Thanks Jobcentre Plus.....not!!

~>Dg<~ · 14 Dec 2009 at 15:17

ring local mp get them to have a word

had a lot of tom foolery when i needed help once . the out come was quite funny started off being told i would have to wait upto 8 weeks ended up after being phoned by mp being finished same day :eek:

just shows you what can be done with a little persuation

ntg · 14 Dec 2009 at 15:17

KoR said:
The irony is, I can't pay Virgin at the moment, so I suspect they will cut off my phone and internet within the next 24-48 hours. So the people who should be helping me back into work are now going to be hindering my efforts to search for work.

the others have mentioned everything that needs be said for your benefits issues. I would also suggest you give a call to Virgin and ask them to delay payment for a couple of months due to financial difficulties at the moment? (I wouldnt suggest telling them you are unemployed etc etc as they will think you wont ever pay them). Dont know if it works but it should. Ask for the supervisors/manager if the person at the phone refuses.

batsy · 14 Dec 2009 at 15:33

kgi said:
the others have mentioned everything that needs be said for your benefits issues. I would also suggest you give a call to Virgin and ask them to delay payment for a couple of months due to financial difficulties at the moment? (I wouldnt suggest telling them you are unemployed etc etc as they will think you wont ever pay them). Dont know if it works but it should. Ask for the supervisors/manager if the person at the phone refuses.

+1

I would definately try calling Virgin and see if you could defer payments for a while. Unfortunatly not much use to you, but Talktalk have a financial hardship plan where you can suspend payments for 6 mths and still recieve phone and broadband.

Hopefully Virgin have something similar. Hope your situation improves

Trifid · 14 Dec 2009 at 15:55

Morba said:
so what? Are people not allowed holidays now? Flights to japan can be reasonably cheap, as can hotels. Infact i bet you could find more expensive holidays in the uk.

I know I could very easily find a holiday in the UK costing several thousands. What does that prove? Holidays are a luxury.

mattheman · 14 Dec 2009 at 19:08

If you can't pay virgin and other direct debts cancel them at the bank, thats the 1st, if you can transfer your you phone line to talk talk do it, get their cheap phone with internet.

Gothic Draconia · 14 Dec 2009 at 19:56

Decision makers seldom speak with claimants as that is not their job. Their job is to apply the rules and regulations as laid out by the powers that be, in order to make sure you are eligible for benefit.

The target period for processing JSA new claims is usually within 11 working days from the date the Benefit Delivery Centre receive your claim, not from when you applied. However, you can use you initial date of contact for a little leverage regarding payments once 11 workings days has passed.

You can escalate claims, but only within reason, once the processing target period has passed. Simply trying to jump up the queue doesn't work as that puts somebody else to the back of it whose needs might be as great as yours.

Amp34 · 14 Dec 2009 at 20:01

You're not the only one who had problems with the JSA. It took me two months to recieve my first payment, by which time I had already signed off and started working again for a month...

Good luck.

leicrao1 · 14 Dec 2009 at 20:27

You could claim income support as a carer rather than Job Seekers Allowance. Claiming income support doesn't mean you can't still look for work; it just means that you have an entitlement to be on income support and won't be forced into signing on or demonstrating you are looking for work (assuming your son gets DLA at highest or middle level).

Get in touch with the autism society; they may have welfare rights officers who can maximise your benefit income (such as reapplying for a higher level of dla for your son) and chase up decision makers and hold them to account. The local council may have a similar service, see if they have a Carer's support service that can advise or, if your son has specialist support, whether there is something the local CAMHS service to support families.

Also, let tax credits know immediately, if you haven't already, that your income has dropped to zero. They should be able to adjust your tax credits award upwards very quickly. As with all calls to the HMRC, make a note ot the date and time you called, as they record all calls and you may need to prove you told them information subsequently. Also, if they don't know about your son's dla, let them know as it can increase the level of your tax credits award.

Will · 14 Dec 2009 at 20:30

Am sorry to hear of the problems you are having...

If you want impartial benefits advice relating to carer's allowance it may well be worth speaking to your nearest CarersUK office...

http://www.carersuk.org/Home

I know in my area they are very pro-active in helping to nudge along the system, and in the office I deal with (I work for the job centre) their welfare rights/benefit advisor is absolutely great - really useful and detailed knowledge of dealing with 'the system' and various benefits, and can actively get involved in helping you or acting as an advocate for you make a claim.

Part of the problem with dealing with DWP is that staff (myself inclided) are told that because they are involved in administering benefits, that it would a conflict of interest for them to actively help somebody with their application. Processing it is fine, but not telling them how to answer a particular question (and some of them are really quite complex to get your head around if you don't know the system). Due to this claims can take longer to process as we are forced to ask for extra information time and time again.

The CAB may be worth a shot although their benefits knowledge is not so good - carers allowance in particular being a less common and more complicated benefit than JSA or ESA.

