Benefits stopped because I didn't take a job.

[Georgec]

"I find it very strange that CAB and Welfare Rights are unwilling to offer assistance given what you have told us. "

 

 

Me too-in particular since I am familiar with these organisations in St.Helens and its not something that I have heard of (certainly for BOTH to reject)

 

I asked the job cente for a full audit trail and a Subject Request and they give me the number for Job Seekers direct. I haven't asked for a full audit trail yet but I will do at some point. Should I get the Subject Request as well?

[Georgec]

Today, I had to get food. So I went to Asda and stole some food, but I got caught doing it. The police cautioned me. But I told them I did because I had no money. I will need to do that again today.

 

I need food, and I need a hot shower!!

[bigsteve0000]

I saw a programe/news item a while back about bin divers. basicly they go to the rear of food stores, super markets ect, and rake through their bins they find all kinds of stuff thats been thrown away because its out of date. best to ask the staff at the rear of the shop first though as you may find yourself in more bother. have you tried any of the hostels, soup kitchens the sally army or local churchs, you might get some food and maybe a wash. the council should Know of any in your area. if you spot a tramp ask them about it. dont go shoplifting as once your back on your feet youll be stuffed for getting a job with a criminal record.

 

I would also suggest a chat with your local MP, counciler and news papers, exsplain your situation and that your been forced to steal because you have no money for food. have another go at the CAB. wish I could offer more practical help but to far away.

[MARTIN3030]

Today, I had to get food. So I went to Asda and stole some food, but I got caught doing it. The police cautioned me. But I told them I did because I had no money. I will need to do that again today.

 

I need food, and I need a hot shower!!

 

 

George while we understand your plight,CAG cannot condone shoplifting or any illegal activity.

Its no excuse or defence.

Theres members on the site who have been through much more turmoil and hardship,yet not resorted to shoplifting-how do I know that ?

Because I have read their stories.

 

You really need to be exhausting all the avenues suggested.

 

If you end up in front of magistrates,then its likely your problems will be increased and you are certain to be landed with costs and fines.

 

Just some advice-up to you what you decide.

[tinkerballs]

My story is similar to yours. My jobcentre gave me a job sheet to apply for and I forgot.

They made me confess by filling a form and then suspended me for four months!

Previous to this I was only sanctioned once for two weeks, but that was in the good old days!

[bigsteve0000]

Ive been asked to apply for jobs that I dont have a cat in hells chance of getting I tell them straight out that i wont apply and why. reasons usually simple, im not qualified, dont have relevant experience or not physically capeable. I do tell them that if their willing to put me through the relevant training then ill start applying for those jobs. when they say if Im not physically capeable I should sign on the sick, I point out I was signed of the sick as fit for non phisical work years a go and I dont wont to sign on sick I want a job. I use to apply for jobs all the time and got a lot of interviews until the recesion hit so they know I try. I have asked what courses are available so I can have a crack at other types of work but theirs no funding for anything accept IT and clerical. I cant get on the goverment funded training because I live in the wrong post code, I had to use my sister address just to get a refresher coarse for my fork lift licence, this was my advisers Idea.

 

In my opinion the biggest obsticle to getting work is the DWP. they have to many reasons not help and make very little effort to help.

[wishface]

From what i've seen the training these days is all really basic stuff (which is fine if that's what you need - literacy/numeracy stuff). But it's a gravy train like the rest of the unemployment industry. All these schemes: skillsbanks/accounts and whatnot. But what do they really give people? An NVQ in lifting? How to say thank you sir to customers?

Something's just not right - and heaven forfend someone should get help for a degree or something more substantial?

[wishface]

My story is similar to yours. My jobcentre gave me a job sheet to apply for and I forgot.

They made me confess by filling a form and then suspended me for four months!

Previous to this I was only sanctioned once for two weeks, but that was in the good old days!

Four Months!

 

Might as well be a death sentence surely? How can you get by without the money for food for 4 days let alone 4 months?

 

And we've all done it: forgotten to apply for one single job (as if people unemployed have nothing else going on but looking and applyign for jobs).

[bigsteve0000]

Four Months!

 

Might as well be a death sentence surely? How can you get by without the money for food for 4 days let alone 4 months?

 

And we've all done it: forgotten to apply for one single job (as if people unemployed have nothing else going on but looking and applyign for jobs).

 

 

This is what hardship payments are for.

apply and you will recieve. and if you believe that I have bridge id like to sell ya

[wishface]

I remember hardship payments from a time i got sanctioned years ago.

