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Flexible New Deal Sanctions

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Flexible New Deal Sanctions

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This page will contain:

  • Full guidance of how providers can sanction you on Flexible New Deal
  • What to do if you have been sanctioned
  • How to appeal or show good cause
  • Snippets of legislation

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Flexible New Deal Sanctions

Yes, “New Deal“ Providers (under the new Flexible New Deal scheme) now have Employment Officer (EO) status. This means they have the power to:
a) report doubts in entitlement (i.e. a phone call which can terminate your claim with immediate effect)
b) sanction Jobseekers Allowance claimants (which are on their Flexible New Deal books) up to 6 months
c) hide behind the Secretary of State thus no one personally become responsible.
We at New Deal Scandal (now operating under flexible-new-deal.co.uk) a spin off group from Ipswich Unemployed Action, do not like the changes of Flexible New Deal and the proposed Work for your Benefit schemes.

Jobseekers are handed a Flexible New Deal guidance booklet called FND1 which mentions providers have the power to award fixed sanctions – this means for your first offence it is a 2 week sanction. Actually, they have the power to also award variable sanctions – up to 6 months for the first possible offence. This hasn’t been notified to the jobseeker.

Variable Sanctions

The issue predominately is fixed sanctions are generally nothing to worry about however the variable sanctions can be very worrying. Section 8 of the Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance clause 8.39 (“Variable Sanctions”) states variable sanctions should be raised when a customer

a) refuses employment and
b) neglects to avail themselves for employment.

Section 8 of the Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance clause 8.122 allows variable sanctions for refusing a temporary job and Section 8 of the Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance clause 8.43 (“Variable sanction reasonable justification”) mentions the hours could be as low as 24 hours per week. Section 8 of the Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance clause 8.123 states providers should discover the end date however should refer a sanction even if they don’t know the end date. A possible loophole to enforce jobseekers to accept temporary jobs including zero hour contracts as sanctions can be applied for zero compliance.

Zero hour contracts/Temporary Jobs

I hereby warn jobseekers that clause 8.122, 8.123 and 8.43 from Section 8 of the Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance means that Flexible New Deal providers have the ability to award variable sanctions lasting 6 months for jobseekers who refuse zero hour contract jobs as providers can claim the job is expected to be over 24 hours a week although contractually they don’t have to offer you any hours at all.

Previous employer

If you are offered an employment opportunity with your most recent employer (that is if you last worked there within the last year) and decided to turn it down or refused to apply for a job there which the provider deems you had a good chance of getting you are also able to get a variable sanction. This might sound fair enough but (subject to provider discretion) the only exemption listed is trade disputes (Section 8 of the Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance clause 8.136) – there is no rule for other possibilities such as harassment and unfair dismissal.
Ironically however Section 8 of the Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance clause 8.135 gives “reasonable justification” for “neglect to avail” of previous employment outside the 12 month period. This is provider guidance so if the provider ignored this rule a sanction could still go ahead as a Decision Maker refers to the Decision Makers Guide when deciding sanctions (not Section 8 of the Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance) and would be unlikely for the jobseeker to get automatic “good cause”.
Section 8 of the Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance clause 8.133 excludes work under a trial period – this would include probationary periods which could be up to 6 months.

New Deal Sanctions

Because Flexible New Deal can be fast tracked the issue that is unclear is, if you already have received a 2 week or 4 week sanction on New Deal are you liable for a 4 week or 26 week sanction on Flexible New Deal or is the slate wiped clean because the scheme has been renamed so the first offence will be a 2 week fixed sanction?

