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Loading ...Just looked at the statistics on display at the Jobcentre the other day. In the last few months (last quarter) they received 247 complaints to only 5 praises. A complaint is one to the District Manager in writing not a verbal complaint, written complaint/letter to your personal adviser or unofficial complaint made online in form of feedback.
If this figure included verbal complaints and complaints to your personal adviser then it would be much higher.
I also met the woman who was probably responsible for the 2% of feedback being praises… she kept going on about how the lovely people on the front desk have to put up with a lot of abuse and when those on the front desk were actually at the front desk started talking with them distracting them from being able to assist probably 60 or so people standing up at the front. I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me or to herself/everyone. One of the staff happened to be related – probably explains it all – perhaps she wasn’t even claiming benefit taking up a seat someone else could have used.
Man you wouldn’t believe the problems we havewith the job centre up here. My new deal advisor is usuless, dosn’t know how to use a computer (and this is quite frustrating because I have a hell of alot experiance with office work) Unfortunetly shes been getting worse and worse, this time is the second time i’ve had to chase my giro down and get it paid from the head office to the place I sign on.
If the job centre truly wanted to get people jobs there are a better ways of dealing with things, not saying “your working for your beniifts” … Now is that me or is this starting to sound like Communism??
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I signed on two months ago and I still not received any money-I stupidly declared I study under 12hrs a week….I formally submitted a written complaint which has not been replied to–you cannot talk to the decision makers in the processing centre—Now I have submitted by writing as I am told there is no other means a second escalated compaint both by registered post—still no money—who is going to sort it out as you cannot talk to these people in person–yet I have no money
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2 months and no money?!
Even if you were not entitled to JSA they shouldn’t take that long for them to make a decision.
I can confirm from my own experience that:
(a) You can’t talk to a Decision Maker
and
(b) Decision Makers wont confirm receipt of any correspondence sent to them. Actually, I would doubt that they even bother reading it when making a decision.
If you are entitled to claim (let me guess you sign on too) I would ask for compensation. If you aren’t entitled, request a claim for your travel expenses.
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you need to get the citizens advice bureau involved. if your looking for employment full time employment then you are entitled to jobseekers allowance.
you can download the jobseekers act here on the right of this page for further information.
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/Ukpga_19950018_en_1
they are supposed to pay benefit entitlement first ,second crisis loans,this involves phone calls,but for some reason you are not allowed to call from the jobcentre itself.
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I have worked and contributed to this country for over twenty four years and calculate said contributions so far sum approximately £100,000. Being of a work ethnic background, when the economic climate changes I will contribute for another 20 odd years. My point is. In account of this I consider myself a client of Jobseekers. I expect them to help me during what I know a retrospective short time of unemployment. All assistance should be appropriate, relevant and in keeping afforded as like to those who caused this current climate.
To clarify, I am referring to the billions of bank bale out. However, my compulsory attendance at the local JS Office is met by indifference. Does this particular area of government office obtain their staff from a robot warehouse? Or, is there some secret ‘lost the will to live pond’ they get these people from? I’d rather not know the latter of these two questions as I am starting to have a sneaky suspicion of indoctrination. E.G… they never give their name, even though they feel it is reasonable to shout your surname as a call to their desk!!
No matter how extraordinary your efforts or if you have a query, it is still met with the nonchalant response, “has your circumstances changed? have you been working for more than 16 hours?” “No and no” you learn and give up as a reply, and then they sign. In all kindness and motivation towards these poor souls, I plea one day they are allowed more reign than dotting ‘Is’ crossing ‘Ts’ and ticking ‘I’ve done the remit expectation of my job’ box.
I expect this next suggestion to be laughed at, espesially considering the high staff turn over in this area. Instead of meeting a different person each time, could it be possible for both to have their own clientele base? As an incentive to the constructors of this baffling officialdom, it can be sold as an easier measurement of job satisfaction and performance.
The above insight comes from my deigned 13 week back to work interview, albeit over 8 weeks late, but hey, I appreciate during these times, obviously too busy to fit me in earlier. Akin to the over 2 month (and still waiting) mortgage interest ‘I’ve lost my house by then’ payment. The helplessness of being informed that all relevant jobs mustered up on the mercenary ‘highly skilled, qualified and experienced personnel going at bargain basement wage jobsite’ has been applied for, is tangible.
