to tell jsa to stuff their money

[wannabeamillionaire]

Again short version: looked after my dad for two years (he has alz). Before that I was a Accounts Manager on a good salary. Been on JSA for two months now because dad has deteriorated. Last week I posted that they want to send me on a course to send emails, create a spreadsheet etc. I have to sign on every week because my advisor thinks I am "losing direction" :( I even asked her if she had even looked at my cv.

They can shove the course where the sun does not shine seriously.. So anyway after taking another posters advice about different websites I have found voluntary work where I would be advising in Mental Health (Lets face it I know about mental health now).

The problem is that I would still be taking a "salary" from dad's bank account each week. This is something that we all decided at the time that dad became ill that I would do and I would carry on doing until I got another job.

So the salary would tick me over until I found another job without the government's so called help.

I do not think I ABU but just wanted to get other people's advice really.

IIRC the OPs father has recently gone into residential care so thats why she isnt claiming carers and is having to sign on.

Where does everyone think these magic 16-20 hr jobs for single parents are exactly?

Shop work usually requires you to work weekends at least 1 in 4 so that can be difficult [sometimes impossible] for single parents.

I dont blame the OP for wanting to hold out for a job she is more qualified to do.

Why can't you accept a job at Boots until you can find something along the lines you are looking for. As others have said JSA is a stop gap to get you back into the working community it is not an opportunity for you to pick and choose until some thing you fancy comes along.
Have you considered applying for a university degree in Mental Health Nursing, I believe there are part time routes available.

I take it your DC is over 7 and that is why you are claiming JSA rather than IS?

Have you/ can you claim carers allowance? Is your DF getting AA/ mud or high care DLA?

JSA will count as a contribution towards your future pension so it might be good to keep.

Be careful if you are receiving payment for care at the same time as claiming income based JSA.

Tell the jc staff that you will have high childcare costs if you work so need a well paid job to cover it. But after 13weeks you will have to apply for shit work, no choice.

They don't care what job you do so long as you just get one. I have a first-class degree from Oxford and a PhD but when I had to go on JSA years ago, they made me fill out application forms for any jobs that I was capable of, ie cleaner in shopping mall, cashier in a bookies, etc. (Not that there's anything wrong with those jobs, I must add. I did work in a shop for a short time and enjoyed it). However, some advisors are more thoughtful than others and will try to find something more suitable for you. The problem is, the benefits system is not set up to find jobs for people with a lot of qualifications and/or an excellent CV full of well-paid jobs. That's not me being snooty, my SIL works for the Job Centre and is always moaning about this, as with the recession, they are getting more and more professionals, graduates, etc., in, but the system is pretty useless for them, and she sees how it really needs to change.

If you deny benefits, they can be really funny about you then claiming them in the future, ie if you didn't need them in the past when you had no job, how come you're asking for them now. Would it be possible to ask for another advisor? You can ring up and talk to someone in the JSA department and discuss things, it doesn't have to all go through that specific advisor.

late reply: have been at hospital tonight, my dad drank shampoo :) sorry have to laugh the world of Alzheimer's.

I do not claim carer's allowance because I am no longer my dad's primary carer. I was for two years. My siblings and my dad at the time decided that I would take a living wage to look after him, I gave up work to do this... anyway that time has past. He is now in hospital long term....

I was just frustrated that JSA has so many demands. I am LOOKING FOR WORK. I AM QUALIFIED. No I do not want to work in Boots for £6.00 per hour why should I not when I have studied and worked my back side of to get where I got before my dad becoming ill.

So My AIBU was the demand's that the job center put on you are blinking ridiculous, like sending me and others on courses that we literally could teach the trainer for for god's sake..

Anyway thanks for the positive replies.. The negative I shall just ignore to be honest :)

Tbh I am the most lefty left person you could find, but after your last post yabu. About a million people have spent precious time and money training to be something, they are now out of work, they do what they can to survive whilst waiting for hopefully a decent job to come along.

The fact that you want to be able to pick and choose what work you do because you are so frigging superior makes you sound like a twat. Fair enough I sympathised with you not wanting to go on a course teaching you to suck eggs, but you are not entitled to a job equivalent to your last.

Working in Boots, is working in Boots, you may be totally overqualified, but you are earning your own money.

Sending you on a training course that you could teach is one thing, a job which anyone could do (including you, whilst you wait for your CEO role) is another thing.

Get the fuck over yourself.

I have to say OP

Firstly I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad...that must be so tough.

But secondly, I thought after reading your last thread that you're kind of coming across as a bit 'grand'...and now I definitely think it.

Sorry but you are no different to all other unemployed people, even if you feel you are.

As someone else said, "JSA is a stop gap to get you back into the working community it is not an opportunity for you to pick and choose until some thing you fancy comes along"

That's harsh but true. JSA is a benefit to help you survive...it's not there to help you sit and choose your next career move.