Flexible New Deal Provider Guidance

Section 08 – Customer Benefit Sanctions and Decision Making and Appeals

8.1. This section covers:

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………
The decision making process overview…………………………………………………..
Entitlement doubt flow diagram………………………………………………………………
Entitlement doubts……………………………………………………………………………….
Availability……………………………………………………………………………………..
Actively seeking employment……………………………………………………………
Raising an entitlement doubt…………………………………………………………….
Entitlement doubt decisions………………………………………………………………
Sanction doubt flow diagram………………………………………………………………….
Sanction doubts…………………………………………………………………………………..
Fixed Sanctions………………………………………………………………………………
Fixed sanction reasonable justification……………………………………………….
Variable Sanctions…………………………………………………………………………..
Variable sanction reasonable justification……………………………………………
Referring the sanction doubt…………………………………………………………..
Customer doubt notification letter…………………………………………………….
Ordering the ESL48JP/ ESL48JPW notes for guidance forms……………..
Sanction doubt decisions………………………………………………………………..
Examples of sanction doubts……………………………………………………………….
Customer fails to attend their initial meeting………………………………………
Customer fails to attend a notified appointment (which is not their initial meeting)………
Customer fails/ refuses to apply for or take up a suitable opportunity……
Customer neglects to ‘avail’ themselves of a suitable opportunity…………
Customer leaves an opportunity early………………………………………………
Customer fails/ refuses to agree an action plan…………………………………
Customer fails/ refuses to undertake activity detailed on their action plan
Customer fails/ refuses to apply for or accept suitable employment………
Customer fails/ refuses to take up an offer of employment with a former employer………
Entitlement/ sanction doubt referral forms……………………………………………..
Sanction reconsiderations and appeals…………………………………………………

8.2. With the additional appendix:

Appendix 1 – Customer Doubt Notification Letter……………………………………

Introduction

8.3. The Decision Making and Appeals (DMA) process ensures that Flexible New Deal (FND) customers comply with the conditions for receiving Jobseekers Allowance (JSA).

8.4. As FND is a mandatory employment programme for JSA customers there may be occasions where your advisers may wish to raise a doubt to encourage the customer takes an active role in participating with you as a FND supplier.

Section 08 – Customer Benefit Sanctions and DMA Flexible New Deal Guidance

8.5. This section takes you through the processes that you are required to follow to ensure that once appropriate doubts are identified, quality DMA referrals are made, detailing actions and presenting the paperwork you need to complete to raise a doubt.

The decision making process overview

8.6. You are required to identify where doubts are to be raised. In some circumstances the customer may be able to provide suitable information as to why they were unable to attend/ undertake/ participate. DMA action may not be appropriate and you will undertake your own internal procedures, (re-book appointments, re-arrange provision etc).

8.7. If you decide that DMA action is appropriate you will raise entitlement/ sanction doubts with Jobcentre Plus (JCP).

8.8. If you have doubts regarding a customer’s entitlement to JSA you are required to notify JCP. A customer’s entitlement will then be discussed when they next attend with JCP. JCP will then notify you of any action taken and also of any resulting benefit decisions.

8.9. Once you have identified that a sanction doubt is to be raised you will be required to issue the customer with notification and notes for guidance. You will submit sanction doubts directly to a JCP decision maker who, using Social Security Legislation will make decisions on whether to impose a benefit sanction.

8.10. In all circumstances JCP will be responsible for informing the customer of any decisions, and will also notify you of any such decisions.

8.11. In all cases records should be kept on information obtained and actions undertaken by you and the customer (Further information regarding record keeping can be found in: Section 16 – Data Security, Audit and Information Retention).

8.12. The customer has the right to ask for a reconsideration and appeal against sanction decisions, and if they should approach you to exercise this right should be advised to contact their Benefit Delivery Centre (BDC) (details will be on the notification the customer receives) immediately as strict time limits operate for appeals.

Flexible New Deal Guidance

Entitlement doubts

8.13. Two of the entitlement conditions for the receipt of JSA for FND customers are that they are:
• available for employment; and are,
• actively seeking employment.

8.14. You are required to check whether customers continue to be available and actively seek employment and remind them of their obligation to do so.

8.15. An entitlement doubt arises when a customer is not available for work or is not actively seeking employment. Doubts about whether the customer satisfies the Labour Market conditions for the receipt of JSA are to be referred to JCP for a decision as there are many easements and provisions where a customer can be treated as available for and/or actively seeking employment and these are best addressed by JCP.

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34 Responses to “Flexible New Deal Sanctions

  1. Mitch says:

    I am coming into the 4th stage (I think, I say think as they give me no information about this just that ‘you have to come in at X time and you will be doing Y’) of my FND and am not at all looking forward to it.

    I wondered if there was a way to avoid it by intentionally getting up to a 6 month sanction and then after 14 days (for which then I would qualify as I am not in a ‘vulnerable group’) apply for hardship payments which are just a cut rate JSA?

    I have no problem with receiving a cut rate of JSA as long as I didn’t have to partake in the irksome FND scheme any more.

    Does this seem like it could be a viable option or are is there something I have missed here which may not let it be so? I have scrutinised the FND regulations and it seems like it could be an option.

