Stupid UC changes

[daimbarsatemydogsbone]

So now you have 4 weeks to get a job you could actually do - then you just have to apply for anything/everything.

Every time we have a thread on here about recruitment, the HR wonks pop up and complain about all the "dross" applications from people not qualified for their wonderful opportunities - how will this help?

Rather than punishing people for lack of suitable vacancies it is time the goverment tried to help employers to offer more and better jobs.

There’s loads of jobs around at the moment. Not sure why it’s the government’s responsibility to make companies provide different jobs. I actually think it’s fair enough that people should be make to look for and accept the jobs that are available, even if it isn’t exactly what they want to do or the exact hours/times they want. It’s not the responsibility of the government/taxes to pay for people who refuse to do the jobs available.

It is definitely the government's job to create the environment for well paid productive jobs to be available.

The problem with that though @Overthebow is things like care work.
Where I am, about the only jobs available most of the time are in care, and that's the last place you want people who are basically forced to be there and don't want to be there!
And, like OK said, it means 100s of useless applications for other jobs that have to be windowed out.

It's so lazy and dull to say "there's loads of jobs round at the moment". People need to earn living wages, people need security, people need flexibility. These things aren't achieved because you might have seen that Gregg's were hiring on the way to work this morning.

Of course it's the government's job to ensure quality jobs for it's citizens. Jesus, what low expectations you have if you believe otherwise. We've been so let down by this absolute sham of a government that we've become glutton for punishment. Still, as long as Boris has got some nice wallpaper up I guess that's the main thing.

I groaned as well, sanctions do not help
Long term. Starving someone and them not being able afford any heating or electric
Or bus fair how does that help? You be weaker, colder, depressed, more dirty less ironed and clean. Not going to more attractive to employers. Prisoners are allowed 3 meals a day but if job centre dotn think you have tried enough can legally withdrawal all Income above your rent. Fab

As a disabled person who uses care agency’s well no I don’t want staff who only doing it because they are made to. How does that solve the national care crisis? Nobody wants the jobs because low
Pay and crap conditions. Yes so some
Jobs will be filled by someone who’s no joy to be around make My day to life more miserable. Then in few weeks they get better paid job in Tesco's and look I get someone new have train up.

Don’t kid yourself that they mean scumbag dole scrounges. If you lose your decent paid
Job and in 4 weeks have found nothing you could also be sanctioned for not doing care work either.

Independent studies have shown benefit sanctions don't actually work

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/benefit-sanctions-are-harmful-and-ineffective/

I know UC is hard and sanctions don't work, but, I walked round my town yesterday and I would say that easily three quarters of the shops/ cafes/ restaurants had signs up asking for staff. So there is work out there besides care work.

Obviously I know it's not everyone's first choice but it's a start

I know people that literally have not worked for years purely because they don't find anything they want

It's about being productive and getting into work even if it's not what someone desires to start with will teach them skills they didn't have so is a good stepping stone.

Sitting at home miserable and fed up scrimping in benefits isn't going to I still and teach people is it

I’ve been job hunting for a few months. (I’ve now got a part time job) Since I started I have noticed a huge increase in the amount of jobs that are “job start scheme” only. Which is a great initiative for those aged 16-24. But means everyone 25+ can no longer apply or be considered for those jobs. And they’re all jobs that would suit anyone of any age. One day last week the first two pages of sales assistant roles on the job centre website were all “job start scheme”. In addition- businesses are now all making their new positions apprenticeships. So you can only apply if you are also going to FE college and completing and apprenticeship qualification. Again- great for all the young people. Not so great for the rest of us.

Part of the problem is that people looking for jobs don't have the right skills for the jobs available- so I think more training opportunities and support for people retraining would be more helpful than just punishing people by cutting benefits.

The BBC article on this mentions that job seekers will get more time with a 'work coach'. Unless things have changed a lot over the last few years this is pointless. I experienced having to claim benefits when I unexpectedly lost my job and had no savings and 2 young children. I was willing to take just about anything that was feasible with the constraints of available childcare times (so not night shift etc) but despite being highly qualified for my previous (very niche) job I was turned down for numerous jobs because other applicants had more relevant experience. The only training on offer was aimed at people who needed help with basic literacy/numeracy/computer skills and my work coach sessions consisted a member of staff reading their list of vacancies with me and asking which I thought I could do (on every occasion I had already applied for anything vaguely sensible). When I suggested voluntary work or a training course not provided by them I was warned that I might not qualify as 'available for work' and may have benefits cut. On one occasion I got quite upset with the situation and my 'coach' basically told me I should think myself lucky as she'd love a bit of time off like I had, but had already used all her holiday allowance going to Australia earlier in the year.

So if you're unemployed and fit for work you're being asked to look for work?

I'm pretty liberal and don't like the UC system in general but of course people should be looking for work.

Did the rules not used to be spend 35 hours a week doing job search related activities (unless you have certain caring responsibilities)

Oh BtW the job I’ve got is a 4 hour contract. I’ve been promised I will actually get more hours but I can’t do anything If they don’t give me them. And what wasn’t made clear on the application was that this is a FTC until end of March. I can only hope it will be extended if they like me. During my 4 hours a week.

@wtfisgoingonhere21

I know people that literally have not worked for years purely because they don't find anything they want

It's about being productive and getting into work even if it's not what someone desires to start with will teach them skills they didn't have so is a good stepping stone.

