Flexible New Deal Provider Information & Flexible New Deal Scandal Ipswich Unemployed Action.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.
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Loading ...This is criticism against A4e and how they manage their business. This is relevant because they are the largest New Deal provider receiving money from, (guess who?) you, the taxpayer!
I couldn’t resist but to disclose how strange A4e operates being such a large company and all. I don’t know of anything like it. Please feel to continue reading (no its got nothing to do with the fraud investigation) Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...New Deal Scandal is back!
Against the will of Action for Employment (a4e) we are not going away.
A4e may have successfully taken down watchingA4e as Webs (previously freewebs) bowed to the pressure but Wordpress had the sense and courtesy to consult with me first before taking removal action. I proved to Wordpress that this is nothing more than internet censorship as my source for that blog post was from the Government and is available to anyone who wishes to search the company register.
This makes it 1-1 on the score between A4e and Blogger!
This meant a little bit of downtime – well no new posts anyway and one being hidden (private) – but now we are back, and now have some more content on A4e that I am sure you will find interesting. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The DWP Survey 2009, states that 26% of employees taking the survey (71% of the total workforce) answered “not sure” to the following question: “Do you possess a Level 2 qualification (NVQ, BTEC, 5 GCSEs Grade A-C, or equivalent) or above?“. That is 18,982 employees not sure about their own qualifications. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The latest statistics show that 67% of DWP employees would like to still work at DWP in 12 months time – 33% said they didn’t wish to. 48,914 would still like to work for the Department for Work and Pensions in a years time while 24,092 stated that they would not like to. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...If the answer is yes, then you should think again!
Details published from DWP themselves from the DWP Survey 2009 – a survey of 73,006 people (71%) – a response of under 3 in 4 members of staff, show some worrying statistics. Is your data safe? Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...As you can see (or not if you haven’t seen the site before) I have decided to change the theme design. I think this one looks better and allows me to stick more pages on!! There are a few imperfect elements with it but as its hosted there isn’t much I can do about it. I hope you like it.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Just a brief overall of recent content on ”New Deal Scandal & Welfare Reform” and “Ipswich Unemployed Action” blogs. This might be easier to some then using Wordpress pages as some sticky posts make normal ones difficult to see sometimes. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...As a Jobseekers Allowance claimant myself (when my claim hasn’t been stopped or suspended for trivial reasons such as not attending an interview they never told me about) I am not surprised that the National Audit Office (NAO) has reported a £1.2 billion under spend last year.
To stick this figure into prospective (remember it is the DWP as a whole not just JSA) if the figure comprised totally of Jobseekers Allowance at the higher rate of £60 per week, it makes 10 million payments of 20 million benefit weeks not being paid out, or 384,615 claimants a year receiving no Jobseekers Allowance at all even though entitled to do so by law.
In fact this raises a huge question about DWP, Jobcentre Plus; and their repeatedly unlawful tactics and techniques to take ones legal entitlement away, which I will explain later in to the article. As the Jobseekers Act 1995 (as amended) makes it your legal entitlement and the Jobcentre is doing the best to avoid paying that money out to you this comes under fraud in my definition and as such this £1.2 billion under spend will be categorised as a £1.2 billion fraud.
This is on top of the £750 million under spending on the Tax Credits system – resulting in 1.2 million claims not being made. We recently reported about the Jobseekers Allowance Scandal and the quarter of a billion pounds a year Housing Allowance cut. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...This has nothing to do with DWP, Jobcentre Plus or New Deal. I have been constantly thinking whether to post this or not, and I have decided to post it.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...We are hearing reports that YMCA Training, a New Deal provider that managed a Job Outcome rate of 16.24%, has had its contract terminated. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Statistics published on New Deal for Young People (NDYP) up to November 2008, shows a worrying trend with almost a third (31.27%) of New Deal participants not securing employment and not reclaiming benefit.
Previously published articles such as Dencora House detention centre and various news articles on “jobseekers being treated like cattle” showing the poor under resourced and mistreatment of participants comes to no surprise how so many people (411,190 to be exact) have decided to plunge deeper into poverty to have their Human Rights respected. I am sure a few people would have won some money on the horses or on the lottery but in the majority of cases will be strictly relying on friends and family to survive. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...People are increasingly loosing jobs, forced to sign on to receive Jobseekers Allowance to scrape by, hundreds of people are now applying for the same jobs and if that wasn’t bad enough, in a bid to save £234 million a year, the Government has decided to pull the £15 per week excess from Local Housing Allowance which is to affect over 300,000 claimants including families.