    Also with hardship payments what would I still need to do? Would I still have to sign on like usual every two weeks. I am presuming I would not have to partake in the new deal part of it as it states in one of the clauses of hardship payments that it is available to those who ‘refuse to seek work for any reason’ or something of that nature?

    If this is not the case I may just sack them off altogether and attempt to live off my small savings for as long as I can…

    Thanks,

    Mitch  

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  2. michael says:

    What happens to your housing benefit and CT benefit if you just stop signing on? I can almost live without my JSA – by, as mitch suggests, living off savings VERY frugally – but need to get my rent and CT paid.

    I am sick of the jobcentre. I was in hospital, I could have asked my doctor to sign me off when I came out but I chose to go straight back to “jobseeking” and now I am getting hassle because no one will employ me…
    :(   

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    • ken says:

      if you stop signing your council tax benefit will automatically stop.the job centre gets on everyones nerves,their arrogance/contempt is clearly visible and its very important to realise its everyone as you can feel isolated.there are some very nasty bigoted people working in there that let what they think rule and this has the result of a “depending who you see” scenario which leads to rule and law being discarded.

      the problem is savings dont last and you need to sign as the council will start sending letters demanding large payments monthly,you could claim council tax benefit,but very few could afford to not claim benefits,unfortunately with the consequences of doing so.  

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  3. michael says:

    Assuming Flexible New Deal exists in my area (I think it does)…

    After how long am ( 33 yr old male) allowed to receive JSA before they force me onto it? I have been claiming since start of September (18 weeks).

    What if I just refuse to go? I don’t care about sanctions  

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  4. Blackpool Lad says:

    I think Ken is right, if you sign off, your Housing/Council Tax Benefit will also stop. The Job Centre will tell your local authority that you are no longer claiming Jobseekers Nonsense (my name for it!), and as your claims are linked they will stop it. In 2008, when I had the misfortune to be on the New Deal, I said to my adviser that I would sign off and just claim Housing Benefit. She said that I could only receive Housing Benefit if I was on a qualifying benefit (i.e. JSA). I didn’t sign off as whilst I was prepared to live without JSA for a while I couldn’t live without Housing Benefit as well. My job recently ended, and as the place where I worked was closing for good, an advice day was arranged with several organisations in attendance (nobody seemed to want to talk to the Job Centre representative, can’t imagine why!). I asked the Housing Benefit person, as a matter of interest, if I could claim HB without claiming JSA, and lo and behold, they said yes. Apparently all I would have to do is give them a letter stating that I have no income and that I would be living off my savings.

    I claimed Housing Benefit recently. The first person, who gave me the claim form, was fine about it (and even understood where I was coming from about the Job Centre having had problems with them himself when he was out of work). When I took the completed claim form back, the second person asked why I was not claiming JSA. I said that I did not want to deal with the Job Centre as far from helping me to find work, it actually hindered me with stupid targets and being forced to apply for jobs I have no chance of getting (I have not had a job from the Job Centre since 1998 and that was a temporary job). I also said that it made me feel unwell by causing me extreme nausea! She said that I really should claim JSA and I asked if that was a legal requirement. She went in the back for a few minutes and when she came back she accepted my claim. She also asked if I realised I would not receive a National Insurance credit, to which I replied that I did.

    So there you have it. You can claim Housing Benefit on its own, but the Job Centre will never admit this and the local authority are not particularly keen on you doing it. Not sure about Council Tax Benefit, but I imagine the same applies (check it rather than take my word for it).

    Good luck, keep us updated.  

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  5. Blackpool Lad says:

    Straight Answer, I don’t know (I haven’t done this before). I would imagine they would link them as soon as they found out. I have a provisional job offer for the beginning of March and if it doesn’t materialise I will probably have to claim Jobseekers Nonsense. Hopefully I won’t need to find out, but if I do I will let you know.

    Unless anyone else knows in the meantime……  

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  6. Gerry Attric says:

    I used to work for the Rent Registration Service.
    As far as I know the only requirement to qualify for housing benefit is that you don’t have savings in excess of £16k.  

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  7. quirksome says:

    you have to have been unemployed/receiving JSA for at least 12 months before you are onto stage 4 FND  

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  8. Mitch says:

    Hey guys.

    From what I have asked from two people at the housing benefit (as well as a benefit calculation you can do online) all these sources have told me you are still entitled to HB and CT.

    You would still have to notify the HB of your change of circumstances plus provide evidence of the savings you are living off.

