having to sign on in Glasto week

[daveinafield]

having been made redundant 3 months ago im signing on every other Thursday which happens to fall on Glasto Thursday. Anybody else in this situaiton? What do you reckon - take a holiday and loose the money - ask them to change the date for that week to say Tuesday or leave the north west straight after at 11.30. ideas people please?

[musky]

You're allowed to take one holiday a year as far as I know, as long as you don't leave the country. It doesn't affect your benefits.

[Phil-itfc]

cant you arrange for the payment to be made to a bank account or have a cheque sent to your home address? or am I being thick?

[daveinafield]

You're allowed to take one holiday a year as far as I know, as long as you don't leave the country. It doesn't affect your benefits.

[let's 'ave it!!!]

tell them u have to attend a funeral

i did the same, i know its bad, but they wont ask questions 'cos its a sensitive subject

[krispy]

cant you arrange for the payment to be made to a bank account or have a cheque sent to your home address? or am I being thick?

[musky]

already taken a weeks holiday

[scaryclaireyfairy]

i would phone them first thing on the thursday claiming illness, you may have to do the same on the friday. stomach bug or flu is probably best. something you'd wait out at home and not go to the doc's for. if you won't be back in time on monday, do the same again. you may lose those day's benefit though. i can't think of another way. (i used to work in jsa claims section).

[Laura_Babs]

cant you arrange for the payment to be made to a bank account or have a cheque sent to your home address? or am I being thick?

[scaryclaireyfairy]

they won't allow you a few days away, never tell them you're going away. they'll stop your claim and re-start it when you're back as you won't be 'actively seeking work'. i can't think of a reason short of a job interview (which they'd want proof of) to let you sign early.

[Laura_Babs]

Also meant to say that personally I woudln't be happy telling anymore of a lie than 'visiting friends' as I guess technically it counts as fraud so if you say you were ill or whatever it wouldn't be great.

Good luck with the job hunt, I had to sign on shortly after uni. Not much fun at all and eventually took a job working in a pub. Nothing wrong with that at all but not quite what I wanted to do with my life after gettting into 15k debt on a philosophy and politics course!

[spg]

many years since i last signed on, but a few times when visiting elsewhere in the country on signing on days i told them i was off looking for work in other regions. they let me sign on a day or so early and asked for proof that i had been looking for work in those regions upon my return. worth a try and stop at a job centre or two on route home and on way down.

si

[Billy09]

many years since i last signed on, but a few times when visiting elsewhere in the country on signing on days i told them i was off looking for work in other regions. they let me sign on a day or so early and asked for proof that i had been looking for work in those regions upon my return. worth a try and stop at a job centre or two on route home and on way down.

si

[scaryclaireyfairy]

Surely a train or coach ticket to Somerset would be evidence of looking for work in other regions?

[Billy09]

nope, that's only evidence that you were there. being wasted out your mind in a field doesn't count as seeking work, sadly!

[mouth]

this is a real predicament, i had no idea about these appointment things, cant believe its so inflexable

[krispy]

Phew just worked out my weeks and I think I am in the clear! Damn bank holidays (at least I don't have to sign on on them though!)

[dylanblues]

I'm pretty sure you're allowed up to 28 days sick but you'll have to call them all in. If you're getting Housing or Council Tax Benefit as well, I wouldn't sign off and on; too much hassle for you sorting it all out again.

I'm proud to work in Benefits

Edited May 27, 2009 by dylanblues

[howlin_pete]

A friend of mine did this last year, she just took the calls from them all weekend making up some excuse or another which I can't remember but she got away with it. She was in between finishing her degree and going onto a masters so I wasn't impressed, just a way for her to not get a job (thats not a sly dig at you by the way)

[pezzypops]

i have to sign on on the wdnesday so i'm booking it as a holiday. i was in the job centre today and asked about it; the only thing that could affect your money is that if they find you a job you have to be able to come back to attend an interview, etc. but the guy told me in all his years working at the job centre he's never seen it happen. i was having a right chat with him about it, he's a huge neil young fan and is totally jealous of me

if you've used your holiday though you are allowed 2 sicknesses.

i missed my signing on day a few weeks ago (got my weeks mixed up) and they said that wouldn't be an acceptable excuse and they could cancel my claim but since i hadn't missed anything through sickness before, and nothing was flagged as unusual with my claim, if i said i had flu and was unable to come to the job centre the decision board would accept it. and they did.

[Chimps in Balaclavas]

Rob a bank! (Preferably in a Neil Young or a Boss mask)

[meatyparson]

having been made redundant 3 months ago im signing on every other Thursday which happens to fall on Glasto Thursday. Anybody else in this situaiton? What do you reckon - take a holiday and loose the money - ask them to change the date for that week to say Tuesday or leave the north west straight after at 11.30. ideas people please?

[Alcatraz]

Rob a bank! (Preferably in a Neil Young or a Boss mask)

[Frogger_Queen]

Tell 'em you've got chickenpox, and you're FAR too contagious to leave the house....!

[MJMilz14]

this is a real predicament, i had no idea about these appointment things, cant believe its so inflexable