Benefits wee warmer
Discussion
A couple of months ago, Mrs 75 was made redundant.
Not a big deal, it wasn't a great job and she'd been thinking about getting out and completely changing career anyway.
The good news was that the Welsh Development Agency would provide funding for re-training in another field, so she signed up to do an 'Executive PA' course at Pitman's.
Despite neither of us ever having signed on for Job Seeker's allowance in our lives, she went off and did it.
First surprise was that, although she was willing to go temping whilst waiting for the course to start, this wasn't allowed - even a single day of work would mean the funding for the course would be claimed back - so she's been forced to claim so far.
Anyway, she goes in today to sign on, and tell them that she was now looking for part-time work that could be done around the Pitman's course (it's a flexible learning thing). Only this isn't allowed - once she starts the course, they'll withdraw all benefit entitlement from her!
The course she's doing doesn't qualify for any kind of student benefits - ie. no grants (if such a thing exists these days) or loans.
So she's now facing 3-4 months without any income at all, unless she lies through her teeth to potential employers about her future plans. (ie doesn't let them know she's doing a course and will bugger off after a few months).
The piss-boiler is that we have both worked full-time since leaving university 12 and 14 years ago and I have worked at least part time since I was 16. Neither of us has ever claimed for benefits in the past.
£60 / week isn't the end of the world, and the total benefits bill for the 3 month course would be more than covered by my monthly tax bill, but it's the principles that annoy me.
Why is it that an honest, hard-working couple are deprived of the safety net of state benefits, when South Wales is populated by workshy slappers who seemingly get benefits handed to them on a plate?
Not a big deal, it wasn't a great job and she'd been thinking about getting out and completely changing career anyway.
The good news was that the Welsh Development Agency would provide funding for re-training in another field, so she signed up to do an 'Executive PA' course at Pitman's.
Despite neither of us ever having signed on for Job Seeker's allowance in our lives, she went off and did it.
First surprise was that, although she was willing to go temping whilst waiting for the course to start, this wasn't allowed - even a single day of work would mean the funding for the course would be claimed back - so she's been forced to claim so far.
Anyway, she goes in today to sign on, and tell them that she was now looking for part-time work that could be done around the Pitman's course (it's a flexible learning thing). Only this isn't allowed - once she starts the course, they'll withdraw all benefit entitlement from her!
The course she's doing doesn't qualify for any kind of student benefits - ie. no grants (if such a thing exists these days) or loans.
So she's now facing 3-4 months without any income at all, unless she lies through her teeth to potential employers about her future plans. (ie doesn't let them know she's doing a course and will bugger off after a few months).
The piss-boiler is that we have both worked full-time since leaving university 12 and 14 years ago and I have worked at least part time since I was 16. Neither of us has ever claimed for benefits in the past.
£60 / week isn't the end of the world, and the total benefits bill for the 3 month course would be more than covered by my monthly tax bill, but it's the principles that annoy me.
Why is it that an honest, hard-working couple are deprived of the safety net of state benefits, when South Wales is populated by workshy slappers who seemingly get benefits handed to them on a plate?
Alfa_75_Steve said:
Why is it that an honest, hard-working couple are deprived of the safety net of state benefits, when South Wales is populated by workshy slappers who seemingly get benefits handed to them on a plate?
because they have the balls to lie through the teeth and screw the system for all they can get. Plus, being a teen-something slapper with a few sprogs and no bloke gets you uber £££££.What hours is she committing to the course?
What are the criteria for her recieving funding for the course?
Most of these things are linked to reciept of one or more benefits, JSA rules mean you need to be available for work and be willing to forgo a course for an interview.
If she can't qualify for JSA there should still (depending on your income) be benefit available to her.
This link will show roughly what you as a family are entitled to (if anything)
http://www.turn2us.org.uk/
What are the criteria for her recieving funding for the course?
Most of these things are linked to reciept of one or more benefits, JSA rules mean you need to be available for work and be willing to forgo a course for an interview.
If she can't qualify for JSA there should still (depending on your income) be benefit available to her.
This link will show roughly what you as a family are entitled to (if anything)
http://www.turn2us.org.uk/
Alfa_75_Steve said:
Why is it that an honest, hard-working couple are deprived of the safety net of state benefits, when South Wales is populated by workshy slappers who seemingly get benefits handed to them on a plate?