    I recently got signed off of JSA (twice!) for stupid infractions which I was unaware of and they stopped my HB instantly but I think that if you tell the HB of the change of circumstances beforehand then this could be avoided. So long as you have savings of less than 6k as far as I have been told/read you are still entitled to full HB and CT cos it’s only calculated on your earnings.

    Oh yea, as a warning to someone who said they don’t care about sanctions. I found out the hard way that if you break any of the rules they will just sign you off; I think that is if you don’t go in to explain yourself within 5 days. I too was of the same opinion that I thought I could live without the JSA if they just sanction me but I broke the rules (by not signing on when I didn’t know I was spose to due to me not being told my next sign on date) and I go in to sign on the date I thought I was meant to and they hand my book back saying I’ve been singed off (this happened again only a week or two later!). This meant I had to run the gamut of reclaiming both times plus making sure my HB was not stopped. So I am not sure about the sanction procedures because I was signed off by default those times. This has taught me that the sanction route would probably not be a feasible option.

    One of the guys at the job centre I asked said ‘you are still entitled to HB as we HAVE to pay it to you but we ‘prefer’ it if you are on JSA’. Well I PREFER…NOT being on JSA :D .

    Anyhow this is still a string in my bow which I think I will prob go through with sometime in future.

    I was VERY close (it was my last FND stage three interview before being put into forced labour) to going to stage 4 FND so I decided to tell the job centre I want to be self employed. So now I will receive self employment credit of 50 quid a week in place of my JSA for 4 months but don’t have to sign on ;) .

    Now I am gonna give internet marketing a go in this period but if you guys are also nearing the end of your FND stage three you could also do this and give yourself a few months breathing space. Note that it won’t cost you anything to register as self employed, we did a income calculation and it works out about the same.

    Might be a bit of a long measure for some people but thought I’d put it out there.

    I think that as I no longer count as signing on now I am receiving self employment credit, that after the four months, if I just waited another two months, making it 26 weeks, if I wanted to sign on I could do so and go back to stage 1 again as I passed the 26 week linking period.

    People have been telling me about the horrors which may ensue if the conservatives get in and that it may well happen…I am apprehensive about that. I gotta remember to register to vote so I can vote labour when it comes up.  

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  9. Blackpool Lad says:

    Mitch, I bet the people telling you about the horrors you will find under the Conservatives are Labour supporters. This is the scare-tactic Labour will use in the run up to the general election. Labour have had almost 13 years to reverse what the Conservatives started, but have failed miserably. Sticking with welfare and jobs, the Conservatives created mass unemployment in the 1980s to destroy the power of the unions, Labour have carried this on. The Conservatives introduced the Job Seekers Act in 1996, Labour have continued with it, using it to set silly targets and penalise people with who do not meet these often unachievable targets and those who rebel against the New Deal. In short, there is very little difference between Labour and Conservative. Both are happy to see the bankers get their unjustifiable bonuses, while other people have to manage on low incomes or pitiful benefits. Several years ago Thatcher boasted that her greatest achievement was New Labour, and to confirm the point Blair and Brown have both said they admire her.

    I’m not telling you who to vote for, but if you want things to change you can certainly rule out Labour and the Conservatives (and probably the Lib-Dems as well).  

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    • Yep both the same – so are you standing for your local constituency? Will cost £500 to get on the ballot papers. It is supposed to be a democracy where we choose representatives whom we want to represent us… we can fully understand why people have to register and cross a box (instead of writing someones name in… i.e. “your mum” lol) but I think £500 is very extortionate for the average person. Perhaps £200-250 is a more reasonable amount?  

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  10. ken says:

    you dont even have to break the rules’,the bullying on new deal was atrocious during my time,while not being “thrown off” threats to do so were common,remarks also were a constant issue at the providers’,the job centre were equally as bad the adviser suggested i needed a good shaking and were equally bad with constant threats to benefit stoppages,i also was told by a person on a second term he was thrown off on the last day.

    this is totally disgusting cheap underhanded behavior towards an unemployed person for simply not having a job and not worthy of a country in the eu.  

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  11. Kyron says:

    I need clarification on the below statement taken from the DWP website data protrection act pdf.

    We may give information about you to partners or agents legally authorised to carry out any of our functions on our behalf; for example training providers, job brokers and research organisations. We will only give these organisations and individuals the information they need for the functions we have authorised them to carry out, and they cannot use the information for any other purposes.

