Not sure if this is the correct forum so apologies if not but I was wondering what others would do/if anything, with regard to a complaint I made recently about a JCP Advisor. I have been on JSA now for over a year but have been suffering from a vertigo condition (saga is in another thread!!) so I am limited as to what jobs I can apply for. Those that I have applied for and there are over 300 of them, I have been unsuccessful. I had a pretty good advisor to be honest who appreciated my limitations but suddenly out of the blue I was moved to another advisor who was as far as I know newly qualified. On my first meeting with the new advisor I knew I had a problem. I am partially deaf and the advisor had a foreign accent of which I found it difficult to understand. He also looked down continuously when talking thus I could not even lip read him. I kept mentioning my difficulty but he didn't make any effort his end. He was having a nightmare, getting dates for the next signing wrong, being unable to work out when I had last signed and he even went on to criticise my CV at one point so I explained to him that the gentleman who had written my CV was sitting three desks away as he was employed by the DWP as their Careers Advisor so if he had any concerns the Advisor was the best person to talk to. I doubt this went down too well!!! I asked if it was possible to see my old advisor in the future and this gentleman said he would book me in with her the following week so all's well ends well........ Not. The following week I was back again with this new advisor. I politely asked as to why I was back with him and he mentioned that I was with him, end of story. I then stated, once again politely, that because of his accent I struggled to hear him due to my hearing impairment. He then replied "That's not my problem, it is YOUR problem". I'm not easily upset but that I have to be honest rocked me, I was stunned. Maybe it was the stress but moments later I had a vertigo attack and had to sit down for 45 minutes. I wasn't going to do anything about it but thought how can they speak to anyone like that, let alone about a disability, so I wrote to the DWP to complain because I think too often we all just accept the shambolic way they treat claimants. Unsurprisingly they have replied and this fella has denied making such a comment, of course I didn't really expect anything else although if he had said that he had made the comment and apologised I would have accepted that. So I am now not sure what to do. Leave it because I guess it's just my word against his or continue with the complaint? Fortunately they have moved me to a new advisor anyway, although not my original, and she was as nice as pie when I saw her so maybe someone has had a word, although I doubt it. So I guess I will not see this chap again, although he will certainly be in the same office. Half of me says leave it, but the other half says carry on and don't accept their denial. So I was just wondering what others would do? I have attached their letter. Have removed personal information and names. Apologies for the coffee stains, I suspect I spluttered it out when reading the letter!!!! Complaint 1 001.pdf Complaint 2 001.pdf

Hi, I don't know if I'm posting this in the right place but I need help. My daughters boyfriend has just received an eviction notice, stating the eviction will take pkace a week on Thursday. I'm currently sketchy on the details but it's all due to problems with housing benefits etc. Hes had a nightmare of a couple f years, he was persuaded to take a 16 hour a week job because he was on DLA and could claim working tax credits, he also kept his housing benefit. He then lost his claim to DLA when he had to change to pip and so lost his working tax credits. He also lost his housing benefit but that was reinstated. Currently he has a total income of £120 per week and is supposed to be paying towards his rent as his housing benefit doesn't cover it all. Now he's buried his head in the sand, my daughter had just phoned me to say that he's being evicted and the eviction notice was delivered on Saturday morning. He has tried to contact the council today to see if there is any way he can stop the eviction and they have said no not unless he pays all of the arrears. I don't know if the amount they are wanting includes all of the costs that will have been added to the debt outstanding. Is there anything at all that can be done to help him keep his home or are we looking at a lost cause?

Took a job , I do not have the tech skills for, No time to learn on the job I am under pressure, the company is 2 guys and feel like I have let boss down, anyway if the guy lets me go after 10 days working on the grounds that I do not have the skills to do job will I still be able to claim job seekers ? Pretty worried so ideas much appreciated

At Twickenham Job Centre, they have been paying benefits to my mother without my mother signing on. My mother's job seekers advisor explains that my mother does not need to sign on as "hardly anyone signs on anymore". I believe this is totally incorrect as a Job Seeker surely would have to sign an agreement in order to receive their benefits and must comply with the agreement in order to maintain their benefits. Otherwise a Job Seeker could receive their benefits and also obtain employment at the same time as they are not agreeing to any terms and conditions. Can anyone confirm whether people have to sign on in order receive to benefits?

