I would like some advice on my situation, my jobseekers has been sanctioned because they say i have applied for a job I am underqualified for. The decision to sanction my money has still not been made but i wont get any money until the decision is made.I was due to be paid saturday 13th july. I received a letter on friday the 12th july stating i had been sanctioned and until decision is made I will remain sanctioned.Because decision has not been made i can not claim hardship i have been cab and they have given me food stamps but thats all they can do to help me. I am running out of everything including electric and I have had letters from tv licence and water asking for money i dont have. My banks has been put in arrears by virgin media because my benefits should of been in there and due to sanction it was'nt so now im in arrears with my bank. I dont have a penny to my name not even to catch a bus or call anyone if anyone can give me advice on what to do it would be appreciated. I would like to add I have already sent a complaint to the jobcentre about this.

Hello, Have anyone heard about this story today? a man's JSA Claim sanctioned for 3 months because he refused to apply for a job at a dressmaker's! I can't provided a link as I found this on a forum and the op didn't provided a link so I don't know if this story is true or not but I think its not true as people can't have jsa sanctioned for 3 months, is that correct? people who get sanctioned will be sanctioned for the following periods. 2 weeks 4 weeks 6 months 3 years

Hi all, I am new to the forum and looking for some advice. I went to sign on today and was informed that I would be sanctioned as I had not done enough to look for work in the last 2 weeks. In my job diary I had applied for 5 jobs and sent 3 spec letters as well as looking in newspapers etc. This has always been enough before but saw a new person today who has decided it isn't. What I am wondering is how this person decided I hadn't done enough, I am on the work programme and have no jobseekers agreement in place. One was in place when I joined the work programme but I moved areas in the city I live and was told I had to move jobcentres, this I did and had an appointment to move everything over but no jobseekers agreement was ever drawn up. Can anyone offer any advice at all as I am struggling to live as it is and losing my JSA is something I can't afford to do. Thank you

I was sanctioned recently for the second time, this time for three months. I was getting help with my mortgage payments from the DWP which they will only pay me until December as my years then up. My idea is that I could cancel my claim for mortgage help and my wife could instead apply for pension credit, she will then be able to apply for housing benefit and council tax help. Can my claim be cancelled but stay on jobseekers allowance? Not that I get anything at the moment. Not sure what to do, or how to do it?

I was recently sanctioned for missing an Advisor Interview, I appealed against this decision because I knew nothing of this appointment, I had been given no notice at any of my previous meetings prior the date or given any paper work acknowledging this meeting when I last attended my signing on, or receiving anything through the post - But the Jobcentre had a record of posting a letter out to me which I never received! I explained in my appeal that recently we have had problems with our post either not turning up or going missing, and that we have taken this matter up with Royal Mail. I also mentioned that the Jobcentre has access to my Mobile Number, Email Address and also my Universal Jobmatch Account, so why is it not possible that they can not let clients know via this method instead of the useless Royal Mail method..... Or if it’s something important which it was, have the document recorded or signed for?? So my appointment was rescheduled with my advisor, during the interview she mentioned that she generally does not like to post Interview Letters out, and normally try to give the clients their Interview letters when it’s their Signing On day, by this method proving that the client has received the letter. I attended my signing on day as normal a few days ago and found that my appeal had been rejected, so basically I'm still sanctioned for 4 weeks. Is there anything else I can do towards my appeal? I feel that I have been unfairly treated and should not be Sanctioned!

Hi There Guys, On The Friday 8th March 2013, I Received a letter of the JSA/DWP Saying that they made a decision not to pay me until May 2013, For A Job that I Didn't apply for. Anyway, Jobcentre never gave me a Job to apply for, neither there wasn't a Job saved on my Government GateAway Account. So on Monday 11th March 2013, I Went to my local Jobcentre Plus and spoke to some lady who looked it up, It came back As I didn't apply for a Job At Asda.... Now I can Remember, My Person Adviser asked me If I wanted to do a Online test first at a collage and i said Yes I will... So I Phoned Up the collage and booked an appointment, but they never phoned me back... Also I had to do a Hardship Payment application.. ( STILL HAVEN'T HEARD BACK OF THEM). Wednesday 13th March, I Signed On As Normal, Today I Had a Adviser Meeting.. She said my account has been Sanctioned!!... Anyway... Before this letter, I had no warning that my account will get Sanctioned, No-one told me nothing about it. Basically I did apply for the Job at asda because I told my Adviser that I will go Collage(Part of the Job).. No Warning That My account will get Sanctioned Can They send out a letter and tell you they going stop your JSA, without a WARNING? Do you know any advise I can get from you Guys? What to do? Have you got a Letter template i could use for a MP Etc?.. Thank you.