New Deal Scandal believes that with the surge in new claims, that £234 million a year figure could rise to £250 million within a few months after coming in to effect next year.
At this time of widespread need, the public should be able to rely on the Government giving them extra support – after all collectively we have been paying taxes and their wages for the last few decades. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...So you are unemployed, about to make a claim for Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) or have made a new claim for Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) however not attended an New Jobseeker Interview (NJI) yet. This article explains what you need to know about claiming Jobseekers Allowance.
You wouldn’t have thought that the Jobseekers Agreement (JSAg) would be a crutial element to claiming. The problem is most claimants see it as simply a pathetic agreement which is created just as procedure, whereas the truth is the Jobseekers Agreement is in effect, within a limited capacity, your power to create a law to your specification of how some elements of the Jobseekers Act 1995 (as amended) are implemented and used.
The Jobseekers Agreement (JSAg) has two main uses:- The first is to trap the typical naive Jobseeker in to being required to apply for more widespread jobs than otherwise could be argued as reasonable. As the average jobseeker doesn’t realise the full impact of the Jobseekers Agreement they will go along with whatever the Employment Officer (EO) suggests, they then sign and it becomes a large element of the rules for receiving Jobseekers Allowance. The second reason is for the Jobseekers Agreement to be used for enforcement – or should I say to decide about applying sanctions or refusing later benefit claims.
You may also hear the Jobseekers Agreement (JSAg) being an agreement you negotiate, where you pledge what you will do weekly to find work, what your responsibilities are, your availability and what restrictions you have.
Was it just me? ..Or did I hear the word negotiate mentioned? Read on… Read more on New Deal Scandal »
New Deal wasn’t designed for those with higher skills: why not? Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) has been asked by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to consider proposals for the above named regulations.
Currently, if the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate is higher than their contractual rent, customers are able to keep the excess benefit up to a maximum of £15 per week. The main change that these proposals would introduce is to limit the amount of Housing Benefit a person can be entitled to, to the level of their rent liability.
These changes would mean that:
Before the Committee considers and reports on these proposals, it would like to hear from organisations and individuals who have views, in particular on the following aspects of the proposed changes:
The Committee would also like to hear from welfare rights advisers, landlords and others who may be able to supply information about the customer groups affected by the proposed change.
Those wishing to make representations to the Committee may obtain a copy of the Department’s explanatory memorandum and a copy of the draft regulations from the Secretary to the Committee, Gill Saunders (0207 412 1506) or from the SSAC website: www.ssac.org.uk.
Representations should be sent to the Committee at New Court, 48 Carey Street, London, WC2A 2LS, or by email to ssac@dwp.gsi.gov.uk, or via the consultation response facility on the website, to arrive no later than 03/08/2009
Comments welcome. From DWP News.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...If you are seeking work and claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) you would have heard about the Jobseekers Act 1995 however you are probably more familiar with it being written and acknowledged as the Jobseekers Act 1995 (as amended).
What does this mean? Read on for a brief explanation on the law that applies to you. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...In the last financial year, 2008-09, Action for Employment (a4e), the largest welfare to work provider who has 47 active welfare to work provisions only resulted in 20% of their clients securing employment. This is quite short of the 45% target.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...What is the REAL story behind a4e?
every woman article states:
Emma set up her company A4e in 1991 initially to provide skills and employment training for workers made unemployed by the decline in Sheffield’s steel industry. She has since built A4e into a competitive public services company that delivers a range of services to, amongst others, the financially excluded and long-term unemployed. Today A4E turns over in excess of £100 million.
and
women speakers says:
ACTION FOR EMPLOYMENT
Action for Employment (A4e) was founded by top female entrepreneur, Emma Harrison, in 1991. It is a privately owned organisation offering employment, welfare, education, training and business support services to the public and private sectors.