 

If you are living in the family home (as, technically, though not accurately, I am) you get nothing and your relatives are meant to take care of you.

 

And you are meant to still sign on in that time.

 

If that happened to me again i'd be screwed.

[Georgec]

So, the DWP won't pay me any money and have repeatedly shown how incompetent they are. To fill you in: the DWP put sanctions on my JSA benefits for one month. It was lifted on the 7th of this month. I am still waiting for some money. After repeatedly phoning them up, appeal after appeal, application after application with a sick note, with still no success of getting a penny, including having to scavange for food, live in a house without power, and with the threat of eviction looming, I am to take these people of iniquity through the courts.

 

I don't know what to expect and I'm not looking forward to it. A member of my family has recently been through the same experience. He had to sit in the dock against the corrupt DWP, but he won his case.

 

Any last minute advice?

[Georgec]

This is what hardship payments are for.

apply and you will recieve. and if you believe that I have bridge id like to sell ya

 

I applied for hardship and still not receieved. They even said that they got the application seven days after I sent it off!

 

When I phoned about about it, they with held information. I'm still waiting and waiting and no-one is really bothered. It's like the DWP have given up.

[bigsteve0000]

any news

[Kaboodle23]

I've got a 2 month suspension for the same thing, failing to apply for a job opertunity. The only one I know of was back in March or April when I was told about an employer interviewing for assembly workers at the job centre, but they admitted I would have to hurry as they were due to finish soon. By the time I got down I was told they had just finished, and also that they wouldn't have seen me as I didn't have a passport for ID. I'm really mad as I don't know what I will do for 2 months with no money, and it seems so harsh for something like this. I try hard and apply for jobs, so being done so harshly for missing one is really nasty. I suppose I should be greatful I don't have a lot of expenses, but then again I don't waste money on booze or fags or drugs. I still have to spend about £5 every 2 weeks on newspapers and bus fares though.

[Johnnie]

Letter received today - the tenth - dated seven days ago - the third. The letter is the usual pre-printed thing threatening me with loss of benefits because I failed to apply for a job.

The job I failed to apply for was given to me to apply for on 29/10/10, a Friday...

The 30th was a Saturday... The 31st was a Sunday... and they wrote to me on the third?

 

I actually posted the application a while ago, obviously it took a while for the application pack to come out from the employer and will no doubt be a day or so getting back to them in the snail mail. It does make you wonder - with unemployment soaring - are they running out of ways to make it look like its falling and so they are doing all in their power to just terminate the benefits.

 

We'll see.

 

I have three young kids so hardship payments won't just be 'hardship' in name alone.

[bigsteve0000]

At the end of July I was made to go on a 4 week compulsory training course. it was a basic construction course. This was 4 days a week. 2 days health and safety, 6 days bricklaying, 4 days site joinery and 4 days plastering. All totally pointless as anyone who knows can tell you 4 weeks on either one of these sections doesn’t even touch the subject. The joinery was the most pointless as I learnt more at school (left 1978). I’ve built rabbit hutches with more skill and ability than they taught on the course.

The best thing is my back is screwed and has been since an accident in 1991, the accident resulted in me been retired on a small (very small) pension from the council. I also found out from the specialist at that time that I had a narrowing of the spine which would eventually collapse and leave me in a wheelchair, he gave me a time period of about 10 yrs, that was 19 yrs ago and I’m still upright but the pain is increasing. I’m not supposed to do heavy manual work and was living on pain killers doing the bricklaying. Since 1991 I’ve been in and out of work as a driver my longest period in work was 6 years. I’ve asked the job centre for help with training, I could do with my Hiab certificate or my ADR but they don’t have the funds. They sent me to the outside agency that’s supposed to help me back in to work and told me they would provide any training I need… LOL …I started their in February. And the 4 weeks compulsory was all the training I’ve been given. I had to do it or lose my dole money all £19.98 of it. This I could live without but apparently my housing and council tax benefits would stop as well. So these people are quite happy to try and cripple me and threaten to basically make me and my family homeless if I don’t comply, while wasting money on a course that is totally useless to me instead of spending the money on a course that would give me a realistic chance of employment.

They also suggested I should apply for disability and sign on sick, I pointed out that things aren’t the bad I can still work, they suggested I should do like the rest and play up on my problems and put it on worse than it is. Apparently I’m a bit of an anomaly, I want a job.

The whole systems screwed up.