Dont know what to do??

[lottiesnan]

I have a son who lives in Brisbane Australia with his wife and my grand daughter...And i havnt seen them for two years now..

He surprised me by buying me a ticket a few weeks ago to go and see him for 7 weeks in december.......

I have a part time job and they are happy for me to go...But i wont get paid..

 

I get a small amount of housing benefit/council tax benefit..My question is when i am not at work for 7 weeks with no income will the council cover the shortfall...

I have read somewhere that you are able to spend no more than 13 weeks away from your home and they wil still pay housing benefit...

 

Any advise gratefully received

[lottiesnan]

After having the worst year ever.loosing my husband who i had been a carer for for several years.then my son moved to Australia and most recently my daughter moved overseas with her husband and my grand daughter as he is in the Army...

 

While all this was going on my work came to an end and i have had to sign on for the past 3 months...Horrible experience and i get myself into a right old tizzy when i have to go there which is weekly now...Have been experiencing anxiety attacks which are very frightening...

 

I recently went to see my gp as i am not sleeping or eating and have lost over a stone in weight in a matter of weeks told him about the panic attacks...I feel like im in a permanant state of bereavement...he thinks and i have to agree, however much i try to fight it ,that i am having a little breakdown or depressive episode as he put it....I certainly dont feel well enough to go back to work

He wants to sign me off sick but i am worried to death that

 

a) my benefit will get messed up again and i will fall in arrears with my rent and C/Tax the thought of form filling all over again fills me with dread....

And

b) The dreaded Atos medicals... the way i feel now they will rip me to shreads........ My gp says it will most likey take months rather than weeks to be back to my old self so i will most definatly come up againest them.

 

Ordinarily i take most things in my stride but i life has given me a series of blows that i havnt been able to take on the chin...

Im sacred to migrate benefits!!!???

what shall i do ?

elliemay

[honeybee13]

Hello, you are going through it aren't you? It's hardly surprising to me that you're finding it tough. Has your GP referred you to the local Mental Health team? Mine were very good and my psychiatrist fought tooth and nail for me when I needed it. I used her input with Atos and the DWP. Sending virtual hugs.

 

HB x

[lolpet]

Hi Lottiesnan,

 

Did you receive any bereavement benefits? Lump sum payment of £2000 and then weekly benefit payable for a year if your husband paid enough contributions (doesn't have to be in recent years).

Also, benefit to benefit claims are normally dealt with quite quickly, and you shouldn't have to complete any big forms as your claim is made over telephone, and because you have been receiving benefit the housing benefit form is called a HB reclaim form and is only two pages. Same when you go back to Jobseekers Allowance. The rapid reclaim reopens your previous benefit claim and is only a short interview in Jobcentre to reopen your claim and get you sorted out with a signing time. As long as you advise the council what is happening your housing benefit should be ok. Please don't let all of this cause you more stress. One step at a time.

During your ESA claim you will be referred to an advisor who can advise you about it all. They are there to support you. If you disagree with the medical boards decision you can appeal against that decision and you remain on ESA badic rate(which is the same amount as Jobseekers Allowance) until appeal decision is made. Not everyone is disallowed though!!! Good luck.

[lolpet]

quick note,

 

Assume your children are all over school age, that is why I only mentioned bereavement payment for a year. If you had school age children it continues until Child benefit ceases.

[lottiesnan]

I have been off work since june and i have just found work...Only 10 hours at £62 a week...This is the first offer of work and i shall take it...Its less than i get on Jsa so do i still sign on.???

 

I went onto my local council and did a little questionare on there and i will still get full housing benefit and council tax benefit..So thats ok...Do i just fill out a change of circumstance form...

 

any advise would help thankyou

[antone]

It's your choice whether or not to continue to claim JSA. I'm not and never was a JSA processor or expert, but if I recall correctly, there's a small earnings disregard (that is, they ignore, say, £5 per week of your earnings when working out your JSA payment). So you would probably be a little better off if you continue to sign on. You'd also get NI contributions credited to you to help protect state Retirement Pension entitlement.

