Jobcentre trying to get rid of their phones...

[house3]

Yes I went into the jobcentre plus office today in Nottingham to chase up a late payment

 

i had to make a call on one of their phones a 0845 number, no joy I had,

after I went up to one of their guys sitting behind the desks and asked why 2 phones had been removed of the wall,

he told me they are eventually getting rid of all of them, and jobseekers would have to make their calls on their mobiles or home phone,

 

this really shocked me ,

how are people going to be able to afford to ring the 0845 number on their mobile when often you are waiting for them to answer your call ,

sometimes takes up to half hr,

ive only a capped mobile,

i get free calls,

but it doesn't include this number

,ive no home phone,

 

this government is a complete joke

,the cutbacks are a disgrace.

 

..I thought that was the purprose of the jobcentre phones it was so you could ring for job vacancies or enquire about work related stuff

and chase up payments like myself etc.

 

.Its just getting worse they are trying to bleed us dry,

the workers and the unemployed.

.I know I wont be voteing for the tories ...

Edited November 7, 2013 by house3

[Atlas01]

well as this is an employment forum and not a political one i won't step back at the fact you voted for the "stuff the poor" party in the first place

 

other than that i'm loving the irony of your post "how are people going to be able to afford to ring the 0845 number on there mobile"

[house3]

I did not vote for them Atlas and never have voted for the tories....

[antone]

well as this is an employment forum and not a political one i won't step back at the fact you voted for the "stuff the poor" party in the first place

 

other than that i'm loving the irony of your post "how are people going to be able to afford to ring the 0845 number on there mobile"

 

Yep, we get to vote but...caveat emptor and all that.

 

I used to work for JCP, and when asked for suggestions by management (suggestions that were bound to be ignored but hey, you have to try) this was one that we made often: calls to the benefits support numbers should be free to the caller from mobiles and landlines. So I do understand OP's annoyance.

[Emmzzi]

you'd do better writing to your MP and starting a petition than moaning here...

[antone]

I did not vote for them Atlas and never have voted for the tories....

 

Fair enough - I suppose Atlas got the impression from the part of your post that said "I won't be voting for the Tories again".

[antone]

you'd do better writing to your MP and starting a petition than moaning here...

 

Ah heck, do both. A good moan does satisfy, though perhaps better to do so in the Bear Garden, where I'm moving this post.

[Nystagmite]

I was going to suggest moving this to the benefits forum; as it is something that would affect a lot of benefit claimants.

[antone]

Oh, OK. I didn't like the idea, since we're trying to avoid rants.

 

But here it is in the Benefits Forum. Please don't rant.

[estellyn]

Oh, OK. I didn't like the idea, since we're trying to avoid rants.

 

But here it is in the Benefits Forum. Please don't rant.

 

Ooops, you're trying to avoid rants (insert embarrassed face). Better go delete mine on another thread.

 

On this issue, affordability of making benefit queries is very important, as is ensuring that people can afford to make notification of change of circumstances. Added to this is that now some benefit units are refusing to let a claimant have a call back from a decision maker (Carer's Allowance - maybe others). Makes me wonder (cynically) what the purpose behind making it more difficult to sort out benefit issues is. Doesn't help that staff at the JCP are often poorly trained in benefits and are unable to help. Surely something needs to be in place to ensure that those who are poor, vulnerable, homeless etc. are able to contact the BDC. Isn't this discriminatory? If you have no money due to benefit problems, there is no way to contact the BDC to sort out those benefit problems. The steady erosion of help and rights of the poorest and most vulnerable under this government is truly terrifying.

 

See, not a rant.

[dyfed]

Ooops, you're trying to avoid rants (insert embarrassed face). Better go delete mine on another thread.

