The JobCentre.

On January 7th 2012, I went to the JobCentre in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Having dropped out of University in December, I decided to apply for Jobseeker's Allowance, considering how difficult it is to get a job in the current climate. In the words of an advisor working at said JobCentre: "the jobs just aren't there".

They told me I had to send off proof that I had dropped out of University - in their own words, "an e-mail from the University will be sufficient". I sent this off to Watford JobCentre on the 7th of January, along with my passport as ID. On the 14th of January, I received both items back, with a piece of paper that had "with compliments" written on it.

On the 1st of February, I received a letter telling me that I wasn't going to be paid any Jobseeker's allowance, because I was "still in full-time education" - despite clearly proving to them that I wasn't. A sheet within this letter told me how to appeal; I sent off an appeal on the same day.

On the 4th of February, I went to sign-on, and talked to someone working at Hemel JobCentre. He said I'd have to phone Watford JobCentre, which I did. After 40 minutes on hold, I was told that an e-mail apparently was not sufficient, and that I'd have to get a letter from the University, which I would then have to send off to Watford JobCentre.

To recap: they sent a letter, which I had to respond to via phone, before having to send an e-mail to University to get them to post a letter to me which I then had to post to the JobCentre. To say this is overly complex would be a massive understatement.

But this didn't solve the problem. I went to sign-on on the 18th of February. After a 52 minute wait - during which time someone who worked there said "surely you can't still be waiting for your appointment?", before saying "I will go check that", only to not come back to me at all, even walking past me to go into the office 20 minutes later - I was finally seen by my advisor, who informed that my claim had been closed. For no reason. No-one thought to notify me in any way to tell me "you don't have to go for your signing appointment", and I still had no money. I was now told that I had to appeal against this closure if I wanted the privilege of being able to have any money in my bank account. I was told I had to phone the Watford JobCentre again. After another 40 minutes on hold, I finally talked to a man who told me "I am unsure what is happening with your appeal, I will get someone to phone you back. If they don't phone you back by 1pm, call again tomorrow and I will chase it up" - the fact that he had to add this last sentence shows that even a man who works there knows how utterly incompetent and frustrating the system is. I eventually received a call later that day, where I was told that appeals take "6 to 8 weeks" to process. I responded by saying, three to four times, that "I have no money" - the only response I received was "yeah, but it takes 6 to 8 weeks". A total lack of empathy.

Luckily, I live with my parents, so they can support me a little. However, what if I wasn't? What if I had bills to pay, or a child to feed, and all I had to feed them with for the period from 7th January to April 18th was "yeah, but it takes 6 to 8 weeks"?

I'd also like to place emphasis on my use of "a little"; yes, they can shout me £10 every couple of weeks if I ask, but they cannot afford much. Not only this, but I feel bad having to ask them for money. This had led to me not only having no social life - as I can't afford one - I have also been unable to buy my friends anything for their 21st and 23rd birthdays respectively. It also made it so I unable to get my Mum a 50th birthday present. These events have made me feel absolutely awful, thinking of myself as a poor friend and son. I feel like I have been punished for doing absolutely nothing wrong, and it is causing me much distress and unhappiness.

I intend on sending this to the JobCentre complaints department, my local MP, as well as leaving this here as a public damning review of their dreadful, heartless services.

Update: I sent this blog to my local MP, and he sent a letter on to the Hemel JobCentre. Within 2 weeks, they had fixed my claim, and I was getting money again. I really shouldn't have to have gone down this route, though, and it leaves me thinking "why can't they sort everyone out in 2 weeks, if they could suddenly do so with me once I got a politician involved?"