Being made homeless due to Job Centre

[Casper's Ghost]

I've been given some jobs to apply for, and I have found some, but without adviser's details I can't apply for them yet. I will try tomorrow.

The people at Ingeus don't know I have been sanctioned, I have sent CV's before and never got a reply. Some have changed their application process by doing it online. I am just glad I have the internet.

I'll go up to the Job Centre tomorrow. And hand in the letters.

[Casper's Ghost]

I have applied for jobs, my adviser was very happy with me. I don't know where I heard this from but if I keep going to these appointments I may get my money back. Tomorrow I am going to citizen's advice.

My dad never came. And we will be going to the council to get a housing form. And to see a homeless adviser.

The hostels here are somtimes too full. Really worried just in case I get to owe rent and electric. The estate agents that I am with know that my money has been stopped. And they said not to worry.

But it's £400 for rent. And I don't have that money. I now don't have enough electric. About £3. And I am using my mum's electric right now.

[flumps1976]

any news?

[Casper's Ghost]

No reply from my appeal. Dad should have sent in a form from the council so he can get a 2 bed bungalow. My sister who lives in Greater London has offered to put me up for a few days so she could help me with everything. She says she can get the MP to help. I may even get a job there. I have applied for some jobs online, but got the same response from all. I am not good enough for them.

It's because I don't have experience and no confidence. I also probably failed there online questioner. Hate those. Should be going to citizens advice tomorrow. That's all I have done.

[worried33]

No, nothing this long. So it's scary, and last time I got sanctioned I lived at home. I've still got the food from the foodbank. The letter which was addressed to my flat was a different letter which went to my mum's.

On the back of the letter said I 'has been disallowed Jon Seekers Allowance for failing labour market. and is not in a vulnerable group". Hello! I live on my own, have to get electric and gas. I am vulnerable. Do they expect me to sleep in the cold. My flat is over 100yrs old. And even during the warmest days is freezing.

 

This is annoying me. I am now going to write an appeal for the Job Centre so they will look over my hard ship payment again.

 

sadly even tho I agree with you the government doesnt consider living on your own to be a vulnerable situation, and to say again as someone who lives on their own I defenitly agree with you, I think its bonkers someone on their own is not considered more vulnerable than living with other adults.

 

I believe you can get a crisis loan whilst on no benefit but you cant get it paid into a bank you will have to pick up the giro, thats the limitation when not on a benefit. However you can only get 3 crisis loans I was told. So its not something you can do for very long. They also wont accept things such as rent and utility bills as essential costs, so give them an inflated food bill for what you need. As far as they are concerned its reasonable enough to have your electric cutoff and they think its ok to default on rent justifying it by the eviction process isnt instant (seriously thats what they told me when I applied).

[Casper's Ghost]

I've had a crisis loan before and have recently finished paying it. I'll see about one tomorrow. Thanks. My electric ran out yesterday. I had to pack my frozen food, which wasn't much and take it to my mum's.

[flumps1976]

Crisis loans will not help when you have received a sanction sorry.

[Casper's Ghost]

So what am I going to do? I'm scared that even after my sanction has that I wouldn't be able to get the money back. I have received some 'no's' from retail outlets. And I am still looking for cleaning jobs. But there's only sales or managers.

[LaughingGirl]

Are there any employment agencies near you? in your situation, it would be worth taking short term temporary Work of a couple of shifts here and there. for one thing, it will get you a bit of cash, even if it's only a small amount. it will also mean that you build a reputation with the agency and if you're on time and Work to the best of your ability, they usually get more forthcoming with better contracts.

[Casper's Ghost]

I've tried PMP but they put me in a factory with non English speaking people. I know I've had a bad experience but there are a few in town I could try.

[LaughingGirl]

I've tried PMP but they put me in a factory with non English speaking people. I know I've had a bad experience but there are a few in town I could try.

 

I think at this point it's your best bet. how did you get the referral to the food bank last time? was it through social services for example?

[Casper's Ghost]

No, it was through the Job Centre. Don't see the point in getting the food from the food bank when I can't cook it. Can't live in that flat, freezing cold. What the landlord didn't tell me is that the door doesn't close properly.

[flumps1976]

Unfortunately there is no financial support or help available to you at the moment, you do not qualify for hardship as your sanction was decided under the old rules and you cannot receive a crisis loans if you have a sanction imposed.

