Work Focused Interview....what a waste of their time and mine!

[JakeBullet]

Just had a letter from Jobcentreplus with an appointment Trent for a "Job Focused Interview". Honestly what a waste of time and money this is going to be.
I am a registered nurse, midwife and health visitor with 27 years of experience under my belt. Until March 2012 I had never claimed any benefits beyond the minimal tax credit and child benefit.
I am taking a year or so out to concentrate on DS who is autistic and finding life very hard at the moment (comments like "I hate my life" and "I want to kill myself" being heard all too often). It also does not help that he doesn't sleep so I am constantly tired. Typically with the cuts there is buggar all support out there for DS and so I am trying to support him myself and am paying for private therapy from his DLA.
I know why they are doing these interviews and even sympathise to a certain extent with the reason but it must be bloody obvious that I am also getting Carers Allowance and in fact I was told in March this year that they would not need to see me as I am a Carer......now apparently this is no longer the case.
I don't need fecking telling about how to get a job, I held one continuously for 27 years with no problems. I'd rather they spent the money this is costing on some bloody support for Carers so that I could go back to work part time but no......
Told them over the phone that I was a qualified nurse and midwife and did not need to be told "how to get a job" or "how to access training" either now or in the future...I have a job I can go back to but to no avail...I have to go in for this "interview" so that I can show my degree, professional qualifications and previous work record and the poor chap charged with telling me "how to get a job" can tick my name off the list.

What a waste of both our time.

At the very least I made them change the time to school hours so I don't have to go when I am caring for DS although if its a bad night the night before I might be a tad exhausted....one of the reasons I stopped working, I was making mistakes.

I will of course go....but what's the bloody point of it? Oh I know....I am a feckless benefit claimant....being supported by the state and poor tax payers. The fact that I was one of those tax payers for the past nearly 30 years appears to mean nothing. The fact that I have a job I can go back to and WILL go back to as soon as I can means nothing either apparently.

..

Forgive odd words.....predictive text...no working laptop in the house so typing on phone.

YANBU.

It's one appointment every 6 months.

Hardly torture.

Am thinking of suggesting they refer me (and DS) to the Children's Disabilities Team with the reasoning that it is so I can go back to work....should raise some eyebrows in SS, they can bare,y cope with the cases they have.

It's a waste of time Katie....and money. I can't be the on,y Carer in my situation so x that by the interview cost and I think you'll find it would fund some of the services they are cutting.

It won't do any good IME Jake, there's no continuity between these things at all. Afraid you'll have to go and be patronised and waste your time.

FWIW I think the sacrifices you have made for your son are amazing and if there was someone I could slap with a wet fish on your behalf I would.

Calming down a bit now.....so every six months I need to go and point out I a am qualified nurse then. Still am sure it will keep someone in a job....ironic that.

JCP don't know your circumstances. All they know is that your name has turned up on a list and you have to be seen.

I'm assuming you are a LP too? If you are simply claiming CA/IS top up it's one appointment every 3 years. It's mostly used as a benefit check. When I do this type of interviews you would be amazed at how many people have not claimed the CTC disability allowance, or know where to go for respite, CMEC, training opps etc. Some people do want to work/train/study to stop themselves going batshit. If you are not in the above, I agree that for you it is a waste of time however we don't know that until we talk to you about it.

It is ridiculous, the money and time on you could be better spent elsewhere. I would feel very cross, but remember the person interviewing you doesn't need to have this took out on him/her.

It's all about the box ticking Jake. It doesn't matter who's overlooked, who struggles and who suffers as long as someone somewhere has ticked a box saying they've tried to save money on benefits. Because that's what it's all about - money. And everyone knows that the most precious money in the world is the paltry amount carers and those on benefits get. Forget the millions companies get away with diddling out of the system - they're not weak enough to be worth attacking. There is far more satisfaction in getting a caring mother to justify herself to an uninterested bureaucrat, plays much better to the electorate.

