[Martyn*]

http://www.billesterson.org.uk/crosb...complaints-abo

"The way A4e is treating people is absolutely disgusting. They treated us like we had committed a crime. I had been unemployed for three months and I had to accept a place on the A4e scheme or face losing my Job Seekers' Allowance for up to three years. While i was happy to accept any additional help to find work, I objected to how we were being forced into the scheme at the risk of losing our benefits."

"But throughout my group was constantly warned 'you agreed to this, conform or leave and lose your benefits.'"

"On arriving at the A4e Bootle office, I was struck by the total lack of organisation. People were left sitting in a room for several hours with no structure or purpose."

"After several hours sat at a table, the only thing we had managed to achieve was the viewing of a short slide show of injuries in the workplace, some basic stats on economics and a brief history on the invaders of Britain through the ages, followed by some pictures of 'where not to park a car, including the ramp of a boat.'"

"On a number of occasions, I felt my time would be better spent looking for a job and clearly others felt the same way and left to return to the job centre to complain."

Unrelated but still interesting:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/pa...?newsfeed=true

[Skip_Snip]

That time could be better spent looking on job sites, or asking in shops or business, A4e is eeviil

[Ham22]

Is this programme mandatory after being on JSA for three months? And if so, when did it become mandatory?

[Llamageddon]

(Original post by Ham22)
Is this programme mandatory after being on JSA for three months? And if so, when did it become mandatory?

I don't believe it is mandatory, but what information is passed to people on JSA and what the reality actually is are often two different things.

[Ham22]

(Original post by Llamageddon)
I don't believe it is mandatory, but what information is passed to people on JSA and what the reality actually is are often two different things.

I see. I'm just wondering because I might have to go crawling back to JSA soon...I was on it for a while a few years ago, and after three months we were moved to STAGE 2 (bom bom bohhhm) - where they just basically ramped up the bullying tactics and there were some extra meetings here and there, but no being shipped off to a work programme.

[Darth Stewie]

tbh clicked on this thread half expecting them to be building a death star.

(Original post by Ham22)
I see. I'm just wondering because I might have to go crawling back to JSA soon...I was on it for a while a few years ago, and after three months we were moved to STAGE 2 (bom bom bohhhm) - where they just basically ramped up the bullying tactics and there were some extra meetings here and there, but no being shipped off to a work programme.

Not sure about the bullying tactics but wouldn't surprise me, however you can't be forced to go onto a work programme any more and if they tell you any different they are lying.

[Martyn*]

(Original post by Ham22)
Is this programme mandatory after being on JSA for three months? And if so, when did it become mandatory?

It is mandatory. A4E and the government have a contract to get us into jobs. They only get paid on results. Therefore the course is mandatory.

[Martyn*]

(Original post by Darth Stewie)
tbh clicked on this thread half expecting them to be building a death star.



Not sure about the bullying tactics but wouldn't surprise me, however you can't be forced to go onto a work programme any more and if they tell you any different they are lying.

You can be forced onto it. It is mandatory. You don't have to sign the contract, but if your name comes up to go onto the programme, you have to comply or lose benefits.

[Darth Stewie]

(Original post by Martyn*)
You can be forced onto it. It is mandatory. You don't have to sign the contract, but if your name comes up to go onto the programme, you have to comply or lose benefits.

It was changed http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17200688 you can no longer have your benefits taken away if you don't want to participate.

[Martyn*]

(Original post by Darth Stewie)
It was changed http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17200688 you can no longer have your benefits taken away if you don't want to participate.

If you are already on it and have signed the contract - which many of us who started last year have - it is mandatory. It is true that work provdiers cannot make sanctions, but the DWP can. So if you don't comply with the Work Programme they can still sanction you; it's just that the work providers themselves cannot do it anymore.

[nonotrly]

I skimmed and found nothing new that hasn't been being said for years and years, and what you've put is tame for them - they are far more sinister. Even their business model is sinister - THEY'RE the leeches of Britain, at the expenses of people's futures.

A4e are above the law, and will always have power as long as the government throws money at them. They'll continue to abuse, be fraudulent, expand into illegal territories, steal, and bend and break human rights laws. Nothing can be done by us normal people.

The government needs to take responsibility, actually give a ****, and get rid of the A4e contract. If the government must have a contract, contract Next Step. They seem like they actually want to help.