 

Also, if you're on income-based JSA and you sign off then it could affect your HB/CTB claim. You'd likely still get the money, but you'd need to make a new claim based on your low income, as opposed to the fact that you're receiving JSA(IB).

 

If it was me, I'd keep signing on. But whatever you do, you need to tell the Jobcentre ASAP to avoid any overpayments. You can call your benefit delivery section (number on any letter sent to you from JCP) or you could call in at your local Jobcentre.

[ErikaPNP]

Based on a single person over the age of 25, with no income other than your earnings and no savings above £6000 (if your circumstances are different tell me because it will alter the calculation)

 

You would get (based on your weekly earnings of £62) approximately £8.45 per week JSA on top of your earnings, if your JSA claim is income based.

 

With income based benefit, you would also continue to get housing benefit and council tax benefit at the same rate you were getting when you received full JSA.

 

Antone's given you sound advise. You still need to tell JSA and the local authority that pays your HB/CTB of your change of circumstances.

[lottiesnan]

thankyou ..the above calculation would be the correct one... ..Thanks again

[lottiesnan]

Received a letter letter last week saying a doubt had arisen on my JSA re a post at a shop some 25 miles from me that jobcentre said i didnt apply for.....I did on line in fact i applied for 4 at the same time...Even though i dont drive and would be out of pocket...No conformation email was sent to me..The same happens with NHS website and Council websites ..There is nothing you can save...

 

But I went to the library and spent £3.90 on copies of ALL the posts i had applied for..and replies when they deem to send them..Put all in a folder and took them to my next signing date... also filled in the back of their original letter explaining everything i had done to apply for this shop job.

Spoke to my adviser who said he doubted anything woud happen about this because it was obvious that i did go that extra mile to look for work..

 

Its hard im in my 50s and have no recognised skills...

Anyway this morning had another letter from JSA saying they are investigating this same doubt and i will hear from the decision maker in due course.........

 

Do you know i FULLY EXPECT to be sanctioned and have my pittance stopped.Why should they not i dont have proof,other than my word and clearly my honesty and integrity is in question...

 

 

My question is..If they sanction me and i have heard it can be for 26 weeks..How the hell do i live...I know i will still get Housing benefit and council tax but what about gas electric..My bills food.... I am a single woman i live alone... I wouldnt be able to live in my own home..I am sick with worry... I dont think i can take anymore stress.Already under the doctor for severe depression...I wouldnt go sick because i want to work and couldnt cope with the change of benefit and all the hassle that brings... Any help would be gratfully received

[andydd]

Hi. Ive been in the same situation, (I didnt apply for a job the gave me, it was totally unsuitable and not in my profession of IT Support). I too had a chat with a guy at the Job Center who gave me advice similar to yours, then the next thing a letter arrives from someone who has no idea of who you are or your circumstances, all they know is that you didnt (or in your case, actually did) apply for a job..a 'computer says no' situation.

 

You should however be given a form to fill in and explain why you didnt apply, so you could fill this in and say you did, i used it as a good excuse to have a moan and pointed out all the hundreds of jobs I had applied for and generally asked why they spent time and money hassling people who genuielly are job seraching and are having a hard enough time already without further crap from the JC, anyway that did the trick, I didnt hear anything further about threat of sanctions.

 

Andy

[lordcrocket]

Hello Im sure Some people will come along With Some Advice For you .

 

From what many people experience I can see what you are saying on this and i personally know where you are coming from as ive been down this road myself .

 

I have not paid some bills for months and even the housing benefit and council tax bill did come through the post to me yes it was frustrating kid you not .

 

I sent them a nice letter back saying sorry i do not owe you a penny nothing what so ever heres the proof and jog on and yes i did put that in the letter and they somehow managed to sort it out strange is'nt it .

 

With your claim id proberly write a statment and provide a copy of your email sent and any other evidence you have to support your self etc

 

Then take yourself to the job centre and ask the staff to photocopy you paperwork every single piece of it .

 

Then ask for a gl24 complaint form and make a complaint ask the staff to stamp every piece of paperwork and sign it and date it .

