I've made a complaint about my Work Coach

[BobISMyUncle]

and now I've been sanctioned. I couldn't attend an appointment due to lack of petrol and a lack of funds to get there. I receive my Universal Credit on the 10th of each month, and my appointment was made (by them) for the 8th. I receive the princely sum of £324 per month. I wrote on my Journal that I could not make this appointment due to lack of money to buy petrol. I received a reply (it was heavy sighing, even in the Journal entry, if that makes sense!) and stated that she would "ring me on this occasion". This appointment is a 23 mile round trip and costs about £5.00
During my phone call, I was told that "you need to manage your money better". Sadly, I'm one of those people who think of brilliant retorts about ten minutes after I need them! Nonetheless, I was still quite surprised at her remark but didn't get the chance to answer as she was determined to move the conversation on. These meetings are mandatory. They must be attended otherwise sanctions will be applied.
Hey Presto! I'm sanctioned. I don't know by how much because the website is down (conveniently?) I can't appeal against the decision because the website is down. I can't do anything. If I call, it's a call centre and nothing is achieved, they appear to be message takers. I would like to talk with someone who has a little empathy. AND! YE GODS! I've missed another appointment! More sanctions coming my way! This, from a Civil Servant. I wonder, how much do I have to live on next month? My work coach suggested that I do care work. I wonder if it's because she will be needing it from her other clients? I am not rubbing my hands in glee because I'm far too busy making room for her in the patio and well tended gardens of my sheltered housing accommodation. LOL! This is funny, but serious. Advice please x

Not Impressed of East Anglia.

I honestly thought there were jobs available for those that want and need them. We have staffing crises in most sectors. Dreadful shortages, causing businesses to close, or reduce working hours.

Help me understand why it's not as easy as I'm seeing it?

Yes but that doesn't mean they automatically get the work allowance, you need to be responsible for a child or have LCW to get the allowance, but either way she would be better off as the uc is only reduced by 55p for every £ she earns, it would be impossible for her to be worse off

the op failed to tell her WC she got the job - so currently it is benefit fraud

had she told her WC - they would have said she must accept and have enlightened her (although I am surprised she didn’t know already considering splashed all over news when the reduced the tapering to 55p) re how much she’d taken home (pretty much all of it, if not all of it!)

You are fucking joking right

For clarity, it is NOT classed as fraud for failing to take up work. It is sanctionable but certainly not fraud.

I worked the figures using 400 monthly income

Standard allowance 334 with no work allowance. 400 wages × .55 = 220
334 -220 = 114
Plus 400 wages =514 each month.

With work allowance

334 award
400 wages
344 disregarded so 66 × .55 = 36.30
334 - 36.30 = 297.70 plus 400 wages = 697.70

So no way can someone be worse off by working when claiming uc

Forgot to say, it would only be fraud if the OP got the job, and started receiving income without declaring it, getting offered a job and turning it down is not benefit fraud

Some of those jobs will be part time. When I was job seeking years ago, there was a company constantly advertising. It was 12 hours but they didn't want you to have a second job jus in case there were extra hours they needed you for.

It is if she did not tell her WC she had been offered a job as she would not be keeping to her UC commitments

I agree, but it still would not be benefit fraud that would get investigated by a Fraud Investigator. Not adhering to the commitments agreed is not benefit fraud

That wouldn't be an issue for OP though. She can do part-time with or without extra hours. And as PPs have said, she wouldn't be out of pocket for working. So something in OP story isn't adding up.

I would assume that they worked out the figures as so many do, and forget to add back in the wages they receive. Used to see that a lot when people would query why they should be working and it simply turned out they worked out what they would receive wrongly

She would have been explicitly asked if she has searched for work, and if offered a job.

saying no means she then received the benefit under false pretence

aka fraud

I won't be replying anymore to this thread as its clear some people don't listen.

By saying no then she is lying yes but this does not automatically make it fraud. The work coach would make a referral to a DM for failing to take up work offered, but this does not become benefit fraud until someone takes up work and fails to declare income.

There is a difference between not adhering to your commitments, and committing fraud. Not sticking to your commitments can lead to a sanction which varies depending on whether it's first offence and the circumstances which lead to a sanction. Failing to take up offered work would never get as far as a fraud investigation, that's the reason that it would be a dm referral as investigators are too busy dealing with other things to worry about if Mrs Jones failed to take a job,

Fraud is above and beyond a sanction, this can lead to an overpayment, admin penalty, civil penalty or prosecution.

If a fraud referral was made and the allegation was that work was not taken up, the fraud admin would chuck it back to the work coach and state that a dm referral is needed.

If all the op has done is fail to take up paid work, then a dm referral would be made and the dm would then decide if a sanction is applicable, it would NOT be sent to the fraud department

Source: I'm a benefit fraud investigator.

Some work coaches can be utter a-holes, some follow the guidelines to the letter and some are aware that sometimes stuff out of your control happens.

I have to use the bus to get into town, I usually plan it so the bus gets me there with 30mins spare - to take into consideration traffic jams etc. One week that bus was running over 30mins late, which in turn made me late. I messaged my work coach and arrived 5 minutes late. Fortunately my work coach was still able to see me, otherwise it would have been a sanction.

This week I've missed my appointment due to covid, my work coach knows that if I don't make it then I must be ill. They're also the very much by the guidelines type of person, so am very careful about attending appointments and following up on their suggestions of jobs.

Because these companies choose to be excessively selective. I was very recently sacked and have been applying for jobs left right and center but its difficult. Have had a few rejections as well despite a solid 15 year work history.

You guessed wrong !

I've said this on another thread, but given that you have a car and drive - Amazon Flex are always hiring. There is no interview. All you have to do is download the app and sign up. It takes about a week to get approved. Then you can do as many or as few shifts as you want in your own car and your own time. They also pay weekly. It's quite an easy job to earn extra money. You can also sign up for petrol discount and pay for petrol by direct debit, so you can fill up when you need to work but pay later.

There really isn't any excuse for any able-bodied person not to have a job at the moment. Companies are literally crying out for staff.

Lol dont talk out of your arse.

If only that were true in the area I live in!! Maybe in the cities, but not so much in rural Suffolk.

Oh My Gosh! Look at yourselves! Listen to yourselves! I have worked for over 46 years and just needed a little help. And here you all are. Nothing better to do? Bingo?

I hope you get it sorted @BobISMyUncle , horrible situation to be in

Did you tell your WC that you were offered the 12 hour job but declined it?

The jobcentre are bastards, you have my sympathy.

I have told them everything. I'm not a drain on resources. The only time I was in hospital was to have my tonsils out, and my baby.
I'm glad that I can still create such a discussion! I'm now 66 and cycling 23 miles is no longer in my remit.