My partner was made redundant in April, signed on Jobseekers Allowance, a meager £71 pounds a week. For some unknown reason other then to possibly to get people to sign off. He has gone from signing on everyweek, most people sign on every two weeks, to EVERYDAY!! “Its a pilot scheme” Please can someone enlighten me ( if they know), as to how this is going to help. The amout of traveling hours, the cost along with the stress caused! With the small amout of redundancy money he received he invested in a computer to be about to search from home, apply for jobs etc. Signing on the other day, to guys where quite openly talking to each other how they get round the system! These are the people they should be targeting, not someone who has been unfortutatly been made redundant and only been signing on for 4 months!!
I worry, he’s a worker, likes to be busy. Only last week I read an article in the paper how the suicide rate has gone up putting the resession as one of the causes.
check that the piloy scheme incudes travel expenses if not get to your local MP
Hi Tabitha,
Google it - there are plenty of references to similar, not all of them recent.
Seems it’s aimed at catching people who try to work whilst claiming. If you have to put in an appearance every day, it makes it less likely you could have a job “on the side”, which you are not declaring.
I’m not defending it, but that seems to be the rationale behind it. If hubby goes along with it, and thus “proves” he doesn’t have a job somewhere, they may relax it again after a time.
I’ve recently been made redundant myself, and haven’t yet bothered to claim, after I found out it would be taxed, based on earnings earlier in the year. You’re right: £71 is meagre to start with, but then they want to deduct 20%? If I sign on at all, it won’t be 'til the new financial year, when at least I’ll get the whole amount, and not minus income tax, just because I happen to have been working part of the year.
It would certainly put me off claiming and/or cause me to withdraw a claim, if I were expected to report every day. It would be £7.50 a week in bus fares for me (I think more, if I wasn’t careful to choose the council-subsidised bus). And would definitely interfere with other activities - including LOOKING FOR WORK, which is what you’re expected to be doing.
I guess it does trip-up a few chancers who thought they could work and not be detected. But tough luck on genuine claimants!
Tina
Hi, I would`ve thought that people on JSA can get free bus pass? Or am I being rediculously naive here?
I do hope your fella finds work soon…he is obviously NOT a shirker!
luv POlllx
Hi, i have claimed jsa before and…no you cant get a free bus pass… while claiming jsa. oh and im a new member,so hello to eveyone:)