Things We Hate

[Dazza]

I was sanctioned for not attending an appointment that I was never made aware of. No phonecall, no letter. I told them this and they said my decision for not attending wasn't good enough so they stopped my money for 4 weeks. This was a month ago. And now I've found out today that I'll be without any money for the next two weeks too. Great, eh?

Did you appeal the sanction? I managed to get it overturned when the same thing happened to me.Thankfully i got a job the day after they tried to sanction me.

 

[Cas]

Did you appeal the sanction? I managed to get it overturned when the same thing happened to me.Thankfully i got a job the day after they tried to sanction me.

Yeah. I got rejected.

 

[Dazza]

Yeah. I got rejected.

Fair enough.I guess i was just lucky.Some of the reasons for sanctions are ridiculous.I know someone who got sanctioned because they missed a one on one with their work programme provider.The reason they missed it was because they had a job interview which you would think would take priority over a crappy one on one.

 

[Red]

If you get sanctioned you need to complete a mandatory reconsideration form explaining why you wish them to reconsider their decision. A different decsion maker will look at your reconsideration request. If they do not overturn the original decision you can then appeal at tribunal. A lot of people don't know they can appeal, mainly because the DWP is not exactly forthcoming when it comes to raising awareness about it.

Are you on ESA mowgli? If so and you're in the support group you're not even mandated to attend any appointments at the Job Centre or Work Programme. If you're in the work related activity (WRAG) group, they can madate you to attend appointments, courses etc that are designed to make you more 'work ready', but they CANNOT force you to apply for jobs.

Like mowgli says go to your local CAB or benefits advice centre if you have one nearby if you get sanctioned.

 

[mowgli]

If you get sanctioned you need to complete a mandatory reconsideration form explaining why you wish them to reconsider their decision. A different decsion maker will look at your reconsideration request. If they do not overturn the original decision you can then appeal at tribunal. A lot of people don't know they can appeal, mainly because the DWP is not exactly forthcoming when it comes to raising awareness about it.

Are you on ESA mowgli? If so and you're in the support group you're not even mandated to attend any appointments at the Job Centre or Work Programme. If you're in the work related activity (WRAG) group, they can madate you to attend appointments, courses etc that are designed to make you more 'work ready', but they CANNOT force you to apply for jobs.

Like mowgli says go to your local CAB or benefits advice centre if you have one nearby if you get sanctioned.

I'm on ESA Work related even though i now get PIP as well, i was turned down for but i went to see my MP in Wells Tessa Munt and she won my appeal for me, funny how the decision makers changed their mind only a couple of months when she got involved. I have to go to the job centre once every 6 months but don't think i have to now i get PIP. I urge everyone with problems like i've been reading about on here to go and see your MP to get help as that's what they get payed for and good luck!

 

[Cas]

I've got an appointment tomorrow at the jobcentre for something called a hardship payment. No idea what this will entail.

 

[mowgli]

I've got an appointment tomorrow at the jobcentre for something called a hardship payment. No idea what this will entail.

And no doubt when you start getting your money every fortnight again they'll deduct it from that, bastards!

 

[IanH]

Blimey, I never knew being unemployed involved so many TLAs (three letter acronyms). It's a veritable minefield.

 

[Cas]

And no doubt when you start getting your money every fortnight again they'll deduct it from that, bastards!

Don't think I'll bother then. Guess I'll be using a food bank for the first time.

 

[Stagat]

Don't think I'll bother then. Guess I'll be using a food bank for the first time.

You probably should really mate.

 

[Red]

Don't think I'll bother then. Guess I'll be using a food bank for the first time.

Cas check with your county council as to whether you can apply for an emergency payment. Most of what was the old Social Fund is now administered by county councils, although there is no obligation for them to undertake this.. Here in Derbyshire where the council is Labour run we have the Derbyshire Discretionary Fund. You can apply for an emergency cash payment if some kind of bad shit such as a sanction happens to you. I think councils that do administer this sort of thing will have their own way of doing things, but here , over the phone, they ask why you need the payment, how much is in your bank account, when you expect to get some income again, that sort of stuff. Here the maximum payment is around £54, not a massive amount, but helpful. People here can only apply 3 times in a 12 month period. These are grants and not loans. Might be worth a try,

 

[SUTSS]

Fair enough.I guess i was just lucky.Some of the reasons for sanctions are ridiculous.I know someone who got sanctioned because they missed a one on one with their work programme provider.The reason they missed it was because they had a job interview which you would think would take priority over a crappy one on one.

This is similar to what almost happened to me. I got a call on Wednesday afternoon offering me a job interview on the Thursday afternoon which is when I was meant to sign on. I called up the job centre and told them this and I was read the job seekers agreement and told how I'd signed that I would turn up at my appointments and would give 24 hours notice if I couldn't attend (I was giving 23 hours...) and that I'd have to be a late signer and could be sanctioned for this. Luckily I got the job so never had to see whether they would actually sanction me but it doesn't exactly encourage people into work if you threaten to sanction them for having a job interview.

 

[mistermagic]

Not that I don't want to discuss the lows of lows of being unemployed (it'll be 4 months in 10 days) but I really can't bothered to take a shower sometimes.

 

[IanH]

I think you HAVE just discussed the lows of lows of being unemployed by saying you're reached the point where you can't be bothered showering Phil! Go for a run, then you'll be gagging for a shower.

 

[mistermagic]

I do sport everyday. When I don't run, I go for a bike ride. It's after my sport that I can't bother showering.

Like right now.

 

[Stagat]

That's even worse.

 

[Dazza]

I've got an appointment tomorrow at the jobcentre for something called a hardship payment. No idea what this will entail.

A hardship payment is half of what you get on JSA.Probably have to explain to them why you need a hardship payment.I am fairly certain you do have to pay it back either when your JSA payments start again or you get a job.

 

[Libertadores FC]

When people call California "Cali"

 

[mowgli]

When people call California "Cali"

I've never heard anyone refer to it as Cali before.

 

[Libertadores FC]

I've never heard anyone refer to it as Cali before.

Maybe its just the people over here but it annoys me though because Cali is a city in Colombia.

 

[yellow]

I can see the confusion

 

[Habbinalan]

 

[JimJams]

Seems relevant.

 

[mnb089mnb]

Spot on. I don't really mind famous people having them, as it generally means the plate is on a nice car. But I know a few people with on bog standard cars.

I think the reverse. Having a personalised numberplate on a banger is "epic bantz" (am I using those words correctly?)

 

[Habbinalan]

Seems relevant.

Cali/Kali, part of the great Hindu pantheon, would also not approve.

 

[Freakyteeth]

Extensor Tendonitis

Fucking BASTARD

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

Empty vending machines

Well, not strictly empty, just a few bits of random crap that I've never seen anyone eat. Ever.

 

[SUTSS]

The food options in the vending machine at work are: fruit and fibre cereal, chicken super noodles, a cookie or haribo tangfastics.

 

[mistermagic]

Reckon I'll skip the shower today. The bike ride was very windy and I didn't sweat all that much.

 

[SUTSS]

When the first bus drives straight past you and the next is 25 minutes late.