DenadaInnit Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Hi, for the unfortunates who have to sign on the dole every two weeks (me included) what do you think of the actual experience? I find the people very nice at the office I go to. However, I strongly object to being asked 'what have you been doing to look for work over the last two weeks?' They make me feel as though I'm on the dole through choice. I have to explain that I am doing everything I can to find work and I am not there to make a career from the £60.50 allowance. Unfortunately I have been claiming for over six months and so far I have been offered a 'bribe' of £25 per week to go back to work and a training trial at a company. This essentially means that I work for nothing for two weeks but can claim bus fares and lunches. Fine said I, please find me a free trial. It was not to be though as I have to find my own trial with a company. I'm struggling to understand what the 'plus' is for in the Job Centre Plus offices. What are members experiences of Job Centre Plus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombiekillah Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I'm signing on for the second time tomorrow, i left my job of 3 years as it was making me ill. You're right about them treating you like you don't want a job but the sad fact is that so many people signing on choose to live that way, the people at the jobcentre are just doing their job. I have had to send them a page long statement explaining my situation, i hope that they don't reject my claim. Still have no idea of when they are planning to pay me and my money has run out now. I just don't understand how they let the people who aren't bothered about working get any money- They seem to manage whilst other respectable people are being messed around with a load of paperwork. Also, how do people claim jobseekers for such a long time? I paid my taxes for 3 years and i'm only entitled to 6 months on benefits. It is unfair that people who haven't contributed a penny are allowed to sign on for seemingly as long as they like. After a year or so they get put on New Deal which has many jobs that i would love to do but they are reserved for the people that will stay there a couple of weeks then go back on the dole. Another thing, after i left college when i was 18 i was unemployed for about 4 or 5 months. Went to the jobcentre, signed on twice before i got a letter in the post telling me that i was 'Still in education until the end of October' and could not sign on. Couldn't they have just told me when i first went instead of going through paperwork and wasting all of our time? The new term starts in september aswell so how did they work out i was still in education? I left around may/june. It all makes me pretty angry, but i am just trying to focus all my energy on getting a job. The staff at the jobcentre are alright and personally i think the work trials thing isnt such a bad idea- i have pretty specialist qualifications and no other work history really so struggle with jobs that need experienced people. At least they pay for you to get there and you can sign on straight away if you're not very good at it rather than having to go through all the hassle again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenadaInnit Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 Hi, re getting JSA for six months only, I believe that after the six months you will automatically move to another system which is also called Jobs Seekers Allowance(!), it's got something to do with National Insurance contributions I think. So try not to worry too much about that. Re the worktrials, I initially thought this a good idea until the Job Cetntre said that they don't place people on the trials. So personally, I don't see the point in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damo Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I employed someone on one of these trials and it was a good way of him getting into work however he told me about the companies that take the **** with it some just take people on for two weeks of free labour then let them go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summer Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I have signed on and of twice in the past 5 months, was made redundant, signed on, got a job, hated it, then signed on again, got a temp job the other day so thought it would be better to do that for 4 weeks then sign on, rung the telephone call centre yesterday to confirm that I wouldnt be signing on, and she was so miserable, she had a right attitude problem, I tried saying to her can I sign on after this temp work again if I havent found a permanent job, at least I am doing what work I can get, she just made me feel guilty for even signing on in the first place. I think going to the job centre every 2 weeks to sign on is a joke, yeah the staff are really nice but useless, not once did they say do I need any help looking for work, the last time I went which was 2 weeks ago I said to him I was getting really worried that I was still out of work and he just showed me the screen and said 'have you applied for any of these jobs?' I just thought is that it? Is that all the help your gonna give me, what about advising me on training courses or something, surley they can help in some way. Its new deal that you have to go on after 6 months, dont know much about it though, I also dont understand how us that have put tax and NI in for god knows how many years can only apparantly claim for 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Buzz Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Fine said I, please find me a free trial. It was not to be though as I have to find my own trial with a company. You going to need to be a bit more assertive than that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James2222 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 These people who are looking for work suffer and I feel sorry for them, because they don't know the benefit system like these chavs, makes me sick, anyway an old friend of mine told me say to job centre you have a job starting, end claim, then say it fell through and do a rapid reclaim, should stop the 3 or 6 months interigation at the job centre for at least 3 months - what have you done to look for a job...etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olewicz Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I have signed on and of twice in the past 5 months, was made redundant, signed on, got a job, hated it, then signed on again, got a temp job the other day so thought it would be better to do that for 4 weeks then sign on, rung the telephone call centre yesterday to confirm that I wouldnt be signing on, and she was so miserable, she had a right attitude problem, I tried saying to her can I sign on after this temp work again if I havent found a permanent job, at least I am doing what work I can get, she just made me feel guilty for even signing on in the first place. I think going to the job centre every 2 weeks to sign on is a joke, yeah the staff are really nice but useless, not once did they say do I need any help looking for work, the last time I went which was 2 weeks ago I said to him I was getting really worried that I was still out of work and he just showed me the screen and said 'have you applied for any of these jobs?' I just thought is that it? Is that all the help your gonna give me, what about advising me on training courses or something, surley they can help in some way. Its new deal that you have to go on after 6 months, dont know much about it though, I also dont understand how us that have put tax and NI in for god knows how many years can only apparantly claim for 6 months. Well thats what job agencies are for. You'd think that the government could act as an employment agency, but NOOOO, that would be 'interfering with the private sector' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
businesswoma Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I am not on the 'Dole' and can't understand why so many people are! Excuses I've heard is ''I have kids so can't work'', ''not enough jobs'' .. WHAT a load of rubbish. I was a pregnant 16 schoolgirl, went to school til 8 months pregnant, returned to school 4 days after giving birth to sit exams. BTW I was a single mum, I went to college, worked part time earning £61 a week, paying £200 a week childcare costs. NOW i own severasl businesses WHICH I SET UP ON MY OWN. If I was PM, I'd banish dole money, no excuse for not working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodie23387 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 well unlike you busineddwoma alot of ppl have been laid of and cannot find work. i think its very hard for ppl when they have been in a company for years then get laid of because the company went bust. if ll your buiness went bust what would you do if you couldnt get work???? good luck to you with all the work you have done but get your head out of the sand its not always that easy for some people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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