so annoyed i could scream

[cookiecookuk]

i htried to do somthing this morning that i have not done in many many years i tried to claim job seekers allowance..

1 .. drive to town and pay 2 hours parking as i did not know how long it woul take..

2.. go in job center at 9 o clock as doors open man says you have to go home and do it on line, exit job center 9.01 2 hours parking wasted....

3... go home log into where i have to log into and start a very very long form it says about an hour to fill in...

4... i get about 50 mins in and it asked something about oh;s pension that i did not know answer to.( he is gone out)so wrote down my unique number and put pass word in twice to fininsh it later

5..just gone back on line and put log in  code and pass word in and it tells me i have to use a different browser so log out log in again and try again and after putting in code and password it does not recognise so try again it does not recognise so look for help page.

6.. help page says if you forget you code and password or if it does not work you have to start the whole application again from srcatch...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggg

[bitsnknots]

That's typical of the DWP since IDS took over.  At least before IDS there was a modicum of civility and common sense.

[bhgardeners]

That is because they haven't yet written you the letter(or it hasn't arrived) requesting those proofs.  Phone them up.

Now from daughter's experience:

1. They only send 1 letter

2. They believe that ALL letters are delivered on time, to the correct address by an infallible Royal Mail

3. They do not send reminders "because it is a waste of their time"

4. Since it is your fault you didn't reply they stop your benefits

5. Start over the claim again which means since it is a new one it doesn't get back dated

6. Pointing out that posting an item 2nd class is not counted as proof it has been received and that we would take the matter further did get a copy of letter and reinstatement of claim date. Not that the whole episode didn't prove their total incompetence and their total disregard for the truth, including actually lying(with all references etc) on the answering machine(which OH accidentally wiped)

[bitsnknots]

Cookie, how did you get on with your phone call to the DWP this morning?  Hope that you managed to find out what paperwork they wanted.  

[cookiecookuk]

sort everything i needed went and saw advisor last thusday and all was well she gave me an appointment for this wednesday at 9.40am printed on the paper and i got to jod center a fraction after 9.30 and all was locked and shut up so i looked on the door and they open on a wednesday at 10 o clock .to say i was mad is an under statement.so instead of waiting i sodded of to norwich for a few hours to check out a colple of places for my daughters wedding.walked for 30 minutes and the gardens that i wanted to see were shut till april..my day just got worse then i fonud the small reception  venue for her so i could have a look ariound and pay deposit...then found out they only take cash so of i go to nearest cash point to get cash.and back to pay deposit....any back home to the job center.told the guy on the door that i had an appoinment at 9.40 today  he replied we not open at that time .i very nearlly bleeped at his comment and he told me to go upstairs and speak to a woman againg i repeated that i had an appoinment at 9.40 today and her reply was we are not open at that time.....by now i was pretty cheesed of as you can imagine..so after several calls they decided as it was there fault i would not be penalised..i though oh goody....and then i went home to a nice cup of coffee and opened my post and there was a letter dwp job center to say.

I CAN NOT HAVE ANY B####Y MONEY AS MY HUSBAND GET TO MUCH PENSION... AFTER I CALMED DOWN 

i went to sleep for a few hgours and woke up to see if i had been dreaming..sadly i had not...

sorry for the lenght of this post but i thought you would like to hear about my lovely day.

[cookiecookuk]

i must check my spelling and grammar before posting

i must check my spelling and grammar before posting

i must check my spelling and grammar before posting

i must check my spelling and grammar before posting

i must check my spelling and grammar before posting

i must check my spelling and grammar before posting etc etc

[bitsnknots]

That is terrible Cookie.  The DWP couldn't organise a booze up in a brewery.  To say that you aren't entitled to any money after especially after all the messing about you've had is ludicrous.

Fingers crossed that you manage to get something sorted soon.

(((((Cookie)))))

[hightara]

Cookie many years ago I worked for Belfast Law Society helping people fill out benefit forms and letting them know what they were entitled to.

It nearly crushed me, watching strong women and men break down in tears having to actually need help from the government.

Those bloody awful programmes on t.v. about benefit scroungers make me gag. Yes there are people like that, of course........... but a TINY minority.

