They've stopped my JSA - what am I supposed to live on ??

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

I started work 30 hours a week in sept 2010. After a few weeks i ran into childcare problems, and also family problems. I renegotiated my hours and went down to 22 hours a week. Unfotunatly the childcare, and family problems continued and ds also started having problems at school.

I tried various ways of sorting things out but eventually ended up having time off sick with stess and depression. I did return to work, but several of the problems then increased and I ended up being signed of sick again and i'm now on ad's. Things at home didn't improve and I eventually handed in my notice at the end of july.

I applied for JSA and gave all of the relevant info as to why I had voluntarily given up work. I was awarded JSA and have been getting since, and signing on every fortnight. I've had a few interviews but no offers as yet.

Anyway, about 4 weeks ago i had a letter saying that some doubt had arisen over my claim and why I had left, and that they would soon be making a descion. I contacted the job centre and they said there was nothing i could do until they told me the outcome. Well now they have. They said my reasons for giving up my job were not sufficent and so I am not longer entitled to JSA.

I can and will be appealing, but what am I supposed to do until then ?

Oh FFS. That is so shit . I'm constantly teetering on the edge of being signed off or just chucking it all in, I hate the way LP's are meant to be superhuman and never fall apart no matter how much pressure is piled on us.

Having had my rant I'm not sure who could help you? I know gingerbread have a hotline for LP questions and maybe the CAB might give you a few other options.

Outrageous treatment. Good advice from Meglet - hope you sort it soon.

If you explain the situation to your doctor I am sure you would be eligable for ESA with a sick note and then when you are ready I think they transfer you to JSA.

I am no expert though, but it may be something to look into.

Sorry you are having a crappy time of it

Can you get an emergency appointment with your lp adviser ?

I cant claim IS as my youngest is 8. My other two are 14 and nearly 12. I don't mind leaving them for short periods of time, and so i did leave them before and after school but ds needs proper childcare and i failed to find someone for the mornings or holidays.

My mum was meant to be my main childcare but after a few weeks she didn't feel up to it, especially in the school hols when she was having to have them all day.

I don't really want to claim ESA as I feel ok to work now that my ad's have been sorted out. I just need something that fits in more with the dc.

I really did try several ways to sort things before I left and the boss even agreed with me and said what a shame it was etc.

I am hoping to do that tomorrow Liz. I need to go in anyway because I need the appeal form.

It makes me so mad that xp has been claiming jsa for over 5yrs, has no intention of getting a job and yet he gets left alone.

What an awful situation. Have you tried the CAB for advice? In the meantime ensure you are claiming all your tax credits, housing benefit (if renting), council tax benefit etc that you can. You can also apply for a crisis loan from the job centre. Maybe post on the benefits board on Money Saving Expert as they'll have people who've been through the same or similar.

Also look into whether you can appeal - CAB may know about this.

Oh bugger, I think this will be happening to me shortly then. My job is in the evening but I now have no childcare, my mother was looking after them as she lives with us but this is no longer viable. I think I may have to speak to CAB. I'm off sick at the moment as I came fingernail close to a breakdown in the summer, my thyroid and cortisol levels mean I can barely do day to day stuff without feeling beyond exhausted. (I've actually spent some time sitting on the stairs because I couldn't go either up nor down, literally like someone pulled the plug on me.)

My work has this thing that when you are off for a certain time you get "illness termination" which is "voluntary". I can't go back yet but when I do it would need to be day shift which they will refuse to accommodate.

FYI my ex hasn't worked properly in years yet is happy living off the ow.

It really does make one feel that but for my dts there would be no purpose anymore.

Well i have been and just about managed not to blow my top at the patronising git that I spoke to. He gave me the appeal form and booklet, and eventually gave me a hadship for , but to apply for that I have to go to a diff job centre (great when i have no fucking petrol) on thursday, at 3pm (yes, school run time), and take a load of paperwork with me and then they might give me hardship payments.

Got home and rung another dept and it turns out the twat at the jobcentre has given me the wrong form. I should have been given a reclaim form first to see if they desicion could be overturned and then an appeal form IF they still said no.

So, I have to go to the jobcentre here on thurs morning to get the correct form, and then another one on thursday afternoon to beg for money.

I could cy, infact I did last night.

Thankfully my friend and I have possibly worked out a plan for me to have her dd before and after school at my house and claim as self employed. I'd not have to register as a childcarer because her dd is 9. We are going to look into that more tomorow.

Twoifbysea - Make sure you keep copies of any doctors notes because then if you do have to leave, you will need proof of being ill.

I feel for you OP it's a disgrace how LP's get treated by the system my life has been made a living hell by the benefits system I have tried part-time working and they have signed me off, billed me for hundreds so often that i live constantly at my wits end end. I now don't work because the alternatives are unbearable and I hate it, I desperately want to work but cannot get a full-time job. I have frequently been left high and dry for weeks on end while they sort it out...close family have helped which has been a godsend you could try opening a credit union account as you can borrow 3x your savings at any time to cover emergencies like these. Good luck..ps they have just suspended my HB again...why? Because I opened another bank account and asked them to pay into this account instead...another fiasco that will take weeks to sort out no doubt...

Update : After speaking to the tax people I have now registered as self employed to care for my friends 9yr old before and after school and in hols.

I am going to sign off jsa and try not to tell them to stick it as I do so

My plan now is that after xmas I will do a few things that need doing to my home, and then register to care for under 8's too.

Luckily because I will be caring for my friends dd for 18 hours, it means i can claim wtc so hopefully we will be able to eat in the near future.

I hope to never have to deal with the job centre again.

I finished my job end of october after many disagreements with my line manager. I get income support as I was told its the easiest to claim as a single parent as they can't refuse it. You should get an answer within 9 days, you need to keep on at them though!! Try it and good luck.

While you seem to have found a short term solution I think you should also look for a longer term solution. I totally believe how awful job centers are which is a shame as they should do a better job.

Anyway, in an effort to help you increase your earnings and avoid the job center..... What are your skills? What do you enjoying doing and what do you hate doing? What hours do you think you can work given your other responsibilities and health? Lets see if we can help you think of a way you can generate income, avoid the vortex known as the job center and keep your health for the long term.