Jobseekers

[Z]

I've admitted defeat and filled out a form for JSA this morning - I applied for it back before I had my last job and it was one of the lower points in my life (though the woman I dealt with was absolutely lovely, nothing to do with that) just because of the number of hoops you jump through to get not even £60 a week that in my opinion almost distracts from job hunting because you have to prove that you're actually looking for work instead of just getting it... anyway, they seem to have changed the application since I last applied, they now want me to provide wage slips of all the people I live with when I've only just moved in and do not know the Italian guy we live with... how ridiculous is that and what on earth does that have to do with my application? It's a joke...

Anyway, my problem is that I want a permanent job, and failing that, a temp job that isn't in bloody sales and marketing which is 90% of all jobs out there on websites... so I've had an interview with a company I want to work for and have another one with them tomorrow for a different job within the company, I've also had an interview with a sales company and decided it wasn't for me even though I was invited to a second interview... so it's not that I can't get work, it's just I want to find a good job before I submit to taking any old thing and get sucked into working 35-45 hours a week and don't have the time or energy to find a good job like before... but of course if you apply for JSA, you're no longer able to pick and choose what you do, which is why I've put it off for so long but I'm at a point now where my savings are going to run out before I can pay all the bills I owe so I need money to start coming in ASAP... just feeling a bit down about everything, wondering if anyone else on here's been through the JSA thing and had any tips for keeping their head up? I did it once before but I got my job almost as soon as I got my first payment through so I didn't really have to do any of the stuff they wanted me to do like keeping a diary etc...

[Niamh.]

They surely can't expect you to get your flat mates payslips, if I was sharing a flat with someone and they asked me for a pay slip I would tell them to piss off. That can't be right can it? What they earn should have nothing to do with your application

[Ammi]

I've admitted defeat and filled out a form for JSA this morning - I applied for it back before I had my last job and it was one of the lower points in my life (though the woman I dealt with was absolutely lovely, nothing to do with that) just because of the number of hoops you jump through to get not even £60 a week that in my opinion almost distracts from job hunting because you have to prove that you're actually looking for work instead of just getting it... anyway, they seem to have changed the application since I last applied, they now want me to provide wage slips of all the people I live with when I've only just moved in and do not know the Italian guy we live with... how ridiculous is that and what on earth does that have to do with my application? It's a joke...

Anyway, my problem is that I want a permanent job, and failing that, a temp job that isn't in bloody sales and marketing which is 90% of all jobs out there on websites... so I've had an interview with a company I want to work for and have another one with them tomorrow for a different job within the company, I've also had an interview with a sales company and decided it wasn't for me even though I was invited to a second interview... so it's not that I can't get work, it's just I want to find a good job before I submit to taking any old thing and get sucked into working 35-45 hours a week and don't have the time or energy to find a good job like before... but of course if you apply for JSA, you're no longer able to pick and choose what you do, which is why I've put it off for so long but I'm at a point now where my savings are going to run out before I can pay all the bills I owe so I need money to start coming in ASAP... just feeling a bit down about everything, wondering if anyone else on here's been through the JSA thing and had any tips for keeping their head up? I did it once before but I got my job almost as soon as I got my first payment through so I didn't really have to do any of the stuff they wanted me to do like keeping a diary etc...


...so you could be offered a job before you have to apply then, Z../you have another interview with the same company tomorrow...?...

[Z]

They surely can't expect you to get your flat mates payslips, if I was sharing a flat with someone and they asked me for a pay slip I would tell them to piss off. That can't be right can it? What they earn should have nothing to do with your application

Right?! I think that's ridiculous but it's definitely what it says on the form... I should get a text in the next day or two telling me when my interview in person is - need to bring my passport, P45 (never had one because my last job was through an agency and the contract ended... so I'll bring all my wage slips instead...) and details of everyone I live with's earnings even though it has nothing to do with my own financial situation and a couple of other things I think... so ridiculous

...so you could be offered a job before you have to apply then, Z../you have another interview with the same company tomorrow...?...

Yeah I've applied today because it takes a couple of weeks before they start paying you anything and so on, the thing is the interview I already had they emailed me on Friday to apologise for not updating me and that they'd update me within two weeks, and I have no idea what that means... and the phone interview tomorrow is for another position with them so won't get an update on that for a few days either... every day feels like a week when you're unemployed :(

[Vicky.]

