Re: Is the JCP lock down to be extended?

by cc120 Sun Jun 28, 2020 4:07 pm

Mary_FV wrote:It is unlikely that people without disabilities will be invited to attend face-to-face meeting at the Jobcentre on a regular basis.

UC/JSA claimants need to to check their contact arrangements with DWP.

DWP can still notify claimant of suitable vacancies via a variety of agreed sources..

Where do we find our contact arrangements with DWP? Particularly for old JSA?

If part of Claimant Commitment, would this still be valid since suspension of JCP signing on, and how would we know these arrangements have been re-instated if we haven't been informed of this?

Won't the JCP / DWP inform claimants, of any resumed face to face signing, by letter?

by Tarquin Flotsam Mon Jun 29, 2020 12:48 am

Logging into my UC journal earlier I noticed I have been booked an appointment for "a courtesy call from Universal Credit" this coming Tuesday. Not from my usual advisor either. Anybody else get one of these notifications?

by Caker Mon Jun 29, 2020 9:24 am

Tarquin Flotsam wrote:Logging into my UC journal earlier I noticed I have been booked an appointment for "a courtesy call from Universal Credit" this coming Tuesday. Not from my usual advisor either. Anybody else get one of these notifications?

Yes, I did and I replied that I don't own a 'phone, so the call got cancelled and that was noted in the journal. No further action.

by Tarquin Flotsam Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:37 am

Thanks Caker. They do have my mobile phone number, maybe I could just tell them it's broken!

But if anyone else has had a "courtesy call" appointment, can they tell me what it entailed?

by Pintel Mon Jun 29, 2020 12:56 pm

Ive been wondering if Covid19 adjustment's could be added to a disability act, where you can ask for "reasonable" adjustment's from employers? As you mentioned @Caker it is very vague of what I should and shouldn't do

. I'll have to wait and see when the JCP's

open again, otherwise I would get some waffle of the dwp doing all 'resonable' actions?

by Jara Mon Jun 29, 2020 7:45 pm

Benefit sanctions to resume on Wednesday: https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/universal-credit-sanctions-benefits-coronavirus-pause-jobcentres-reopen-july-458691

Be careful guys. Now there are many less jobs around, it is going to be harder to please some work coaches.

by Guest Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:17 pm

Guardian article:

Benefit sanctions to return in England as jobcentres reopen

Labour condemns move to restore claimant conditionality rules as ‘incomprehensible’

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/29/uk-benefit-sanctions-to-return-as-jobcentres-reopen-after-lockdown

by Caker Tue Jun 30, 2020 7:19 am

Jara wrote:Benefit sanctions to resume on Wednesday: https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/universal-credit-sanctions-benefits-coronavirus-pause-jobcentres-reopen-july-458691

Be careful guys. Now there are many less jobs around, it is going to be harder to please some work coaches.

Thanks for the heads up.

by Absolut Wed Jul 01, 2020 5:32 am

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-employee-risk-assessment

Use this service to find out if you should go back to work during this phase of coronavirus lockdown, and what you can do if you should not be going into work.

It's a very blunt tool Sad

by cc120 Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:36 pm

Caker wrote:
Jara wrote:Benefit sanctions to resume on Wednesday: https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/universal-credit-sanctions-benefits-coronavirus-pause-jobcentres-reopen-july-458691

Be careful guys. Now there are many less jobs around, it is going to be harder to please some work coaches.

Thanks for the heads up.

Does anyone know how old JSA claimants could be affected?

by Absolut Thu Jul 02, 2020 6:13 am

cc120 wrote:Does anyone know how old JSA claimants could be affected?

Whenever I look for information only UC is mentioned. It's as if JSA has fallen off the radar. I am presuming that anything said about UC means the same for those of us on JSA - sanctions are back despite a massive spike in unemployment.

by Mary_FV Thu Jul 02, 2020 7:47 am

Unless an extention to the regualtion is agreed, the conditonality relaxation period has ended for JSA claimants too. Sad

Regulation 7 makes provision for claimants who have an award of old style JSA. Such claimants will be treated as available for work and actively seeking employment for the purposes of the Jobseekers Act 1995 (c. 18). This regulation applies for a period of 3 months, beginning with the date that the Regulations come into force, and there is power for the Secretary of State to extend the 3-month period in consequence of the continuation of the outbreak of coronavirus disease.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/371/made

I expect the regulations will be adapted for people who are required to adhere to localised lockdowns, for example in Leicester.

by Mary_FV Thu Jul 02, 2020 9:08 am

Further information:

Universal Credit:Written question - 62431
Q
Asked by Jonathan Reynolds
(Stalybridge and Hyde)
Asked on: 22 June 2020
Department for Work and Pensions
Universal Credit
62431
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether universal credit claimants will be required to start actively looking for work once the suspension of conditionality ends on 30 June 2020; and whether Jobcentre Plus appointments will be resumed on that date.
A
Answered by: Mims Davies
Answered on: 01 July 2020

DWP are supporting those who have lost jobs or have reduced hours in this pandemic, promptly processing new claims and getting money into the accounts of those in urgent need within days.

Now our focus is rightly switching to getting Britain back into work. From July, people will be able to make an appointment with their Work Coach if they can’t get the help they want online or over the phone. Work Coaches, as part of the individualised approach, will be calling all claimants to engage with them.

From 1 July, we will reintroduce the requirement for claimants of UC, NS and Legacy JSA to accept a claimant commitment as part of any new claim. For existing claimants, we will review and update their claimant commitment as capacity allows. This is so we can provide tailored support to help them find work or increase hours.

Claimant commitments must be reasonable for the ‘new normal’, acknowledging the reality of a person’s local jobs market and personal circumstances to prepare them for getting back into work.

https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-06-22/62431

Further Q&A's
https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?dept=29&house=commons&keywords=universal%2Ccredit&max=100&page=1&questiontype=AllQuestions

by joey911 Thu Jul 02, 2020 6:05 pm

Thanks Mary.
Everyone check your UC Journals. I just noticed something in my journal that I didnt get a notification for either via SMS or email. It basically just says that your workcoach will be in touch to discuss the next steps now "commitments" have resumed

by Jara Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:23 pm

http://news.dwp.gov.uk/dwplz/lz.aspx?p1=MTbDUwMDEyMVM5NTE0OjQyRDk4NkUwRkNGMUY3MzFDMkE0OUU0M0I5MjAzMzU0-&CC=&p=0

We don’t want to sanction anyone. These are difficult, uncertain times for many people and we want to do everything we can to help them find work or increase hours, where that is possible for them. No sanction will be used until the claimant has an up-to-date Claimant Commitment in place. After that, a sanction will only be used where a claimant has not provided good reason for meeting the agreed requirements in the Claimant Commitment. Claimants who are shielding, have childcare responsibilities because of COVID restrictions, etc. will have their Claimant Commitment tailored to reflect their circumstances and will not be asked to do anything unreasonable.

by cc120 Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:27 pm

The message of my jcp customer service number stated that claimants will be contacted when they are due to restart signing. So I will just await a letter informing me of such.

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