This was bound to happen. It was just a matter of time.

I'm on UC now.

For the last 2 years I have been passed from pillar to post with different work roaches. They are always buggering of to do different things. I don't think I have had the same work roach for longer than 4 month.

After being forced onto UC from job seekers (that is another story that I wont go into at this time.)I started out with digital only for work search and then monthly telephone conversations. This gradually changed to fortnightly and then weekly in the end. About 6 weeks ago I was informed that my work roach was leaving and I would be getting a new one again. I was given a face to face appointment in the job centre. I questioned this due to the covid situation and was given a phone appointment at a set time. That was fine.
My phone appointment came and went with no call, apparently my new work roach had called in sick and no one had picked up his appointments. What a surprise. After complaining to a manager I was given a apology and a new phone appointment with my new work roach and a load of generic twaddle from the DWP about how safe the job centre was. This conversation lasted the usual 10 mins and I was given a new phone appointment for 2 weeks later. Again all fine.

That phone conversation was yesterday and lasted over an hour as he said had to go through my security details and claimant commitment again. Why?  He could not tell me. He seems a decent enough guy but this man was clearly unfit to work as he was coughing and spluttering down the phone and complained of being exhausted and stated to me that he had caught covid off his daughter even though he was double vaccines and now had long covid. He also admitted that he was taking time off work just to get some sleep and he would see me face to face at my next appointment at the job centre! I said that I was still very concerned about the situation regarding the covid issues even though the government has now basically dropped the issue like it never existed. I asked him why I could not have a phone appointment like the last 2 years and he said it was policy and could not change it as I had already had an appointment changed from face to face to phone because he was off sick and they had f***ed up. He could not tell me why I could not have a phone appointment and said I would have to take it up with my MP or the DWP!!! What a crock of shit.
I clearly will be taking it up with my MP and the district manager for the job centre but just wanted to know if anybody had any further advice as to what to do with this shitty situation.
Once again I find myself having to put my head on the block and sticking out like a sore thumb when I just want an easy life just because the so called executive officer work roach can't answer a simple question.
     

Kind regards
Oneman.

#Oneman, a similar thing happened to me a few months ago. I was requested to a face2face meeting at my local JCPwith my new work roach, as the old one has got a real job .
When I asked why this was necessary from the new roach I was told. "It was due to not having a claimant commitment on the system". So I produced a papercopy of one that was created a pre pandemic, as not much had changed I wondered why? It seems that the millions of pounds spent on the DWP's IT ️system, cannot transfer customer's 'claimant commitments'. Therefore, when you are transferred to a new work roach , you need to create a new CC .
Why they can't do it over the phone as I didnt sign anything due to Covid restrictions.
In addition to this I am on the CEV/Shielders list, due to a health condition. So having to go to a F2F meeting at the JCP , wasn't my idea. I even showed a letter to confirm this, but this feel on deafears!, From the roach, strange how the DWP can share information when it wants to?

Pintel wrote:#Oneman, a similar thing happened to me a few months ago. I was requested to a face2face meeting at my local JCPwith my new work roach, as the old one has got a real job .
When I asked why this was necessary from the new roach I was told. "It was due to not having a claimant commitment on the system". So I produced a papercopy of one that was created a pre pandemic, as not much had changed I wondered why? It seems that the millions of pounds spent on the DWP's IT ️system, cannot transfer customer's 'claimant commitments'. Therefore, when you are transferred to a new work roach , you need to create a new CC .
Why they can't do it over the phone as I didnt sign anything due to Covid restrictions.
In addition to this  I am on the CEV/Shielders list, due to a health condition. So having to go to a F2F meeting at the JCP , wasn't my idea. I even showed a letter to confirm this, but this feel on deafears!, From the roach, strange how the DWP can share information when it wants to?

Check a shielding note

This was a service for employers or the Department of Work and Pensions to check that a coronavirus (COVID-19) shielding note was valid.

This service is paused

People at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable) in England are not currently advised to shield.

You cannot use this service to check shielding notes for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

If shielding advice changes in the future, this service may be reinstated.

Check the latest guidance for people at high risk from coronavirus (COVID-19) on GOV.UK

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/shielding-note-check/

Thanks #DA .
I was not aware of the 'Shielding Note', Ive got a few letters from the Dept of 'Health & Social care', informing me of my registered 'Shielding' status, and if needed I can show my employer etc, the letter as proof of my status. This seems to have been updated, without informing people , on the list...

While 'Shielding' has been relaxed currently, it could return. You'd think they would automatically send out a Shielding Note to all on the list?

You would think that but!!

Yet another ideological idea they have slap bang in the middle of a global pandemic. Peasants must be found work at ANY cost. MUST vist Roach Central .


Oneman:
''That phone conversation was yesterday and lasted over an hour as he said had to go through my security details and claimant commitment again. Why?  He could not tell me. He seems a decent enough guy but this man was clearly unfit to work as he was coughing and spluttering down the phone and complained of being exhausted.


I would not put it past them to be using such conversations as a guilt tactic. Dont know how many of you have noticed but, their conversations at roach shop is not inline with finding work but more so, ''in how guilty you should be for still being unemployed '' .If they'd have been coughing and spluttering down my phone, would have told em to phone me back, go get a drink or something. Mind you, that return call probably never come.

I've had 5-6 roaches in 5 years and all have one thing in common. All the same. As is the problem. No decent paid fulltime work out there for many. Answer retrain and by that time for many 50+ be approaching retirement. Just far easier for roach shop to try and badger people into signing off hence attend roach shop in a pandemic as its good for you .

Oneman's story of roaches and frequency seems to be the default process they have in place until such a time just park people then throw onto WP or their other wonderful invention of WHP. This is the programme that makes ALL employers in the UK take people on and keep them on for longer. A very magical system indeed. If it actually existed .

I would also take what they perceive to be a risk with Covid as a pinch of salt and everyone do their own. Ultimately this is being done as another whipping tool YOU MUST DO AS WE SAY  just because...


Pintel:I was told. "It was due to not having a claimant commitment on the system". So I produced a papercopy of one that was created a pre pandemic, as not much had changed I wondered why? It seems that the millions of pounds spent on the DWP's IT ️system, cannot transfer customer's 'claimant commitments'. Therefore, when you are transferred to a new work roach clown, you need to create a new CC ..
This is an absolute classic of another cat and mouse game. What i will be doing is reading out word for word my 10 page commitments and if that's not good enough, have they learnt copy and paste using their designed journals yet. Total Muppets.

I asked him why I could not have a phone appointment like the last 2 years and he said it was policy

The policy referred to has to be the sanctions regime. That policy was suspended and is no longer suspended. The DWP has deemed face to face meetings to be safe even though they know Covid is still around. FTA (failure to attend) is back in force although they don't specifically say it to get people to go in. I think the real reason why they want to see everyone face to face again, no matter who they are, is to verify the claim - i.e is it the same person the DWP has been speaking to over the phone since at least March 2020 when all appointments stopped? It would be easier for us all if they told claimants this, but they don't, causing people great stress.  

any further advice as to what to do with this shitty situation.

You need to find a good reason why a face to face in the job centre in your particular circumstances after at least 17 months of phone calls is wrong. Use any disability, illness or CC restrictions you have to make your case. At the very least you can ask to be seen by a work coach who isn't ill. If that request is refused then I think you would have a very good reason to get a phone call from that work coach until that particular work coach is in a healthier condition.