Jobcentre about Adviser Discretionary Funds, though I have a feeling that if he's on the WP, the Jobcentre will say he needs to ask them instead.

 

As to month's rent or a Discretionary Housing Payment, if he only needs to spend a week or so in the Midlands and then will return to the NW to actually work, I doubt a council would offer such a thing. It's normally expected that an employer will pay reasonable costs for an employee to attend a training course, and I'm not personally convinced there's anything wrong about that assumption.

Antone they are training him for free and providing qualifications for him. I would say that is already reasonable.

He could ask the employer to pay for a cheap B&B for the week and deduct the cost of the accommodation from the first month's wages. They may do it if he insists that otherwise unable to do the training and this is what he really wants to do [the job].

He could ask the employer to pay for a cheap B&B for the week and deduct the cost of the accommodation from the first month's wages. They may do it if he insists that otherwise unable to do the training and this is what he really wants to do [the job].

That could be an acceptable compromise.