I haven't committed any crime like this woman has, so why do I have to do 120 hours of unpaid work?

[DeadWomanWalking]

Woman sentenced to 215 hours of unpaid work for committing benefit fraud. I'm currently having to do 120 hours of unpaid work (30 hours a week for 4 weeks) or I'll lose my benefits. So what's my crime? Being unemployed? Being poor? Completely baffled by this governments policies.

I was just going to suggest college or other training. So how does that work then if you lose JSA - why? Do you not get other bursaries or something instead?

Genuine question as I don't know. Hardly encourages anyone to retrain or develop their career.

ALTHOUGH Usual supsect... what i didnt realise is that you could chose to be a SAHM for 10 yrs & then suddenly chose to sign on & claim JSA.

If every SAHM suddenly decided to claim JSA then the number of unemployed would be unimaginable

its not about giving people opportunities

its about making business owners richer - tory votes

Altinkum I've only just today got a letter saying I'm entitled to Carer's Allowance. Will be going to the jobcentre this week to see what they say.

She has a child with autism previous threads surgest its significant enough to qualify dc as disabled and her OR her dh as a Carer

Thing is, the OP, despite being a Carer, HASN'T said that she expects not to work. What she HAS said is that both her and her DH are currently seeking FT work, then whoever is still unemployed will then look for PT work, so as to still be available to care for their DS with Autism.

That's NOT the actions of a scrounger, or someone not wanting to have employment. Those are the actions of a family that really wants to support themselves, whilst still being able to care for their DS with Autism.

well said couthy

Mymatemax OP said her husband had also lost his job so maybe she was forced to claim JSA and look for a job. Maybe she didnt CHOOSE to just suddenly claim JSA.

Keep your head down and do your time ( i know you're not a criminal). I've done my share of retail by the way, in the dim and distant, so I know of what I speak. Four weeks goes quickly. And if you really are applying for 100 jobs per week and not getting any where, you need to have a good look at your CV or get somebody who knows what they are doing to look at with you. (Not a job centre person probably, somebody unthread volunteered to have a look at it for you.) I think you need to be more targeted in your approach, either by sector or by type of job.
Is there anything you could do on a self-employed basis? what qualifications do you have? Can you get any? What do you do all day when you're not working? Can those activities be translated into skills or attributes for a CV? You know time management, organising a team, prioritising?

As long as they don't ask her and her DH to go on workfare at the same time then there is someone at home for their DD though?

Op go to the job centre tomorrow and take the letter with you they will amend your claim, it may take a few weeks to sort out

Have you considered childminding OP?

There's some smug comments here. Any of you ever been unemployed within the last few years?

I have noticed that the higher the earner, the easier they seem to think is to find a job. Would you be happy to be treated like this?

Thought not.

I still don't think it actually works out at £71 for 30 hours work when you factor in all the weeks when no work is required.

No outraged.

One member of a couple will be exempt from seeking work at all. You cannot split it between 2 people

Do many employers get to do that?

Average out your hours so it suits them?

'Would you be happy to be treated like this?'

In a charity shop, yes.

For Poundland, Tesco, Homebase, no.

i have had people with masters degrees applying for admin or child supervisory roles.

try competing with that if you haven't got the work history

Altinkum, if they got rid of this ridiculous scheme the people on it wouldn't need benefits because there would jobs there for them to be employed in! You know, legitimate jobs that pay them a wage, that gives them a sense of self worth at the end of the day!

If there is a vacancy fill it and pay the person a legal wage for the work they do!

'Do many employers get to do that?

Average out your hours so it suits them?'

No, but it doesn't change the fact that when you compare total money paid out and total hours worked, it's much more than the £1.50 an hour being quoted here.

You would support it if they worked 10 hours a week, every week instead?

Fantastic, Altkin. So if you we're to lose that job, then be made to do it for benefits that would be ok with you?

Because that actually happened to one poundland employee. A same store she got made redundant from, too.

Oh, and anyone thought that maybe the OP is finding it hard to find work because of fitting it round her caring duties? Many careers cannot work at all because of them. Like me.