Answer to this is that they are more knowledgable about the benefit systems in this country than most of the people in senior civil service positions. They also refuse to take no for an answer and its often easier to give a kappa clad layabout an extra £50 a week to get them to piss off out of your office. .
chris_w666 said:
What hours is she committing to the course?
What are the criteria for her recieving funding for the course?
Most of these things are linked to reciept of one or more benefits, JSA rules mean you need to be available for work and be willing to forgo a course for an interview.
If she can't qualify for JSA there should still (depending on your income) be benefit available to her.
This link will show roughly what you as a family are entitled to (if anything)
http://www.turn2us.org.uk/
The course is flexible learning, so she can do pretty much the hours she wants - the more hours she puts in, the faster she gets it finished. She's disclosed to the job centre that she'd be available to work 16 hours a week, though.What are the criteria for her recieving funding for the course?
Most of these things are linked to reciept of one or more benefits, JSA rules mean you need to be available for work and be willing to forgo a course for an interview.
If she can't qualify for JSA there should still (depending on your income) be benefit available to her.
This link will show roughly what you as a family are entitled to (if anything)
http://www.turn2us.org.uk/
Just been through that calculator and we're entitled to *nothing* - I do 'OK' for salary, it's a little above average for my role, but we're not exactly loaded.
However, my issue is that it's always the average working family / couple who always get shafted by the system.
Edited by Alfa_75_Steve on Thursday 28th August 19:28
Seems to me like telling the truth was her downfall.
Their rules state that 'a person must be available to work for 40 hours per week', so they obviously see you wife's flexible course as a hinderance in this. My advice for this would be tell them she has scrapped the course if its something she wants to do, and keep claiming benefits and going through the motions until she completes the course of finds a job she wants. As she is doing a flexible course there should be no reason for them to find out she is unavailable at certain times.
I am not advocating benefit fraud, that is simply the only way to work the system to her advantage. You have both paid into the state and will continue to do so until retirement so why not take back what is legally allowed (JSA) and treat Job Centre Plus as a need to know agency.
Their rules state that 'a person must be available to work for 40 hours per week', so they obviously see you wife's flexible course as a hinderance in this. My advice for this would be tell them she has scrapped the course if its something she wants to do, and keep claiming benefits and going through the motions until she completes the course of finds a job she wants. As she is doing a flexible course there should be no reason for them to find out she is unavailable at certain times.
I am not advocating benefit fraud, that is simply the only way to work the system to her advantage. You have both paid into the state and will continue to do so until retirement so why not take back what is legally allowed (JSA) and treat Job Centre Plus as a need to know agency.
chris_w666 said:
Seems to me like telling the truth was her downfall.
Their rules state that 'a person must be available to work for 40 hours per week', so they obviously see you wife's flexible course as a hinderance in this. My advice for this would be tell them she has scrapped the course if its something she wants to do, and keep claiming benefits and going through the motions until she completes the course of finds a job she wants. As she is doing a flexible course there should be no reason for them to find out she is unavailable at certain times.
I am not advocating benefit fraud, that is simply the only way to work the system to her advantage. You have both paid into the state and will continue to do so until retirement so why not take back what is legally allowed (JSA) and treat Job Centre Plus as a need to know agency.
Yup, did think of that.Their rules state that 'a person must be available to work for 40 hours per week', so they obviously see you wife's flexible course as a hinderance in this. My advice for this would be tell them she has scrapped the course if its something she wants to do, and keep claiming benefits and going through the motions until she completes the course of finds a job she wants. As she is doing a flexible course there should be no reason for them to find out she is unavailable at certain times.
I am not advocating benefit fraud, that is simply the only way to work the system to her advantage. You have both paid into the state and will continue to do so until retirement so why not take back what is legally allowed (JSA) and treat Job Centre Plus as a need to know agency.
Unfortunately, the REACT (WDA re-training people) and Job Centre share information.
s, the lot of 'em.Wouldn't be so bad if there was an opt-out of paying towards the social security system in exchange for never being able to claim in the future. Would make sense for a couple to have the option of one of them opting out..... but if that was an option, there would be no money for single teenage mothers to spend on fags and lambrini.
I am surprised that if the company work with jobcentre plus they invalidate a claim. Usually these companies are subcontracted and work very closely with the jobcentre to ensure people still get benefits.
If your missus had been claiming long enough to be on a New Deal scheme then she would be directed into training from their subcontractors
If your missus had been claiming long enough to be on a New Deal scheme then she would be directed into training from their subcontractors
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