DWP Work coach. Part time

I wasn't permitted to do 30 hours over 4 days and was told before I started that I had to do it over 5.
When i joined, i then found most of the part time workers had full days off...
I don't know if it was just my job centre or region but the manager was obsessed with having Work Coaches in the office finishing at 5pm, especially on Mondays and Fridays.
I was obliged to start at 11am up to 3 times per week so the office would hit its 5pm targets.
We also had to book our annual leave a year in advance. Building up flexi time wss discouraged.
We had to start 15 mins early to attend 'buzz meetings' where managers told us about frequent changes in policy and priorities.
I was bombarded with comms from managers and claimants. Had back to back appointments with very little admin time in a department full of complex info and clunky processes.
I was given a similar case load to my full time colleagues despite working fewer hours.
My manager refused to take into account my previously served CS probation that should reduce my WC probation period, would not engage in any discussion about it. The longest chat I had with my manager was a lengthy grilling about a 1 day sick leave.
Unless i wanted to skimp and merely 'tick and turn' the claimants (do the bare minimum), I needed to stay at least an extra hour a day.
Basically I was working full time for part time wages and unable to take any tea breaks or my full lunch period.
I left. I will never work in any CS role designed that way.

I’ve read a lot of negative feedback for this role. I’m in my 60s and beginning to think I may have made a catastrophic mistake accepting this role !! Only one way to find out. 🤞

That sounds like a raw deal. Part time over 5 days has no value for me. So if that’s all they offer me I will withdraw. Thanks for the detailed response

This was something that my line manager contacted me about before I started to tell me it had to be over 5 days.
Upon starting, I could see nearly all existing part time staff had a full day off so I expect I was an 'experiment'.
The real fun started when I was expected to start 2 or 3 times a week at 11 or 11.30 so the office could meet its target of maximising Work Coach finishing at 5pm.
There was absolutely no operational justification for this - it doesn't affect the number of claimant appointments I could have in my diary.
Instead it ruined my ability to study a course and do my voluntary work shifts with a local charity.
Then they were reintroducing occasional late night finishes and Saturday working. This is all contractually legitimate.
However, compared to people working in other DWP roles and other CS departments, it was pants, particularly as Job Centre roles start at 9am and are always in the office whereas other roles can start at 7.30 and be hybrid.

Definitely mention it during the call you get with your new Line Manager, specify what day you want and the hours you want to work each day and ask them to confirm it in an email to you. What I will say though is that if your in a JCP office that is extremely busy and in a highly populated area, your chances may be slightly lower than someone in a more quiet remote location.

My advice for part time is make sure you agree your part time hours after you’ve been given a start date. You will be in a much weaker position if you wait until you’ve actually started.

I have to wait up top 12 weeks befoire I can even find out whether they allow part time hours? I jsut accepted the provisional.

The role is advertised as full or part time ?