The disability benefits line (0800 88 22 00) may be of some use as well if you have specific questions about entitlement and how different benefits can sit side by side.

Richeh · 14 Dec 2009 at 21:05

I'm sure I will get flamed but I am not disagreeing with what you saying about the benefits system being broken, it is. However, the part about escalating your claim etc to get it sorted faster. I am afraid that there are many, MANY people with situations as serious, if not worse than yours phoning and coming into the JCP. There simply isn't enough staff to deal with the amount we get. Also a lot of the time in the new claim process a lot of information is missed, yes it is down to poor training by the people who take the information but the processors have to stick to legislation or it will just come back.

Again, I believe the benefits system is broken but the escalation part you are referring to is just not doable i'm afraid.

Just to clarify, I do work for the JCP, although not on JSA.

blade007 · 15 Dec 2009 at 00:32

Is the delay usually due to a big backlog then?

Richeh · 15 Dec 2009 at 01:45

Depends on each Job Centre, but there rarely a department you'll find without a back log of at least a month.

Maximum Triceratops · 15 Dec 2009 at 09:51

Do you have a paypal account ? , I reckon I can afford a tenner, not much but I would hate to see you have a miserable Christmas seeing as I am looking farwards to mine so much.

Aod · 15 Dec 2009 at 09:51

kgi said:
the others have mentioned everything that needs be said for your benefits issues. I would also suggest you give a call to Virgin and ask them to delay payment for a couple of months due to financial difficulties at the moment? (I wouldnt suggest telling them you are unemployed etc etc as they will think you wont ever pay them). Dont know if it works but it should. Ask for the supervisors/manager if the person at the phone refuses.

you need to do this as quick as you can!

rojones · 15 Dec 2009 at 10:29

Mucky_Pup said:
When your only means of income is state benefits, then no, you shouldn't be allowed holidays overseas.

Agree totaly. I work and earn a decent wage but have to support my family. I cant afford no damn holiday to Japan so why should someone living off the state afford one. No wonder people dont want to work.

VeNT · 15 Dec 2009 at 10:35

good luck,
I applied then was told I was not able to get benefits because I was self employed during the prev 2 years!

Uther · 15 Dec 2009 at 10:38

leicrao1 said:
You could claim income support as a carer rather than Job Seekers Allowance. Claiming income support doesn't mean you can't still look for work; it just means that you have an entitlement to be on income support and won't be forced into signing on or demonstrating you are looking for work (assuming your son gets DLA at highest or middle level).

Get in touch with the autism society; they may have welfare rights officers who can maximise your benefit income (such as reapplying for a higher level of dla for your son) and chase up decision makers and hold them to account. The local council may have a similar service, see if they have a Carer's support service that can advise or, if your son has specialist support, whether there is something the local CAMHS service to support families.

Also, let tax credits know immediately, if you haven't already, that your income has dropped to zero. They should be able to adjust your tax credits award upwards very quickly. As with all calls to the HMRC, make a note ot the date and time you called, as they record all calls and you may need to prove you told them information subsequently. Also, if they don't know about your son's dla, let them know as it can increase the level of your tax credits award.

^This.If you can get income support,it helps a hell of a lot with getting other benefits you may be entitled to.

Bes · 15 Dec 2009 at 11:15

The UK Border Agency are bloody useless too.... I feel your pain on dealing with these **** government agencies.

D5T · 15 Dec 2009 at 11:29

I don't know your working history but if you've ever been a civil servant then get in touch with The Civil Service Benevolent Fund, they're very good in these situations.
All the best fella

-BA- · 15 Dec 2009 at 12:17

Will said:
Am sorry to hear of the problems you are having...

If you want impartial benefits advice relating to carer's allowance it may well be worth speaking to your nearest CarersUK office...

http://www.carersuk.org/Home

I know in my area they are very pro-active in helping to nudge along the system, and in the office I deal with (I work for the job centre) their welfare rights/benefit advisor is absolutely great - really useful and detailed knowledge of dealing with 'the system' and various benefits, and can actively get involved in helping you or acting as an advocate for you make a claim.

Part of the problem with dealing with DWP is that staff (myself inclided) are told that because they are involved in administering benefits, that it would a conflict of interest for them to actively help somebody with their application. Processing it is fine, but not telling them how to answer a particular question (and some of them are really quite complex to get your head around if you don't know the system). Due to this claims can take longer to process as we are forced to ask for extra information time and time again.

The CAB may be worth a shot although their benefits knowledge is not so good - carers allowance in particular being a less common and more complicated benefit than JSA or ESA.

The disability benefits line (0800 88 22 00) may be of some use as well if you have specific questions about entitlement and how different benefits can sit side by side.

The Welfare Benefits training from CAB is actually highly sought after and very robust. There is of course always local variations on the quality of service but that is a different matter entirely.