The process left ordained is to print off three inappropriate obvious unchallenging overqualified for placements of boredom positions, together with, no ability or not allowed benefit advice. Abandoned, and if left with nonce, the knowledge, to witness consummational loss of what has been worked for so many years. Leaves impressionable sadness with all involved. £64.30 a week for an annual year (that’s how long this working Brit will tolerate this now greedy sabotaged ship) equates to £3,343.60. Personal input so far = apprx £100,000, on behalf of those similar and so many who have done more. The school of hard knocks report reads ‘MUST DO BETTER’
I wish you all the be best in finding a suitable placement
Yours Sincerely
Disappointed
P.S Can anyone explain the logic between contribution (£64.30 a week no free eye tests, etc even though you have contributed your NI) and income based (£64.30 free eye tests, etc) Job Seekers allowance? DHSS drones are exempt from replying, you’re far too busy.
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Thanks for the comment – great points there!
I would like to comment on 2 areas you raised:
1) There is a reason why you rarely see the same person each week. This is because Jobcentre management thinks if staff are too friendly and get to know you a little bit they will do you an injustice and wont be providing you the best service.
It is down to EO (Employment officers) who sign you on are differently assigned to a New Deal advisor. NDPA’s (New Deal Personal Adviser) have a different task of being more “focused” while an Employment Officer sole task pretty much is finding ways to terminate claims.
One Jobcentre manager even sacks people who get too friendly with Jobseekers – this is seen like some traitor corruption.
2) Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA (IB)) is for people who are poor. They get free health and legal aid etc. Contribution based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA(C)) is for those who have considerable capital who become unemployed where you can claim for up to 6 months. This 6 months you get paid is effectively “earned” by contributing over the years whereas JSA (IB) is not.
I understand your logic but the system doesn’t discriminate whether you have ever paid in or not. When you pay taxes and N.I. that money gets paid out the same year for the NHS and pensions etc. – Everyone doesn’t like paying for someone elses benefits but I don’t think people even realise they pay peoples pensions too… I mean there isn’t some large state pension pot which collects over 20+ years, entitlement is done by computer records and the allocation is worked out at the annual Budget.
Have you made sure you are claiming the right benefit? If you don’t have any capital etc. or not much then you might be able to claim income based. Just because you have worked and contributed doesn’t mean you wont be entitled to JSA (IB) however I am unaware of your circumstances to be able to advise further.
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being a past taxpayer means nothing on new deal and those behind it,from what has been gathered here companies like A4e pay no tax.
anyone on this program soon finds they are dealing with nasty two faced scheming individuals’ running this that have no liking for unemployed people this is exhibited in their continued bigotry however stupid they sound and look in front of others,they will keep mentioning incidents where thay say they have caught people out no attending job interviews/making interviews up using this as excuse to treat others badly,even when you do go along and dont get the job dont be surprised if they continually let you know about it in their attitudes.
people like this are not worth bothering with.
there are executives and personality disorders/drug dealers rubbing shoulder to shoulder on it with atrocious conditions,although this appears a day in day out story it shows the reality of what these companies are all about.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2339847/a4e_manchester_incident_2008/
if farm animals suffered overcrowding they would receive support from the rspca and the like,the unemployed receive no support for these traumatic experiences for no reason except being jobless.
as for cotribution/income based benefits just say for example emma harrison became unemployed tomorrow if shes paid enough national insurance during the tax year she will qualify for contribution based jobseekers allowance,this doesnt take into account someones wealth and as such they have to pay for eye tests/prescriptions coucil tax dependant on savings exe.
however this runs for approximately six months then the claim ends,then as she is a multi millionaire she wouldnt count for the next class.
income based,this has to be reclaimed if savings are under a set amount i think around £16,000 but there is a sliding scale as this affects the amount received,those with savings under £3000 qualify for full amount and because this is income based pay no prescriptions/council tax exe.
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We have a self supporting system called job centre plus which provides employment for their own people but has not interest in helping genuine job seekers to find a job. I had to sign on in June, having been self employed for 15 years. I had no work for 3 months and no prospect of work, courtesy of Gordon Brown / the banks. I have never experienced such extreme bureaucracy in trying to find ways for me NOT to get £64 contribution based benefits per week. I have written to the CEO of job centre plus re this, which results in more mindless contradictory rubbish. I am well educated and assertive – anyone who does not have the skills of making their point to these people would not stand a chance. Meanwhile they open their doors to the artful dodgers and pay out large sums of money to a few people who have no intention of getting a job.
job centre plus should be renamed the department of benefit fraud (their own)
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I signed on over 3 months ago after losing my job. I have never needed to claim housing benefit or council tax rebate so expected to have to phone the council as well. However, when I made my claim over the phone for jobseeker’s allowance, they told me they would forward my details to the council. (quite a good idea I thought). They only bothered to tell me TWO MONTHS LATER after countless enquiries that they hadn’t bothered to forward my details to the council. So I had to then make a claim to the council for backdating (which they rarely do, of course).
