Awakening by Julliette1919

Monday 6 June 2011

Has the Job Centre a Quota to Fill?

I was shocked last week when my job seekers allowance was unceremoniously stopped without any notice or warning. I had done nothing wrong that I knew of and had jumped through every hoop since I lost my job in January after breaking my arm.
On investigation, it seems that these stops of payments known as sanctions have increased dramatically this year and there is a whistle blower on Youtube who claims that there are secret quotas given to our govt employees to encourage them to sanction unsuspecting clients for very dubious reasons.
http://tinyurl.com/3n7o7ht

I have been very lucky, I had citizen advice behind me and I have a good education. I was able to sort it all out after only 10 days. But can you imagine 10 days on no cash when you have nothing else to fall back on; many have learning difficulties or are battling depression, dependency or other problems.
Some claimants are forced to depend on food parcels or loans to tide them over. That one is always good for a laugh. Who needs more loans when they have nothing to start with?

Like myself, taking away the money we need to live on also takes away our ability to find work. I would certainly have had to give up my car if this wasn't sorted out and in turn that would have led to me losing the job I am waiting to start.
Most people who suddenly find themselves unemployed are keeping up all sorts of debt repayments and weekly and monthly bills. Given the best of intentions, £65 doesn't cut it. To take that small income away without reason is criminal in my view. It is deliberately harming other human beings through taking food out of their mouths and causing considerable anxiety.

If this is the way the powers that be are behaving, you can bet that a wave of criminality will follow in its wake. The anger many feel would be enough to push some to this without further hardship and real need adding to the mix.

Talking of crime, did you all know that in order to take a holiday and keep your payments you have to tell the Centre exactly where you are going and give them a telephone number at your holiday destination.
I thought only criminals under the jurisdiction of a court order had to be treated this way for the good of society. Now it seems as if you are to be treated as a criminal just because you lost your job.