They surely can't expect you to get your flat mates payslips, if I was sharing a flat with someone and they asked me for a pay slip I would tell them to piss off. That can't be right can it? What they earn should have nothing to do with your application

Not only that, if your flat mate is of the opposite sex they assume that you are actually partners ;)

They class a partner as someone who eats meals at the same time you do, and other rubbish like that. If you ever do shopping with your flatmate (I used to when I shared a house sometimes) this also means you are partners.

Good luck Greg. You will need it unfortunately. Do NOT give them access to your UJM account. You do not have to even though they say you do, and they use it to look for reasons to sanction you :(

[Cherie]

I understand you want a job that interests you, but don't understand why you don't want any old job while you wait, it all counts as experience and won't you have to take any old job on job seekers anyway :shrug: I would rather take a job of my choosing even if it us not exactly what I want instead of having to dance to the job seekers tune..maybe that's not how it works though as I never signed on

[smudgie]

Not got a clue about jobseekers, it sounds like a nightmare.
Good luck with the interview Z, hoping you get a job that you will be happy in.

[Z]

I understand you want a job that interests you, but don't understand why you don't want any old job while you wait, it all counts as experience and won't you have to take any old job on job seekers anyway :shrug: I would rather take a job of my choosing even if it us not exactly what I want instead of having to dance to the job seekers tune..maybe that's not how it works though as I never signed on

I found that in my last job (an agency contract job) I would go to work every day and not really be arsed with job hunting at night because I had other things I wanted to do (gym, see friends, relax, whatever) and so sleepwalked through 14 months to where I am now, unemployed again. I know it's not really logical but I just know how I am, I settle into things and I'm always content with what I have, so if I get any old job I'll end up sticking with it even if it's not really doing anything for my future prospects (e.g. saving money, progressing in a career, starting a pension or going on holidays or making financial commitments like getting a car or a mortgage) and it's difficult to find permanent employment vs finding temporary employment where they want you in ASAP but can also get rid of you ASAP... so my problem is I've yet to find a job of my choosing that I've been offered, still waiting to hear back about the one I interviewed for two weeks ago and have another interview tomorrow... but these are for permanent positions in a large organisation and they take time to get back to you/don't at all, and I can't wait around for a maybe and need to keep looking...

Whereas with JSA you get a little bit of money every week even if you have to jump through hoops for it, £60 is better than £0 after all, I still have bills to pay and I'm burning through my savings... Life sucks :(

My parents wouldn't help if I asked so haven't bothered lol

[Cherie]

I found that in my last job (an agency contract job) I would go to work every day and not really be arsed with job hunting at night because I had other things I wanted to do (gym, see friends, relax, whatever) and so sleepwalked through 14 months to where I am now, unemployed again. I know it's not really logical but I just know how I am, I settle into things and I'm always content with what I have, so if I get any old job I'll end up sticking with it even if it's not really doing anything for my future prospects (e.g. saving money, progressing in a career, starting a pension or going on holidays or making financial commitments like getting a car or a mortgage) and it's difficult to find permanent employment vs finding temporary employment where they want you in ASAP but can also get rid of you ASAP... so my problem is I've yet to find a job of my choosing that I've been offered, still waiting to hear back about the one I interviewed for two weeks ago and have another interview tomorrow... but these are for permanent positions in a large organisation and they take time to get back to you/don't at all, and I can't wait around for a maybe and need to keep looking...

Whereas with JSA you get a little bit of money every week even if you have to jump through hoops for it, £60 is better than £0 after all, I still have bills to pay and I'm burning through my savings... Life sucks :(

My parents wouldn't help if I asked so haven't bothered lol

I see where you are coming from you get stuck in a rut, fingers crossed you get one of the jobs you have applied for :fc:

[Kizzy]

I hope you do get something soon as being on JSA is awful, it's social suicide, as soon as you tell someone you're a job seeker they just seem to recoil!
The staff are nice if they know you're genuine and will help as much as they are able.
I think they're more aware than ever that jobs are unstable now and many are only one month from the breadline :/
I was having no luck so they suggested a TAQA course ( NVQ assessor) with all under 24s now shoved into cheap labour...er, I mean apprenticeships they're crying out for them apparently.
Good luck for tomorrow, really hope you don't have to sign on, it's soul destroying.