Or
In the 1980s a small engineering training company was set up in Sheffield to take advantage of the Conservative government’s willingness to pour money into such companies for uncertain returns. The owner, Harrison, took his daughter, Emma, into the company, then quickly skipped to Germany. This part of A4e’s history has acquired the aura of legend. Emma Harrison was a young graduate, suddenly landed with a company to run, and an absent father who was busy draining it of money. In 1991 Emma renamed the outfit Action for Employment (quickly abbreviated) and set about making money. She remains almost the sole owner.
The breakthrough came with the Labour government’s New Deal programme. A4e rapidly became the “preferred bidder” for contracts to provide back-to-work training. Their success baffled their competitors, who knew they were putting in equally good bids. This led to rumours that it was Emma’s connections who were responsible. Someone high up in government, perhaps? A Sheffield MP name of Blunkett, maybe? But there was no evidence for this, and rival training companies went out of business as A4e prospered.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...It has been a rumour been going around for several months now, it deserves a post!
A4e founder Emma Harrison is said to have an ambition to start a bank!
That’s right, she wants to start a bank aimed at poor and disadvantaged communities (or Jobseekers)! Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...We recently reported that YMCA Training is disclosing past New Deal participants personal and confidential details which they should no longer hold, to a company called QDP Services, without the New Deal participants permission.
I thought it would be best to follow up this by quoting Q D P Services‘ pledge regarding handling confidential information.
It is best to point out that QDP Services are not to blame for the data disclosure – it is YMCA Training who kept the confidential data longer than required, a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 and then disclosed it without permission.
QDP Services, however, are accountable for the” anonymous” survey which is tracked.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Apparently the figures are as follows
2004 – 75 Laptops
2005 – 46 Laptops
2006 – 28 Laptops
2007 – 15 Laptops
2008 – 41 Laptops
2003-04 £79,000 (this particular figure is apparently just a estimate)
2004-05 £28,000
2005-06 £43,000
2006-07 £106,000
2007-08 £10,000Maybe its all the christmas parties, who knows…
Thanks to the volunteers at the United Kingdom Benefits Information eXchange forums (UKBIX). A very recommended source by New Deal Scandal.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Action for Employment, the main New Deal prime contractor caught up in fraud allegations has recently requested a host to take down the Watching a4e website.
We are proud to announce, that the owners of Watching a4e has kept us up to date with the new web address.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Jobseekers Allowance: the Scandal (A MUST READ FOR ALL JOBSEEKERS)
How many scandals can there possibly be?! Its becoming crazy now…
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...What is with the unemployment system?
“Assaults” on staff are to be dealt with by benefit sanctions and not by police.
Awkward customers are to be removed from the Jobcentre Plus office by police after being held by security.
Assaults are crimes, it is a police matter. Exceeding your time slot or talking back to staff isn’t!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...You may have heard about assaults on Jobcentre Plus staff in the news, however, these figures are largely distorted. They refer to Incident Cases and not solely due to physical assault – which we will explain later.
Six months ago Jobcentre Plus boasted over 1,600 security guards costing the taxpayer over £40 million a year. I am sure this amount will be on the increase as new claimants are increasing.
This article will focus on: a) are all these security guards necessary? and b) how many actual assaults were there?
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...YMCA Training has, without their New Deal participants consent, sent their contact details to some statistics company who has contacted them asking to complete an anonymous survey on the YMCA Training New Deal courses.
This company, however, uses a unique tracking code to check up on who said what – not anonymous – and the letter contained details advising the person taking the survey that they wouldn’t be able to be traced. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...We recently reported about Jobcentre Plus suppression regarding the misuse of security officers and police time in ejecting jobseekers from the Jobcentre Plus offices for false incriminating reasons to prevent them getting their legal entitlement.
This misconduct was only the start: a blog reader added more worrying concerns who states that the Hackney Jobcentre Plus prevents Jobseekers using the Jobpoints also requesting police to remove the unemployed from the building. The misuse of public services which could be better used for fighting crime seems to be an growing common trait at the Jobcentre Plus offices around the country.
The Jobcentre now stops the unemployed jobseekers from accessing jobs: a requirement for receiving Jobseekers Allowance; an welfare benefit for those without employment to survive on.
This article focuses on more issues regarding the services provided by the largest UK Government department including making false allegations towards people, a claim I can also personally defend from my own circumstances and various sources all over the country too and also in the case we reported in the above article. Read more on New Deal Scandal »
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