Job centres tricking claimants out of benefits

No. Civil servants are virtually never made compulsorily redundant.

My post was about both though (which is what you replied to).

Kicking severally disabled people off their benefit and declaring them fit to work is fair?

They forgot to mention that you also get sanctioned for doing voluntary work!!! That is what has just happened to me. Everyone on JSA should volunteer anyway imo yet I take initiative and try and gain experience and skills to help me find employment and I am punished. How backwards is that?!

I replied to the sentence:



I made the reckless, and it turns out incorrect, assumption that the "and" was conjunctive and not disjunctive.

Really?
Kicking severally disabled people off their benefit and declaring them fit to work is fair?

Tax evaders cost the country loads more than benefit cheats, the difference is the former is in bed with the government.

Yes they do, though they are often the same people.

If you have names and details I am sure HMRC would only be too glad to hear from you.

If they are severely disabled, then they will have no problem passing the medical assessment, will they?

Maybe I should have worded what I said better.
It still is a huge issue though. When you have people with no medical qualifications over-riding decisions made by people with many qualifications and a long history in the area, it is very worrying. The very fact that many of the appeals are being won says a lot IMO.

Loads of tax dodgers are big donors to the Tory Party.

What reason did they give? you can volunteer while signing on, you just have to be actively seeking paid work, be able to attend all JCP interviews and meetings and be willing to give up the volunteering for a paid job.

You just need to fill in a vol1 form, which you can get from the staff. If you've been sanctioned, appeal it.

The criticism that has generally been made is that DWP decision makers have been unwilling to override the advice of the ATOS disability analysts, not the other way around.

Originally they suspended it until I got written evidence that it was unpaid work, where I worked, what days etc. After I sent these off I received a very irritating and completely pointless phone call. It was a woman from the job centre who wanted to know more about the voluntary work which I do in schools. Apparently because schools aren't voluntary organisations I am not entitled to my benefit. Well I was gob smacked. After discussing it with her further, her pointless questions including "Why do you do it?" obviously to help me gain experience and therefore employment silly woman, I finally got her to allow my benefit.

The phone call ended with "Well I will allow it for now but will review it in the future". FFS!

I can't see what the problem is. I have said I can attend an interview with at least 48 hrs (the requirement), I do not miss any sign on days and I am still seeking full time employment and i am willing to give up the voluntary work for a paid job. Well at least it is sorted, for now.

Oh and apparently you are supposed to arrange voluntary work through the job centre. I have never been told this before. Punished for using my own initiative.

Certainly in some parts of the country the appeal success rate is as high as 70%!

There are many many more unemployed people than there are vacancies.

The problem is that those jobs are not available for a lot of "educated" people. You are "overqualified" or whatever BS they want to come out with.

Also, commuting is also a huge issue.
I went to the job centre back home a couple of times during sixth form to see if there was anything. The problem I had is that they kept on throwing up restuarant and bar vacancies in the next valley. Now, if you drive then that is fine. But if you have to rely on public transport, then it would be impossible to get to and from.

The rules changed the middle of last year to allow volunteering anywhere. Before that is was only with charities. Perhaps that person didn't get the memo!

You don't have to arrange it through the jobcentre either, only work placements do as they are pretty much jobs except the interview process takes the form of the placement.

I think you got unlucky and got someone who wasn't clear on the rules. Sucks but it does happen.

Anyone not happy with a decision should ask for a reconsideration. That's the best way to get what you want.

Thank you for telling me this. At least next time she calls I will know to ask for a reconsideration. I was honestly gob smacked when she first said I won't get it. I was in shock, I didn't even say anything till she spoke again haha I couldn't believe they would stop it for volunteering. Oh well all sorted now.

Well obviously not. It is not hyperbole. It is happening. People with very bad conditions which leave them in a lot of pain from doing the simplest things are being found fit to work.

One common example is being asked for walk a little bit. It doesn't matter how much pain that person is in, if they can do it, then its a "yes" tick. No consideration for the condition, or the pain doing that small walk has caused.