[Ithinkiloveyoutoo]

Are you sure that you put on the form that you're not related to flat mates? It's strange that they would ask for their payslips.

I understand about not wanting any old job. Way back when I hated the jobs they offered. But I used to just put that I applied for them and applied for the ones that I actually wanted. I think after a certain time if you still haven't found a job then they put you on a 9-5 course for a week where they help with cv, job hunt, interview techniques etc but I think that's 3-6 months down the line. Thankfully I never got to that stage. As long as you put something in the book they give you for now, they won't cut your money. Hang in there, don't be too hard on yourself. You want to work and are trying to find work. You'll find what you're looking for.


Also as Kizzy said, it can be soul destroying especially if the people at the job centre are disrespectful and work hard to make your brief visit miserable, BUT, while you have all that free time you can also make plans about what you want to do with your life because once you find work all you think about is work work work. As you said yourself you hardly have time for much when you work.

[arista]

Not only that, if your flat mate is of the opposite sex they assume that you are actually partners ;)

They class a partner as someone who eats meals at the same time you do, and other rubbish like that. If you ever do shopping with your flatmate (I used to when I shared a house sometimes) this also means you are partners.

Good luck Greg. You will need it unfortunately. Do NOT give them access to your UJM account. You do not have to even though they say you do, and they use it to look for reasons to sanction you :(


How Not Nice
for Z

[Marsh.]

Tbh, the diary keeping was quite simple for me. They gave me a log in, so when I was filling out forms, sending CVs and browsing the web for work, the account itself would update so they could see what I'd been doing to find work each time I went in.

Granted I only had to do this for 3 and a half months but still.

Edit - But then I was eligible for Universal Credit and still receive some payments because I'm on a low income so it might work differently for that.

[Cherie]

Just shows what I know I was under the impression you were forced into low paid work as soon as you signed on :laugh:

[Vicky.]

Just shows what I know I was under the impression you were forced into low paid work as soon as you signed on :laugh:

You pretty much are. They try to force you onto commission only jobs too.

Greg won't last long, especially if he says hes not applying for stuff he doesn't want to do. You have to apply for anything you could physically do. In my partners case this included jobs that said you had to have your own car (he doesn't) and jobs that were an hour and 30 mins by bus away. At one point his adviser told him he had to apply for jobs that specifically said they required experience in the field (which he didn't have). It was a nightmare. He may have just got a bastard of an adviser mind. Luckily he was only on it for 2 months but they attempted to sanction him twice during that time, despite him doing everything possible to try and find work.

[Kizzy]

You pretty much are. They try to force you onto commission only jobs too.

Greg won't last long, especially if he says hes not applying for stuff he doesn't want to do. You have to apply for anything you could physically do. In my partners case this included jobs that said you had to have your own car (he doesn't) and jobs that were an hour and 30 mins by bus away. At one point his adviser told him he had to apply for jobs that specifically said they required experience in the field (which he didn't have). It was a nightmare. He may have just got a bastard of an adviser mind. Luckily he was only on it for 2 months but they attempted to sanction him twice during that time, despite him doing everything possible to try and find work.

There's odd I spoke to someone last week who was sanctioned for not applying for a job which required a full driving licence and he doesn't drive :/

[Kizzy]

Just shows what I know I was under the impression you were forced into low paid work as soon as you signed on :laugh:

No, not quite at the stage where they get you in to tie and untie knots in rope... Not far off mind :laugh:

[Z]

D: I've been offered the job I wanted!!! So obviously I'm over the moon but do you think I should still go tomorrow, will they still give me money do you think? I don't have a start date yet and obviously I'll have to work a few weeks before I get paid so do you think I'm still eligible or do you think they'll tell me no if I mention I've been offered the job? Haven't been sent a contract or anything yet so it's not like it's official...



p.s. yay me :D

[Cherie]

D: I've been offered the job I wanted!!! So obviously I'm over the moon but do you think I should still go tomorrow, will they still give me money do you think? I don't have a start date yet and obviously I'll have to work a few weeks before I get paid so do you think I'm still eligible or do you think they'll tell me no if I mention I've been offered the job? Haven't been sent a contract or anything yet so it's not like it's official...



p.s. yay me :D

Congrats :D:

[Niamh.]

