My roach wants to change my Claimant Commitment

I'm on JSA and have been signing on by phone for the past few months. Today in the phone call from my roach, she said that from next month jobcentres will be opening again for physical signing on.

She also said that when I go to my first physical sign on my Claimant Commitment, which is 3 years old, will be amended to include jobs that may not be my first choices. She said that seeing as I had not worked for 5 years, and have not found the sort of job I prefer (office work), my Claimant Commitment would have to be changed to include applying for other jobs such as customer service jobs.

Is this common practice, or is she trying to pull a fast one? Can Claimant Commitments be arbitrarily changed at a roach's (or other jobcentre staff's) behest? I was under the impression a Claimant Commitment could only be changed with the claimant's permission, or after negotiating.

Maybe that rule has changed now.

Hi Archangel,

Will give you a tip. Dont be bamboozled into taking any crap from these people.

Remind hem if you have to ? that an agreement is just that, a 2 way document so let them start filling it in with information that's suitable to you and your needs.

"She said that seeing as I had not worked for 5 years, and have not found the sort of job I prefer (office work), my Claimant Commitment would have to be changed to include applying for other jobs such as customer service jobs." To think, the tax payer actually pays them, to go on training courses to learn how to conduct these type of lines and i would be asking ,as that's now abundantly clear of which they refer to,an tell them 10/10 for observation on the underlined; then how come its taken them half a decade to find you anything. As they've been getting handsomely paid is by performance ?

If there is anything that stops you from doing certain hours for instance, make it clear to them through a journal message, and take a snip of that conversation. Also make as to why x hours of work wont be suitable for you.

If you suffer from an on going illness etc also make that crystal to them through the journal and verbally. I say this as, they are very fond of playing games with people. Doing their best to push anyone into any type of work paying any amount of money when i say any think of the lower scale of pay...always  

Some good info here
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/what-youll-need-to-do-on-universal-credit/change-claimant-commitment/


and google DWP guidance on claimant commitments study it and have it to hand when you go see them.


Remember they can change it but, has to be agreed, suitable and reasonable to your circumstances .

Thanks for the advice and links jobberpw. Very informative.

Archangel wrote:I'm on JSA and have been signing on by phone for the past few months. Today in the phone call from my roach, she said that from next month jobcentres will be opening again for physical signing on.

She also said that when I go to my first physical sign on my Claimant Commitment, which is 3 years old, will be amended to include jobs that may not be my first choices. She said that seeing as I had not worked for 5 years, and have not found the sort of job I prefer (office work), my Claimant Commitment would have to be changed to include applying for other jobs such as customer service jobs.

Is this common practice, or is she trying to pull a fast one? Can Claimant Commitments be arbitrarily changed at a roach's (or other jobcentre staff's) behest? I was under the impression a Claimant Commitment could only be changed with the claimant's permission, or after negotiating.

Maybe that rule has changed now.

Nothing much has changed...

Variation of Jobseeker’s Agreement (now named the JSA Claimant Commitment)
General
21925 A JSAg may be varied at any time on the proposal of either the claimant or Emp O1.
1 JSA Regs, reg 37
21926 Any variation to the JSAg must
1. be in writing1 and
2. have the agreement of the claimant and Emp O2 and
3. be signed by the claimant and Emp O3 and
4. be copied to the claimant4.
1 JS Act 95, s 10(2); JSA Regs, reg 37; 2 JS Act 95, s 10(1); 3 s 10(2); JSA Regs, reg 37;
4 JS Act 95, s 10(3)
21927 An Emp O should not agree to a variation of a JSAg unless in the Emp O’s opinion
the claimant would, if they complied with or were treated as complying with the
proposed variation to the JSAg, satisfy the availability and ASE conditions1.
1 JS Act 95, s 10(4)

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/893675/dmgch21.pdf

If a dispute arises, you can agree the proposed JSA/CC and then seek a revision with assistance here or with a Welfare Agency.

https://advicelocal.uk/

Thanks Appleby.