I think a lot of people believe that you just walk up to the jobcentre, say give me money and they fill your pockets for you.
What actually happens involves loads of ringing different departments, because despite their huge database of stuff and the fact they all operate under one banner, none of them will talk to each other and they cannot access your information with it going to and fro for a while (and possibly getting lost on the way)
Your most heard response is "it's not my problem", followed by "I don't know".
When they finally (grudgingly) agree that you might need to afford food, bills etc you then have to wait for them to think about it. They are obliged to either have it sorted by, I believe, 28 working days, or to send you a holding letter. Guess which is more likely?
When you eventually get your money you then have to repeatedly justify getting it.
Which means on JSA you have to sign on every fortnight. During this time you cannot take voluntary work, and have to be a real gambler if you do temp work. Calling in to cancel appointments to go to job interviews is definitely not as easy as it should be.
While I understand the logic behind getting proof of interview to cancel a sign on, how many jobs do you think are keen on having someone ask for proof that they were there? No matter how things should be, a lot of places are not keen on hiring people on JSA - there's just too much stigma attached. It also makes them think that you only want the job for the cash, not the job.
If you are on Incapacity Benefit then you need to attend a medical, which will be attended by a doctor then points will be awarded so if you get over a certain amount you get the benefit. You'd think that the points would be awarded by the doctor who saw you wouldn't you? Don't be silly.
DP's form said he has ME aka CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), yet the appeal letter we got back saying he'd failed to get enough points said (right next to the bit about ME) that "the patient does not suffer from fatigue". So you see the calibre you are up against!
Ooh that's another point, the appeal letter. You will not be told what exactly you are appealing against, and yet you have to appeal, then when you appeal you will fail based on lack of evidence to support points that you didn't know you hadn't got. Makes sense? You then have to go to a tribunal. Till the tribunal you should be on a reduced rate of income support. That is, if they don't fuck up.
Conveniently we know a fair few people in the same situation as us whose IS was stopped due to failing the medical just in the run up to the election.. just in time for a report to be announced by the government to say that less people were on benefits since the recession. Interesting timing dont you think?
Oh and another fun thing. Two people living together cannot apply seperately, fair enough, though this means that despite only one of us having had a failed medical recently, we were both cut off.
Are you all still jealous? We have a PS3 you know? Maybe you'd care to swap situations? You wont be able to eat, but you can play some games while you wait for help!