Workfare scheme for loan parents of children as young as 3, as of next month.

[WaterLoadaCack]

kept that quiet didnt they

Don't let them pressure you into going self employed if that's not feasible.and don't let them have access to your universal job search account either. Check out the boycott link so you know what your rights are.

Home owners who are on job seekers allowance will no longer be able to get any help with the interest on your mortgage when universal credit comes in.

Haven't read full thread yet, so hope I'm not out of sync here - but several PPs have said that working for benefits is OK in their view.

Will those posters be offering their services to Poundland in return for their child benefit? Or their winter fuel payment?

I fully agree that recent work experience is hugely helpful in securing a paying job. But if this was really about getting people back into work, it would be tailored work experience aimed at making the most of an individual's previous experience, qualifications and natural abilities. Not this once-size-fits-all bullshit.

One of my friends got an admin job through workfare in a tiny company - that seemed ok, a small company benefitted from the Govt funds and she did get a job.
I don't understand why the big companies should be allowed to do it revolving door style, that just makes a mockery of the supposed aim. Surely the voters this is meant to impress can see this?

Oh damn mrsbartowski, you've put me on the spot there because I can't recall exactly what it's called...Rootling around my memory, I think it was a DWP white paper available on youGov? It was definitely a "proper" official source though, confirming rumours aplenty I'd heard on the 'Net.

Don't blame me if you look and it's not there though- this Govt has more policy U turns than the Monte Carlo Grand Prix...

Actually, I think it's more likely that the people at the JC are blissfully unaware, given their level of training , and it's ignorance rather than malice fuelling their advice.

A Good Idea IMO. Too many women use motherhood as an excuse not to work and then find themselves unemployable once their children are all at school.

I'll have a look thanks stubborn.

I realise I sounded a leetle paranoid there...

It's just so hard to trust them these days. I honestly feel so scared for what they will do next.

We are just very very lucky that their ineptitude outweighs their malice, that's all I can say. Most credible sources now seem to suggest that UC won't come in for most people until 2017- if it comes in at all, such a dog's dinner is it.

MissPixie I understand that. I'm hoping that potential employers would read the reference anyway, take it as a character testimonial. My charity doesnt give references to the workfare bods anyway, they said they only gave them to the volunteers.

RandallFloyd I read the last bit of your post as 'benefit badgers' - I thought for a moment they had replaced our goats with TB riddled bitey things

I don't know of this has been said already but volunteering does not affect benefits as long as you inform the benefits office and are still available for work as per your 'contract' with the job centre (just been delivering training on this very subject today!)

Fayre if you really feel like this , be sure to tell your boss about it won't you ?

MrsSippie 16 hours you can go up to. Do you happen to know how you go on with college and volunteering, is it as long as it's all under 16 hours in total you're ok?

The 16

Hour

Oops

Try

Again. The 16 hour rule no longer exists. You can volunteer for as long as you like so long as it doesn't impact on your 'jobsearch' if you are on JSA, and the rules are the same with most benefits. The JC staff are pig ignorant about this on the whole and try to scare people about it. Check gov.UK, there is more info there.

Well, he was wrong! Honest!

I did this last year for 4 weeks, wanna know what I got out of it.....

A crappy certificate.

Not even a reference I could give to employers.

To be fair, I've found Jobe Centre advice more accurate than that from the work program (who are now advertising for staff, I'm half tempted to apply) but I take all their advice with a pinch of salt.