So that's 2010 done and dusted and we're off in to 2011 with a flying start from the DWP. Do you think they've paid me any money? Of course not. Do you think the people at the job center know why? Of course not, they just direct you to the phones in the corner to ring up "Jobseekers Direct" so do you think they know why? Nope.
None of the people on the phone can actually access my account, which necessitates getting a supervisor to take a look at it and then call me back. I've no idea if we've even gotten to the "supervisor" stage of things but I do know we've not yet reaching "call me back" yet either.
So that made for an awesome Christmas & New Years didn't it? Of course the media is still, occasionally, reporting about the increase in unemployment figures, the state of the economy and how it's all the fault of the scroungers. But I've got to wonder... how many of those people are not actually recieving money despite being included in the figures? It's highly doubtful I'm the only one.
Showing posts with label Department work pensions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Department work pensions. Show all posts
Monday, 17 January 2011
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
I'm no longer surprised
Had a letter through from my bank, it states my account is over its limit.
This in itself is a bit perplexing as to be honest I've been signing on and providing evidence of job hunting. Now I've had a single payment from them, but I guess asking about that disability interview means I'm now in a punishment phase.
I would phone them up but with the protection system they've put on the account (it was either that or denied signing on) means the helpline is useless and it's unlikley I'd get a supervisor on the phone when contacting the job center itself.
So for the time being I am
1. Including in the 'unemployed' statistics.
2. Called a scrounger by the media.
3. Not actually getting a penny from the government.
4. Will be expected to sign on again.
This in itself is a bit perplexing as to be honest I've been signing on and providing evidence of job hunting. Now I've had a single payment from them, but I guess asking about that disability interview means I'm now in a punishment phase.
I would phone them up but with the protection system they've put on the account (it was either that or denied signing on) means the helpline is useless and it's unlikley I'd get a supervisor on the phone when contacting the job center itself.
So for the time being I am
1. Including in the 'unemployed' statistics.
2. Called a scrounger by the media.
3. Not actually getting a penny from the government.
4. Will be expected to sign on again.
Friday, 26 November 2010
Back to Work session #1
Had my first back to work session today. I'm not sure what the point of it was.
We were told that applying via newspapers is not the best way of finding work (been that way for years) but that the internet was brilliant so were the websites of agencies themselves. Which confused the ever loving hell out of me.
Speculative letters to large corporations were mentioned (I kept quiet about that one being a waste of paper). They also mentioned again all of the help and services both they and 3rd parties provide... which I had to question because it was a 3rd party that had sent me for the Back to Work sessions in the first place and I could see myself heading back to see him again; after being told he couldn't do anything for me.
The vast bulk of the hour was made up by telling us of her times 'up North', veiled threats about keeping up with our paperwork and the consequences for not living up to our end of the Jobseekers agreement and well you get the idea.
Fair enough. However they then went on to suggest something to do with disability advice, which rang a bell from my Incapacity Benefit days... as in "when you come off IB we'll get you a session with this" sort of which other sectors my skills apply to and how to minimise the issues my medical problems cause. Good stuff. So after the session I talk to the person running it.
Then I was sent to reception.
Then I was sent to speak to the wrong person, who went to get the right person.
The right person told me this wasn't something I couldn't arrange myself. If it hadn't of been arranged when I first signed on to Jobseekers then it was unlikely I'd be eligible for the help. She seemed almost irate at having to meet the great unwashed such as myself.
I asked her to explain to the people who had just held the Back to Work session that what they'd said to do was impossible. She reiterated that I couldn't arrange this myself and I once again explained that I was simply doing as I'd been told. Finally, with a roll of her eyes, she suggested she'd be having a word with them... to make sure it didn't happen again.
Now who here things a) I was just called a liar by a member of DWP staff (again)? b) she'll actually have that talk to iron out things? c) I'll have a black mark on my record for trying something? d) All of the above?
I'm going with option d here personally. But hey, today we only wasted and hour of 2 DWP staffers, 1 3rd part vendors and 15 unemployed peoples time (and money) today. We're getting better aren't we? On the plus side I was able to sign and get out.
Today's "Local" job (according to Jobcentre Plus job point machine) location: Tipton, West Midlands (165miles, 2hr 53min away).
We were told that applying via newspapers is not the best way of finding work (been that way for years) but that the internet was brilliant so were the websites of agencies themselves. Which confused the ever loving hell out of me.
