I was unable to attend an interview for a job will UC sanction me?

You could've gone to the interview, and then picked your daughter up from school. It's all excuses.

Or maybe most posters just have a sense of decency that whether you are on Universal Credit or not, if you can’t attend a job interview, you call them to let them know rather than waste everyone’s time.

I dont think the OP will be back. Wonder what sort of role she is going for as she will find being worried or cannot be bothered will not bode well in any job she gets. This system needs a complete overhaul. it shouldnt be possible for someone to decide they dont want a job because the UC is enough for them so they game it to ensure that they arent offered any role.

Even if they were forced into an interview it would be very easy to put a prospective employer off with your answers. Job done.

Some people (and its an increasing larger % then we think) just dont want to work. The benefits are enough for them, they dont want a career, they think they are being clever here and if any cash in hand jobs come up even better!

We have nail bars and Turkish barbers galore in the nearest big town to us. Big home made signs saying CASH ONLY. Are they raided? Reviewed in the any way? The nail bar I pass on the way to work is full of people from Vietnam. Cash only of course. Why are these stores not closed down?

@Princessconsuelabananahammock9 I agree. It's tough at the moment for a lot of people with the cost of living crisis. And it's hard trying to keep all plates spinning as working mothers.

To answer your question: since UC didn't find the vacancy for you, it's unlikely that they'll check up. If they had found it for you, it would be a different matter. So you'll probably get away with saying you haven't heard back or whatever.

I saw a reply saying you had to add details of every job in your journal, but iirc you don't even have to use the journal to record jobsearch.

There's a similar discussion here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/DWPhelp/comments/1cmcp4h/how_does_universal_credit_know_if_youve_turned/

Reddit and Money Saving Expert are much better than Mumsnet for advice on benefits.

Most people need money in order to prioritize their children and provide them the necessities.

A lot of people don’t show for interviews and it’s annoying. If candidates get in touch generally I’m happy to reschedule. If I hear nothing less so. Life happens and I take into account things come up and plans change but takes no time to phone, email, text or some kind of communication. If you arranged the interview there must have been some communication from someone and some details confirmed the interview surely? Also UC do contact my company on occasion and ask about candidate interviews so it can happen that people are sanctioned as it can be looked into.

Best of luck finding the right job

I work in recruitment for these kinds of jobs, and yeah for 50 suitable applicants we'll get maybe 10 willing to book an interview, 5 show up and 1 or 2 accept the job. It's mostly people pretending for UC reasons. TBH I blame the system more than the people, but it's such a waste of time and money, to pay me to participate in the charade.

So don't worry, they'll not be surprised you didn't show.

Some parents work over an hour away and can’t get back quickly. You should have called interview people. If they won’t give you email or contact details then that’s just weird

Jesus the level of vitriol and bitchiness on here. Has Mumsnet been invaded by the loony right wing set?

If it’s a dinner lady/ midday assistant it could be both. My mil was one for years technically she worked for the local council

She didn’t …

Probably didn’t want the job … happy to sit at home on UC, just arranged it to get them off her back for a while.

Yep, and all the ones that can behave professionally under pressure and not drop their colleagues/service users etc in it because they can't ascertain an emergency and don't understand that their career provides for their children.

The 'ones who don't....' OTOH, have found out exactly who their taxes are funding to pander to their child's every sniffle.

Why on earth not?

Sorry I think I may have had.

I think the mistake was not phoning the school rather than mentioning UC.

OTOH we have found all the parents who don’t pick their kids up from school when they are asked too.

I luv my kids I do.

No, her mistake was saying she didn’t ‘want’ to call the school and couldn’t find a number etc etc. Had she done all that and was genuinely worried about just being sanctioned, then of course people would have assured her that she did everything she could.

But as far as I can tell the OP is genuinely looking for work. She set up the interview herself after all and if the school hadn't called she would have attended.

Nobody genuinely looking for a job at a school doesn't call them when they can't make an interview because A) They don't know how to and B) They're worried they might be busy with lessons.

I wouldn't accept that level of excuse from a child, let alone an adult in need of a job.

Sorry. Bullshit. I work an hour and a half away from my sons school. Even if I picked up the phone straight away and left the office immediately and all of the stars aligned and my trains and buses got me to school as quickly as possible, I still wouldn't be there before the OP potentially had time to finish her interview.

Or are you saying that all parents should work in the vicinity of their children's schools just in case?

To me, the UC thing doesn't even come into it (other than the part about the possible sanctions).

It's just really disrespectful when someone has scheduled an hour or so of their possibly very busy job to not even give them a courtesy of a quick heads up.

If you've ever been on the hiring side it's very disappointing and somewhat frustrating, especially with how easy it is to communicate these days. There's no reason OP couldn't have got the school office number or email address off their website... although if she hadn't even looked at their website before going for the interview, it doesn't seem that she was too dedicated/bothered about getting the role anyway.

I don't understand? Have you quoted the wrong person?

I think you have misinterpreted what I said.

If the school calls to ask you collect your child then you do so, as soon as you are reasonably able to.

If it takes you an hour because you live an hour away - that's absolutely fine, obviously.

What I do not think is acceptable is for parents to carry on with their day, leaving their child at school to sit in an office, poorly because they appear to have better things to do with their time.

It's also not for School Office staff to care your sick child.

If my child was taken ill, requiring hospital treatment and was 6 hours away. I'd act in a reasonable and responsible manner and drive 6 hours to my child as soon as I could. I don't understand the issue here? Did you not?

I'm curious - to those who would always drop everything because their child is sick, is there an age limit that stops being needed and what is it. OP hasn't said how old their child is. Does this apply if they're 16? What about if they're 25?

Obviously it depends how sick, but a job interview is exactly the sort of situation where I would expect a possible delay in collection. Ultimately we don't know how long it would have taken for the OP to do her interview and get to school, but unless that is more than two hours it doesn't seem unreasonable. It might frustrate the school, but I doubt two hours is that unusual and a job interview is a very good excuse!