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.

I get UC, work the hours I can and don't have to look for work but I still have to go in for appointments every 3 months, the meetings literally last 5 minutes and we always say the same thing but it is what it is..they are just doing their job, I actually think it's pretty reasonable they would want you to check in every now and then - probably because a lot of people "forget" to report a change in circumstances, and I don't feel looked down on at all.

My job involved visiting a lot of job centres across the country and I can honestly say that generally, the staff at these were my favourite to visit. A lot of them had been unemployed themselves at some point. I found them empathetic and genuinely wanting to help. A lot going over and above their duties. Of course, stroppy unpleasant people also happened on both sides of the counter too.

My latest JC advisor was bloody amazing. It was ❤️ at first sight for both of us! I was only claiming temporarily this time though between postgrad and starting new job. I was gutted to say goodbye to her 😔 I’ve had some shit experiences with them over the years though. Not all are angels!

If you walk in there with that"I'm probably more qualified than them" attitude I feel sorry for them. Be grateful we have a system where you can get benefits to support you and your family whilst you study.

Yep totally, this was my experience too. I only signed on for a couple of months while getting my first job, and was totally cooperative and keen to do whatever was needed. But the attitude was steeped in contempt and hostility, and there was almost a vibe of schadenfreude over any hoops that were counterproductive to your job search or made things more difficult generally. It was weird!

You’re being supported by the state. In addition, you have absolutely no idea about their academic qualifications.If you’re so brilliant who did you not go to university when you left school? Did you leave it until
later so that you could get via an “access” route?

They’re doing their job. You’re claiming. Suck it up.

Yes, so much more qualified than them that they and taxpayers are funding your lifestyle choices and feeding YOUR child, while you work a full 10 hours, wow.

And I was on your side until your ridiculous comment at the end. But you're actually just like them and it's gross.

You’re being supported by the state. In addition, you have absolutely no idea about their academic qualifications.If you’re so brilliant who did you not go to university when you left school? Did you leave it until later so that you could get via an “access” route?

They’re doing their job. You’re claiming. Suck it up.

I did a Masters when I was a single mum. I did it over 2 years and worked FT to make living and support my kids. You could do that too and not owe anyone anything. Yep, hard, but that's the cost of freedom.

I'm glad the JC don't make it easy for people like you.

I did 🤣 and I do know as we spoke about it and how we went to same uni

I used to work in a job centre. I have been spat out, sworn at, had lit cigarettes thrown at my face, threatened with violence, Colleagues have been attacked with chisels, golf clubs – one even had a tin of paint poured over them… It's not a great place to work.

Having said that, I think the service you get really depends on the person sitting opposite you. I have worked with amazing people who really wanted to help others, and I've worked with people who really can't be arsed and are just clock watching until their tea break.

But if you want to access benefits, there are rules you must agree to. You are studying to make your situation better: that's great. But from the Jobcentre pov, they are not there to help you become a high earner: they are only interested in you making enough money to stop claiming benefits.

I met a lovely lot of lovely people working at the job centre, many of whom were very keen to find work ASAP. The worst people I ever had to interview were the ones that thought that I and the job centre were beneath them.

People like me? People who are studying to go into a very challenging job and to try better themselves?

There isn't an option to do this course part time. It's a 2.5 year course and full of placements. It would be impossible for me to work full time.

When I last signed on briefly, there was a man who had been made redundant - no redundancy money - and had another job, but it did not start for two weeks. He was signing on for 2 weeks but still had to apply for other jobs and attend a course on how to apply for a job to get his two weeks money.
It is stupid. They seem to have zero flexibility.

And when I say placements, it isn't shifts, it is literally 9-5 Monday to Friday. I work 5.45 till 9 every Tuesday and Thursday. Work Saturdays and pick up extras when I can. Can't think of any other way to do this.

And ignore those Tories who think you should be prostate with thankfulness for getting UC.

I’d message the uc on the online system and ask them to please send over the legislation that states you must attend this meeting and that they are mandatory they pulled this trick with me years ago when I was part time and had a 2 month old dragging me into meetings which wernt mandatory until my child was one year old they quickly changed it to a telephone interview and never bothered me again after I asked for it.

YANVU it’s not the staff’s fault. It’s just the rules.

FWIW the last time I went to the job centre they were absolutely lovely!
Its probably because I was nice to them and so they were nice back.

One guy said the majority of people who come in think they world owes them a favour and there’s a security guard in there as they always get verbally and sometimes physically abused.

I don’t get how you can be in uni 3 days a week and then studying 2 days - are you part time?

If so your requirement to work more hours will increase.

I believe if you are studying FT you will not have to look for work, although I don’t know if you get any help with UC then.

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.

Sounds more like you looking down on them… You could always not take the UC top up if it offends you so. Do you think the state should just hand out money, no questions asked? Or it is just worthy Masters students who don’t need to be questioned?

I dont see why you should get UC support to do a masters anyway to be honest.

You don't have to claim. If you're more qualified than them, why aren't you earning more already instead of being subsidised by the government? Why didn't you save before you went back to study so you don't have to claim? You seem to think you're better than them but I'm not sure how. You want money from the government, you follow the rules they ask.

Do you not? How come?

Your attitude is horrendous.

You have no idea how qualified the staff are or not. Their the ones getting up, going to work every day, paying taxes, getting grief 80% of the day. You're the one claiming help to enable you to study, yet you think you're better than them?? Honestly you must be joking.

Please tell me this vocational job of yours has zero interaction with the public/isnt health based. Because your disgusting attitude would not be suited at all.

Can you ring and rearrange the appointment?

It is a very “one size fits all” system, when one size absolutely does not fit all. I have to go in every three months and explain my circumstances, even though both me and the guy I go to see know they haven’t changed and I can’t work right now. I’m saving to move back closer to my family so I can get a job. The appointments do seem a bit unnecessary, they could very well be done over the phone, and they just leave me feeling shit because it’s just a reminder that I’m trapped by shitty circumstances right now.

But you are gonna get dragged for this thread because people on here already hate people for daring to be on benefits so complaining at all will get you a world of shit.

I've rarely had to use job centres, however the time I have had to use them, I appreciated the staff were doing the best they could, I think they actually sent me on a 'good course' about finding work (turned out to be a waste of a day but at least got me out of the house), but the jobs they did find/wanted to find for me were basically what was on their books.

I do think most job centre staff are doing their jobs, the best they can and it doesn't help sometimes if they're dealing with people who don't want to work. I don't think they despise the people who use job centres but morale must be low and they must get demoralised themselves sometimes.