Please those who have a (negative) moral emotional reaction to the subject matter don’t bother replying. I don’t want to get into my ethics here.
I have been living happily on government benefits for almost a year now claiming JSA and housing benefit.
I have to have another interview soon which I believe is my third ‘restart’ interview. I have had a suspicion for a while in the back of my mind that one day they will want me to go into ‘compulsory’ schemes to begin encouraging me more sternly back to work. Others say this either never comes or the schemes are a breeze anyhow. I still haven’t received or found any definitive information regarding this. What are other’s experience on this who have been on JSA for a year or more? Is there any increasing pressure to get you back to work or can I continue this cycle indefinitely without them escalating (at least significantly) in their pressure for me finding a job?
I can almost live on housing benefit alone as I live very frugally, but it’s mainly that I have to claim JSA to keep being entitled to HB as they need to see the viable source of my low income.
I have also been reading up on the hardship provision and have heard several homeless looking fellows (not judging just saying) asking for it in the past in my local Job Seekers office. I have only read the same rhetoric online about who is entitled to this- those unwilling or unable to work for whatever reason, but no literature on how it is paid. As I can (almost) live of HB alone then claiming hardship fund may be an alternative to JSA should my circumstances change. My main query is how is it paid and do I have to go in and sign up periodically as with the JSA or is it just transfered straight into my account? Presumably I won’t have to do the actively seeking work farce with hardship provision as that is not one of the criteria for hardship fund. So anyone who has info on this also please give me a heads up.
Thanks.