I'm hoping someone can help me with a query on my jsa being sanctioned for failing to apply for jobs i'm not qualified for!! Basically when i signed on i was told my job search activity log did not include any applications for jobs in the last fortnight....i explained to my advisor that all applicable vacancies i had seen had statutary requirements of basic qualifications or certificates which i did not possess...i was then told i should have applied for them regardless and because i did not my claim was being sent to a decision maker!!! I was given form ES48 which states "Until this decision is reached jobseekers allowance cannot be paid Firstly am i right that by being referred to a decision maker my payment will automatically be stopped and will probably rely on an appeal to qualify for future payments?? Also how is it ethical to require me to apply for jobs i'm not qualified for?? Any advice on how to fight this decision would be greatly appreciated

My brother has been sanctioned for not answering his phone. It was a review by A4E and he was not informed he was being called (a4e says he got sent a letter but he didn't) and when they did call his phone was turned off as he was visiting our father hospital and as it was the cardiac unit it was necessary to switch his phone off. They say that he isn't entitled to hardship payments and should go to a charity for food, while that idea is fine he has missed job interviews as he can't charge his phone and has no way of showering or cleaning clothes for his interviews anyway. The CAB were pretty useless in that they just reiterated what the jobcentre said. I am financially unable to help and live miles away. Only other family is our dad who's in hospital. He has to miss seeing his son at the weekends due to this and his ex will use this a leverage to stop my brother seeing his child again. Can anyone help?

if a claimant is sanctioned by a job centre advisor, and that sanction was through malicious intent, and on appeal the sanction is lifted what recourse is open to the claimant in taking action against the advisor besides the appeal process for the advisor to be made accountable for his/her actions and i am not on benefits,

I'm writing on behalf of my partner. Cut a long story short, he is on ESA WRAG (IR) for severe depression and anxiety. He has been claiming for just under 3 years now, he has failed all 3 medicals, but succesfully gained enough points at tribunal to be awared ESA. (with the help of me and his father, and a rep from cab). He is worried sick about the new mandatory work programme and work placements he can be put on, and if he refuses, the sanctions he will face. We are in no position to be sanctioned, but he is also in no position to be, (well the equivalent) of working full time. My partner is on high dose Anti-D's aswell as going to group therapy twice a week (one is CBT), and counselling once a week. The counselling is 2 hours in the middle of the day (12-2) and it takes an hour transport there and back. The group therapy is 10-4 and takes the same amount of time, if not a bit longer. My partner cannot use public transport on his own without panic/anxiety attacks or just breaking down and wondering around aimlessly. I go to all these appointments with him (luckily they are both close to his parents, so I stay in theirs while he is in the app until it's time to pick him up again. He had been waiting for the counselling and group therapy for over 2 years, they all only started in the last 3-4 months. Partner has been mentally ill since his early childhood, has seen many psychologists/psychiatrists and counsellors, none of which have helped. He has been on many different types of anti-depressants over the cause of about 6-7 years, none of which have made any significant change. He has never worked, never finished a project in his life, left school with no gcse's, attempted college courses but never completed any. When he fails something (which is often), this spirals him into a very dark place. One were he secretly plans his own suicide etc. Not one that is pleasant. My main concern is, if he put on a work programme or work placement, what will they do about the app my partner has throughout the week? Will they make him stop these appointments? He finds the counselling/group therapy VERY stressful, so having to 'work' every day, when he isn't at his appointments also worries me, as he needs a day off. I'm not sure how my partner is expected to get to the job center on his own, nevermind work programmes and work placements? Partners doctor is quite helpful, though, and I, aswell as him, beleive my partner COULD get into work, with the right help, and slowly into it, however being forced into something like this, is not something I think will help him in the slightest, and I worry it will put him back in that dark place. Dr is convinced we are stretching the truth, and it will not be as bad as we say it will be (and many others saying it will be). I'm very worried of my partners wellbeing. And I doubt he will ever make the support group. Any advice? Sorry in advance, I'm both tired and very stressed.