Speculative letters to large corporations were mentioned (I kept quiet about that one being a waste of paper). They also mentioned again all of the help and services both they and 3rd parties provide... which I had to question because it was a 3rd party that had sent me for the Back to Work sessions in the first place and I could see myself heading back to see him again; after being told he couldn't do anything for me.
The vast bulk of the hour was made up by telling us of her times 'up North', veiled threats about keeping up with our paperwork and the consequences for not living up to our end of the Jobseekers agreement and well you get the idea.
Fair enough. However they then went on to suggest something to do with disability advice, which rang a bell from my Incapacity Benefit days... as in "when you come off IB we'll get you a session with this" sort of which other sectors my skills apply to and how to minimise the issues my medical problems cause. Good stuff. So after the session I talk to the person running it.
Then I was sent to reception.
Then I was sent to speak to the wrong person, who went to get the right person.
The right person told me this wasn't something I couldn't arrange myself. If it hadn't of been arranged when I first signed on to Jobseekers then it was unlikely I'd be eligible for the help. She seemed almost irate at having to meet the great unwashed such as myself.
I asked her to explain to the people who had just held the Back to Work session that what they'd said to do was impossible. She reiterated that I couldn't arrange this myself and I once again explained that I was simply doing as I'd been told. Finally, with a roll of her eyes, she suggested she'd be having a word with them... to make sure it didn't happen again.
Now who here things a) I was just called a liar by a member of DWP staff (again)? b) she'll actually have that talk to iron out things? c) I'll have a black mark on my record for trying something? d) All of the above?
I'm going with option d here personally. But hey, today we only wasted and hour of 2 DWP staffers, 1 3rd part vendors and 15 unemployed peoples time (and money) today. We're getting better aren't we? On the plus side I was able to sign and get out.
Today's "Local" job (according to Jobcentre Plus job point machine) location: Tipton, West Midlands (165miles, 2hr 53min away).
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Ok, so first post...
So the first post, new blog, OMG! Lets start with what this blog is about and why it exists.
Unemployment and pretty much all other benefits in the UK are handled by an entity called the "Department of Work and Pensions" (DWP) known many years ago as "Department of Social Security" (DSS, who used to issue UB40 books for signing on, hence the bands name.. ES40 doesn't have the same ring IMHO), now the DWP gobbles up great gobs of cash and every so often the media jumps up and down about how much money this is and how everyone should rally against the unemployed scroungers who are sucking the country dry.
Fair enough you might think. But how exactly are the DWP spending all of that money we've all paid in to the system to form our safety net? Whilst their figures are as with all government spending available to the public it makes for dry reading and frankly the amount of hyperbole surrounding it means everyone gets a little... excited.
Now depending on who you talk to and who you believe I am a "work shy scrounger who should be sweeping the streets for my benefits" or a "down on my luck person who needs help and wrapping in cotton wool and assistance", but that does mean that I'm intrinsically involved with the great machine that is the DWP; I get to see its underbelly and unlike a lot of people I'm cynical and twisted enough to poke at it and see where my money went.
I also figured that with the current media outrage over unemployment and public spending this might make a small (very small) counter-point to it. So yeah in essence this is me sticking two fingers up at the press and going "Bite me" in a somewhat factual way.
Unemployment and pretty much all other benefits in the UK are handled by an entity called the "Department of Work and Pensions" (DWP) known many years ago as "Department of Social Security" (DSS, who used to issue UB40 books for signing on, hence the bands name.. ES40 doesn't have the same ring IMHO), now the DWP gobbles up great gobs of cash and every so often the media jumps up and down about how much money this is and how everyone should rally against the unemployed scroungers who are sucking the country dry.
Fair enough you might think. But how exactly are the DWP spending all of that money we've all paid in to the system to form our safety net? Whilst their figures are as with all government spending available to the public it makes for dry reading and frankly the amount of hyperbole surrounding it means everyone gets a little... excited.
Now depending on who you talk to and who you believe I am a "work shy scrounger who should be sweeping the streets for my benefits" or a "down on my luck person who needs help and wrapping in cotton wool and assistance", but that does mean that I'm intrinsically involved with the great machine that is the DWP; I get to see its underbelly and unlike a lot of people I'm cynical and twisted enough to poke at it and see where my money went.
I also figured that with the current media outrage over unemployment and public spending this might make a small (very small) counter-point to it. So yeah in essence this is me sticking two fingers up at the press and going "Bite me" in a somewhat factual way.
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