    Does this mean that all the information that the employment brokers like a4eand working links. Is already provided and that means you don’t need to provide anything else you aren’t comfortable with providing. ?

    In otherwords IS this a get out clause for not giving them your cv. In my case the DWP has already got mine so does this mean that they can’t ask me for it. Because if dwp thought they needed it they would have given it to them. ?  

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    • No its not. Any refusal to comply will result in sanctions.

      In theory by the published laws and rules; you can refuse to give any information to the provider as they already received it from the DWP and therefore are able to provide the service as contracted out without it. They would have to action plan a request to bring the information in – refusing to sign can get you a sanction and signing it and failing the action plan task can also get you a sanction.

      The reason why they request it from you is to compare it with the DWP data – you will be surprised how many people who miss the relevance between the partnership between DWP and providers (thinking they are isolated private businesses) – any differences will raise a doubt therefore a sanction.

      If you dont give them a CV they will likely to stick you on a CV writing course… no fun!  

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  12. Kyron says:

    Would it be worth me wasting their time and asking them for reasons as to why they need this information.  

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    • You could try: they are likely to respond with the following:

      (Starts off at the top… then if u argue that step it goes to the next)

      1. JOBCENTRE PLUS (states it/gives us permission/request it)

      2. (Its the) LAW (we are allowed to request it/JSA Reg & JS Act can sanction you for not complying)

      3. SECRETARY OF STATE (gives us the permission etc./gives us power to sanction you (EO status))

      4. COMPANY POLICY (It is our company’s policy/comply or they will lose their jobs/its contractual to the DWP contract)

      By then it would probably be time they called the police to remove you form the premises.

      You are actually allowed to appoint a representative to go to appointments with you – be it professional, friend or family – only requirement is that the provider doesn’t “OWN” the representative (i.e. on Flexible New Deal too with same provider) otherwise this wont work. Such party has to be neutral.

      My advice is if the information requested is very excessive (other than the minimum info expected including “Are there are any drug/alcohol/disability issues we are unaware of?” although its unlikely to be different since it was only a few weeks since they got it from DWP) raise the concern – be assertive and not abusive – and dont actively “refuse” to provide it but delay (i.e. “I am not happy to give the information at this moment in time until I have received confirmation of the legality of such a request”) the disclosure requesting a written response stating what law (and clause) requires you to comply.  

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  13. Gerry Attric says:

    Kyron: No harm in asking why they want a copy of your CV. In fact. thye should expalin why without you having to ask. And also ask how long they will keep it for.

    A4e told me they keep CVs for 3 YEARS! Needless to say, they never got a copy of mine on.  

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    • They can’t legally hold data (CV’s in this case) longer than necessary under Data Protection Act 1998; as it states if there is no longer a use for data it should be destroyed. Once the course has ended the data must be destroyed – I would say within 3 months as could be requested as evidence; could be argued a contractual obligation although from your point of view the use ceases at the end of the course.

      Write to them requesting the deletion of your information once you have finished your course; if they refuse to comply (they will continue to hold simple information in archive about you to comply with the contract; which might kill them if there was an investigation into such providers) you should sue them.

      As for CV’s, why would they want to keep a CV after you have left? It would have been outdated by then anyway.  

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    • Kyron says:

      THEY stated as long as I tell them they can but it wont be kept any longer than nescessary. i.e after twelve months if i progress through to the end of the course  

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      • Under DPA ‘98 they have to dispose of your CV within a week after you left. There is no reason why they can keep it after your course ends. (A week grace period to allow them the ability of doing so.)

        The purpose of having your CV would be to:

        * Check it, update it and improve it to help you find a job
        * Apply for jobs on your behalf
        * Keep a record of your skill set and see what to improve or what is lacking

        When you leave because you have a job or the course ended there is no purpose for them storing it.  

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  14. Jason says:

    Hi there I wonder if I can get some help here.

    After reading the post and comments I think i have a partial solution to my own problem but I would rather something else.

    Here’s the situation.

    I’ve just started Stage 4 the Flexible New Deal with the TNG provider and it hasnt gone well to start with. Attitudes towards people dont seem to be very positive.

    I study for an average of about 12 hour a week and of course I’m still available for and actively seeking work, I had an interview only recently too, but because of where I live, smallish town, the college subjects I take arent available and I travel to a nearby city to go to college. This obviously takes up many hours in the week. I asked TNG if I could use their office in the city, it would better for everyone, they wont, as a consequence I wont be able to make the modules or appointments they have made for me (this seems intentional) starting in a weeks time.

