Claiming Job seekers allowance.... how ****ing hard is it???

[Dupont666]

Stage 2 of the rabble of ste that is the Job Center Plus......

Sent my tax credits off 2 weeks ago to get back dated credits to claim for my loan insurance.... Note I want no money, just the proof of unemployment...

Get letter today stating that they were not going to give me back dated job seekers allowance (told them i didnt want it) as I had not provided enough evidence to prove i had been looking for work. On top of that I am not allowed to claim any benefits at all due to not actually existing according to the Inland Revenue (good... give me back all my contribution over the years)

Rang up the company and spoke to them and it transpires that due to the box being ticked (doubtful claimant) at the job center they havent even looked at the form, told them that wasnt possible as the person who mailed it was the person who recommended me to do the back dated credits and wrote on it (CREDITS ONLY) and ticked the straight forward claim box (NOT the doubtful box), I know as i was there... Condescending bh on the other end of the phone line couldnt understand this and was adamant that it had been done at the job center.... She didnt even understand that I wanted a copy of the said document and all attachments as par the Data protection act so i can check it myself, they are going to 'look' for it... aka retrieve from the bin.

Spoke to the guy at the job center in question and he is appalled that they have done this and is trying to find out what happened as he remembers me as this was the first time he has ever done a credits only claim.

I now have to go in on monday and bring in the compromise agreement, my P45 and all wage slips to prove im allowed to work in this country (my UK passport is not good enough).... they have photo copies of everything, but of course when that went away with the appeal to claim the back dated credits it has been 'filed' so need to do it all again. Poor guy is very embarrassed and sorted out the head of the center to interview me personally and get it sorted ASAP.

Am really getting fked off with them as the great unwashed, the drunk chavs and the illegals can get every fking benefit under the sun but when I ask them to sign a piece of fking paper to prove i havent worked since January they cant and refuse to do so..... AAAARRRGGGHHHH

So now Im still out of pocket

4 weeks dole.... Im fking claiming that out of principle now
5 months of loan protection (I need the job seekers allowance to claim it.... so its there fking fault)

All in about £1400.

If they fk up again..... someone will fking die.... Im off for a pint now

[FrankDrebbin]

in the time it took you to d that, go home and rant, you could have got a job.

now go get a job, hippie

ps -

[Dupont666]

FrankDrebbin said:

in the time it took you to d that, go home and rant, you could have got a job.

now go get a job, hippie

ps -

got a go between job that starts next week..... data input... OMG thats going to be fun

[Gring]

I was involved with the installation of touch screen IT equipment at some of these job centres a few years ago.
I was astounded at how rude the staff were to their 'clients' (claimants) and at how lazy the staff were. They spent most of the time gossiping amongst themselves and doing no real work. It seemed like an inconvienience for them to actually have to speak to a 'client'.
I got the feeling that most of the Job centre staff were just taking the piss out of the system.

[Gring]

FrankDrebbin said:

in the time it took you to d that, go home and rant, you could have got a job.

now go get a job, hippie

ps -

I need a haircut, are you a hairdresser?

[FrankDrebbin]

Dupont666 said:

got a go between job that starts next week..... data input... OMG thats going to be fun

Fair play to you Dupont - data entry may be boring as sin, but it's better to do anything than go on the dole - if for no other reason than for personal pride. Hope you manage to step back where you want to be soon.

[Jasandjules]

I sometimes wonder if a troop of monkies were employed to randomly hit the keyboard, the Job Centre* would run more smoothly.

• or any other Govt agency

[ali_kat]

Si - if you have any further problems, give me a bell, or drop me an email - I know someone that may be able to help you

[Sheets Tabuer]

When I needed to I was totally put off claiming by the holier than thou attitude of the woman on the phone.

If I wanted to be spoken to like that I'd have a conversation with the mrs.

I put the phone down.

[fridaypassion]

Its an interesting (although primerily upsetting) thing that is becoming more apparent on forums such as PH that "normal" people seem to havemaximum hassle and totally st treatment from the job centre staff when dealing with these issues. As the OP said if you walk in there as a member of the great unwashed they lay everything on for you. I'm sure these people must be able to tell for themselves the difference between some paedo claiming disability living allowance and normal hardworking people. Why cant they just give the genuine people a nod and a wink and help them out!?

Edited by fridaypassion on Friday 17th April 23:05

[digger_R]

Sheets Tabuer said:

When I needed to I was totally put off claiming by the holier than thou attitude of the woman on the phone.