The council has a 6-week turnaround so I STILL have not received any help with my council tax or rent. So here I am, about to have to pay my FOURTH monthly rent & council tax, which will put me thousands in debt with hundreds in bank charges, all because of their mistakes (oh, there were others).
They really are one of the most incompetent and lazy organisations I have had the misfortune to deal with (and I used to work for HMRC).
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The Job Centre did the same to me last time I had to claim. As you say, it seems like a good idea and common sense (not something the Job Centre is normally associated with). After having heard nothing from Housing Benefits for a few weeks, I contacted them and lo and behold the Job Centre had not let them know. I eventually received my Housing Benefit 10 weeks after I became entitled. I suggested that someone should lose their job, or get their backside kicked at least, but they didn’t want to know. To describe them as useless is to insult someone who’s useless.
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I hope the following may help others construct an escalating complaint about the system which is frankly uncoordinated and in disarray. Having experienced extreme difficulty with JCP personnel and the complaints system at Plymouth office I submitted a complaint (but could not email it) to the District Manager (it took 5 days to find out her name – despite the view expressed on-line that any member of staff can give you the DM’s Name). Not content with the reply – I then submitted the following complaint to Mel Groves (currently CEO of JCP) 9 working days ago (mel.groves1@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk). I have not had my email acknowledged and I believe the correspondence standard is 10 days – so we will see!! If this complaint is not dealt with properly- then my intention is to forward it to my MP.
Dear Mel
I am writing to you following my less than successful efforts in having my complaint issues properly heard or considered by the PlymouthExeter JCP District Manager via her good office of the Devon and Cornwall Communications Team. In balance – some of the issues I raised have been addressed – but in my view the most serious complaint – regarding my allegation of a cultural predisposition existing and thriving within the JCP Organization has not been considered or treated with transparency, openness or proper regard. It has been my first-hand experience (which includes involvement with claims of Incapacity, DLA, Severe Disability Premium, Income Support, Surestart Grant, Child Benefit, Housing and Council Tax, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit) – that there is a cultural propensity which encourages unfavourable treatment of claimants –that is perceived as permission by some JCP personnel – to discriminate unfairly against those who are already significantly disadvantaged and socially excluded.
The attitude of some JCP personnel and the treatment exhibited toward the claimant (or complainants) may be characterized by a type of professional arrogance – which manifests as an arrogance born of indifference.
I am asking that my viewpoint – formed from vocational experience – be at least deserving of simple inquiry, peer review or a functional analysis study to provide Managers with a reasonable indication of the level of substance behind this subjective notion.
I am merely asking that this matter be considered in a pragmatic manner from the perspective of the claimant? I am content to provide the background documentation to this matter – or of course you may prefer to obtain them from James ****** – who has professionally navigated matters thus far?
My preferred method of communication is by email or phone – and I am delighted (if not somewhat surprised) to be able to communicate directly and electronically with you as CEO of JCP. I do hope to hear from you shortly.
Yours truly
RD
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i have had just about enough of them,i have always taken people as i have found them but have once read that jobcentre staff are “untrained,inept and incompetent”,sadly this is ringing more and more true,it comes a no surprise they choose to ignore complaints which are serious,abuse within this organisation appears to be “institutional”.
the last straw came for me when i was bullied into taking a vacancy some distance away,on finding the correct vacancy details it states
Work Pattern
Days , Evenings , Nights , Weekends
also it states an early finish time,i dont even have my own transport,they have wasted my time my money a companies time submitting me for a vacancy i cannot get to for these night shifts,this isnt even on the job seekers agreement.there is no confidentiality in that environment and every member close by stares as if its a jobseekers fault that it looks as if they are refusing employment when jobs are shown tens of miles away with absolutely no chance of getting there for any of these jobs.
it would take a case such as here
http://www.echr.coe.int/ECHR/EN/Bottom/Contact/
to bring these people to there senses,something which should have happened a long time ago,its unfair unjust and feckless their attitude to citizens of this country and needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
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