 

On this issue, affordability of making benefit queries is very important, as is ensuring that people can afford to make notification of change of circumstances. Added to this is that now some benefit units are refusing to let a claimant have a call back from a decision maker (Carer's Allowance - maybe others). Makes me wonder (cynically) what the purpose behind making it more difficult to sort out benefit issues is. Doesn't help that staff at the JCP are often poorly trained in benefits and are unable to help. Surely something needs to be in place to ensure that those who are poor, vulnerable, homeless etc. are able to contact the BDC. Isn't this discriminatory? If you have no money due to benefit problems, there is no way to contact the BDC to sort out those benefit problems. The steady erosion of help and rights of the poorest and most vulnerable under this government is truly terrifying.

 

See, not a rant.

 

Is it the case that the unelected government intend to move everything onto computers? Meaning that all claims and queeries (cant spell sorry) will be moved online.

According to them, those who think they know best and pretend to run this country, we all have computers at home and are online.

 

I can see the DWP call centres being closed in the near future. UJM, Universal Credit, everything online.

[estellyn]

Is it the case that the unelected government intend to move everything onto computers? Meaning that all claims and queeries (cant spell sorry) will be moved online.

According to them, those who think they know best and pretend to run this country, we all have computers at home and are online.

 

I can see the DWP call centres being closed in the near future. UJM, Universal Credit, everything online.

 

I can imagine over privileged Tories saying 'What? Poor people don't even have computers? Don't be silly, computers are so cheap I could buy one with the money down the back of my sofa', 'What? Some people don't have sofas? What utter rubbish'

[house3]

Thanks Estellyn,no it wasn't ment as a rant Antone soz ,i was just telling it how it was, and that was that us poor folk are going to struggle,and yes it is terrifying to think whats going to happen..

[antone]

Thanks Estellyn,no it wasn't ment as a rant Antone soz ,i was just telling it how it was, and that was that us poor folk are going to struggle,and yes it is terrifying to think whats going to happen..

 

No problem, it is a perfectly valid concern. JCP "Courtesy Phones" are one of the main ways people on benefits can contact the Benefits Centre or apply for jobs etc. They're an important service and I agree they should not be removed - at least, not until an alternative free service is available.

[thecookiemonster]

No problem, it is a perfectly valid concern. JCP "Courtesy Phones" are one of the main ways people on benefits can contact the Benefits Centre or apply for jobs etc. They're an important service and I agree they should not be removed - at least, not until an alternative free service is available.

 

This is another joke, at least allow free calls from mobiles if this is the case.

[antone]

This is another joke, at least allow free calls from mobiles if this is the case.

 

Funnily enough, they did do a deal with the mobile companies such that calls to 0800 numbers are actually free. This was in 2009 or so. But of course, only the new claims line is 0800. Enquiry lines are 0845 normally, and the deal didn't extend to those numbers.

[RaeUK]

As usual. I'm confused. I appreciate that if you don't have a landline then life is awkward. But, surely, you're in a real minority. I'm on disability benefits - so appreciate my 'income' may be higher than some. Broadband is my social lifeline. But to have that I also need a landline. (I don't understand these here smartphones and stuff*). So I have to pay BT for line rental. I also opted to buy their 'anytime' calls package - or whatever they call it. Essentially line rental plus about £4 or £5 per month. Since then I have never paid for a phonecall. Including hours and hours and hours on hold to my DWP BDC. It's all included.

 

* I'm also 'old'

[estellyn]

As usual. I'm confused. I appreciate that if you don't have a landline then life is awkward. But, surely, you're in a real minority. I'm on disability benefits - so appreciate my 'income' may be higher than some. Broadband is my social lifeline. But to have that I also need a landline. (I don't understand these here smartphones and stuff). So I have to pay BT for line rental. I also opted to buy their 'anytime' calls package - or whatever they call it. Essentially line rental plus about £4 or £5 per month. Since then I have never paid for a phonecall. Including hours and hours and hours on hold to my DWP BDC. It's all included.

 

some people have neither broadband or landline and a few may in worst case scenario not have a phone at all. Others without a landline rely on prepaid mobiles - if they have an issue with their benefits, they then cannot afford credit for their phone - I used to see lots of clients in this situation.

