To absolutely despise job centre staff?

[backacge]

I receive universal credit to top me up. I am a masters student in a vocational subject that will 100 percent result in a job, I work ten - twelve hours a week, sometimes more and am a single mum. I am trying my best. Over summer I work as often as I can also and make enough that the job centre aren't on my back as I'm earning enough.

Just received a notification that I must attend a work review on Thursday. Number 1 - I have uni that day. Number 2 - what more do they actually want me to do? I am in uni 3 days out the week then the other 2 I am studying. Saturday I work.

I am beyond frustrated. I always find the staff there to be rude and obnoxious and look down their nose at me, even though im probably more qualified than them.

Typical Mumsnet bullying on this thread.

Quite. Only the well-off should be able to become qualified enough to fill the jobs that the UK so desperately need filled.

Aye, next time you’re pissing and moaning about how long it takes any form of test results from the NHS to come through or the next Pandemic, or anything at all related to Public Health/Microbiology/Biomedical Science, or in fact in anything STEM related, remember these words.

Because there’s a huge shortage of Scientists, particularly women, and allowing single parents to claim UC whilst they study is one of the small mercies that is seeing these numbers slowly go up.

But who needs them, right? Not like we drive improvements in all aspects of human life. I should have stuck to NMW on a shop till despite the fact I have the ability to help others.

I went back to university full time in 2018 as a mature student. I funded myself didn’t claim benefits and to be honest I saw this a a bit of a luxury even though it was geared towards a specific occupation. But if I hadn’t been able to afford it, I wouldn’t have done it and frankly compared to my working life, my life as a student was very easy and sometimes involved getting up late.

Fast forward and earlier in 2022, employment had not worked out as well as I had hoped and I found myself deciding to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance. It is entirely possible I am more “qualified” than the person who dealt with me, I have a degree, a masters and a prestigious professional qualification as well. I was still unemployed. My issue was that I was looking for much more junior roles than I had previously had and my tactics had not worked, she directed me in a particular location and I walked in and within a week I had some work, to suit the hours I wanted to work. I feel like she did her job.

@Aprilx you don't have kids then eh?

You paid you rent, bills, food, childcare and Uni expenses with the £10,000 loan?

Cool story bro.

@Aprilx and SOME students, like me, are up at 6am, out the door at 7:30am and not home until 6pm, 5 days a week, with extra studying to do on top. My job at Asda was far easier than the 4 years I spent doing that.

This mythical £10K is like the Mumsnet chicken that feeds the 5000…. Even if it actually happened a few years ago certainly not gonna happen now is it? @Aprilx

Here here. Where is the personal responsibility?

I was in my second year when this poster was in her first and I sure as shit couldn’t have done what they’re claiming to do.

@FreddyHG
How do you expect people to take "personal responsibility" when their courses are full time and it's only possible for them to work a shift at the weekend? The OP has explained this already.

Being forced to claim benefits because a course doesn't allow you to continue your full time work is not a "luxury" or lacking "personal responsibility." What an ignorant comment.

Ok well people are entitled to do that – have not done so myself but am glad that people have this option while pursuing further education. The opportunity is available to you too, so there is no issue of unfairness here. I suppose you also do not take advantage of other state-provided services such as the NHS – only private healthcare, etc. funded by your own savings. Good for you – although btw, no-one cares.

Your working commitments should only be turned on during holidays, especially when on a full time course with placements.

Have you queried this with them?

I must say I do find it a little pointless during the holidays where it’s 1 week etc. I don’t understand how you’re supposed to find a job, interview for it, go through the application stages then induction/training in one week?

When I did my degree I found most of the staff nice and just a select few quite rude and patronising. I just nodded my head and got on with it, soon you’ll be graduated and you’ll hopefully find a job quickly and not be bothered by them too much.

@Meadowbreeze just came back as wanted my real name removed from thread. In what post did I say I expected millions back?

I worked my arse off from a young age after leaving comprehensive school and after 11 years of working 100hrs a week my dad and son died and I was just 31 and had a break down.

I got unwell and lost it all. However to then ask me to live on what I get is a joke and I can’t even afford to eat. I now have a life long debilitating illness and not eating makes the condition worse so it’s a vicious cycle. I can’t get well to work but need to work to keep alive.

Obviously I am going to not like the system but hey think of all the people my taxes have helped, I suppose I should be grateful?

FFS for 6 months I got £280 a month! You try living off that

I don’t have rent or childcare bills, I am 52 and mortgage free. My comment was not about money at all. I was firstly commenting that I did find being a full time student easier than full time working (in response to another post) and I was then commenting on my experience with the job centre staff which the thread is about.

I am not sure why I would make up a cool story about it, it doesn’t even seem particularly cool to me, I would have made up something more interesting if I were inclined to make up anything at all, which I am not.

I suggest you read my post, because I didn’t claim to do anything with a £10k loan. I made a simple comment that my life was easier as a full time student than as a full time worker, in that yes I could get up later and some days didn’t need to go in at all etc. I am really feeling very baffled at the hostility.

Didn't see if op did actually answer one of the first questions, but did you actually try to change the appointment? Read your replies and doesn't seem like you even tried that.

Also many people do hate social workers. I know there are some good ones, I know of a few, but some are dreadful. A very horrible one lives near me, breaks many rules in her job and judging on her parenting skills with her own child, she is slowly producing a paedophile or rapist by letting him get away with crimes as a teenager. Some are shit I'm afraid, like every profession. Might as well face the facts on that.

You only work one day a week? No wonder they're on your back.

Dumbo, she can't work due to placements. Her placements are 5 days a week 9 - 5. She works at night when she can fit it in! She also had a daughter. Is she not meant to see her?

Dumbo? I really didn't think anyone bright or progressive still used words like that these days. Bless.

I had this with Job Centre staff, when I was training and working part time. Think it depends on the individual rather than 'all job centre' staff. It's also not exactly the happiest of workplaces.

But yeah some of them definitely did speak to me as if I was some kind of leech on the taxpayer. A view clearly shared by some mumsnetters, considering the posts here. Though I will say, I think your "more qualified than them" comment is indicative of a bit of judgement on your part.

But I wouldn't pay any heed to it, it's only temporary. Be pleasant as I am sure they get a lot of grumpy people in!

I'm doing a healthcare related MSc and working far more hours than you are. So therefore I don't need UC.

The issue is your working 10 -12 hours per week. What's that all about.

So you do 35 hour a week placements, then work on top of that enough that you don't need a UC top up? You're also single and have children? When is the OP meant to see her children? Study? Sleep? Eat? God forbid relax for a minute.

I hate most of the responses to this post, the benefits system, that we all pay lots of money into should be designed to support people into getting higher paying jobs, that in turn generate more tax, that in turn support more people into higher paying jobs. Most of the posts in here are mean and seem driven by jealousy. If someone has studied, raised a kid is getting a masters and has a viable career path in plan they should be supported. Trying ti make the poor poorer stinks. Equally people that’s bar some and are qualified for higher paying jobs shouldn’t be forced into minimum wage jobs because it’s counterproductive and lowers the tax base all round, meaning that those that need the benefits don’t have as big a pot to eat from. Use your brains rather than your prejudice.