Hi, first post and I wouldn't normally sound so rude, but today's situation has really got my blood boling. I'm normally the most polite woman you could ever meet. But my JCP advisor has had it in for me ever since I was assigned her a few months ago. Sometimes people just take an instant dislike to one another, nothing can be done. However, she has all the power. She always keeps within the rules and so do I. But recently she's been coming across to me as really insulting, denigrating and suspicious when I talk about my anxiety issues. She dismisses them like I just need to stop indulging myself and pull myself together. I'm on JSA at the moment, and reading some of the posts here it sounds like I might have an easier life if I just went to my GP and got a sick note for anxiety to get ESA (?) and get her off my back. What I want to know is if I explain to her next time I sign why exactly it is I think she's a nasty *****, as long as I've done all my jobsearches, fulfilled all my jobseeker directions, can she STILL sanction me for being insulting and rude? I don't want to spite my nose, but I don't think I can bite my tongue much longer with her. Any advice really appreciated as what used to be normal life stress is fast becoming something I think I deserve ESA for.

Hi everyone A few days ago a message has come up on Jobcentre plus stating that Universal Jobmatch is coming on the 19th of November, but what is this about? does it mean that if you apply for the job does Jobcentre get notify of it? Just a bit confused over this and what does it involve.

Hello, I will be grateful for any helpful advice. I was late signing on at Job Centre twice in a row and got benefit taken away for four weeks. On both occasions I was late by just 5-6 minutes. The situation was, I had requested the advisor several times not to set the appointment for too early in the morning as I have to drop off my disabled daughter to nursery at 9:15 and am unable to make it to Job Centre (2 miles away) for, say, 9:30am. Still, they continued giving me early morning appointments. That made me come a few minutes late at times. Now, I was seen right away on the first occasion (and given a warning letter), then two weeks later I was told to return in the evening when I received another warning and was told that I would be reported to "decision makers". Today I received a letter stating that my benefit will be suspended for four weeks. Now, if it was only JSA affected, we could make it somehow. But we can't afford loosing Housing Benefit for a month (that's £1,000 in where we live). I also feel treated unfairly as my JCP advisor always appears to have lots of free time, both before and after my appointment - so, arguing that I was taking someone else's slot would be a lie. Still, she went for punishing me instead of showing a degree of flexibility. Now, has anyone been in a similar situation? What chances of getting their decision annulled do I stand if I appeal? Should I do anything else apart from appealing? Finally, would this affect Housing Benefit which in itself is a means-tested benefit (and we clearly got worse not better this month)? Thanks for any advice you might have. k.

Hello All, First of all i would like to say what a brilliant site this is ,very informative and very helpfull,this is my first posting thank you. I am subbmitting this post on behalf of a friend hope it is ok to do that? my friend was in receipt of JSA ,when out of the blue,no warnings he received a letter from JC+ saying his JSA had been stopped,the reason give as "he had not paid enoughn NI ".Next day he went to Sign On , his advisor at JC+ Told him his benifit had been Stopped ,he ask him why and was told it was because, "He did'nt comply with compliance officer". He wrote a letter to JCP+ to ask for the reason in writing (because of the two conflicting reasons given) It as been 4 weeks and he as not received a reply,What is the next step ? Thank you Evo

will it go in as normal on the tuesday or will i recieve it earlier or later?

when i signed for the first time at Ingeus the other day they took my job search diary off me, i got told its to check if i have done enough. does this mean they'll contact every the employer of every job i apply for and write on the diary? :S

I'm autistic and I've been unemployed for 5 years which means I'm experiencing regression so it's unlikely I'd be able to work, I find it incredibly difficult just attending the job centre once a fortnight and now they've got new rules such as Universal Jobsmatch it'd be even harder for me, also I had a terrible experience with Ingeus which has left me scared of being sent back there as it would likely make my autism significantly worse. The job centre have told me I don't meet criteria for JSA as I can't use a phone to contact employers, thus it seems like my only way of surviving is constantly switching between JSA and ESA. I applied for ESA for the second time last year - the first time I attempted to get on ESA I was denied, due to ignorance of the system I didn't appeal the firs time round but I DID last time and yet I was still found fit-for-work. I was denied ESA on 14th August so I want to re-apply this month...sooner the better as I'm on JSA as of 3 days ago and already it's causing me problems due to anxiety over new rules and the possibility of being sent to Ingeus, I'm absolutely terrified of my sign-on day on Tuesday. I hate that these people don't understand my problems and I have no way of making them understand. Is there anything I need to know about re-applying for ESA? Is there any way I could get onto ESA a little sooner? Is it true I may have to go to Ingeus even if I'm on ESA?

i've just signed in to my emails and discovered a company had invited me to attend interview last friday, it's not a vancancy i was matched to by my advisor but i did apply for it off the directgov website. will the jobcentre find out and if so will i get sanctioned? please help, advice needed

just wondering as im about to start the work program and need to know if it'll effect my christmas plans.

asking for a friend who's recently made a claim for ESA

The Local Authority (LA) has written to inform me that they have cancelled my Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) claim because: “You were claiming as a disabled student, but failed to inform us that your Incapacity Benefit ended in February 2010 and you no longer qualify for benefit from that date.” As I now have no other income (except the existing HB payments) I decided to apply for Job Seekers Allowance, which was I eventually awarded last month. “if you are no longer a student (which I'm not) you may still qualify for benefit, please call us if this is the case to complete an application” the last letter tells me - this is what I'm in the process of doing now so I don't fall behind with my rent now I am not getting HB. I have been claiming IB for about 18 months before claiming Housing Benefit which was awarded from October 2009. Between September 2009 and April 2010 I was also in receipt of a Student Finance Loan. I had been advised this was permitted, and the LA calculated my HB entitlement taking all these facts in to account. In March 2010 I noticed my IB had stopped being paid in to my bank account, but I wasn't told why. There had been no change in my circumstances. I genuinely was not aware this meant I was being overpaid HB since I had not been informed by JCP of any decision stating I no longer had an entitlement to benefit. I spoke to JCP hoping for an answer, I was advised my IB might have been suspended because I failed to attend a work capability assessment, I was told they would write to me if this was the case. About a fortnight later I received a notification from JCP which I informed me of a change in my Incapacity Benefit. The letter stated my benefits were due to be adjusted and will shortly increase “due to the annual rise in benefits”. I also received a new HB/CTC “Benefit Decision Notice” from the LA. I assumed this was in relation to the changes in my IB which I had just been informed about, and the reason for the recalculation on this LA letter was stated “Annual Updating”. To this date, I have still not received any written explanation why my IB payments had suddenly ceased, even though I was told I otherwise. This error was made even more confusing and distressing, especially after receiving correspondence to the contrary fact, actually confirming the amount I was expecting to be paid. I have been sent an invoice for overpayment of £1,890 (which I cannot afford up front). If this is entirely my fault then as unfair as it may be, I am willing to pay it all back in reasonable installments. This will take a significant time to pay back, and I would question if it is even recoverable considering I had no additional income and all the HB received was required and used in good faith for the intended purposes (towards rent!) and think I may have even be underpaid. Any advice/experiences/suggestions etc very welcome. I'm very distressed and embarrassed I have not been able to sort this out, and just want to get it resolves ASAP so I don't face eviction.