Claim for hardship allowance lost in the system.

[Farbramble]

Due to my JSA being sanctioned, I made an application (at the local JC+) for a hardship payment.

 

Now two-weeks have passed & I haven't heard anything. I called the DWP today & the guy said that there isn't any sign of said application in the system!

 

Do I have to make a fresh claim? Also, what's the best way to make a complaint?

[flumps1976]

Did you hand the form in or post it?

 

The hardship decisions are not made by the DWP they are made by a nominated officer in the JCP.

 

I recommend contacting the JCP office tomorrow morning to make an enquiry about your application.

 

Also is this your first sanction and how long is the sanction for?

 

Hardship is not normally payable to the first two weeks of a sanction (unless you are in a vunerable group) and if it is a work programme sanction it is not payable at all unless you are in the vunerable group.

[Farbramble]

I was told to turn up at JC+. An employee just asked the questions and typed the answers into the PC (kinda strange that no signature was requested).

 

Sanction is second one, and is for 3-mths (to be appealed by letter, not GL24 as advised by JC staff).

 

I'll pop down to the JC tomorrow and see what's going on!

 

Thanks.

[flumps1976]

what is the sanction for (3 months is usually work prgramme)?

[caledfwlch]

Did you hand the form in or post it?

 

The hardship decisions are not made by the DWP they are made by a nominated officer in the JCP.

 

I recommend contacting the JCP office tomorrow morning to make an enquiry about your application.

 

Also is this your first sanction and how long is the sanction for?

 

Hardship is not normally payable to the first two weeks of a sanction (unless you are in a vunerable group) and if it is a work programme sanction it is not payable at all unless you are in the vunerable group.

 

Shocked here - is the lack of Hardship Payment if Work Programme related Sanction a new thing? when did it come into affect, and how many people are likely to die?

[Farbramble]

what is the sanction for (3 months is usually work prgramme)?

 

Sanctioned due to not applying for a job vacancy (as was the previous 3-month sanction).

 

Flumps, I'd also like to echo Caledfwlch's question Re sanctions for the work programme; when did this start?

[flumps1976]

You will need to contact the JCP to enquire about the progress of your application, in te office I work in you don't actually speak to the decision maker themselves at any time of te application and a decision is made within 2 working days with you being notified of te decision asap. The form is then sent to the BC to be processed.

 

With regards to the work programme, it has been in place since work programme started, if you receive a wp sanction (which is between the provider and DMA not the BC or JCP) and you are not in the vunerable group then hardship is not payable and I know this definitely affects the 26 week sanctions as dealt with a very unpleasant case a couple of weeks ago despite the JCP not meant to have any dealings at all with the WP sanctions, how am I supposed to ignore a suicidal customer exactly?

It is basically meant to encourage the customer to re-engage with the work programme as tbh if you have reached that stage of the sanction process then there are problems with attendance from what we can gather at the JCP.

Hardship legislation is not easily found so I can't locate and post links.

[Farbramble]

Just an update.

 

Phoned the local JCP office and there was no sign of the claim for hardship (JSA10). Was referred to the (processing dept?) at Watford who gave the same answer.

 

So now made an appointment, again, to make a claim for hardship.

 

Just two questions:

 

Can I get the claim backdated?

 

When I make a formal complaint, should I write to the district manager?

[flumps1976]

you can request the claim is taken from the first day of the sanction, being honest I don't know if it is automatically looked at from the date of the sanction or the date the form is requested.

The letter of complaint needs to be addressed to the Customer Service Manager at the JCP, if you address it to the district manager it will only be bounced back to the JCP anyway.

[Farbramble]

Thanks Flumps for the advice. I'll update this thread when the dust settles

[worried33]

Sanctioned due to not applying for a job vacancy (as was the previous 3-month sanction).

 

Flumps, I'd also like to echo Caledfwlch's question Re sanctions for the work programme; when did this start?

 

3 months with no income?

[Farbramble]

3 months with no income?

 

Fortunately there's the (reduced rate) hardship allowance.

 

I'll just have to be frugal.

[flumps1976]

Farbramble have you requested a reconsideration of the sanction? Or if you don't have any new information have you completed form GL24DWP to request an appeal?

[Farbramble]

Ok, just an update.

 

Despite the original application for hardship getting messed up (JC+ employee left me an important message on the phone that I failed to intercept), the decision maker decided to backdate the claim to the start of the sanction (3-weeks backdate without the 15-days waiting period:-)).

 

I have to add that my case isn't usual as I have a medical condition (epilesy). Maybe the 15-days waiting period didn't apply to me due to being vulnerable, but I'm not sure as I'm only receiving the lower-rate hardship (£40 p/w) for normal people (usually £55 p/w for those deemed vulnerable by the decision maker).

 

I'm hoping to appeal the decision & try to get the higher amount of hardship based upon the medical condition.

[flumps1976]

Because you have a long term illness/disability (epliepsy) you fall into the vunerable group sp yes it is correct that your hardship is taken from day one. I'm not sure about the amounts though sorry as I am not a decision maker for hardship claims and as I don't process I don't have access tho the amounts either.

 

Glad you got it sorted though