Sitting at home miserable and fed up scrimping in benefits isn't going to I still and teach people is it

On any given thread about benefits the claim about people being on them for years and not bothering to work is always made. Given we also hear stories of all the people being sanctioned and the complaints from HR people about all the "dross" applicants, these lazt scroungers must be leading some kind of charmed life where the dole office just leaves them alone and never asks for any evidence they are looking for work - and that doesn't ring true to me.

Did the rules not used to be spend 35 hours a week doing job search related activities

They still are AFAIK. Which is doable in the first week, maybe 2 of being unemployed, but once you’ve applied for every job available and updated your CV and distributed, it becomes extremely hard to find 35 hours worth of job searching activity to do. There are only so many jobs posted in a week.

Of course people should look for work but if you have decent qualification and trade and reasonable expect to get back into that field being told after 4 weeks no you can’t look for something you went to Uni for and maybe have 5y experience doing you have apply mim wage jobs instead.

Before was 6 months which granted is decent enough time for most people 4 weeks is nothing in job terms takes weeks wait job applications to end then wait for
Interviews etc. Not good for employers who then have people leaving after few weeks months, doesn’t help a graduate who applies Tescos as they know only doing it temp job before clear off. It may make
Job seekers numbers look better

Why should the tax payers pay why you continue to search for the job you want. Take any job and then look for the job you want whilst working. I find it crazy that people were ever allowed to wait for a job they want as opposed to any job that pays some bills.

Oh and, when I interviewed for the job I got, I was told I was over qualified and asked why I had applied in the first place.

@shouldistop

So if you're unemployed and fit for work you're being asked to look for work?

I'm pretty liberal and don't like the UC system in general but of course people should be looking for work.

Did the rules not used to be spend 35 hours a week doing job search related activities (unless you have certain caring responsibilities)

I have no quarrel at all with expecting people to look for work. But it is ridiculous expecting people to apply for jobs they are clearly never going to get "because targets" it's just pointless. As I mentioned before - independent studies have shown benefit sanctions don't work. Initiatives like this are political, not practical, they are just playing to the narrative of "workshy scroungers" - simplistic sloganising for the hard of thinking.

@ABCDEF1234

Why should the tax payers pay why you continue to search for the job you want. Take any job and then look for the job you want whilst working. I find it crazy that people were ever allowed to wait for a job they want as opposed to any job that pays some bills.

They aren't - people are expected to look for work. But applying for loads of jobs you'll never get just wastes everyones time for no benefit. As a matter of interest I wonder if you have ever needed to claim benefits?

I suspect people saying "there's loads of jobs" and "just take any job" haven't actually been in this position in recent years.

My daughter is trying to recruit at the moment.

The job centre send her details of candidates and she contacts them.

They sound very enthusiastic on the phone and get invited for interview but they don't turn up.

Is this the 'candidate's' evidence that they are applying for jobs?

I have mixed views on this. As a whole I think that if you need a job you will take most jobs whether those be in bars or supermarkets until you can find what it is you ultimately want to get back into.

But I do think that people will be required to apply for jobs that they’re being put forward such as in the care industry where they need professionals not people who don’t want to be there.

Ultimately anyone can work in a pub. Not anyone can or should be working in the care industry. so there has to be middle ground.

From my perspective I have a visual impairment and am therefore not able to work in a bar or a supermarket or I would be working in one by now. And if I was on UC I would be sanctioned for not applying to whatever they sent me, in fact when I was on UC they used to send me jobs for things like car park wardens with “must hold a valid UK driving licence” as part of the criteria, and this despite them knowing that I have 0 sight and so it’s laughable to even suggest. As I was told that I wasn’t entitled to any financial assistance and ESA is no longer granted unless you’ve paid national insurance within the past two years I withdrew my claim. But if I needed the money and was receiving money then I would likely be sanctioned for legitimately not applying for a job as a car park warden, and if I did apply to avoid sanctions then the employer is left dealing with a useless applicant they shouldn’t have had in the first place.

Help to get disabled people into work is virtually non existent, especially those with a VI. The RNIB has a cracking track record of themselves only having a 7% VI workforce, and having shut down all their employment programmes. And the DEA’s who used to exist at the job centres have now all but disappeared. There isn’t one at my job centre at any rate, and many others I know of.

Having had interview offers and job offers withdrawn because of my disability I’ve actually reached a point where I don’t think it’s worth even applying any more.

And that could all be different if I could go and work in a supermarket and take just any job

People with morals don't support social security "sanctions" deliberately impoverishing and punishing people for facing difficulties.

This means people could be "sanctioned" before they even receive their first payment. It traps people in a cycle of crap unstable jobs instead of being able to improve their circumstances.

This policy was announced today as part of a continuing strategy of redirecting people's anger towards those at the bottom rung of society rather than the immoral criminals in government.

It's abhorrent and immoral and does absolutely nothing to help anyone.

I agree sanctions are applied even more for those who are disabled. Even if not required to work but do job activities. They are easy meat. Miss your buss have sanction, miss letter about appointment have a sanction, in hospital tried contacting them that you are going miss appointment, sanctioned. They put this half of story out so most people think Oh well of course lazy dole seekers should take Anything but most time the sanctions go on those who don’t deserve them and the jury would decided shouldn’t get.

During the first wave of Covid my self employment ended when all the work dried up and I didn't qualify for any government help.
I didn't sign on to UC.
I did apply to Tesco for a range of store/delivery jobs. They all had fairly antisocial hours but I didn't mind as DD is 13 and can fend for herself a bit.
Tesco turned me down - I was available for immediate start, have no health issues etc but I couldn't pass their online selection questions (multiple choice). It's just a myth to suggest jobs are easy to get.