Job Centre threatening to stop my benefits.

Massive overreaction OP and totally unworthy of a thread. It is a stock letter that says non-compliance COULD result in loss of benefits. That in no way correlates with what you posted in your first post. Ring them, arrange a new appointment, be there for it, it's not rocket science.

Many of those out of work for long periods have a propensity to make mountains out of molehills as they have too much time on their hands and stress about minute issues that others deal with on their lunch breaks.

Am I judging you? No. Am I suggesting that you could perhaps deal with it differently instead of getting all 'to the interweb!!'? Yes, most definitely...
 
I speak as someone who works for DWP - If the letter is from a customer compliance officer I would get in touch, they tend to try and visit or make contact a certain number of times, and after this they will suspend your claim if they still haven't managed to get hold of you. Generally they will write out to tell you they need to see you, and on what time they will visit.

Compliance visits are usually conducted where there is concern over potential for fraud (working and claiming benefits without declaring it, undeclared capital identified through the banking system/credit checks, living together whilst claiming separately, or uncertainty over where somebody actually lives etc).

If you have not done anything wrong it should be resolved quickly without issue or anything happening to your benefits.

One thing worth mentioning - the compliance officers tend to be mobile (spending some time in the office and some time doing visits each day) and not every job centre will have compliance officers based at that office, instead they often have a centralised team, so I'd advise calling them on the number given rather than going down to your local job centre - at least that way you should get to speak to the correct person or at least someone on the relevant compliance team, rather than speaking to a random member of staff who does not necessarily deal with compliance visits (and may not have appropriate IT systems access to actually tell you what it is about).
 
My partner is currently receiving ESA (incapacity Benefit) because she is under going chemo.

Despite being in and out of hospital and being bed bound for days after treatment ATOS declared her fully fit for work in all aspects.

She decided to appeal as she was at the time of the result had been is hospital for 3 weeks.

She was meant to be paid £96 (two weeks money) on Xmas eve which was already 3 days late. It actually arrived in her account on the 29th.

Nowadays anyone claiming is tarred with the same brush as being lazy, good for nothing scum.

I sympathise with OP. The DWP is a disaster zone.
 
So, when I went the Job Centre yesterday I mentioned this, it seems as Head Office ****** up when I changed my address and only changed my contact number.

I was also told that taking out ALL my piercings would help get a job, I could understand if I was getting let down at interview stage, but I'm not. I have a few piercings but nothing to put anyone off, Argos mentioned they were interesting and the area manager said as long as there not on my actual face that it would be fine. I have my tragus, helix and lob in my left ear pierced and a scaffold in my right ear, also my tongue is pierced, would that put you off employing me in a supermarket or normal shop or even a warehouse?
 
Jaffa_Far said:
I was also told that taking out ALL my piercings would help get a job, I could understand if I was getting let down at interview stage, but I'm not. I have a few piercings but nothing to put anyone off, Argos mentioned they were interesting and the area manager said as long as there not on my actual face that it would be fine. I have my tragus, helix and lob in my left ear pierced and a scaffold in my right ear, also my tongue is pierced, would that put you off employing me in a supermarket or normal shop or even a warehouse?
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You may not like the answer, but no, I wouldn't employ you for any kind of customer-facing role due to that many piercings.

It's nothing to do with my personal preference or bias, it's just that a lot of people will immediately form their first opinion of you based on them, and if they make you look 'intimidating' or 'unusual' in any way, you'll be straight off the list. You'd be right at home in a goth/alt store though :)
 
Jaffa_Far said:
So, when I went the Job Centre yesterday I mentioned this, it seems as Head Office ****** up when I changed my address and only changed my contact number.

I was also told that taking out ALL my piercings would help get a job, I could understand if I was getting let down at interview stage, but I'm not. I have a few piercings but nothing to put anyone off, Argos mentioned they were interesting and the area manager said as long as there not on my actual face that it would be fine. I have my tragus, helix and lob in my left ear pierced and a scaffold in my right ear, also my tongue is pierced, would that put you off employing me in a supermarket or normal shop or even a warehouse?
Click to expand...

Not me personally, no, I couldn't give a monkeys' what you look like, but there is a stigma attached to tattooed/pierced people, especially if it's a lot, and sadly you are generally forced into an ultimatum. I don't agree with this, but sometimes you just have to conform to get to where you want to go.
 
matt_fsr said:
You may not like the answer, but no, I wouldn't employ you for any kind of customer-facing role due to that many piercings.

It's nothing to do with my personal preference or bias, it's just that a lot of people will immediately form their first opinion of you based on them, and if they make you look 'intimidating' or 'unusual' in any way, you'll be straight off the list. You'd be right at home in a goth/alt store though :)
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I look far from intimidating or unusual, I had them in at Bargain Booze and Farmfoods and nothing was said, but the irony, the guy who told at the Job Centre has some piercings :rolleyes:
 
Jaffa_Far said:
I was also told that taking out ALL my piercings would help get a job, I could understand if I was getting let down at interview stage, but I'm not. I have a few piercings but nothing to put anyone off, Argos mentioned they were interesting and the area manager said as long as there not on my actual face that it would be fine. I have my tragus, helix and lob in my left ear pierced and a scaffold in my right ear, also my tongue is pierced, would that put you off employing me in a supermarket or normal shop or even a warehouse?
Click to expand...

It will do for some people and given that you don't know the views of the person who will be interviewing you in advance it might be best to just remove them for any interviews...

Once you've got the job then you can start looking at the company policy re: what piercings are allowed etc... I would avoid raising questions about it in advance - get the job first.
 
This strategy could be combined with the honourable work of couriers. Post these letters to everyone, regardless of whether they're actually in or not, then cancel all the benefits. Just shove the letter through the door and run. Profit
 
Jaffa_Far said:
I look far from intimidating or unusual, I had them in at Bargain Booze and Farmfoods and nothing was said, but the irony, the guy who told at the Job Centre has some piercings :rolleyes:
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What harm is it to take them out for a job interview? He's given you good advice and you are failing to take it.
 
The job market is obviously competitive hence why you don't have a job after all this time. Why would you make yourself stand out from the crowd and give people the opportunity to turn you down for being different? I also wouldn't employ you in a client facing role if you were competing with someone else, with similar experience, who isn't covered in tattoos and piercings.
 
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