To be fair, they have to do something to ensure that you are genuine. If you are being given money then they have a responsibility to 'the taxpayer' to ensure that your situation is as you claim. Why should they believe you over the phone just because you say so? You probably said the same kind of thing that someone who was trying to pull a fast one would say.

It will probably take less time for them to look at your qualifications and proof than it would for them to do do the research on you themselves so they can tick your name off their list.

I think you should do along graciously and do what you need to do to ensure you keep getting the money. It's not really a lot for them to ask.

I am very interested in helping my customers Cailin I don't recognise the description of me or my colleagues as uninterested bureaucrats.

But I guess it's OK to generalise about JCP staff, like estate agents

I honestly didn't mean to insult you Katie, sorry . I have no doubt you are kind to the people you see, as are most people in your position.

I know that the actual people doing their jobs aren't responsible for the system. But when it comes to it, this interview is causing Jake unnecessary stress and hassle, when she already has enough on her plate. Yet she still has to go and waste her time because the person due to interview her must tick his box.

I am in this situation and I really get your frustration. As a Carer, they cannot expect you to seek work, so even if you turned up but refused to take part or take any jobseeking activity, they can't take any action like restricting your benefit.

Outraged, it's not about proving your situation actually - that is all done when claiming DLA and Carers Allowance. The facts of the situation aren't in dispute at all. Even if the OP had no intention of returning to work ever, or if they had no qualifications or profession, they would still be entitled to CA (and IS if on a low enough income), as long as they are a carer of someone receiving DLA.

I never bother taking details of qualifications along to the interview, I simply turn up, wait my turn, they go through their existing information on the computer and I confirm it hasn't changed (no, my son has not been miraculously cured of his lifelong disability!). I'm lucky that they've always made the appointments during school hours without me asking, and my JCP is only 10 minutes' walk, but it is really hard for carers with younger dc who have to bring them along to the interview, especially if the centre is further away - when you're on benefits, even the cost of the bus fares can be a struggle.

I have settled a bit now....to be fair in the minimum contact I have had with Jobcentreplus the staff have been fab .

I only claim IS/CA but yes I do get CTC too. I am also hopeful that I will be back in work by March with the right support network in place.

S'ok, I'm used to it

Feeling a bit raw today as was horribly abused by a very scary chap yesterday and am suffering the after effects more than a bit today.

It's not all goat distribution and gold-plated pensions. More a diet of human misery and suffering at the moment, TBH. However, the feeling of actually doing something to help someone keeps me going back for more.

I hope you're getting the higher rate of CTC JakeBullet? You can get the disability premium if your DS gets MRC and the severe disability premium on top if they get HRC. Lots of carers miss out on this one as the DLA unit don't communicate with HMRC.

Little - You know you can be refunded for your travel costs?

Also any replacement care costs incurred.

We always try to change times to suit, we do know how hard it is. I am also a carer as are some of my colleagues and believe me no-one is trying to force a carer into work. Why would we when it is not mandatory that you have to look for work? We save that particular nightmare for JSA.....

Exactly little about the CTC

I would say a good quarter of carers looking after disabled children don't know this. It's always a happy day when I've phoned the change through to HMRC and the carer is due a nice lump sum, especially this time of year.

A friend had to go through those useless interviews. She had been working her whole life and is a postgraduate. She only managed to work as she had support from family members. When she broke up with her husband, she couldn't continue working as the husband had been the carer. She explained to the DEA the support she required but DEA had no clue. Soon she was shifted to the Lone parent group. Every interview she attended she told the JC she needed support as a disabled person since her disability will never improve whereas her children will grow and be more independent. Eventually, she would just tell them no change in circumstances copy and paste the previous notes please

She eventually started her own business as she could work from home (bed) when she couldn't get up.

I think those interviews are for people who either have never worked/ no or or low qualifications.

I should have said the interviews are geared for those who either have never worked/ no or low qualifications.