Universal credit

[mackenzie]

That is what the chancellor is telling people to use it as when lockdown tiers have reduced your income

Well he hasn't told the whole story.
Unless the rules and conditions change we are tasked with helping and supporting those whose monthly income is below a certain level.
This isn't a bad thing, it's to help.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

It’s horrendous. I was on it for about a year. I had to wait about 8 weeks to receive my first payment.

I also got sanctioned (they refused to give it me for 3 months) as apparently I hadn’t given a good enough reason why I left my previous job. A complete mental breakdown/ health issues apparently isn’t good enough (I ended up in hosptial for a short while)...

They mayas well have offered me a job at the job centre. The staff there couldnt use google never mind help me find a job.

 

[Ancoats blue]

It’s horrendous. I was on it for about a year. I had to wait about 8 weeks to receive my first payment.

I also got sanctioned (they refused to give it me for 3 months) as apparently I hadn’t given a good enough reason why I left my previous job. A complete mental breakdown/ health issues apparently isn’t good enough (I ended up in hosptial for a short while)...

They mayas well have offered me a job at the job centre. The staff there couldnt use google never mind help me find a job.

LoL , you didn't go to that one in Stockport , did you??

I used to go there when i lived in Cheadle Hulme , it's a right shithole.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

LoL , you didn't go to that one in Stockport , did you??

I used to go there when i lived in Cheadle Hulme , it's a right shithole.

yea. It’s a right dive. A lot of the staff there didn’t have a clue what they were doing (just based on the few I met).

if anyone needs motivation to get a job go there.

 

[Protein Junkie]

Can I just defend Universal Credit here?
I've worked for the department for 40 years and there is absolutely NO WAY the benefits and IT systems it has replaced could EVER have dealt with the surge of new claims we had at the start of the pandemic/lockdown.
We went from 2000 cases to 12000 cases in just one week in our area and over 90 percent of those new claims received their first payment on time.
We worked incredibly hard, from the workplace, when many were furloughed and at home in order to do that.
UC is far from.perfect but it did it's job, as did we, in those early days and we are now ready for the second wave.

Spot on sir. Unfortunately some people don’t want to hear about good work. One of my mates is a self employed barber. He was raving about how well UC had treated him when he needed it.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Can't say I've had any issues since being on it for the last few months other than being unfortunate enough to have a prat as a work coach.

I completely understand that they must be swamped with claimants. My dad worked at the job centre for 25 years, I know how stressful it can get, especially with what's happened this year.

But when you're interrogating someone (who has found their own work without any help or input from you), over the cost of their travel without even remembering where you're going to or from, you're just being a dick.

Spent about 15 minutes on the phone to them telling them what the cost of travel was (I had already sent the receipts) and that it was the cheapest available only for them to condescend, tell me I was wrong and that "it's actually your responsibility to look it up". Gave them the postcode of where I'm going from and to so they could look it up for their self. A couple of minutes of searching and then they obviously realised I was right and didn't say a word. Not the only instance of them talking to me like I'm a dickhead either, they seem to have an issue with every appointment.

I get that you have a massive workload and I get that you're probably used to a few piss takers but if you can't handle it then fuck off and find yourself a new job. I'd have literally run the risk of having my head caved in if I talked to people in my previous job like that. Maybe it's my fault for cutting them too much slack and not filing a complaint.

 

[Protein Junkie]

Can't say I've had any issues since being on it for the last few months other than being unfortunate enough to have a prat as a work coach.

I completely understand that they must be swamped with claimants. My dad worked at the job centre for 25 years, I know how stressful it can get, especially with what's happened this year.

But when you're interrogating someone (who has found their own work without any help or input from you), over the cost of their travel without even remembering where you're going to or from, you're just being a dick.

Spent about 15 minutes on the phone to them telling them what the cost of travel was (I had already sent the receipts) and that it was the cheapest available only for them to condescend, tell me I was wrong and that "it's actually your responsibility to look it up". Gave them the postcode of where I'm going from and to so they could look it up for their self. A couple of minutes of searching and then they obviously realised I was right and didn't say a word. Not the only instance of them talking to me like I'm a dickhead either, they seem to have an issue with every appointment.

I get that you have a massive workload and I get that you're probably used to a few piss takers but if you can't handle it then fuck off and find yourself a new job. I'd have literally run the risk of having my head caved in if I talked to people in my previous job like that. Maybe it's my fault for cutting them too much slack and not filing a complaint.

The culture now is all about Coaching the individual so in other words helping you to help yourself. Jobcentre is now a misnomer with the rise and rise of digitalisation. They are now concerned with paying and ensuring entitlement to benefits.
I think some staff have adopted learned behaviour from others and have never been corrected. Upholding the legislation does not give licence to be rude to anyone though.
The rudeness works both ways. Surely it’s easier and more fulfilling to be nice to one another.