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Original poster

Job Centre, worried I’ll be sanctioned

46 replies

MyCatLovesWarms · 08/01/2022 13:45

Situation: I’m a single parent to a 6 year old. I’m on a 0 hours contract but usually work 25 hours a week February to November.

December and January are very quiet months for work so I usually get 2-3 weeks of work totalling 25 hours if I’m lucky, sometimes I get nothing at all. We shut down completely from 17th December until 17th January, there’s no work for anyone. We’re not made redudent or let go we’re just not given any work or paid anything.

I get a top up on my wages from UC but usually January and February I receive full UC with no deductions due to not having any work. I have previously taken on temporary contracts with the supermarkets or similar (which is still less than I usually earn) but due to the way the bank holidays fell it wasn’t worth it as childcare would have taken away any extra I’d earn as bank holiday childcare costs double (I only get 85% back the month after I’ve used the childcare so wouldn’t get it back until January).

Wednesday I had a journal message saying I needed to go into the job centre Thursday at 3.30pm. It was too short notice to get childcare for my DD (ASC need at least a half terms notice, my family who help me need at least a weeks’ notice so they can rearrange things). DD finishes school at 3.20pm, the job centre is 25 miles away and I don’t own a car (I can borrow one if needed but again need at least a weeks notice), the buses are once an hour, the train every 2 hours so it would have meant taking DD out of school at 1.15pm to make the 2.15pm bus (bus stop over a mile from school and DD has a mobility issue that means she’s slow to walk, can take her 45 minutes to walk a mile) which school wouldn’t let me do without it being for her appointment. So I put a journal message on.

Got no reply at all, but just had another message to say it’s been cancelled but I now have to go in on Monday at 3pm which again is too short notice for childcare, and I wont get back from where the job centre is until 2 hoursish after school ends. I’d have to take DD out of school at 1.15 again to get the 2.15 bus.

I’ve always attended appointments before I got my job, my previous work coach was lovely and always planned appointments with enough notice that I could borrow the car and arrange childcare or it would be after school so I could take DD with me.

Am I going to be sanctioned for not attending appointments? I’m so scared I will be. I’ve not had to go in at all for over 18 months since I got my job.

OP posts:

Justkeepmoving020122 · 08/01/2022 14:01

You won't be sanctioned if you let them know you can't attend beforehand. In your journal message did you tell them the times you can actually go into the jobcentre and the reason why?

NeverDropYourMooncup · 08/01/2022 14:02

Take her out of school and attend the appointment (which will be about seeing why your hours have dropped and supporting you to look for something more secure).

You can't risk being sanctioned for non attendance.

Original poster

MyCatLovesWarms · 08/01/2022 14:02

@Justkeepmoving020122

You won't be sanctioned if you let them know you can't attend beforehand. In your journal message did you tell them the times you can actually go into the jobcentre and the reason why?

Yes I said "I can't make the appointment because it's too short notice for childcare, school hours is better with a week or sos notice ideally so I can borrow the car as it's quicker to drive"

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families

FortunesFave · 08/01/2022 14:03

What do you mean "School wouldn't let me"? They can't stop you. Not that it's ideal of course but given the job centre are idiots and you might lose money, you need to keep DD off school and go to your appointment.

Don't tell school why if you think they'll hassle you. Just say she's not well.

Original poster

MyCatLovesWarms · 08/01/2022 14:04

@NeverDropYourMooncup

Take her out of school and attend the appointment (which will be about seeing why your hours have dropped and supporting you to look for something more secure).

You can't risk being sanctioned for non attendance.

@NeverDropYourMooncup School won't let me, they will not release her to me 2 hours before the end of school for an appointment for me. I've tried before when I've had GP appointments at the end of the school day and they always refuse, I can't just go and take her as the layout of school means you have to go through the main office to get her as the gates to the playground are tall and locked.

OP posts:

CornishTiger · 08/01/2022 14:04

What is your actual claimant commitment?

They should be adjusting appts for child care issues too.

Original poster

MyCatLovesWarms · 08/01/2022 14:04

@FortunesFave

Don't tell school why if you think they'll hassle you. Just say she's not well.

@FortunesFave School won't let me, they will not release her to me 2 hours before the end of school for an appointment for me. I've tried before when I've had GP appointments at the end of the school day and they always refuse, I can't just go and take her as the layout of school means you have to go through the main office to get her as the gates to the playground are tall and locked.

OP posts:

Original poster

MyCatLovesWarms · 08/01/2022 14:06

@CornishTiger

What is your actual claimant commitment?

They should be adjusting appts for child care issues too.

"I will continue to update my journal if my work changes"

Which I have, I have told them it's a zero hours contract and I don't get paid if they have no work. And I've always told them when I've taken a temporary contract to fill gaps, I just couldn't this year as the bank holiday childcare was nearly £50 a day which I couldn't afford.