 

they don't have to sign it as they are within thier rights to refuse but try and get it stamped at least

 

stamped paperwork i believe has so much weight for your case thats what ive learnt

 

and the job centre etc staff are only human but for some unknown reason occasionally appeals etc or letters get lost hence the stamped evidence etc .

 

When i use to sign on for any letter i send the job centre i use to get a reciept for it and the staffs name just a quick look t the badge as also the staff don't like to give thier name sometimes (( wonder why )))

 

The Job centre Dwp has a fund which if compensation should be awarded etc ie to pay ones bills etc

 

The Job centre staff are likely to ask you if you can borrow money from anywhere tell them no

 

And if you have'nt been there already citizens advice is really good and theres also law centres about ive tried contacting 15 solicitors in my own case and got no where and nothing would give me pure satisfaction to name and shame those solicitors who do not help people but i can not do so these solicitors are within the west midlands region im not sure on others to be honest .

 

 

My advice is based from what ive read learnt and been through myself

[lottiesnan]

Hi Andy thankyou for your response...

 

Yes the first form i had i filled in the back off and explained all i had done in regards to applying for this post.

I also took in a rather large file of emails re other posts i had applied for i still got this letter this morning saying it was with the decision maker..

I think maybe its a bog standard letter that comes after the first one...

But i will reply to it again stating all i have done to look for work..

 

I know what you mean about the jobcentre sending you for inappropriate jobs!!!

I was made to apply for a opticians assistant??? MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE was clearly written on the form...

Were i by some fluke to have got the job there would be an awful lot of people bumping into things out there !

 

When i said to my advisor that it was just silly he told me to use artistic license!!!!

It seems to me that were i to have a can of beer and a script for methadone in my pocket i would get better treated!!!

 

Elliemay

[andydd]

One of the jobs handed to me was a weapons tester, you would be working with and testing guns and explosives at the testing center (just off the south east coast), for some reason this post was called an admistrator and was located within the IT support section

 

I recently had to sign on again (after a period on a temp contract ended) and i didnt apply to 2 of the 3 jobs that handed me as they were totally irellevanmt, for some reason they think that applying for jobs you have no skills in and no qualifications is somehow worthwhile, while the reality is you are wasting both yours and the companys money.

 

If I get another one of these letters I intend to take up my huge and heavy folders of job applications and dump it on someones desk and say 'look..job applications, interview information, rejection letters, enjoy !'

 

Andy

[lottiesnan]

Well i am in the process of composing a letter to go with the last letter and see where that gets me...

 

Well the jobcentre have me down on there records as looking for care work and support work with mental health.... This was based purely on the fact i was my ex husbands full time carer for 5 years who suffered with physcotic schizophrenia...

Hang on i said...I wasnt doing that because i wanted to for the princely sum of £50 carers allowance...I was obligated to as he was my husband....No choice came into it!!

Doing the same work for a stranger is a completly different ball game and surely some training would be a pre requisite...It is still on my jobs i should be applying for !!!

I shall let you know how i get on with this lastest farce ..Elliemay

[Guest jsa12]

when jobs are applied for at the job centre,later checks are carried out to find out if the client applied.

these letters are totally unnecessary,prove nothing and are proven in many cases to be wrong.you need to keep email proof of forwarding/postal recorded delivery/or some form of document if attending an interview.

 

the first of these letters i receved after the company sent a letter stating i was unsuitable and was therefore covered,others followed too and kept myself covered in every case,these letters can be canceled off at the job centre before submitting to the adjudication officer if proof is received always give them copies and keep the original and retain stamped received at the job centre.

 

the job centre takes the view that these are to go through to sanction knowing full well that they are often wrong,spoken to the wrong person/or just plain company incompetence,you need to keep what proof you have and if any sanctions are forthcoming appeal straight away if they do,its a worrying time as the outcome is not known and once sanctions do happen they do not write and try to withhold their reason so a counterclaim can be submitted for appeal.

 

forwarding people for vacancies on 50 mile return journeys is nothing new you need to have a specific distance for travel,it also common for them to reel of vacancies where people don't have the necessary certificates/no means of transport making you look like you are refusing.it is one hour traveling time from your door this is disregarded in many cases as is the possibility of getting to an interview at all,in many cases a simple bus fare can eat into a budget.this is unfair treatment and must be noted.

