Arrrghhh RANT...about Job Centre & OH

[Boomerslady]

Morning.....

Sorry to rant so early on in the week, but i'm soo p*ssed off BEWARE...this may be a long one!

Basically my OH lost his job about 6 months ago and due to what he does (anything really like chef work...courier work...removal man etc etc) he just cant find anything at the moment...all those types of jobs have dried up (even looked in all supermarkets on a weekly basis and they have nothing).

Sooo he decided to go onto Job seekers.....we needed any income we could get. Well in June his Mother (as lovely as it was) took him and the family (minus me!) to Florida for 2 weeks (he didnt want to go, or leave me, but she said if he didnt go, none of the family went, and basically emotionally blackmailed him)

When he got back at the end of June, he had to go to the job centre to do a rapid reclaim....as he'd missed a sign on date and they'd cut off his money ......bascially since then he hasnt had a penny through....I've been supporting him on my wage (which isnt that much) while trying to save every other penny for the LO.

He's been calling them every day since early July and is getting nowhere...its really starting to bug me.

Anyway....as he's been on Job Seekers for 6 months he has to go on a 13 week course, which started this Morning (its to do with Gardening which he has no desire in, but it was the course which started the soonest)

Anyway he tried to explain that without any money, how was he meant to go there?? He was told tough sh*t basically and he had to go (he was booked in for an apppointment tomorrow at the local JC to explain why he didnt turn up).....BUT I lent him £25 for a weekly travelcard as I didnt want him to not go.....but now which the muppet has gone and LOST his travelcard.....20 minutes after buying it.

I'm soo pissed off........I dont have another £25 to give him.....so when he got to the course (early) he asked if he could retrace his steps to try and find the thing......he was told tough, you can go out at lunchtime (arghh it makes me so angry...he was early, so couldve gone to look 4 it, and turned up late, but noooo he was punished for doing the right thing)

Now I dont know what to do....I'd pushed and pushed him into going on this course (he didnt see the point, as it means he cant activly look for work for 13 weeks) plus it means when I finish at work he wont be there to look after me (selfish I know!) but we are moving house in 1 or 2 months and I really needed him to help me pack.

Now I'm thinking..........should he leave this course, and go to the job centre tomorrow saying he's had no money so couldnt get there......which is true!

If he does this, then it'll mean they'll schedule him on another course at a later date (meaning he'll be away for even more of my Mat leave, and maybe even over my due date )

I'm tempted to tell him to leave today.....sign up for another course at a later date, then after 8 - 10 weeks or so, lie and tell them i've gone into labour early, so he can get out of the course and help me pack and move.

I HATE the job centre.....they push you from pillar to post, expecting you to run around trying to prove your looking for work, when they cant be arsed to do the obvious thing and pay people.....arghhh

Plus...last week when I went with him to an appointment, as I had nothing to do and we were going to go shopping after, I tried to enter the building with him, and was literally PUSHED out of the building like a thief by security....turns out if you dont have an appointment your not allowed in......but there really was no need for the guy to grab me by both arms and force me out.....I'm blatently pregnant......

Sorry for the HUGE rant ladies....I knew it'd be long! If you have made it all this way to the bottom, your thoughts/advice would be really appreciated.

to you all.

 

[anothersquish]

I completely understand. My OH was made redundant at the end of June and its a nightmare.
My advise to you knowing the benefits system well is that your OH has to do everything in his power to get there to do the course. If he does not they WILL NOT give him money. He HAS to go, I know its hard right now but it will mean trouble for him AND you long term if he does not do the course and continue to try to find a job. The job centre will not jump through hoops for him or you but will expect you both to do it for them....basically if you dont then no JSA, end of. Oh, and if they find out you have lied (and they do) then he could be done for fraud and his claim stopped and money paid reclaimed....I have seen this happen to people before, do not think it wont happen to you.
Oh and I dont know what job centre your OH is going too but Ive been into the job centre with my OH three times and he has been taking our son more often than not during the holidays and no comment has ever been made. I would write a letter of complaint.

Its tough in the short term but its better in the long term. Try and find some other family and friends who will help you and if not, well just do what you can and OH can help when he gets back and at weekends.

 

[alibaba24]

I can really see why your upset I also HATE the job centre they are a nightmare and dont do alot to help at all. I am currently unemployed after being pushed out of my old job when the company was bought over and have had problems since (ectopic pregnant & mmc also in hosp with bad asthma) and they wont help me i rang up and said look what should i be claiming for cause i cant live on fresh air and she was so unhelpful and sent me a form for employment and friggin support where i have to get constant sick notes which i dont need anymore i still have to go through the rig marol of getting onto job seekers even though its highly doubtful someone is going to hire me at almost 4 months pregnant!!! they just dont care an think were just sponging off the goverment....if i could be working right now id much rather than but like i said i couldnt find anything after my last job i dont have any advice for you though other than go with your gut instinct if this course is going to get him nowhere i would encourage him to try the other one or do what he can with the jobcentre to help him get money to get yous by its only a pittance they give you anyway which is bad enough

good luck

xxx

 

[Boomerslady]

Thanks for reading ladies.

They are an absolute waste of space! I hate the way they tar everyone with the same "sponger" brush....I really think they should have more compassion with people at the moment....not just presuming they are lazy good for nothing bums (I mean I know some people out there are) but I feel for those people who've worked for years only now to be treated like scum as they are trying to get by.

I just spoke to my OH and thankfully he found his travel pass in the middle of the street!!! I'm so glad it didnt blow away!

Now he's got means of travel he's going to carry on attending this course. Which isnt even a Gardening course, its basically a dummies guide on "how to find work", apparently they are treating them like stupid eejits (even though one guy on the course is in his 40's and has 20 years of good working experieince, and a few others are all recent graduates) its just madness! These people dont need to be taught what reliability and team work is!

 

[Jchihuahua]

I really appreciate what you're going through and know how frustrating the job centre is. My hubby was made redundant this time last year and was desperate for another job. He applied for hundreds of jobs and was prepared to do anything at all and eventually after almost 5 months found a new job but the JC were so unhelpful. He wasn't entitled to any money as I earn a decent wage (although not enough in my opinion to support us both and pay all the bills and mortgage - I ended up in loads of debt because of it) but he still had to sign on for NI etc but they weren't any help in finding him a job. At his appointments they got him in and out as quick as they possibly could even though he wanted them to spend time with him looking at available jobs etc. They had such a bad attitude.

Thats lucky your OH found his travel pass. I don't think its a good idea to lie about going into labour just in case they did find out and it would make everything ten times worse.

 

[moomoo]

I know how you feel, we went to Job Centre back in march because there is no plastering work at the moment. And because i earn over £95 a week they would not give us Jobseekers..so to cut a long story short..ive been paying his half of everything since then!!!! Crazy!!!!

I wonder how this might work when i'm on mat leave..This country is pretty shocking, there is no happy medium!!!
xx