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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask what to expect when going to job centre?

12 replies

lovelylentils · 20/10/2012 09:42

Hi, please don't flame me. Just posting here because I want a bit a high traffic before going.

DH is being made redundant. I am currently a sahm/ finishing maternity leave and don't have a job to return to. I am now applying for jobs but nothing will start till january.

Dh has suggested that in the mean time i should be intitled to job seekers. We are going this morning to ask if we are entitled to anything. What should I expect? Feeling very nervous and Sad about everything.

OP posts:
mumnotmachine · 20/10/2012 09:52

If you have both been paying NI contributions in the last two tax years you will both be entitiled to contribution based JSA
On conts based the only thing which is taken into account is part time earnings on any current work and any Pension Income- 1st £50 of any pension is disregarded on conts based
You will be eligible for 28 weeks.
The way to claim now is online- your claim will then be taken by the job centre and an interview will be araanged to discuss jobsearch and signing of Jobseekers Agreement, then passed to processing centre to process- it can take up to 16 days to be processed
You then meet fortnightly to sign on, you get paid 3 working days later

ErikNorseman · 20/10/2012 09:59

Is he working now then? To be honest if not then he should go and claim jsa as a couple for both of you. You don't both need to claim, and being made redundant wont affect his eligibility. Otherwise you could try to claim and if he's not working you may get it for both but if he's going to be job seeking too then it makes sense for him to claim as you will have primary childcare duties I imagine.
If he has a new job already then you can apply for contribution based jsa on your own, presuming you have paid enough NI in the last 2 years.
All applications can be done online. As to what to expect when you go to the job centre - be early, don't expect too much and fill in your book meticulously.

ErikNorseman · 20/10/2012 10:01

Are you going to the job centre today? It's not open on Saturday is it? Plus as I say it's all online, the actual job centre won't advise you, just direct you to the phone to apply. As it takes a good 40 mins to apply you are far better off doing it from home.

thixotropic · 20/10/2012 10:16

On a practical note there are no loos for public use. Go before you get there.

peaz · 20/10/2012 10:49

Ours is open on Saturdays but yes, best to apply online. Plus you'll receive JSA from the day you apply. If you apply online today you'll get it backdated. I assume if you make an appt to claim, it will start on the day of that appointment.

That's where I'm up to. I applied on 1 Oct online and I have my first appt Monday to discuss what I'm doing to find a job. I got a letter today telling my that I'll be getting my JSA and it started on Oct 1.

StaceeJaxx · 20/10/2012 11:16

Apply online, they'll then text you with a date and time to go to your nearest jobcentre. Once you've started signing on be prepared to sign away all of rights to your own life until you get a job. Be prepared to be sneered and looked down upon etc etc. Or that's how it feels for me anyway Hmm - DH made redundant in July been signing on ever since. Slowly losing the will to live...

Lovecat · 20/10/2012 11:31

Yep, be prepared for being treated like a idiot. Also they will have no imagination whatsoever about what kind of job you want/need - I was told I may as well forget a school hours job as 'it's not suitable' and 'your DH can collect the children, you need to apply for full time job' - erm, whilst I'm all for equality he still has a job and he doesn't want to lose it by leaving early to pick up DD! Also that because I had accountancy experience that was what I needed to look at. Nothing else. Despite my cv full of other stuff that I have a proven track record in. Despite the fact that my quals are out-dated and I couldn't apply to do the job I'd been made redundant from even if I'd wanted it because I don't have a degree! (btw, I signed with an agency and have one of them 'non existent' school hours jobs as a temp, so it may be worth doing that whilst looking for permanent work)

You will have to provide proof that you are looking for work when you have your follow up meetings.

Oh, and I got told off for being early (by 5 mins) for my first appt then when the bus was delayed by 2 mins for my second appt, the woman sat there in full view of me doing paperwork for 15 mins before she deigned to call me over then berated me for being 'so late' that we would have no time to go through anything!

They also put me on the Single Parents register ...

Alisvolatpropiis · 20/10/2012 13:56

Expect to be treated like you're an idiot who has never worked in their life,whilst they all fawn over the "regulars".

Also,don't expect the first meeting to be with a proper advisor who can discuss what kind of jobs are suitable. That'll be the next allotment two weeks later.

Expect to be told that a reasonable commute (on public transport) is 90 minutes one day. So 3 hours of your day can reasonably be taken up merely travelling to work. You must go to interviews for jobs this distance away or they'll stop jsa.

Expect to leave feeling completely demoralised.

Alisvolatpropiis · 20/10/2012 13:57

*90 minutes one way not day!

Darkesteyes · 20/10/2012 14:14

thixotropicSat 20-Oct-12 10:16:57

On a practical note there are no loos for public use. Go before you get there.

People with bowel disorders who have been kicked off ESA might find this a bit of a problem.
Not many humans can shit to order or to suit a fellow humans timetable. After all we dont expect our pets to shit to order do we? If they want to go to the toilet they soon let us know.
The problem is increased tenfold when you have a bowel disorder to boot.
Wonder how this fits in with the Equality Act.

Tailtwister · 20/10/2012 14:53

OK, I agree with other posters that it can be demoralising. However, it really isn't that bad as long as you see it as a means to an end. Most of the people at the job centre I had to go to were fine (I had to claim JSA to get my mortgage protection) and as long as you 'play the game' you'll be ok. I was pretty much left to my own devices as long as I completed the booklets with 3 things I had done to find work per week. These things can include checking the job centre website, submitting CVs etc.

However, I believe things are about to change quite dramatically with the criteria being tightened up.

My advice is take a deep breath, go and get it done. It won't be particularly pleasant, but you will survive.

Good luck!

RedHelenB · 20/10/2012 15:45

Don't worry, you'll be fine.

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