[RaeUK]

I appreciate that, m'dear, and know I'm fortunate. But I wonder - without straying too far off topic - how many of our CAG catchment have no landline or no broadband or no pc etc. Surely it has to be infinitesimal? Genuine question and, I know, I'm asking from the prejudice of having all that stuff - and, momentarily at least, feeling like landed gentry ...

[antone]

I have broadband via cable, but no landline. But I'm kinda lucky: because of my wife's income, we could in theory afford a landline, just. But we don't, because we can manage without it.

 

There are people who can't afford either. I mean, I suppose most posters on CAG have internet access, yes, but that's kind of a self-selecting group. You can't post here without it. But as Estellyn says, there are folks out there who rely on prepaid mobiles. What they can do, if they can't afford the credit to call the BDC, is go to the Jobcentre and call from there. For now, at least.

[estellyn]

I appreciate that, m'dear, and know I'm fortunate. But I wonder - without straying too far off topic - how many of our CAG catchment have no landline or no broadband or no pc etc. Surely it has to be infinitesimal? Genuine question and, I know, I'm asking from the prejudice of having all that stuff - and, momentarily at least, feeling like landed gentry ...

 

ETA: For myself, we have a home phone, broadband and a very basic mobile (between us). Quite frankly we'd get rid of the home phone as we barely use the phone at all, but it's really cheap with the broadband package and having it stops the MIL from worrying that we've had to have the phone cut off due to being destitute.

 

 

I would think most on cag have broadband access, but some may access from their mobile phones. The people that I tended to see with just prepay mobiles would be the most vulnerable, those on the lowest incomes, for instance single people or couples with no kids on JSA or basic ESA, who either gave up their landlines/broadband, never had it or had it cut off for non payment. For some of these people the issue wasn't just use of a phone but needing help to make a single phone call to deal with a benefit issue.

 

First they took away the ability to have the name and direct dial of the person dealing with your claim - when I was at the DWP, we worked in the building and would go down to queries in person.

 

Then they took away the people at the JCP, who you could go to and they would phone the BDC and enquire about your claim for you and then explain the response.

 

Now they're getting rid of the free phones.

 

Not good for the vulnerable people out there. I realise there is this 'we don't have the money for it' attitude. But what are these vulnerable people supposed to do for help? It is rapidly getting eroded away. I think that money being spent on expensive failing benefit reorganisations and a train service that gets you somewhere 15 minutes faster (among other things) would be better spent on those who really need help.

 

I particularly fear for those with mental health issues. Benefit support is greatly reduced and legal aid help gone for welfare benefits. Many will (especially when their condition is worse) have difficulty dealing with their affairs and budgeting. Their phone line gets cut off, they don't deal with a benefit issue (reassessment, ESA50, ATOS appt etc) and there they are, no money, no phone, no credit on their mobile, maybe no friends or family to help, and no free phone service at the JCP, and I'm sure lots of other support services being cut.

[abc123def]

I don't have a landline phone, can't afford one atm. It's on my wish list. Have cable installed and all I pay for is internet, not telly and no landline needed.

 

I went to the JCP today to use their free phone and could have done but the person who I was wanting to call about didn't know their NI number so we had to call from home on their mobile and now they are unsure they can pay the bill as we were held in a queue for an age. Goodness knows how much those 2 calls cost.

[Nystagmite]

I will never understand why calls to the BDC are 0845 numbers. I can pay a few extra pounds a month (I think) and get free 0845 numbers on my mobile. But what's the point when I don't use them that often?

 

They should either use 0800 numbers or local numbers.

[abc123def]

or provide geographical numbers as well as 0845

[45002]

They just been speaking about 0845 number on sky news and how they affect vulnerable people,benefit claimants and people on low wage....

 

http://news.sky.com/story/1166735/public-pay-56m-rip-off-on-government-calls

 

Plus BBC News

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24888608

 

Report

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmpubacc/617/617.pdf