 

you need to stick with it with these people be firm know your rights',many cases they are lapse lazy disregarding of facts,happy to sanction however untrue or just plain incompetent.

[lottiesnan]

Thankyou for your advise...For every other job ive aplied for i have proof..It was damn Boots website that say they willl send an email but dont...nhs and cambridge county council are another where you apply on their website and never hear a thing back..

 

My adviser said there is a thing called screen save where i can email the page direct to them that i was on...I am not the best on the computer all a little complicated for me !!! Also he told me and i quote..Often these companies we contact dont even bother checking they just just no to get rid of us!!!! ...Wish i had that on tape

 

I will fight because i have no other income and no family to help me..But i fully expect them to sanction me because on this occasion they can...I have nothing only my word that i have applied for this job and that it appears means nothing at all..

 

elliemay

[Greer8472]

I am coming up to another sign on this Monday and a job they handed to me was for a "work trial". I phoned up the person who issued this vacancy and he wanted nothing to do with me because I am not on this policy "yet". He wanted the money to take people on.

I asked the person to reply to my email to confirm that this was the case. He did not. Thankful I have some evidence as my "sent items" was turn on in Outlook. I am going to shove this under the *******s at the Job Centre and say to them I be talking to my MP if you will not accept this as being a rejection.

Sick of these people as been sanctioned over taking an interview as a priory and then handed another sanction before I was even informed. They need to get their act together and actually go after those who abuse the system instead they prey on those who are looking for work and have difficulty when applying.

[Guest jsa12]

its worth checking that the email account,mine goes into a saved folder and if this is clicked on the address sent time and date are displayed,if it has print it off.

 

those letters are unfair they are proof of nothing,and have caused people worry and stress as its their only income.

 

problem is their word is taken for it,in one case i complained to the company and they had in fact received the application,not to disclose to much i have not had anymore of those letters'.

 

applications online are difficult print the web page, and the thank you after submitting, print your copy and another,its a nuisance but it covers against this if these letter's arrive.

Edited September 11, 2010 by jsa12
update

[lottiesnan]

Thank you again for everyones imput....In future i shall save every minute detail...I hope the decision makers get a wiggle on and decide quickly not knowing which way it will go is stressful...

elliemay

[lottiesnan]

Way back in 2004,so i am informed...I dont even remember i had a loan from the social fund...

The Jobcentre have written to me this morning to tell me they are going to stop £6.66 a week from my benefit leaving me with £58 a week to live on .

Out the blue no warning great!!

 

I am also waiting to see if the are going to sanction me for a job i applied for that they dont beleive i did...

 

At this rate i am going to lose my home..I wont be able to afford to keep the roof over me head...

Can they just hit you with this even though your already living way below the poverty line

[ErikaPNP]

Yes, they are entitled to make deductions from benefit for recovery of Social Fund award. This is stipulated in the Social Security Administration Act.

 

As you don't remember having had a loan from the Social Fund, I would strongly suggest that you dispute it. See here for more information.

[lottiesnan]

A little while ago i had a letter from jsa saying there was doubt about my claim and an indication that a job i was told to go for was not followed up..It was and i showed them all the emails i had written etc...They then said it would be investigated and last week when i signed on i talked to my advisor about my concerns and not having heard from them and gave him a letter i had written telling them how being sanctioned would effectivly cripple me financially...I would have to go and stay with my daughter if i cant afford to put gas and electric in the meter or eat..

 

My advisor was lovely and told me they had benn in undated with problems like mine it was an over zealous woman unstairs and not to worry...His exact words!!!

 

Today i havnt been paid??

Can they sanction me and not tell me ...I havnt had a letter or it is because i have gone from weekly to fortnightly signing..Although that shouldnt affect my pay date..

Could it be late as i have had a letter saying they are going to stop £6.60 a week for a really old social fund loan to be paid back..

Would that mess up my payment.Why do things like this always happen on a weekend??

[understanding]

Phone them first thing Monday morning and ask them what's happening.

[lottiesnan]

I will do ,,,,,Another sleepless night worrying

thankyou