I need to cancel a jobcentre appointment...

[lilmissdanni]

I'm due to sign on and have an advisor meeting today, however, rylan has bronchitis and is pretty poorly...on inhalers (that don't seem to be working), not eating or sleeping etc. I have tried to get a babysitter but understandably, most of the ppl around at 11am on a Wed have kids themselves and are a bit reluctant to come and sit with a poorly child of someone elses. That leaves my mum who is at the hospital having her pre op.

It's cold and wet where I live at the moment....there is no way I'm dragging my ill child out for a 30 min walk for him to sit in a room with artificial heat which will irritate his chest for an hour. His breathing is already worse than yesterday and If it gets any worse I think I'll be taking.him the.hospital.

Do you reckon they will stop my money as looking after a poorly child means I'm not available for work. We are in a routine and that jsa buys nappies and food for the fortnight. Surely they can't penalize me for this?

 

[BellaBoo0512]

Ring them and explain. I'm pretty sure they will rearrange your appointment under the circumstances. It could delay your payment but I'm not sure.

 

[Creative]

phone them. You can normally do a late sign on if you are ill (and I'm presuming that child being ill counts too. They are humans after all!)

 

[Pearls18]

I'm pretty certain if you have children you're not expected to sign on? A couple years ago DH was unemployed and I was unemployed for a month between mat leave and starting a new job, they let us do a joint claim and said I wouldn't be expected to physically sign on because I had a child?

 

[lilmissdanni]

I'm on contribution based jsa not income based.

They tried be arsey at first...told me that it wasn't there problem and that I would still be expected to sign. I kicked off and they said they would get someone to call me back asap. I was sat in bed with rylan when they called me back...she tried to say I had to come down....till she heard him then her exact words were " you are not bringing that child out in the cold" she told me they could put it down as a domestic emergency.

 

[BellaBoo0512]

Glad you sorted it. Hope your little man is better soon

 

[Pearls18]

I'm on contribution based jsa not income based.

They tried be arsey at first...told me that it wasn't there problem and that I would still be expected to sign. I kicked off and they said they would get someone to call me back asap. I was sat in bed with rylan when they called me back...she tried to say I had to come down....till she heard him then her exact words were " you are not bringing that child out in the cold" she told me they could put it down as a domestic emergency.

Ours was contribution based too, we both had only very recently been unemployed and paid enough tax previously to qualify, never been on income based. Glad it was sorted though.

 

[aimee-lou]

I'm on contribution based jsa not income based.

They tried be arsey at first...told me that it wasn't there problem and that I would still be expected to sign. I kicked off and they said they would get someone to call me back asap. I was sat in bed with rylan when they called me back...she tried to say I had to come down....till she heard him then her exact words were " you are not bringing that child out in the cold" she told me they could put it down as a domestic emergency.

Ours was contribution based too, we both had only very recently been unemployed and paid enough tax previously to qualify, never been on income based. Glad it was sorted though.

Joint claimants can just send one person, but single claimants can't be excused unless it's an emergency. When I was claiming last year (up to April) I had to go down every fortnight to sign on regardless and turn up to appointments. The fact that hubby was at Uni full time and I had no-one to look after the other 2 and was also pregnant was not their concern and had I not gone they would have taken my money off me - as I am 'available to work' I should be available to attend is their logic.

I'm glad you got it sorted OP - they can be a nightmare to deal with at times, but I'm sure it's just a healthy cynicism on their part as I'm sure they hear a lot of excuses for not attending so need to be very convinced you're honestly unable to come. Hope they don't dock anything - you wouldn't be available to work if your child was that ill, but you are allowed a couple of times where you're unable to work/look for work before they take action....they tried to stop my money when I had to attend my Dad's funeral until I explained it was on Christmas Eve. In the end they let me off lol - very generous of them!