I do usually agree with you WorraLiberty though you are more eloquent, I shall stalk you forthwith

Do you know what Ducky after the day and night I have had your post is pathetic..... You do not even know me, Yes I am able to pick and chose what work I do because I worked and trained hard since I was bloody 16 and guess what " I have a fucking brain". I have paid into the system for the last god knows how many years......... I saved the fucking goverment thousands of pounds by looking after my dad.... seriously I have just come home from the hospital and you post that.....hope you sleep well tonight and I hope you do not go what we as a family have been through..

i do not class my self as Superior who the fuck are you to judge me. Why should I work in a shop on min wage when I can do so much more.... I think it is called pride...... sweet dreams ducky

Sending people on basic courses when they have qualifications in the area already is ludicrous.

Expecting people not to claim JSA indefinitely, and expecting them to take jobs below their level of qualification after a period of time out of work is reasonable.

As Worra said, JSA is supposed to be temporary, not payable while people pick and choose what they will and won't do.

ok, I am sorry If I have come across as being "superior" I am not believe me... what I was trying to say was that for the pathetic amount that they give you they expect you to take any job. Training that you can already do, which was a total waste of government money and I feel that I can give more, I have the experience to give more to society. I want to go back into a job that I will come home and think "yeah I earn't my money today" Is that so bad?

Erm because you are unemployed, that is why you should work in a shop for minimum wage. You may have trained, many, many people have trained to be many things, lots of them are currently working for minimum wage

What exactly "more" can you do whilst unemployed? Solve the economic crisis? Bring world peace? do please let me know.

I have a brain, due to circumstances I never got a degree (bring out the violins), do I whine about it, sometimes, but in the mean time I do shock horror minimum wage jobs. Jobs such as caring for your Father(or people in the same circumstances), which are essential and important and fucking hard.

I may work for minimum wage, but I am not thick and I do my fucking best.

I sleep soundly you utter utter twat.

Ducky at least let me make myself decent before turning the webcam on

wannabe I can understand why you're angry but really the 'dole queue' is full of brainy hard working people who have paid into the system.

Sadly, it's also full of workshy scroungers who have paid nothing and probably never will.

But (like it or not) the great leveler is that you are all unemployed and if you're claiming benefits you all have to adhere to the same rules.

Just hang on to the great work ethic you have. You'll get yourself on your feet one day...but in the meantime, any job is better than no job if it gives you Independence.

Good luck

last post: I am sorry ducky you never got a degree I am pleased you do not whine about it. I could not give a shit if you work for min wage that is your choice..... Mine is not to........ you can keep calling me a twat as much as you like I really do not give a flying fig..... by the way I am not a snob I am a normal mum (older kids that are working and doing fine by the way) and you are DUCKY just another internet bully and I am not going to rise to it... I do not think once I said "you" were thick get over yourself love

Sorry Worra I shan't stalk you, I am too ragey, you are too nice, it's like you distil my thoughts and remove the anger and swears .

But surely if you're lucky enough to choose not to work for minimum wage then you shouldn't be on JSA anyway wannabe?

If you have that choice to claim or not to claim, then you're doing the right thing by not taking money from the system that you don't need.

Wannabe you are deluded, you said to me "do you even have a brain". The fact you are on JSA means you do not have a choice whether to work for minimum wage or not, that is kind of the point. You take interviews when offered, you take work when offered, you do not get to pick and choose.

Ducky my outbursts would make Satan himself tell me to calm down as a rule

can i just say that I am not angry. i was just trying to put a thought across thats all

ducky your are a maniac you have attacked me for whatever reason but you are a person on the internet so it has had no effect on my life :) you sleep well love. Yeah I have had a night of it... it is now 2am in the morning and not long got home from the hospital thought mumsnet was about support.

I just don't understand your angst if you can afford to take a salary from your Father, surely not having to deal with the job centre at all would be beneficial.
I do agree that Job Centres are basically the seventh circle of hell and are to avoided at all costs .

A maniac? yeah whatever, meh.

I said a lot earlier that i was a single mum blah blah, I am not angry just do not understand the benefits system blah blah blah ..... seriously I do not like taking a "salary" from my dad who has no fecking idea I am still taking it, as I said we as siblings (there are 5 of us) I am in a position that I have to take it... I am not talking hundred's here I am talking a fecking pittance...... so I will say AGAIN i am not fecking superior to anyone. I found your posts offensive and for what I am going through i found you a little nasty in your comments... will stand by what I said earlier that I want to go back into a job that I have studied and worked hard in for the last 30 years and why the feck should I not.......

I want to go back into a job that I have studied and worked hard in for the last 30 years and why the feck should I not

Because right now at this moment in time you can't.

Hopefully soon you'll be able to.

But in the meantime if you choose to use JSA (or if you have to) as a stop gap, working at Boots or similar will have to do while you look around.

It's not nice but it's the same for everyone OP