I signed on this morning and my advicer gived me a leaflet about payments been sent early but don't understand when my payments will go in my bank and just wondering if anyone know from this: Expected Issue date Payment for Period Ending 15/03/2013 15/03/2013 27/03/2013 29/03/2013 12/04/2013 12/04/2013 I know the top one as I signed on today and it will go in my bank on the 20th (on wednesday) But when will the 27th go in? is it on the 29th it will go in my bank or the 3rd? I should signed on the 29th of March but due to been good friday Jobcentre is shut. Any advice would be great, cheers

I have been in receipt of lobs seekers allowance in a couples claim with my Husband the amount we have been getting is £222.05 per week, due to my Husbands age he was not required to sign on as he is over pension credit age. On 5th April he reached state pension age and I informed the DWP on a change of circumstances form and attached a letter from the Pensions people to say he would get his pension from 8th April (paid in arrears on 14th April). I signed in as normal on 16th April and also informed them on my work seekers diary about the change of circumstances however the next payment was full JSA and I had been overpaid I contacted them by phone to inform them and have been waiting for a letter to confirm the amount they want back and how to pay it. However I got a letter from them on Saturday informing me that my JSA was going down due to my Husbands pension The dates on the letter referred to my JSA payments from 3/9th April This is what I am disputing first of all as my Husband was still only 64 on 3/4 April as far as I can see we would have still been entitled to the couples claim on those dates and on 5/6/7th April would have still been entitled to full payment as the pension did not start until the 8th. I have no issue with the overpayment from 8th April indeed as I have said I told THEM about it But believe the other is incorrect I am going to write to them but need to get my facts straight before I do so any suggestions would be welcome. Also just to add another twist to the tale I am signing off on Monday anyway as my Husbands annuity comes into affect and I wont be entitled to income based JSA from then anyway.

I hope they didn't park in Aldi's car park. Could be a risk of over staying! http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/thousands-queue-40-jobs-offer-german-discounter-aldi-043031416.html

Hello all I would like some advice into how I can successfully contest a job seekers agreement. I went for my first interview and whilst the advisor went through the types of jobs and time restrictions ect, to which I agreed to. A print off was then given for me to sign. What had been added was I must spend 6 hours a day job seeking and write to ten employers a week. I was never asked if I agreed to this. I have every intention of finding a job, i am concerned that it would be difficult for me to prove what constitutes as 6 hours worth of jobseeking, if at any point it is decided I have not done that. As we all know job seeking is demoralising, depressing and energy sapping and I am sure occasionally I may fall not stick rigidly to the agreement as we all need a break. I have been job hunting since May but only just signed on and after applying for many, most do not even reply as to whether your application was successful or not. I sometimes find I need to take some time to re-energise myself and re-motivate myself. I do not know how the decsion has been made that I should do 6 hours a day job search and under what basis it was made. I feel that the the advisor just picked the numbers out of thin air. I believe that the job seekers agreement is used purely as a tool to beat you with and stop your benefits when you find yourself in a down time after so many rejections. I wish for it to be reduced to a level that even when I am feeling down I am still able to adhere to it. Would the reasons I give above be good enough reason to have it changed?

I have recently returned from abroad where I lived for a year. Whilst away I rented out my property. Now the tenants have moved out and I have moved back in. Can I claim Job Seekers aLlowance and will I get any assistance with my mortgage?

any one else having this problem ,i noticed last week i had around £50 extra in my account. but today when normally money goes in after signing on last thursday,theirs nothing in.my account they should be two weeks money £142?

I have bitten the bullet and made a claim for job seekers allowance The problem i am going to have is that i am going to need surgery to my knee. The surgeon is stating a three month recovery period when i have the operation what happens to the JSA, do i go onto a new benefit or stay on JSA What hoops will they expect me to jump through thanks

Hello all, hoping someone might know the answer to this question. Does anyone know how the applicable amount of jsa is calculated? For example a single persons allowance is £71, this is the amount the government says you need to live on if you are single. But what do they mean by "live on". How do they calculate this amount? i.e. how much would be for food, how much for fuel (gas, elec, heating) and other essential things that you would need to live on. Now by "live" I am assuming this doesnt mean an amount you would actually need to purchase things you would need to continue living? The reason I ask is basically down to the "bedroom tax". I've been on JSA for a couple of months now through no fault of my own (unfairly dismissed for taking employer to tribunal), I get £71 per week, 25 goes on food, 25 - 30 on electricity, 5 on toiletries and the rest on trying to pay other bills, travel, etc. Come april I'll need to pay just over £11 per week towards my rent as HB was reduced for under occupancy ( i have one spare bedroom). Basically I am just curious if requiring people to pay the extra towards rent from benefits would be unlawful if it left you with less than what the gov says you need to live on? I know thats probably wishfull thinking but the bedroom tax is attrocious and theres got to be some way around it. Thanks

hello i have just been informed that i cannot receive job seekers allowance as my class 1 contributions are not up to date .I have been told to get an jsa3 income based form can anyone tell me about this

Hello, I am about to apply for JSA, and would like advice about one aspect. Until Nov 24 2012, I was claiming Sickness benefit (ESA?) and decided to try and return to work. I didn`t apply for Job Seekers Allowance, I sold my car to fund looking for a job. As yet I have still to find employment, and so am in the process of applying. In the form, there is a question that asks if you wish to claim from a previous date, which I do. Before I submit this question, can someone please tell me what this might entail. If, in asking for a backpayment, it requires days/weeks of questions, and proof, I fear it may not be worth persuing. In summary, what is the usual response from the Gov/Benefit office, when a previous registering date is requested? Many thanks Eric