I filled out a form the other day for my son.......... and even I had trouble knowing what to tick/write down.

ps. I used to work for the civil service before working for B.L.S and under no circumstances would I have been less than helpful and courteous to clients. 

[bitsnknots]

I'm sure that you would be civil Kate.  It's a pity that quite a lot of the staff at the DWP aren't like that.  I've known the DWP ask someone to send a pre-dated sick note in when this is illegal as no doctor in this country can do that.  Of course, the DWP wouldn't break the law would they?  Much.

[mouse4702]

My sister knows I struggle and wants me to move in with her.  If I do, I won't be able to claim; we'll be classed as a household and she will have to keep me financially, lock stock and barrel, until I get a job.  She doesn't earn at the moment; she's in university and living on the proceeds of the house she had to sell.  I can't do that to her.

[bitsnknots]

This is where the system is all wrong at the moment.  I think a 3 year old could do a better job than what the DWP are doing at the moment.  We'll have to see what happens after the election.  Hopefully, things don't get any worse not that they could could they?

[hightara]

my son has been treated like..****..... by some jumped up ...."I have the power" excuses for public servants,

many a time I had to speak on his behalf..... one person said.. you're late.....again!  Next time you won't get your benefits.

On both occasions, I rang up with him by my side as they needed him to verify who they where talking to, told them he was going to a funeral...two days in advance...... a few months later he had the flu...

then he was sent on a .......get back into work placement...... which he showed up to.......but the advisor was late three days in a row.

when he questioned why........he could be santioned and not her......she completely disregarded his comments, and said she wanted serious questions. THE END!

I have worked all my life.........and my husband......and our parents before us. How dare any civil servant or politician humilate our poor,  our vunerable,  to their own ends.

I have no affiliation to anyone or anything, be it in polictics or religion...........I only see humanity..........treat a person as you would do your own child/mother/father etc

off my soap box now..........

[bitsnknots]

Couldn't agree more Kate.  If the staff at the DWP were treated like they treat the most vulnerable in society, they wouldn't like it.  I honestly believe that they make you feel like a criminal for daring to have any form of illness or disability.  There's no fairness or common sense in the DWP.  On our local news on the Beeb a couple of weeks back, the National Audit Office asked the DWP to provide the details of the costs of bringing in Universal Credit.  The DWP refused.  The National Audit Office asked a judge to request that the DWP release these figures.  The DWP again refused saying that the details will be kept under lock and key until after the General Election.  I can only imagine that the cost of bringing this benefit such as a computer system that will work has run into millions of pounds.  The DWP must have spent millions on bringing these systems in and they still don't work.

[cookiecookuk]

i have come to the conclusiopn that dwp are from another planet......i also can not claim carers allowance nor disability allowance for myself and i think the only thing we can claim which is not means tested is attendance allowance between £54 and £85 per week i have filled the form in oinline and then had to print for oh to sign.33 pages long.....keeps fingers crossed .i am determined to get something out of them on principle.

[bitsnknots]

Good luck with that Cookie.  I can't claim carer's allowance for my mum as she needs to be on Attendance Allowance.  The DWP have said that she's not entitled ot Attendance Allowance so I can't claim Carer's Allowance.  Honestly, they have you all ways.

[cookiecookuk]

can i ask why she can not claim attendance allowance..

[ginap.123]

I was under the impression that attendance allowance was for the recipient to pay someone to be in attendance at their time of need so that by being 'paid' to be a carer from that allowance would mean that you wouldn't qualify for carers allowance which in effect would mean you were getting paid twice for doing that caring.

[cookiecookuk]

Gina it actually says in the blurb  quote you do not need to use this money for someone to help you.you can spend it on what you like..un quote.

[ilove2patch]

Well that's what's wrong with the system. Unbelievable!

[cookiecookuk]

I was shocked when i read it.....and that is the only benifit that is not means tested..

[bitsnknots]

Cookie, I forget the reason they gave but the DWP said that my mum couldn't claim attendance allowance.

Gina,  Cookie's right on that one.  If my mum had been allowed to claim attendance allowance, I could claim carer's allowance.  As the only thing my mum gets is state pension, I am unable to claim carer's allowance.