I've had my JSA stopped for four weeks for missing a job search session with Avanta. I was moving house and stupidly it slipped my mind. I know it's not an excuse, but four weeks seems excessive to me. I do my job search independently anyway, even when attending the cramped job search. Avanta are worse than useless. Where do I stand with this? The 'doubt' was raised on the 17 October and only got applied on the 4 December, which meant all over Christmas I've not had two pennies to rub together. Fantastic. Although I live with my dad he's a bit annoyed too as I can't pay him his board, which he could really use. He's not on a huge wage. I've heard of hardship allowance - can I claim this? Although I live at home I still have expenses and things I need to spend money on. It's not like I'm sat at home all day watching TV, I'm out four or five days out of seven all day doing charity work, trying to gain some new skills and experience which will hopefully help. Not that it has thus far, the countries broken and there are no bloody jobs. I've heard an advisor admit this herself. Since the sanction was only applied on the 4, is it too late to appeal? I gave up to be honest and just thought 'f--k it, I can't be bothered anymore'. It's only because I feel bad for not been able to give my dad something I'm posting this. I'd rather do without than beg them for the pittance they throw. But whatever. So, where do I go from here? As I say I know it wasn't anything like a doctors appointment, simply an honest mistake because more important things took precedence. I've never been sanctioned before and this is a first. Once or twice I've been five minutes late because there's a level crossing right outside and sometimes it's down when I get there. What do they want me to do, jump the barrier? They once wanted to sanction me for being four minutes late due to this. Somebody had more sense as it was sent back. I'd been telling my advisor at avanta for weeks that I'm moving soon just didn't have an exact date - you'd think she could have waited to find out why I didn't attend before flagging up a sanction. I was in there the day after when it hit me apologising for not turning up. As I say it's not useful or helpful anyway. You're thrown on a computer and left alone without so much as a boo for an hour. Thanks for any help you can give me. I know it's my own fault, I don't need any lectures about 'well if you want your JSA you do what they tell you', as I've previously been informed by my snotty JC advisor. Thanks again. ^_^.

Hi, My partner put this on the banana forum as well but assuming not everyone goes on there I wanted to post it on here as well. This morning at around 6.30am 2 Bailiffs from Marstons knocked on my door. One of them had knocked the other night as well and told where to go - I had already rang them on their first letter telling them I was going to court to sign a stat dec as I didnt know about the summons. They're collecting on a distress warrant for Non payment for TV licence at my old address. At 6.30am this morning 2 Bailiffs from Marston Group Limited called at my address and starting banging the door. There were intermittent flaps of the letterbox proceeding with more banging. They were claiming for a distress warrant for using a TV set without a Licence. The Claimed offence occurred on the 18th December 2011 at my previous address. At 6.45am I went to my front door and informed the bailiff that I had removed their implied right of access to my property and that they must leave. They didn't and carried on banging on the door. At approximately half past 8 in the morning the police arrived after being called by the bailiffs. I reminded the officers of their duty to keep the peace and that is all that is required of them and invited them into my home leaving the bailiffs outside. The police officers explained to me what they're understanding was in regards to a Distress warrant and that they had a similar situation last week and that the bailiff did have the right to forced entry. I explained that this was incorrect and that I had removed their right of implied access to my property and I do not have to let them in as they can only go through an open door or window etc but not by force. I explained that they would need a signed warrant of execution to enter the premises and that a distress warrant not even signed by a Judge is not valid. I showed proof on my calendar that I was due to go to Hastings Magistrates court on the 28th December to sign a Statutory Declaration along with proof that I did not live at the address the summons was sent to on the 25th May 2012. Remaining impartial the police officer recommend that I go and explain this again to the bailiff and that they would not let her enter my property. I obliged asking one of the police officers to stand in front of the bailiff so she can't force her way in. The other police officer stood behind me in the house. The bailiff accused me of lying and that she was coming in. I repeated that I had removed her implied right of access to my property and that she was currently trespassing and that I had an appointment booked for the 28th December for the Statutory Declaration. She said she doesn't care and she is coming in. At this point she lunged towards me and attempted to push her way in leg first to which I responded and stood my ground by removing her leg.from my Porch. She then attempted to push her body weight into me but I'm a bit bigger than she was and was unsuccessful. The Police officer behind me held onto my arm attempting to remove it from holding onto my door frame hence allowing the bailiff to enter to which I asked him politely to remove his hand from my arm of which he obliged. The Police behind me kept on telling me that the bailiff have the right to enter and I am breaching the peace. The Policeman in front of me told me that if I didn't let them in I would be arrested. I put my hands behind my back and said Ok. They cuffed me and walked me to my bedroom and allowed the bailiffs to enter the property. My Partner followed the bailiff around whilst they took down a few serial numbers of her property in the bungalow. The bailiffs were informed that all the Furnishings fixtures of the property are hers. Whilst in the bedroom with the police officer I asked him if I was actually under arrest as I hadn't been read my rights and he said no. I asked him to them take the cuffs off me. At this point it transpired that they didn't actually have a key with them for the cuffs as they were the older style cuffs that everyone still wants and from hearing his colleague on his radio they were talking to someone on the in the next town over was bringing the keys over. I had to sit and wait cuffed for no reason while the bailiff was free to wander around my home. At 9.15 approximately the bailiff received word from the court that they had a record of my phone call for the appointment on the 28th December and told me they would give me 7 more days. I informed them that 7 days from now is 1 day before I'm due in court to which they replied and... The Bailiff then left followed by the police officers shortly afterwards.