D: I've been offered the job I wanted!!! So obviously I'm over the moon but do you think I should still go tomorrow, will they still give me money do you think? I don't have a start date yet and obviously I'll have to work a few weeks before I get paid so do you think I'm still eligible or do you think they'll tell me no if I mention I've been offered the job? Haven't been sent a contract or anything yet so it's not like it's official...



p.s. yay me :D

Oh so happy for you Greg, congratulations :love:

Have you already got all your bits and pieces together for that appointment tomorrow? if you have I would go and tell them you got a job but you have no money until then

[Z]

Oh so happy for you Greg, congratulations :love:

Have you already got all your bits and pieces together for that appointment tomorrow? if you have I would go and tell them you got a job but you have no money until then

Yeah I've got a folder full of my wage slips and I've got my CV and forms of ID (NOT taking wage slips for my boyfriend or flatmate, what a joke) and I'll just go along and say that I think, 'cause it is true tbh, I don't know when I'm starting so I don't know when I'll first be paid and once I've paid rent on both the flats I'm responsible for I'll have less than a grand in my account which goes pretty quickly once you pay bills and I've paid off my credit card... it'll be tight but I should manage it fine enough, would be nice if I got a little support until then though!

[Niamh.]

Yeah I've got a folder full of my wage slips and I've got my CV and forms of ID (NOT taking wage slips for my boyfriend or flatmate, what a joke) and I'll just go along and say that I think, 'cause it is true tbh, I don't know when I'm starting so I don't know when I'll first be paid and once I've paid rent on both the flats I'm responsible for I'll have less than a grand in my account which goes pretty quickly once you pay bills and I've paid off my credit card... it'll be tight but I should manage it fine enough, would be nice if I got a little support until then though!

Absolutely, that's what social welfare should be for, people who really put an effort in to getting back on their feet and into employment should be helped along and encouraged cos they're the ones who'll end up supporting that system

[Marsh.]

Yeah I was told I had to apply for jobs within 90 minutes travelling distance or less. :omgno:

[Vicky.]

D: I've been offered the job I wanted!!! So obviously I'm over the moon but do you think I should still go tomorrow, will they still give me money do you think? I don't have a start date yet and obviously I'll have to work a few weeks before I get paid so do you think I'm still eligible or do you think they'll tell me no if I mention I've been offered the job? Haven't been sent a contract or anything yet so it's not like it's official...



p.s. yay me :D

Congrats. It might be worth still going to get a bit of income in the meantime until you start. Mind be prepared to apply for crappy jobs (or say you have) until you start your new job :p

[Vicky.]

Absolutely, that's what social welfare should be for, people who really put an effort in to getting back on their feet and into employment should be helped along and encouraged cos they're the ones who'll end up supporting that system

You would think...sadly its not the case

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/man-sanctioned-by-the-dwp-for-not-seeking-work-while-waiting-to-start-job-at-the-dwp-a6778486.html

Greg will still have to seek work, less paid, crappier work, or will get nothing. Its stupid really

[Niamh.]

You would think...sadly its not the case

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/man-sanctioned-by-the-dwp-for-not-seeking-work-while-waiting-to-start-job-at-the-dwp-a6778486.html

Greg will still have to seek work, less paid, crappier work, or will get nothing. Its stupid really

eventhough he's got a job? ffs

[Z]

Yeah I thought that might be the case, they're ridiculous - might tell a few porky pies tomorrow

[Vicky.]

eventhough he's got a job? ffs

Yup. Its a rather backwards system really when you think about it. I wouldn't have believed half of it if gav hadn't been on jobseekers last year. Last time I was on it was like 10 years back, and it was nowhere near as bad as it is now. I found a job but didn't start for a month and they still paid me but left me alone once I took in proof of the job offer everything was sound.