OP posts:

jessycake · 08/01/2022 14:13

I would take her out for the day and say she is sick , the threat and hassle of a sanction is just not worth it , no one will play ball nowadays look after yourself . A home. food and heating are much more important than a days schooling for a six year old .

Kuachui · 08/01/2022 14:15

my universal credit let me do it over the phone when i explaines also 25 miles would cost a lot in transport

Original poster

MyCatLovesWarms · 08/01/2022 14:18

@Kuachui

my universal credit let me do it over the phone when i explaines also 25 miles would cost a lot in transport

I'm not worried about the costs, and I'm happy to go in, but I need it to work around childcare. If they'd messaged me Wednesday and said Monday I could of at a push made it work by begging a friends mum or dad to have her for half an hour. But ideally they need to say Wednesday for the following Wednesday or Thursday so my mum can rearrange her work (she can choose her hours but has to commit a week in advance) so she could do pick up for me.

OP posts:

FortunesFave · 08/01/2022 14:25

School won't let me, they will not release her to me 2 hours before the end of school for an appointment for me.

So keep her off for the whole day! It's a no brainer. It's annoying the job centre are so stupid with times like this but it won't cause her any harm.
But school can't withhold your child anyway! You are the parent. You can take her out if you want!

CornishTiger · 08/01/2022 14:28

You have kept your part of the claimant commitment and have responded to appts correctly via journal. You have nothing to be concerned about

Original poster

MyCatLovesWarms · 08/01/2022 14:28

@FortunesFave

School won't let me, they will not release her to me 2 hours before the end of school for an appointment for me.

@FortunesFave I know legally I can but school won't, other parents have had the same issue, and have complained. The response is "They're in our care when in school so it's up to us if we think it's in their best interests to leave early"

OP posts:

CornishTiger · 08/01/2022 14:31

Can all the posters stop being so ridiculous about removing child from school.

The work coach won’t be sanctioning.

OP ask if you can have it as phone appt with work coach. They are still doing a lot like this so should be fine.

Keep a note of what temp opportunities you’ve looked for but also how childcare made it not possible too due to booking arrangements.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 08/01/2022 14:36

I work at a jobcenter outside the uk. Your message is too wishy washy for them to understand the bottom line.

I need at least a week's notice for appointments from 2pm onwards in order to arrange childcare. If appointments are between 10 and 2pm I can attend with a day's notice.

FortunesFave · 08/01/2022 14:36

@CornishTiger

Can all the posters stop being so ridiculous about removing child from school.

The work coach won’t be sanctioning.

OP ask if you can have it as phone appt with work coach. They are still doing a lot like this so should be fine.

Keep a note of what temp opportunities you’ve looked for but also how childcare made it not possible too due to booking arrangements.

The only ridiculous thing is OP insisting school won't allow parents to remove their own children early! It's not credible.

gogohm · 08/01/2022 14:41

You need to let them know when you can attend meetings and how much notice for out of school hours. Rather than just saying you can't make it, give positive sounding statement basically. They will not sanction you for not being able to attend due to childcare as your dc is under 12

Soontobe60 · 08/01/2022 14:43

I would send an email today to school to tell them you’re taking your child out at lunchtime on Monday, also make a note in your journal that attendance at the appointment will be dependent on school allowing you to take your child out early. (I know they won’t respond til Monday). When you drop your child off on Monday morning, pop into the school office, ask them for a response to your email, don’t leave until you get one. If they verbally tell you you can’t take her out early, ask them to reply to your email with that reason, so that you can then forward that to your coach as proof that it’s school that are preventing you from attending. Again, don’t leave until they do it.
If the school office staff are less than helpful, ask to speak to the Head or someone from SLT.
School cannot refuse to hand over your child unless you do not have legal parental responsibility, and they know it!

Soontobe60 · 08/01/2022 14:45

@gogohm

This. So respond with ‘I am available at short notice any day between 10am and 2pm as I do not have childcare available outside of these hours whilst I am not in paid employment. With longer notice, I may be able to attend outside these hours if I am able to arrange free childcare’

GrannytoaUnicorn · 08/01/2022 14:49

They CANNOT refuse to give you your child! If they try this again, CALL THE POLICE!!!!!!

GrannytoaUnicorn · 08/01/2022 14:49

Also, call OFSTED!

Nix2020 · 08/01/2022 14:49

Taking your child 25milrs away isn't practicle for an appointment. Surely they can do a zoom meeting or telephone call. Given that covid is very much around at the moment.

I'd ask for that and state you are trying to limit the spread of covid.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 08/01/2022 15:08

They can't legally keep your child. If you tell them you are collecting her, then they have to release her into your care.

However, if they're going to be dicks about it, keep her off for the entire day - after all, if you get sanctioned for six months because they won't release her, they're not going to be paying your bills for you, are they?

SmallOrFarAway · 08/01/2022 15:18

Can't you have a phone appt instead? My work coach does this for me when I ask if I can't attend due to work and childcare issues.

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