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Jobcentre making me go on Daily Signing. Can I do anything to prevent it?

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Hi.

I feel like I'm being discriminated against because I'm going to University this September.

I've been signing onto Jobseekers Allowence for 4/5 months and I was on the usual fortnightly signing. Last week I mentioned to my advisor I have accepted an Unconditional Offer for University starting this September and he was a bit funny about it and now he's put me on Daily Signing.

I don't really understand why he's done this, I would only be signing on for another 5 weeks or so. I just feel like because I'm going to University he's discriminating me and making me go to the Jobcentre daily which is going to cost me a fortune for travel which is (2 busses there and back per day) and they won't even give me travel expenses.

So my £50 a week for living on will plummet to £30 after travel. It just doesn't seem fair or right at all.

Is there anything I can do about this? Can I request to go back onto fortnightly signing or maybe file a complaint that I feel I'm being discriminated against?

I can't sign off because every penny I'm getting from Jobseekers at the moment is being saved for University, but now of course I'll have £20 less a week thanks to being forced there daily.

I was planning on using this 5 weeks to prepare for University and sorting out my Student Finance & Accommodation and then was going to begin reading up on some of the previous years coursework and books to try and get a bit of knowledge before starting the Course.

Any advice?

I feel your pain but unfortunately you give the game away about how you planned to spend the next 5 weeks. You are not actively seeking work and hence are not entitled to benefit. This is how the system sucks. I would think a lot of students are being treated similarly.

Reply 21

Quady

Original post by Mike_123

That's not the youth unemployment rate, is it?

No true, thats 17.8%. So 82.2% aren't.

Reply 22

College_Dropout

Damn, its hard life when you have to spend £20pw to pick up £50pw for doing **** all.

Reply 23

Alumna

Why are people being all ignorant and saying 'get a job' and 'you're playing the system'

he isn't playing the system if the person is entitled for the funds in the first Place. noone says they use the money to live off but FYI if you are over 20 living with parents, and your parents are on somesort of benefits then the over 20s are required to pay contribution to living [in some situations]
we do not know if this person is also contributing to household costs- as well as saving their pennies for uni.

And clearly this person is looking for a job but can't find one hence why they claimed JSA in the first place.
IT is not anyone business to say what the person can and cannot do with the money. They are entitled to it, they got it, and it is pretty obvious they will get caught if they don't use it for things they need.

People need to stop being so judgemental
It isn't easy finding a job
Anyone with contacts might find it easy, and anyone who was lucky enough to get a job finds it easy to judge others

Reply 24

MagicNMedicine

Original post by Quady

No true, thats 17.8%. So 82.2% aren't.

And how many of them are employed, and how many are inactive?

Reply 25

Reue

Original post by Alumna

he isn't playing the system if the person is entitled for the funds in the first

Op is claiming JOBSEEKERS whilst not seeking a job. There is no entitlement.

Reply 26

Alumna

Original post by Reue

Op is claiming JOBSEEKERS whilst not seeking a job. There is no entitlement.

He was seeking a job. Going job center every week

Reply 27

Dr DaMan

Original post by Alumna

He was seeking a job. Going job center every week

That doesn't mean he's looking for a job though, there's a difference between genuinely looking for one but struggling and just putting in enough half arsed applications to keep them off his back.

Reply 28

Old_Simon

Original post by Alumna

He was seeking a job. Going job center every week

Going to a Job Centre is not job seeking. It is just signing on. The OP admits he has no intention of working before uni.

Reply 29

Alumna

Original post by Dr DaMan

That doesn't mean he's looking for a job though, there's a difference between genuinely looking for one but struggling and just putting in enough half arsed applications to keep them off his back.

Ofcourse, but you can't say he wasn't unless he tells us if he was or wasn't.
But from my understanding he didn't state the obvious but stated his issue.

Reply 30

Moosferatu

Original post by Old_Simon

Going to a Job Centre is not job seeking. It is just signing on. The OP admits he has no intention of working before uni.

OP should buy a four of Special Brew and be done with it.

Reply 31

Ana81

Original post by Jebedee

You deny that most claimants in my hometown would be chavs? Tell me more of what you know of the area, please.

Posted from TSR Mobile

oh so your statement was made on your hometown and not the general public, try being more clear next time or better still scrabble up your 2ps and move out of Handsworth Birmingham

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 32

meenu89

If it was up to me I wouldn't let you claim the money in the first place.

Get a job it's easy.

Original post by Ana81

As I was talking about a personal experience it is blatantly obvious that it would be constricted to my then current area. May I suggest learning to read.

P.s I moved away years ago.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 35

Apocrypha

Do us a favour and sign off, for what reason did you sign on in the first place if youre going to university?

If you wanna stay on, think of it as a job of travelling somewhere on a daily basis, its really not that hard.

Reply 36

matt375

@OP, it's pretty standard to put someone on daily signing if they are on JSA for as long as you have been. Job centre is pretty bureaucratic and as they see it, if you've been on it for a while, they either increase the amount of 'help' they give you (send you on more courses, offer you work experience for example) or they increase the amount of times you have to come and see them. Sometimes both at the same time. That's just how they work it's what they're told to do, in every single case.

I have to sign on at the moment every week instead of the normal 2 weeks, I was told it's because I live locally but I'm pretty sure it's also because people my age can often be a bit lazy with finding work. I would also add that contrary to what some have posted here, it doesn't have to be spent on living expenses, I live with parents in the summer between uni terms at the moment and I'm just saving it for a debt that I owe the accommodation office for dropping off my course earlier this year.

Either way, even if I had to sign on every day, if it was necessary (for going to uni or anything) I would do it. With me they pay for travel too so that could be something you could look at.