What is ADF funding used for?

[stuggling]

Hi guys, Im just wondering what is the ADF fnding used for, as i just need to renew a sia badge but can not afford to but my advisor wont access ADF any ideas why? . I have been told by all employment agencies that i can not do a course with them as i do not need employiablty skills and the course as i just need the badge renewing, i have been told by several employers that would consider me for security roles but can not as i do not have a badge, also been told if get offered a job they would, but a security firm can not hire me with out one as they breaking the law.

I have been unemployed now for nearly a year and tried every way to get this badge renewed, but no luck i am new deal. me and my family are savein for the badge but it is not cheap to do at the moment.

[ErikaPNP]

There's a thread on the ADF here, along with DWP's guidance on it: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?267809-Jobcentre-ADF-Fund&p=3033704&viewfull=1#post3033704

[antone]

Also, I've heard that some Jobcentres are saying that there simply is no ADF money available at all. I've been out of the loop for some months now so I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me, given the noises we're hearing from our new ConDem Overlords.

[stuggling]

after reading th documents i think you could be right that there no funding, as we have asked to access it on 3 occassions, but wont the advisor changes the subject it annoyin but what have they spent it on then???

[Penny For Them]

Hi Struggling

 

You might find some help in the following link

 

http://cashalerts.co.uk/2010/04/advisor-discretion-fund/

 

Also bear in mind that the Adviser will look at how many security jobs there are on offer in your area. Print off as many as you can to strengthen your case. Also get as many letters from security companies stating that they would consider employing you if you had the license renewed. If they still refuse you after this then take your evidence to your local MP and complain.

 

Oh, one last thing, if JCP say you have reached stage 4 (unemployed for a year) which means you are now not eligible for the advisor discretion grant. Remind them how many times you have previously requested help to pay for the renewal.

 

Good Luck

[stuggling]

thanks for reply, he been told he would be considered for 3 jobs and had letters' and emails to prove this but they dont care.

here is what was said last time we went.

the advisor " we are sending you on a 4 week course to get your SIA Badge" us, "Ok can we ask why a course when all that needs doing is renew the badge?" the advisor goes and makes a call then comes back and says " when your badge expires you need to resit the course" we then show eveidence of the SIA to prove otherwise.

The advisor books a date with the firm for a interview to get on the course.

We ring the company the adivsor sending us to over deatils and location of them to get there easier, We ask them if they could just fund for teh badge as it easier then the course and saves money, They then said no you must sit the 8 weeks course with us, so we explained the advisor said it was 4 weeks, they reply saying no it has always been 8 weeks and the job centre know this, We inform them unable to do the 8 weeks as i am due to give birth in 6 weeks so wouldnt be able to attend.

the company said they wouldn't take us on the course due to this commitment.

We go back the job centre and tell them what has happened and to access there ADF funding as it would be cheaper then the courses and could have the badge in 4 weeks and get back to work soon after the baby born. A manger comes over with a bunch of security guards and says we do not access the ADF fund as the council are happy to pay for the courses, I then state it not council paying for them it is the TAX PAYER paying for them and im sure they would be happy to know your ok to waste up to £1000 for a course that is not needed, they reply saying that it ok to as the ADF will not be accessed for the renewal of the badge even thoe jobs been offered as the courses will pay.

WE have been informed by all the places that sit the course you can sit the course it between 2 to 8 weeks then be waiting up to 8 weeks to get a cheaque to pay for the badge which already takes 4-6weeks to process.

I have gone further with this in the sense of going to our MP and then he has gone to the Minister of employement and just the other day we got a call from the Job centre asking what we wrote to them for and what it is we wanted the jobcentre to do, we just said to renew the badge with out wasteing our time and the taxpayers money.

We have now been taken of JSA and put on to income support as we expecting we are not happy about this as now we deffo know it will be harder to get the badge renewed, we now lookin at loans to do this, also we have been told by several advisor to claim ESA as one of us has a skin diease we said no we can still work this will not stop us it just means that we can not go for all kinds of jobs due to it, WE STILL WILL NOT CLAIM THIS!! . all we want is to be back in work as since becomein unemployed we have lost everything!. and to top it all off working in Security and getting the SIA badge is not one of our Job goals they not even looking at them when we went to sign on!!!

[Penny For Them]

Hi Struggling,

 

I hope you don't mind me making suggestions but if I were you I would speak to CAB, Welfare Rights or a Community Legal Advice team. I would also go back to see your MP and update him.

 

Best wishes

[stuggling]

cab dont listen just get told to get on with it, even a manager says same we went mp who has asked us to write to the minister of employement which we have done and now know they have recived it as a young girl rang and aske why we wrote to him and what we want from them?

We told them just to fund the badge with out wastein money we asked what are the requirement for adf she would not say and i quote i am not prepared to go thru this on this telephone call a letter will be sent out. So far we not got the reply just waitin for it