Mind back then it was pretty common to walk out of one job and get another immediately too. I remember doing that :laugh: I quit a bar as the manager was being a twat, and quite literally had another job within 10 mins :D

[Ammi]

D: I've been offered the job I wanted!!! So obviously I'm over the moon but do you think I should still go tomorrow, will they still give me money do you think? I don't have a start date yet and obviously I'll have to work a few weeks before I get paid so do you think I'm still eligible or do you think they'll tell me no if I mention I've been offered the job? Haven't been sent a contract or anything yet so it's not like it's official...



p.s. yay me :D



...hawwww..:hug:..P.S, yeah, yay you Greg..I'm so thrilled for you..:hug:..and yay them for realising that they need to be employing you...

[Marsh.]

Yeah I thought that might be the case, they're ridiculous - might tell a few porky pies tomorrow

BENEFIT FRAUDSTER!!!! :fist:

[Jessica.]

With Greg's luck he's going to have a two page spread in the daily mail next week on his fraudulent claims and the Italian flatmate will dish all the dirt on him

[Marsh.]

He'll be photographed getting out of his car in piss soaked jeans and be like the new White Dee. The face of lower class evil!

[Ammi]

With Greg's luck he's going to have a two page spread in the daily mail next week on his fraudulent claims and the Italian flatmate will dish all the dirt on him

..:laugh:..oh let's not even joke about that/this is Greg....:worry:...

[Tom4784]

Yeah I thought that might be the case, they're ridiculous - might tell a few porky pies tomorrow

I'd tell the truth and do the job search but don't put too much effort into the applications, use sites like Reed or Monster for it. As long as you note down the jobs you've applied for you should be fine until you start your job.

[Z]

He'll be photographed getting out of his car in piss soaked jeans and be like the new White Dee. The face of lower class evil!

I'd LOVE to be the new White Dee

Thanks everyone xxx

[Jessica.]

I'd LOVE to be the new White Dee

Thanks everyone xxx
White Zee

[Tom4784]

White Zee

It's written in the stars tbh.

[Z]

White Zee

:joker: Love it

[Jessica.]

Glad to contribute :shame:

[Marsh.]

Glad to contribute :shame:

Something which Zee isn't doing to society when he fraudulently bleeds it dry. :hehe:

[Jessica.]

Something which Zee isn't doing to society when he fraudulently bleeds it dry. :hehe:
:omgno:

[Z]

So, went along, she basically didn't ask me anything about how I'd been getting on job hunting so I didn't volunteer that I'd been offered a job and I've to go back next Friday to meet with a guy and keep the diary thing they give you... so I'm just going to phone up and cancel it the day before because sack that, should hopefully get a one off payment after that but it won't be very much because I indicated I live with my partner so it's contribution based, not income based. What a piss take! What if your partner's earning minimum wage and you're unemployed?

[Tom4784]

So, went along, she basically didn't ask me anything about how I'd been getting on job hunting so I didn't volunteer that I'd been offered a job and I've to go back next Friday to meet with a guy and keep the diary thing they give you... so I'm just going to phone up and cancel it the day before because sack that, should hopefully get a one off payment after that but it won't be very much because I indicated I live with my partner so it's contribution based, not income based. What a piss take! What if your partner's earning minimum wage and you're unemployed?

I'd suck it up and go to the appointment unless you plan to sign off before, they might sanction you otherwise and I THINK they can carry it over to the next time you have to sign on so you might end up ****ing yourself over in the future.

[Z]

I'd suck it up and go to the appointment unless you plan to sign off before, they might sanction you otherwise and I THINK they can carry it over to the next time you have to sign on so you might end up ****ing yourself over in the future.

Yeah I mean signing off the day before the meeting because I can't bring myself to apply for jobs and going through that farce knowing I actually have a job starting sometime soon... it's just ****e that, whenever I do start, I'll presumably be working a month before I get paid and have to continue leaking money with no support until then :/

[Tom4784]

Yeah I mean signing off the day before the meeting because I can't bring myself to apply for jobs and going through that farce knowing I actually have a job starting sometime soon... it's just ****e that, whenever I do start, I'll presumably be working a month before I get paid and have to continue leaking money with no support until then :/

You should just do it to help tide you over. It doesn't take any time to apply for jobs and you'll be making that first month easier on yourself since I don't think they'll pay you until after next Friday since you'll probably be signing on that day.