Hi - Dont have much of a post count but mainly lurk and take heed of the bountiful advice on here. I turned up for my 'usual' signing appointment but was unceremoniously left waiting for nearly an hour with no explanation or communication. When I was finally called over to another desk I was told that my jobsearch was too generic and vague. At this point I defensively retorted 'Well looking at the same relisted jobs over and over , in my field of work IS generic by its nature'. My jobsearch 'sheet' , as with many more at the Canning Town jobcentre , has been reduced to a single sheet , into which I have to shoehorn details of everything I do and look at - included in this weeks search was a screening interview for a job that I could prove I had attended. I have complied with everything the workplace has thrown at me and been very accommodating up till now but as I was not the only one having this done (seems like a chosen block of people going through the same wringer) I am assuming that this is an office wide response to the terrible statistics surrounding the workplace scheme. I said to the 'advisor' - 'what about the fact that you can clearly see from my other sheets that I am actively seeking work , in accordance with the agreement that was set out - as well as volunteering in a charity shop once a week and attending the workplace for a group jobsearch' - to which his response was 'we are not interested in the past weeks searches' ' really how convenient - can I have them back then please.' 'no we keep them for reference' 'but you just said you're not interested in the past weeks' Before long I could see I was getting nowhere and just asked him to get on with what he was obviously going to do - this turned out to be typing the few bits onto a template sanction letter that referred to me - oddly enough the dates didnt seem to be part of the user defineable text. No mention made of the changes to the rules / regulations. No mention of UJM. I hope someone can correct me , but based upon a 'clean' claim with no advice EVER given on improving my jobsearch or I will be sanctioned - surely to sanction as a first step is excessively harsh. Surely this must be contradictory to the agreement I entered into. So , to my main points/questions. 1) As I have somehow mislaid my agreement , is it feasible/legal to request to see my claim file and paperwork in person? 2) In obtaining a copy of my agreement and then appealing by way of proof of complying with the last agreement set out - would this be a good basis for appeal? Does the freedom of Information act allow me to do so and in doing so would it allow me to take copies of all related documents in my claim? 3) I shall also be making a formal complaint about the service standard in the branch. 54 minutes of being ignored leads to impatience and as the customer before me had to be led out by security with the same problem it seems this approach of cowardice is favoured in order to disarm claimants and lead to heated exchange and possibly more sanctions.Am I going too far or should I stand up for this too? If this information regarding data protection is available to read (and preferably understand) then it would certainly help. I am not legally savvy but I am willing to take measures against the jobcentre if they are legal.

Hi, am new here. I was informed by my JCP advisor that I had failed to apply for a job back in may and asked me if i could prove that I had applied for it. I had my email hacked around that time and was advised by sky to reinstall windows so all my emails previous to that had gone. I informed them that I couldn't prove that I had but was unsure as it was 4 months previous. I have recently been signed off as my depression is deepening and I have new problems that are being investigated by the doctor and the hospital. I signed off so that I could claim esa as was told u cant be in reciept of one and apply for the other. I checked my account on my usual payday and found that I hadn't been paid and when I phoned them to find out what had happened i was informed that they would pay me one weeks and if i was awarded esa they would decide when to pay me. Saturday morning I get a brown envelope and in it was a letter informing me that i had been sanctioned for 13 weeks. I need to know if my being sanctioned after I applied for esa will affect my claim for it. If i dont get the esa what am i supposed to live on till january and how am i gonna be able to heat my home.

just wondering if you miss an interview with a company who advertised the position on the directgov, will they inform the jobcentre even if your not matched to the vacancy? this hasn't happened to me i'm just interested thats all:-)