Are you still attending you work programme appointments on a regular basis? If you are you can ask them on your next attendance if they will send a referral to the DMA team to reconsider the sanction period as you are now attending as and when required, however the provider can insist that you attend for a fixed period of time before they send the request. No guarantee the decision will be revised but you don't know until you make enquiries.

[Casper's Ghost]

I have an appointment at Ingeus on Monday and will ask then. Also my dad has just got his appeal for ESA through, which was sent months ago, he mentioned that it may have been a year not sure. Is that how long my appeal will take? And at the end of the sanction will I be rewarded all of my money which was stopped? They have given my money back before.

[flumps1976]

Your appeal could take anything up to 39 weeks to be heard by the tribunal.

At the end of the sanction you will be reassessed for JSA but will not receive back pay for the period of the sanction unless the tribunal change the decision and state that the sanction is to be revoked.

[Casper's Ghost]

Thanks. It wasn't stated on the leaflet nor did they say anything about how long it would take.

[worried33]

sorry I was wrong on the crisis loan, listen to flumps over me.

[Casper's Ghost]

Just got a letter saying that I owe council tax of £406.37. And that my council benefits have been cancelled, awarded and then over-payed. I don't get it. My dad has phoned them and explained to them that I can't live in there anyway. I don't have any income, and I have been applying for jobs. Would Citizens Advice help or will I have to go to solicters? It says that £521.43 will be payed into my account 14/09/12 -25/11/12. I have to give up the flat, and I don't know how to pay them with no money.

[flumps1976]

You have already been advised at the start of your thread to apply for housing benefit and council tax benefit seperately, have you done this?

If you haven't then I seriously advise you to do so tomorrow, you do not need to get into trouble with the council about HB/CtB overpayments .

There is no need to give up your flat if you make the application as advised

 

CAB may be able to help you but will only advise you to do what has already been advised.

[Casper's Ghost]

I've applied, but they needed to know how I was going to support myself without money and didn't know what to do. And I am giving up the flat, but needed my dad with me as he is my guarantor. I have to give up my flat as I have no money for electric and gas. And the building is very cold and the door let's the cold air in and no door closes properly.

[Casper's Ghost]

My dad phone the council, and all I have to do is write a letter saying how much I get(0) and how I am going to sustain myself. My parents will help me. But the council will pay me £50 per month. And my dad will pay the rest. They will also pay for electric, gas and food. Didn't know they had the money. I hardly use any electric anyway so that's OK.

When March comes I can bid for another flat with council as that's when the tenancy ends. Hope I will able to get another flat closer to home.

[Casper's Ghost]

This is my second post about this. I am on a 6 month sanction from Job Centre. I sent an appeal, but it got sent to Belfast instead of Basildon. Stupid! And now I have a bill with Lowell Financial. Who I have been sending emails to, and told them about my sanction.

They understand this. And sent a form about how I will pay them or what money I have coming in. Which is 0.

I then got an email from them saying

 

"Thank you for your recent correspondence, the contents of which have been noted.

 

In light of your current circumstances we will place your account on hold for a period of 30 days.

 

Please note that we encourage customers to make a token payment towards their account as a gesture of goodwill."

 

I sent an email before that asking how to fill out the form. This email is no help.

And I don't know about how I am going to move out of my flat. I have no where else to go and I owe £800+ electric bills which I will probably get because I have no money for any electric. I'm sleeping on the floor of my mum's house.

And people keep saying that the council will not give me a place because I am not a priority.

 

Help?

[LaughingGirl]

Hi again Caspar. I've asked the site team to merge your two threads, because it's easier for people to give you advice when everything is in one place.

 

OK, first things first - what's happening with your Housing Benefit? As far as I'm aware, you should still be able to claim this on a nil income basis. You would have to fill out a change of circumstances form with your local council though. Have you done this?

 

Have you received anything from your landlord to say that you have to leave your flat?

 

Are you still signing on? What have you done to look for work? I'm sure that your adviser can make a request for the sanction to be reduced if they feel you've been making sufficient effort to look for work, although hopefully Flumps will pop in and confirm that because I could be wrong.

 

Don't worry about Lowell, they're the least of your problems at the minute.

[Nystagmite]

Have you applied for hardship payments?

[LaughingGirl]

Have you applied for hardship payments?

 

Caspar was refused hardship, I think that's what the missing appeal paperwork was for.