[Vicky.]

You won't get a payment for about 6 weeks even if you sign off on friday. For some reason entering a few details into a computer takes absolutely ages so new claims take 4-6 weeks usually.

[Denver]

When I signed on it was the most deamining thing I ever did but I was only on it a few months.

The only positive for me was that I was taking back the money I paid in and I wasn't one if these people who won't work

[Kizzy]

Well done on getting the job Zee! :D

[Z]

You won't get a payment for about 6 weeks even if you sign off on friday. For some reason entering a few details into a computer takes absolutely ages so new claims take 4-6 weeks usually.

Yeah... I dunno, do you think I should just apply for jobs, go to the meeting and pretend I'm still looking or tell the guy I've found something? I feel probably the former if I'm going to carry on but I realise that makes me an actual benefits cheat :joker:

[Z]

Well done on getting the job Zee! :D

Thanks Kiz :D

[Tom4784]

Yeah... I dunno, do you think I should just apply for jobs, go to the meeting and pretend I'm still looking or tell the guy I've found something? I feel probably the former if I'm going to carry on but I realise that makes me an actual benefits cheat :joker:

Tell them you've found something but you won't start for a few weeks. You'll have to look for jobs in the mean time but you'll still get the money until you start the new job....I think...

[Vicky.]

Yeah... I dunno, do you think I should just apply for jobs, go to the meeting and pretend I'm still looking or tell the guy I've found something? I feel probably the former if I'm going to carry on but I realise that makes me an actual benefits cheat :joker:

First one tbh. You need an income and the current rules are stupid.

Who cares if you are a benefits cheat either, given some think those on JSA are all fiddling anyways :laugh: A bit of common sense should make people agree with you essentially 'faking' as you already have a job lined up and its a waste of your time and the employers time if you keep applying for jobs

[Z]

Yeah it's a heap of nonsense, like fair enough with all the tough rules and regulations to crack down on cheats, absolutely, but if the system is actually encouraging people to cheat then clearly all those rules are not working and I'm surely not the only person in the country right now in this position, not the first and certainly not the last!

[Tom4784]

Don't feel like you're cheating the system, you are not earning money from a job and until you are you're entitled to help.

[BigSister]

Good that you got a job Greg!. Im on work based esa at the moment because of my eye injections but actually getting on that was a nightmare apparently ifyour having eye injections and holed up a week in pain you can still look for work. I am currently in the position of getting a volunteer position while having my eye injections so at least they have stopped nagging me and like someone said if your ok with them they are ok with you. Its just a nightmare though I agree!

[*mazedsalv**]

I know this was posted a while back, and well done on the job, but this is to anyone considering JSA.....

Do NOT DO IT.

I was on JSA and had to go in twice a week to fill out a booklet about all the job searching i did (and i did a LOT), that's fair enough. However they were no help and then tried ti screw me over massively.

I was at that time only working 10 hours a week, which is below the hours as i think it's 20 hours or less you are eligible for JSA. I handed in my payslip every month (i was signed up for 4 months).

Then they call me in and said "you need to pay ALL that money back (plus another £100 as a "fine") because you lied to us and you work more than you are supposed to.

I obviously didn't because all the evidence was in the payslips i provided them. They kept saying "no you owe us this because you were not supposed to get that money". I got bad and told them i would sue them for attempting to take money of me when all the evidence was there.

They send me a letter saying that they would add an extra £100 if i did not give them all the money ASAP.

So, i got hold of someone fairly high up, and made a formal complaint. The next week i get a letter saying "I'm very sorry for the inconvenience but we had you mixed up with someone else". The thing is, had I paid that money to them, and they found out they made the mistake AFTER I paid them, do you reckon they would have told me and given the money back? NO CHANCE. They only apologized because they got caught.

Then get this.... they had the ******* audacity to phone me after and ask me if i am still attending the weekly meetings.

Be careful. They are idiots and want to get you in a much worse position.

[Marsh.]

Twice a week?

I had to go once a fortnight when I was on it.

[*mazedsalv**]

Twice a week?

I had to go once a fortnight when I was on it.

Yep twice a week. Once with handing in my payslip and organizing the hours i worked, and another one with the tutor and talking about what I've applied for.