Missed a Restart appt, for the first time

Had a family emergency that came up, but in addition the usual SMS didn't come through to notify me...who's bad is this?

The provider guidance is your friend here. Unless the appointment had been made via a mandatory activity notice, it is voluntary and thus not a sanctionable failure. The general rule is that they are supposed to give you the opportunity to attend voluntarily, with mandation the last resort when people repeatedly fail to attend. On that basis a second consecutive missed appointment will start to put you on sticky ground.

Ignatius wrote:The provider guidance is your friend here. Unless the appointment had been made via a mandatory activity notice, it is voluntary and thus not a sanctionable failure. The general rule is that they are supposed to give you the opportunity to attend voluntarily, with mandation the last resort when people repeatedly fail to attend. On that basis a second consecutive missed appointment will start to put you on sticky ground.

Nice one!  Strictly speaking I DID miss the previous one, but I mailed to the Retard Advisor that publicly verifiable transport difficulties, constituting force majeure, prevented making that appointment.  As that was over a week ago and I got a, "Yeah no worries" reply , I have to assume it doesn't count as a first strike.

Tell them you were sick overnight.

If they want it to, it will count as a first strike. Catwoman's advice to plead illness is sound. Your provider is probably as lazy as all of them and would rather not have the hassle of filling in forms and contacting the jobcentre. However, that needs to be balanced with their contractual obligations to record and act upon repeated failure to attend without good reason. Ultimately their loyalty is to the DWP who hand them juicy contracts. That is why people do find themselves with sanction doubts over non-attendance. In other words, watch your back when it comes to missing appointments - it won't be a problem until it is a problem.

I would just tell them the truth about your situation. As said before. It's still voluntary until it's mandated and even then it must be mandated correctly.

oneman wrote:I would just tell them the truth about your situation. As said before. It's still voluntary until it's mandated and even then it must be mandated correctly.

Well I've heard nothing from Restart/JC since this morning so I presume all's well. I think the concern expressed by others here is that I not build too extensive a picture of overall non-compliance, given my only recently reconciled difficulties.

They will just send you another appointment. I think they should give you at least 48 hours notice.

They should #Ingatius, but I have read in the past these Scurvy Swabs 🥴. Have a tendency to arrange appointments, at the drop of a , with a few hrs notice! So need to be careful...

I've heard of people getting sent appointment details at weekends for the following Monday.

If you don't get 48 hours notice you would probably be able to show good reason for not attending.

A few strategic absences now and again are ok, but too many missed appointments so soon after starting Restart may arouse suspicion - or punishment attendance at one of their pointless in-house courses.

Ignatius wrote:I've heard of people getting sent appointment details at weekends for the following Monday.

If you don't get 48 hours notice you would probably be able to show good reason for not attending.

A few strategic absences now and again are ok, but too many missed appointments so soon after starting Restart may arouse suspicion - or punishment attendance at one of their pointless in-house courses.

Ignatius. You know better than what you have just said.

You can ask to be contacted by post only and you know it.

I know, I know. I will atone by reminding anyone unaware that, as the guidance makes clear, it is the participant, not the provider, who chooses whether they can contact you by email, phone or letter. Given the price of stamps these days, it is your duty to request all communication by letter. They will hate you some more then.

And don't forget the Huffing and Puffing, your get as they turn the 'Gaslighting' up. Whenever, you mention postal communications... As my grandmother used to say 'A Letter is Better'.