to wonder how it will work making unemployed people go to the jobcentre every day?

[Takver]

From where I live, getting the bus to the jobcentre (in the nearest town) costs £5.50 return. So that would be £27.50 per week, or rather a large proportion of JSA. Its 12 miles (very hilly) each way, so I wouldn't have thought many long term unemployed people would be able to cycle it every day (most of the people out of work I know here aren't really in that good health).

Do you get a free bus pass if you're on JSA? All seems a bit mad, even by current standards . . .

If there are jobs available on Work Fare, why can't they just be employed thus getting them off benefits

Isn't "going to the job centre" a bit of an archaic concept anyway? I expect many of us still think of the places as having little cards up on noticeboards with job-names which you have to ask an advisor for the details of. Probably a very out-dated idea.

Most people who actually want to find work could probably do better themselves looking online. Even if they don't have the internet at home, it's free in libraries. (Isn't it?) If your library is still open.

I was unemployed for 6 months in the 90s recession and it was a dreadful experience. The "advisors" were about as much use as a chocolate teapot.

The DWP is massively understaffed with front line staff, the staff they do have are not in any way trained to provide careers guidance and generally speaking a programme like this, which will be an administrative nightmare, falls long before even the first hurdle.

Re. the black economy. It certainly used to be the case than van loads of young fellas in work overalls would turn up to sign on first thing in the morning before they went off to do their day's painting or labouring. Not anymore.

26 mile round trip and heaven knows what bus fare. It's a three mile walk to the nearest bus stop and a pretty infrequent service.

It therefore probably takes half a day to go to the job centre.

We had one 5 miles away, but it closed years ago.
No bus and a very dangerous A road full of 40 ton lorries. Up hill and and absolutely lethal on a bike in the rain because bits flood. So that wasn't much better.

And that assumes you have a working bike and that your brother hasn't pinched it again!

Getting to the job centre or at least said 3 mile away bus stop, is an ongoing saga I hear quite often.

Star, can I have a lift, 'D'Brother has knicked my bike, run the household's ancient car/ motor bike out of petrol or I haven't paid the insurance on said scarcely road worthy vehicle. Having been fined for not having insurance, my dear hopeless neighbour is trying to be good.

But it's incredibly difficult if the choice is drive without insurance/MOT etc. to the job centre and get that months money or miss an appointment and spend a week not eating while you sort it out.

Normally on my phone!

It's the Jobcentre staff I feel for. They are being made redundant everyday, their workloads have increased tenfold and now their workload will skyrocket if they have to see the same people every day.

It's not workable. Not just from the claimant side but the jobcentre staff side as well. Christ knows how they will cope. They will get more fustrated, the claimants will get more fustrated...

I'm a little anxious about how all of this and ALL of the changes are going to pan out. Tempers on both sides are frayed as it is.

apparently of the 2 million unemployed only 200,000 have been on JSA for 3 years so roughly 1 in 10

"Of course that is ridiculous, just as ridiculous as the idea that "employers will no long have to employ and pay for their own staff" because they can set workfare people on instead, and they will be just as good as trained staff."

How much better do you imagine "trained staff" are at zero-skilled jobs?

Answer: not at all better.

Which is why companies have stopped hiring casual temps for those kinds of roles and using workfarers instead.

Sarah that's correct but of course a fair few people on mn personally know fucking hundreds of them

This idea is fucking stupid.

What would they do about me, i have claimed jsa for a few years but i also have a part time job (cant bloody find anything more ). Would i be made to attend the jobcentre everyday or do 30 hours a week of community work.

Nickname - I'm sure I have read those suggestions somewhere thinking about it. Under new changes under Universal Credit. Don't quote me on it though but it IS ringing a bell...

NicknameIncomplete - from what I've seen the proposal is to insist that if you are only working part time then you have to look for more hours.

It'll be like the bedroom tax no doubt - even if you earn more on your short hours job, you'll have to take more hours at a lower rate & therefore claim more benefits . . .

Basically all these policies seem to be about giving claimants a hard time on principle even if it doesn't help anyone and regardless of the cost .

Fuck, I was hoping I was wrong. sorry.

Thats good then as i can relax a little and keep concentrating on finding a job with more hours rather than having to worry about doing 30 hours a week forced unpaid work.

This country is shit.

I just want a job thats 16 hours a week or over so that i can sign off. It wouldnt be for less money as i am only getting NMW at the moment anyway.

I remember people on 'new deal' were given bus passes..maybe they'd issue them again? Probably not though!

You don't actually get to pick which of the 3 options you'd prefer, they vary based on the claimant. I know someone who lives 8 miles away from her local jobcenter and they put her on daily signings, she had to walk or hitch-hike and the jobcenter were aware of this.

I'm not sure about any changes they are making but the daily thing has been around a while, it's usually for if you've been sanctioned or if they think you're not really looking for a job. I think it's usually hard for someone who works in a jobcentre to understand what it's like for a claimant and sometimes just assume they're not trying. I was told to apply for a job (compulsory) that would have literally left me with about £5 after transport costs.

Opalite, that's ridiculous. Didn't they do a 'better off' calculation?

Nope, it really depends on the advisor though, some are very 'no excuses' and disregard the fact that there are plenty of valid reasons for not being able to do a lot of the things they expect of the claimants

Yes, the advice and understanding does vary quite a bit between the advisors.

I'm also rural and there is next to no public transport here.

A parent from my DD's school told me they had been told after 6 months signing on that they had to widen their jobsearch to take in 2 major cities that are both around 30 miles away.

All well and good BUT this parent didn't drive. Taking public transport to either city would mean only being able to spend about 3-4 hours there in the middle of the day and having to leave by 3pm to make the last bus home.

Fares are available for any non signing day adviser appointment at the moment so I imagine they will be for daily signers.
Getting a daily appointment though.... Can't do it now so can't see it happening since our staffing has been cut again.

It's all a bit too much dagger and not enough cloak.

More too much swagger and not enough folk

My first reaction was 'what a load of ill thought out tosh'
My second thought was 'what a load of ill thought out tosh'

Unlikely to happen...apart from a handful of people who live on the doorstep of the jobcentres..the practicality of it means it will be unworkable.