If I wanted to be spoken to like that I'd have a conversation with the mrs.

have one of these

[oobster]

fridaypassion said:

Its an interesting (although primerily upsetting) thing that is becoming more apparent on forums such as PH that "normal" people seem to havemaximum hassle and totally st treatment from the job centre staff when dealing with these issues. As the OP said if you walk in there as a member of the great unwashed they lay everything on for you. I'm sure these people must be able to tell for themselves the difference between some paedo claiming disability living allowance and normal hardworking people. Why cant they just give the genuine people a nod and a wink and help them out!?

Edited by fridaypassion on Friday 17th April 23:05

I have attended the local job centre plus office frequently over the past 6 months and the staff have always been helpful & polite. I have sympathy for the OP but I have seen the staff being spoken to by 'clients' in ways that I would not tolerate.

[Dupont666]

oobster said:

fridaypassion said:

Its an interesting (although primerily upsetting) thing that is becoming more apparent on forums such as PH that "normal" people seem to havemaximum hassle and totally st treatment from the job centre staff when dealing with these issues. As the OP said if you walk in there as a member of the great unwashed they lay everything on for you. I'm sure these people must be able to tell for themselves the difference between some paedo claiming disability living allowance and normal hardworking people. Why cant they just give the genuine people a nod and a wink and help them out!?

Edited by fridaypassion on Friday 17th April 23:05

I have attended the local job centre plus office frequently over the past 6 months and the staff have always been helpful & polite. I have sympathy for the OP but I have seen the staff being spoken to by 'clients' in ways that I would not tolerate.

Job center is ok... I go in early as possible while the great unwashed are still hungover having beauty sleep... some of the 'clients' there expect everything to be done asap... like the one who came in demanded to jump the queue due to having her kids with her.... Lets just say that some of the people there.... I wouldnt piss on them if they were on fire!!

The staff are generally great as they find it such a refreshing change to deal with people like me instead of scum.

[The Excession]

Sheets Tabuer said:

When I needed to I was totally put off claiming by the holier than thou attitude of the woman on the phone.

I put the phone down.

Interesting, I've found the dole office workers to be of the highest standard over here in Ireland. Polite tollerent and actually quite helpful.

My worst experience was getting delayed for my visit to the office last week where I didn't arrive untill 11am, I joined the queue, and it was a queue, probably some 75 people, most (not all) just struck me as being utter scag head scum. Looking hungover, ill kempt, mobile phones going off every minute 'WHAT WHAT, NO I'M QUEUEING FOR THE DOLE... YEAH YEAH SEE YOU LATER IN THE PUB....'

To be honest it was the worst hour of my life being stood next to these people. Even worse when someone drove past and beeped and waved at me. Oh the shame....

Next time I'll be down there 15 minutes before the doors open and hopefully get in and out in a few minutes.

Sheets Tabuer said:

If I wanted to be spoken to like that I'd have a conversation with the mrs.

I reckon I'd rather take my chances in the dole queue...

[tossbag]

I only ever claimed the dole once in my life, qued up with a load of scrotes for an hour, got my money went outside and the van I borrowed off my dad was clamped, handed over my dole to the clamping company and went self employed that day.
12 years later and I have never looked back

[ianash]

You have to realise that most of the staff at the Jobcentre couldn't get a job anywhere else. They are meant to advise, help jobseekers into new employment, but of course if they were jettisoned by the jobcentre, they would have a hard job finding their way to the nearest urinal, let alone a job. The Chavs are taken care of because they are easy to deal with. When you have a socialist government, don't expect them to look after the productive citizens (they might vote Tory), no they look after their core supporters. When the Tories get in, make sure you shout and scream at your MP to make sure they change the system to favour those that PAID IN. If you don’t then you’ll get the Government you deserve.

[Nobody You Know]

I couldn't be arsed to read the whole OP as I too have to put up with the dheadery of the jobcentre plus but I feel your pain too my freind.

[dan101smith]

Simon, we never did have that chat.

Drop me a mail if you're still interested.

[Piglet]

I couldn't be arsed to read the OP either but OH has just been rejected for jobseekers because he was self employed for two years previously, even though he paid NI throughout that time. The fact that he's also already paid enough NI contributions previously to qualify for a full pension seems to pass them by and trying to get some sense out of them all is like banging your head against something very hard.

I'm quite bright but the system is absolutely impossible to understand.

[Jasandjules]

When I was a student and waiting for my results before starting my new job, I thought I might sign on for six weeks or so. I walked in, had a look around, and walked back out again.

I feel sorry for anyone who has to put up with such a place and especially those who are actually going to try ang get a job unlike those who go simply to ensure they get the next ciggie and tenants extra cheque.