Was: New forum posting rules Now:PC explains JSA

[LondonManc]

I only signed on once while looking for my very first job after University and it such an hassle. Also I was meant to sign on Thursday morning, I got an interview for Thursday morning, job centre still said if I don't attend Thursday morning they would stop the JSA

Got to love the logic there

I wouldn't sign on unless I was properly in the tulip... Which would take me 6 to 12 months to get to...

I only signed on once, which was when I got made redundant in 2002 - I had mortgage protection cover and signing had to be done to prove that I was eligible for it.

[psychocandy]

Most people have a war chest to cover 6-12 months of likely expenditure and enough savings that they will never be able to claim means benefit support... Why after 3 years of continual contracts are you not in a position to weather a longish gap in contracts...

Never said that I wasn't. But heres how it works in my head at least.

Warchest, for example, £10K.
Need £2000 a month to cover costs.

If I dont claim JSA it'll last 10/2 = 5 months.

If I claim JSA, £350 a month say, I know just need to take £1650 a month out of my warchest.

10000/1650 = over 6 months now. So thats me ok for another month.

[psychocandy]

I thought Contribution-based JSA wasn't affected by you having savings ?

Dunno what the rules are now. Its been 3 years....

Good luck getting income based if your partner earns ANYTHING at all.

[psychocandy]

Breaks my heart to think of you going through such hardship

Since when do JSA claimants experience hardship in this country? lol.

Not saying there aren't genuine claimants and people who need the money BUT there are a LOT who choose this lifestyle.

All aboard PCs South Wales Valleys benefits bus tour. For those of you who live in affluent areas, it'll make your eyes water when you see how many people claim benefits and cant be arsed.

[Pondlife]

All aboard PCs South Wales Valleys benefits bus tour. For those of you who live in affluent areas, it'll make your eyes water when you see how many people claim benefits and cant be arsed.

They are legally entitled to claim it, as are you it seems. Or are you claiming that what they are doing is somehow morally wrong despite it being legal?

[psychocandy]

I only signed on once while looking for my very first job after University and it such an hassle. Also I was meant to sign on Thursday morning, I got an interview for Thursday morning, job centre still said if I don't attend Thursday morning they would stop the JSA

Got to love the logic there

I wouldn't sign on unless I was properly in the tulip... Which would take me 6 to 12 months to get to...

Yes the jobcentre can be a PITA. Last time I got a gig sorted etc at 6pm one evening. Started next day. I was supposed to sign on at 10am.

Tried to phone to let them know. Not so easy first day at client. Impossible to get through to Jobcentre as most will tell you. Managed it next day.

All I then got was grief for not phoning and they said no employer ever sorts out a job at 6pm to start next day. Right ok then.

But if you waited, say 12 months and then though tulipe. Thats almost £4000 you've lost out on and might be less in the tulipe at this point. No backdating remember.

Remember benefits are supposed to provide enough to live on. For people who live in council houses etc, have no car, dont spend much (apart from beer, fags and tattoos) then its an option for them.

I'll bet there are not many contractors who could use up they're warchest then switch to JSA and that would pay the bills instead?

Thats the problem with JSA in this country. Go to work, get a mortgage, commitments then lose your job and JSA is never going to be enough. Slum around, not give a tulipe where you live as long as you've got enough for beer and fags, and you can do nicely on JSA if you can;t be arsed to work.

[psychocandy]

They are legally entitled to claim it, as are you it seems. Or are you claiming that what they are doing is somehow morally wrong despite it being legal?

I dont do morals. :-) If you can claim something legally then go for it. Morals doesnt put food on the table.

BUT, the legal requirement in claiming is that your available for and looking for work. We all know this is not the case in a lot of instances. But the problem is too widespread and difficult to police.

Pondy - if I remember you're in wales too. You've probably seen TV programmes about merthyr where people bleat about no jobs in the area etc. As you know its an hour by train to cardiff where there are jobs - but people wont do it because its easier to laze around.

[dx4100]

Dunno what the rules are now. Its been 3 years....

Good luck getting income based if your partner earns ANYTHING at all.

Yeah you can't get income based... but you can get contribution based...

[eek]

Yes the jobcentre can be a PITA. Last time I got a gig sorted etc at 6pm one evening. Started next day. I was supposed to sign on at 10am.

Tried to phone to let them know. Not so easy first day at client. Impossible to get through to Jobcentre as most will tell you. Managed it next day.

All I then got was grief for not phoning and they said no employer ever sorts out a job at 6pm to start next day. Right ok then.

The rules are simple, you turn up and sign on or explain it on the day (there's an 8 hour built-in window and then the sanction systems kick in).

As for people complaining about not finding working in Merthyr when work is available in Cardiff could it be that once you pay the train fare to Cardiff the income left for a zero hour contract is so low even Job Centre's aren't cruel enough to include Cardiff in the commutable distance rules..

[Pondlife]

I dont do morals. :-) If you can claim something legally then go for it. Morals doesnt put food on the table.

There we go. True in both cases. They claim and don't look, you claim and don't need. Both perfectly legal and if morals don't come in to it, all parties can sleep well.