    My questions then are what, if anything, can I do about this and are there any other options. As I say from reading here it sounds like my best option is to wait the two weeks its takes to be able to claim the hardship payment after a sanction. What do people think?  

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  15. TNG are dirty bastards. Not only are they racist ( see http://intensiveactivity.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/tng-are-racist-eds-note-ofsted-alleges-inadequate-equal-ops/ ofsted report states lack of Equal Opportunities and staff being CAUGHT saying offensive language and advocating the presentation of disgusting images in regards to racism, sexism and disabilities ) but they do the best to fuck off Flexible New Deal participants.

    This includes ringing you asking about availability for appointments and after you stating you are unable to make one date… posting out the written invite for the same date as you specified you couldn’t make. This is unreasonable – they are rude and refuse to reschedule to a better date.

    They offer appointments on a “take it or leave it” approach.. obviously if you don’t take it (even when telling them why not and asking for another date) and miss the appointment you are sanctioned. When you have a job interview on such date they expect you to attend TNG instead – WTF!?

    They even arrange a date with you on the phone and send out another date entirely. You get the letter stating the date and instructions – but has no week day just the format: Jul 23 2010 – so you think fine… still having a mental note in your head of the day advised on the phone the *following week* oops you miss the appointment…

    This is not to mention they send people to the wrong place! ( http://www.flexiblenewdeal.me.uk/newdeal/2009/tng-false-directions-exposed/ )

    TNG are very unprofessional!

    We have also had people commenting on TNG ringing people with short notice telling people to attend training courses without written confirmation and giving the WRONG dates!

    Others have said people were complaining to Jobcentre Plus about their being “contact issues”.

    I personally waited 6 weeks for them to contact me after being advised by New Deal Personal Adviser it will be within the next 2 weeks and apparently they have 15 working days limit to sign people up by. On complaint to Jobcentre Plus the response was “Why didnt you contact them?”.

    ( Comment Sources: http://intensiveactivity.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/tng-ipswich-how-do-we-get-there/ )

    I would say contact them – jot down details of the call.. who u spoke to, time you called, time you hang up, duration (only need to be approx) to rearrange the appointment to the city.

    It is supposed to be “flexible” after all.

    If you can’t get the location changed – just get a new appointment – could buy you a couple of weeks.

    Apologises for the language used above!  

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  16. Kyron says:

    I have been told by tony hickman that their is a parliamentary ombudsman that could take up my case if refered by your MP. ?  

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    • Nonsense… it exists but like you said your MP needs to refer you and if you have an idiot as an MP (like Chris Mole) it wont get referred. He didn’t have any concerns about Dencora House detention centre. He thought it was ok that a provider was bending the rules and stacking unemployed people into overcrowded rooms for 40 hours per week threatened with sanctions for non-compliance with all the pointless activities… while YMCA Training cashed in for delivering a course and breeching the contract.  

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  17. Mitch says:

    Would applying for income support be a feasible alternative to claiming JSA?

    How hard is it to get plus how often do you have to ‘renew’ it with your doctor?

    I had a friend who did it just cos he was tired of work. I met him while he was on this sojourn and he was happy as a lamb. Since he started back at work I saw him a couple of times after and he seemed a shadow of his former self. Extremely depressed and with a pallor which would indicate his disposition.

    I have been told this might be another route as there is less rigmarole comparative to the fortnightly/weekly sign ons with JSA (plus all their other baggage).  

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  18. Gerry Attric says:

    MITCH – SEE BELOW:

    Income Support
    What is Income Support?

    This is extra money to help people on a low income.

    It is for people who don’t have to sign on as unemployed.

    This could be if you are:

    * sick or disabled
    * a lone parent responsible for a child under 12 years of age
    * a carer, or
    * registered blind.

    Can I get Income Support?

    It is for people who:

    * are 16 to 59 years old
    * have a low income
    * work less than 16 hours a week
    * are not in full-time study
    * do not get Jobseeker’s Allowance
    * do not have savings above £16,000, and  

    (Quote Post)

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  19. Gerry Attric says:

    FND & Maria: The info I posted was copied and pasted from the DWP website. I’m no expert on Income Support, so can’t answer your questions. But here’s the link to the site for more information;
    http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/Incomesupport/index.html  

    (Quote Post)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0


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