Hi after 33 years of employment i now find myself out of work when the place i worked for got rid of 35 of us, In my trade (printing) there is about 0% chance of getting another job at my age (51). This is made worse by the fact i also suffered a heart attack last august Anyway went to job centre and signed on and i have to do 21 activities a week while my mate who worked with me only has to do 8, anyone know why the difference? As to job seekers diary am i right on thinking that if i look at 1 job site that counts as 1 activity so if i look at 2 different sites a day that will be 14 activities a week

Do we have a link to the actual terms and conditions a claimant is made to sign when claiming for a job seekers allowance government benefit. I am looking for the actual nuts and bolts regulations under government legislation Their seems to be a lot of Disinformation on the internet about this compulsion to give your CV etc and load onto the governments commercial partner monster worldwide, universal job match, and the legalities under the DPA 1998. That is being forced (or encouraged) to register as an example in contravention of your data protection rights. The above is just an example, its all of the official t&c that i require for a claimant to satisfy the job seekers agreement Their must be a government handout etc for the public or DWP staff to refer to i am not claiming or intend to claim any benefits in the near future, this request is just for educational reasons

Hey all I was wondering if I could get a little advice about JSA Basically I left school and went straight to uni, did well, then got a job straight after uni which was fantastic. I worked there for 2 and a half years none stop full time. But Due to some personal issues I had to leave my job about 2 months ago. I knew that I could claim JSA but I had to wait 6 weeks because I had left my job and not been sacked. So I did which there was no problem with, and I was also hoping to find a new job in that time anyways because I didnt want to claim JSA and I really didnt want to be out of work for that long. Unfortunately I have not been successful in find a new job yet which really sucks so about 3 weeks ago I put in a claim for JSA. Because I had worked 2 and a half years I didnt think there would be any problem with me getting it. The letter that I was ment to get to tell me weather I was getting JSA was late so I rung them up and They sent me a text later that day telling me that I was going to get JSA and a letter would follow shortly. The letter turned up today tell me the complete opposite, that I was not actually getting JSA. As you can imagen I was really confused so I rung them straight away and they told me that I wasnt getting JSA because I hadnt payed enough National Insurance. But this dosnt make sense to me because I have been working 2 and a half years and my NI and tax have automatically been coming out of my pay and I have the paperwork to prove it. Im really annoyed and angry as you can imagine because first they told me I was getting some help and then they told I wasnt and also Ive been working none stop for 2 and a half years and never claimed JSA or any other benefits before in my life so how can I not be eligiblefor it?? Ive talked to the people on the phone a number of times today and there not explaining anything to me properly and they dont seem to have the time of day for me. Has anyone else been through anything like this? Am I in the right for thinking theres something wrong here?? any advice would be really helpful.

I claim job seekers (I have 2 children) I am eligible for the £250 grant (should i get a job) I have broken my toe (I consider myself still actively seeking work, and very mobile on crutches.) I am worried they will say i cant claim job seekers, is there anything i can say or do to prove this will not effect roles im seeking? 'IF' i am signed onto a temporary sick thingy for 6weeks apx (if drs need to pin it/cast it, as will be discussed in referral) Will this mean i cant claim £250 Grant (welcome back into work) unless ive been seeking work for however many months it is again? Basically 'if' they deem me unfit can my claim be paused rather then stopped? Im so nervous about this im going to hobble 'crutchless' high on pain killers into job centre next visit which is 2 days before my hospital referral for fear of them stopping it all straight away! :o( PLEASE ADVISE. X

Hi all, I was hoping for some advice. I've been on job seekers a few months now and I'm attending Open University. I've had a tumultuous few months and subsequently have been trying to get my life back on track. I do fine juggling university assignments and job hunting. However, recently I've moved house into another area and this office insists on seeing me every week and my adviser has sent onto a CV writing work shop which lasts two full days. I rung them up on the morning I was due to attend to speak to my adviser. Unfortunately, I didn't explain myself very well. I told her (and her boss who answered the call initially) that I was unable to attend because I had coursework due. This is completely true, but the reason why I'm behind on my coursework and not able to go to the session is because I had been unwell for a few days before, I just wasn't unwell on the day. I was told by my adviser that my honesty has got me into trouble because now her boss is wondering why I'm on JSA when I'm appearing to turn down sessions that are offering me help. My adviser has told me to carry on signing on this week and to speak to her next week. I asked if they are stopping my claim and her response was something along the lines of "not yet but we have to talk," which has left me unsure of where I stand. It's not that I'm unwilling to work but doing well at uni means a lot to me as well. Does anyone know what I should expect? Is there anything I can do to help my case? Thanks in advice