Advice on Rapid Reclaim

[bradfordlad]

Hi everyone,

 

posted this on an earlier thread, but it was quite old so not sure if anyone still checks it.

 

Here's the post:

 

My wife was made redundant from a nicely paid job, and is soon to end contributions based JSA. She did a rapid reclaim following a weeks holiday (!) when she had to sign off, and now the adviser in the job centre has told her that she will soon have to go on some kind of course which sounds like a New Deal training course.

 

She is more than capable of looking for work, but finding a job that is sufficient to pay the mortgage etc will not be easy. We are currently receiving mortgage payment insurance, which will pay out as long has she has an active Job Seekers Agreement, but she can only have an active agreement if she goes on this New Deal farce.

 

The JC adviser said she'll be more qualified than the person running the course, and that she'll be in a room of losers and junkies (his words!) and that she'll hate it...

 

She is currently volunteering 2 days a week (less than 16 hours) at the local hospital, which is totally different to what she used to do, but its in the hope that she can learn some new skills and hopefully be in the right place if a job were to come along. We also have a 1 year old child - he goes to my mums on 1 of the days, and we pay for him to go to nursery the other day.

 

The problem we have is that I recently started my own business, so not earning much, and we need the mortgage insurance to help us survive. She can only get the insurance if she has the active JS agreement, and she can only have that if she goes on the course.

 

I guess my questions are:

 

1. Will she still have to go on the course if she is "retraining" at the hospital or even gets a job (less than 16 hours)? If so, will they make her stop volunteering, or will the make her go the other 3 days? and:

2. If she does have to go on the course for 3 or 5 days, what would happen about childcare? We can't afford to pay for nursery, and if they pay for it, it'll be more expensive than paying out the J.S.A!!!

 

Finally, I have a question about rapid reclaim. When the adviser restarted her claim following the holiday in August, her claim was "reset" so she will have to go on new deal from February - 6 months after the reclaim. This sounds unusual, but she's not complaining! If her claim were to finish before February, say for a weeks work, would the subsequent Rapid Reclaim give her another 6 months?

 

I hope all that makes sense, but if anyone can give their thoughts I'd be grateful!

 

Cheers

 

BL

[Silky444]

I think it will be a case of Course = JSA and no Course = No JSA, They are cracking down on people who are not willing to go back into employment again or are not willing to attend courses/interviews, Are you not able to look after the children for the duration of the course?.

 

"The JC adviser said she'll be more qualified than the person running the course, and that she'll be in a room of losers and junkies (his words!) and that she'll hate it... ", In regard to that comment, No offense but at the moment qualifications and experience play no part the job market at the moment I'm afraid, and the advisor was wrong to quote that remark.

 

But either way, I'm 95% sure thats how the job center will see it. Unfair but firm I'm afraid.

[bradfordlad]

Hi Silky,

 

I'm trying to get a business up & running, so I hardly have time to sleep, never mind look after the baby!

 

It seems silly that she has to attend this course (even though the adviser told her she wouldn't learn anything) which is supposed to help her get a job, when she could be gaining valuable experience which will help her get a job, or actually working a couple of days a week. I don't think she'll get income based JS allowance, because we have some money in the bank (even though that was a gift from my parents to help us get by until the business starts bringing in some money) but we're not bothered about the £65 a week. It's the Agreement we need to keep the mortgage insurance coming in.

 

She is willing to go back to work, but how can you take just ANY job, if it doesn't pay your basic commitments?

 

I think it just proves that its all about statistics. If she's not getting any money from the government, you'd think they'd give her time to find a job at a similar level that she was on before, and let her claim on the insurance - that's what it's there for after all.

 

Cheers

 

BL

[Silky444]

I understand your frustration bradfordlad, The job vacancies that the job center regularly holds on it's database may be different from what your wife might be looking for, highly because not many people would apply for such high end jobs, if they lack the right qualifications. It may seem pointless that your wife has to attend the course, but it's to make it so everyone takes in the right information. When it comes to the job center it doesn't matter what you're qualified to do, all they will do is help you match up possible employment opportunities.

 

My advice would be, to get your wife to contact your local JCP, and explain that she is unable to afford daycare for your children. Unfortunately, the whole thing with the qualifications and being over qualified is not the problem as far as they are concerned.

 

Regards,

[Silky444]

Also just to add, I'm not too good with rapid reclaim so hopefully someone else will be able to help you regarding that question.

[bradfordlad]

No worries, and thanks for your advice.

 

We're hoping that she'll actually get a job soon so this will be over & done with, but in the meantime I guess what will be, will be. Bottom line is she's trying to learn new skills at the moment at the hospital, we can't afford any more childcare (not at £35 a day!) so she'll just have to take him to the new deal course with her - they'd soon find a reason why she didn't have to go!!

[andydd]

Surely the best arguement here is to point out that you cant afford the childcare costs (for the 3-5 days), the Job Center aren't going to stump up the money, so would they suggest that she leave your child at home ?!.

 

The fact she volunteers may well be another good argument to go in your favour.

 

As pointed out above, dont try and point out that it's 'silly' for her to go or anything like that the DWP/Job Center lives in a strange world where haldf the stuff they do makes no sense and you will even find Job Center staff agreeing with you but alas they dont make the rules.

 

Andy

Edited October 15, 2010 by andydd

[Silky444]

The only thing that I could think of is they may ask if there is anyone who would be willing to look after the children either a friend or a relative

[honeybee13]

The only thing that I could think of is they may ask if there is anyone who would be willing to look after the children either a friend or a relative

 

They may, I guess, but in this day and age families don't always live close to each other any more.

 

HB

[bradfordlad]

They may, I guess, but in this day and age families don't always live close to each other any more.

 

HB

 

got it in one!

 

Grandparent s moved 300 miles away some years ago - something I said?!!

 

There genuinely isn't anyone who we could leave him with. I think we just have to be straight with them, and see what happens.