Please help. I signed on for the first time in 24 years after being made redundant back in July. I had no idea what I was doing and made it quite clear I needed help and advice when I went for my first appointment. Apparently, in the many bits of paperwork I was given there was a specific order to send my CV in by a particular date but I didn't do this. I was under the impression I was waiting for another appointment to discuss my options and I would then take in my cv. With hindsight i should have chased this up but i'm a very busy Mum and just didn't get time, i have many more urgent things to attend to and assumed the jobcentre would contact me if they needed anything. I sign on when i should and keep a detailed record of my job searches etc. It was at my last signing that they noticed i hadn't sent my cv in and i was asked to return the next day, i assumed to discuss this and nothing more but it was actually an assessment. I explained to the seemingly sympathetic man that i had the found the initial appointment very confusing and must have misunderstood the directions given to me. I sent my cv in the next day. I have a jobseekers agreement that does not specify a date for me to send my cv and if i was given a direction but failed to comply, why wasn't i contacted earlier? It's just a genuine mistake for goodness sake! The woman i had the first appointment with has been off ever since and doesn't return for another couple of weeks, otherwise i'd ask her to back me up. So today I have received a letter dated 17th August (6 days to reach me??) informing me that my JSA will be stopped from 21st August to 3rd September. I'm so upset. Surely something as important as this should be discussed properly and notice given? Even with the JSA we were struggling to make ends meet so heaven only knows what we'll do for this couple of weeks. My husband is self employed but not earning anything at the moment due to a combination of lack of work and ill health. We do get tax credits but this will barely cover our bills even after i've reduced them to the bare minimum. The child benefit will have to pay for food but we're a family of 5 including a toddler still in nappies so i'm seriously worried. I know other people have asked similar questions and i've read a lot but i still can't figure out how to sort this out quickly enough. It's two of my children's birthdays coming up and i have a horrible feeling we're not going to have any money in time. I honestly could just cry... Can anyone help?

For more details see this thread. Here's a quick summary: I've been sanctioned, but the reason on the letter is incredibly vague. It just says that I 'cannot be treated as actively seeking work'. After five attempts at trying to find out the reason I finally got told the content of the sanction doubt that was sent to head office in Newcastle, however this is incredibly vague too. It only says that I haven't 'adhered to my job seeker's agreement'. I arranged a reconsideration meeting at my local branch yesterday through Newcastle, which my local branch pretended didn't exist when I attempted to arrange through them, in order to find out the reason for my sanction. However, they kept me waiting for almost an hour, pretending the advisor was busy with another jobseeker and would be unable to see me. The appointment was booked in advance, so they knew they needed to be available at this time and I happen to know the advisor I was supposed to be seeing and the entire time I was there I did not see her speak to another job seeker. JCP are clearly refusing to let me know the reason as they know they don't have a leg to stand on and without me knowing the reason for my sanction doubt I'm unable to get either a reconsideration or appeal against it. Is there another body I can speak to about this in order to get JCP to tell me the reason for my sanction? There's a time limit on the amount of time I have to get a reconsideration and appeal against it, so something needs to be done soon.

Hello there. I was sanctioned for 2 weeks for missing two an A4E appointment. Do you think it's worth appealing. I do have a doctors note saying I was suffering from depression at the time. Also from what i can gather from reading a post on these forums I will not be eligible for a crisis loan and my HB will be stopped? Any advice will be appreciated.

Well I'm on here seeking advice given thet the jobcenter and TBG(workprog provider) both keep playing pass the parcel. I Have been unemployed for 3 years in an area with little to no public transport matching the local city work hours (most jobs in cardiff are 6am-11pm shifts for callcenter and shops) Now recently I attended a christening in london for my niece my brother came to wales to collect me and would be bringing me home , I asked at the jobcenter and was told this would be ok. Unfortunately my brothers car broke down meaning he was unable to get me home until the tuesday instead of the monday , I contacted TBG who said it was ok and they would re-book. However then On the 27th of June I recieved a letter dated the 13th June telling me i would be sanctioned for "not making sufficient effort" which was after my housing benefit had been suspended due to no evidence . Bearing in mind that the same work provider forced me into 4 weeks unpaid "Work experience" and refused to refund the transport costs or clothing costs. meaning any savings i had have been wasted. I Have been told by the jobcenter that its nothing to do with them and issues must be taken to TBG , I go to TBG and the refuse any help saying I need Forms from the Jobcenter (got the forms and filled in) Yet Trying to apply for hardship or crisis loans see me treated like the ball in ping pong with TBG passing me to the jobcenter , The Jobcenter telling me to phone up , And The phone jobcenter staff telling me to return to tbg.