Work TV

JOB CLUB NEWS - Belhus Library will be hosting a weekly Job Club every Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) to support jobseekers in Thurrock, Essex.

Staff and volunteers will be on hand from 1pm to 3pm to help you write and update CVs and covering letters, fill in online application forms and learn interview techniques.

No need to boo say organisers, just drop in anytime during the sessions.

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STRESS - We had a speculative email from John who runs, Relax Like A Boss, a site that helps people to deal with stress.

Simon I’m getting in touch about your page here: https://www.abcorg.net/item/1066-micro-lender-minicredit-forced-to-apologize-to-customer - which I found very insightful.

I actually recently wrote about how to overcome financial stress, which I thought might make a useful addition to your website. Would you consider linking to it?

You can find it here: https://relaxlikeaboss.com/financial-strain/

If you did link to it, I'd be happy to promote any of your blogs to my social media followers as a way of saying thank you.

<ends>

We shall be holding John to his promise. Some very useful information as it turns out. 

This is also a good excuse to mention. International Stress Management Week run by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA). The dates are: 4th - 8th November 2019

The International Stress Conference - 8th November 2019 is on November 8th at NCVO Society Building, 8 All Saints Street, London, N1 9RL

Founded in 1974 as the American Association for the Advancement of Tension Control (AAATC), the Association was renamed as the International Stress and Tension Control Society (ISTCS) in 1981 due to international interest. In 1984, the UK and French branches were formed and the organisation was renamed International Stress Management Association (ISMA) in 1989. With branches in 8 countries and members in many other countries, ISMA has a global reach.

We absolutely recommend this event and you can find out more at the ISMA website, click below: 

Book Your Place Now!

The Conference promises to be a landmark event, with expert opinion from international thought leaders.  The conference sold out in 2018, so book now to secure your place and ISMA look forward to seeing you at Growth 2019.  

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COMPLAINTS - Are you unhappy about your service from the DWP. This article explains how to complain. If you are getting nowhere it is a good idea to contact your local MP. 

The Search Box allows you to find them using your post code: https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

The definition of maladministration is wide and can include:

• Delay
• Incorrect action or failure to take any action
• Failure to follow procedures or the law
• Failure to provide information
• Inadequate record-keeping
• Failure to investigate
• Failure to reply
• Misleading or inaccurate statements
• Inadequate liaison
• Inadequate consultation
• Broken promises

How to complain about the service you get from the Department for Work and Pensions or from an organisation that provides its services.

Contents

Mandatory reconsiderations and appeals are different

How to complain

What happens next

If you’re not satisfied

Service standards

Complain about an organisation that provides a service for DWP

Who to contact

DWP complaints data

A complaint is defined as any expression of dissatisfaction about the service provided which is not resolved by operational staff as normal business.

You can contact us about any aspect of the service you’ve received, including:

• mistakes that have been made
• unreasonable delays
• how you’ve been treated
• not being kept informed
• We cannot investigate complaints:
• about government policy or law
• that have already been investigated or are currently being investigated by the Independent Case Examiner or the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
• that are, or have been, subject to legal proceedings, including legal settlements
• Mandatory reconsiderations and appeals are different

We can’t treat a complaint as a challenge to a benefit decision (a request for ‘mandatory reconsideration’) or an appeal against a benefit decision, overpayment decision, child maintenance assessment or sanction.

Read about how to request a mandatory reconsideration of a benefits decision.

You can’t appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal about a benefits decision until you get a response to your mandatory reconsideration request. This is called a ‘mandatory reconsideration notice’. You can appeal to the tribunal if you think the decision in the mandatory reconsideration notice is wrong.

How to complain

If you’d like to complain any aspect of the service you’ve received, let the office you have been dealing with know as soon as possible. We’ll do our best to put things right.

You can contact us by phone, in person or in writing. When you contact us, please tell us:

1. your National Insurance number – unless you are an employer
2. your full name, address and contact numbers
3. which benefit you are complaining about
4. what happened, when it happened and how it affected you
5. what you want to happen to put things right

State Pension age changes

At present, we are not investigating complaints about State Pension age changes as this issue is before the High Court. If you have already complained to us, we will send you an interim response explaining this, and we will write again once the court proceedings conclude.

We will continue to investigate complaints not related to State Pension age changes under the normal DWP complaints procedure.

Who to contact

Use the contact details at the top of any recent letters we’ve sent you or use the Who to contact details below.

If you live in Northern Ireland, go to the Department for Communities website for more information.

What happens next

If we’ve made a mistake, we’ll put it right as soon as possible and apologise immediately. If you’ve experienced unfair treatment or suffered financially, we may consider making a special payment to you.

If you’re not satisfied with our initial response, or we need to investigate further, you can ask for your complaint to go to a Complaint Resolution Manager.

They will contact you, usually by phone, to talk about your complaint and agree how to investigate it. They will contact you again within 15 working days to tell you the outcome or when you can expect a response, if it will take longer.

If the Complaint Resolution Manager doesn’t resolve your complaint

If the Complaint Resolution Manager doesn’t resolve your complaint, we’ll ask you if you want your complaint to go to a senior manager. If you agree, the senior manager will ask for an independent internal review of your complaint. They will contact you within 15 working days to tell you the outcome or when you can expect a response, if it will take longer.

If you’re not satisfied

If you’ve been through all our complaints stages, received our final response and still aren’t satisfied, you can ask the Independent Case Examiner to look at your complaint. You must contact them within 6 months of getting our final response and send them a copy of it.

The Independent Case Examiner can’t look at matters of law or government policy. They won’t look at benefit or maintenance decisions, for example, because you can appeal against these.

If they accept your complaint, they will look at what happened and what we did about it. If they think we should have done more, they will ask us to put matters right. They will act as an impartial referee and you will not be charged for their service.

If you don’t agree with the response from the Independent Case Examiner, you can ask your MP (or any other MP) to send your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Service standards

Read the DWP  customer charter.

Complain about an organisation that provides a service for DWP

Other organisations sometimes provide DWP services, for example Work Programme providers. If you’re not satisfied with the service you’ve received from an organisation like this, complain to them first and give them a chance to put the matter right. If you don’t agree with their response, they must tell you how you can take your complaint further.

If you’re still not satisfied with their final response to your complaint, you can ask the Independent Case Examiner to investigate.

Who to contact

Use the contact details at the top of any recent letters we’ve sent you or the details below.

Find out about call charges.

Access to Work

Telephone: 0800 121 7479
Textphone: 0800 121 7579
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 7479
Monday to Friday, 8am to 7:30pm

Attendance Allowance

Telephone: 0800 731 0122
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0122
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Carer’s Allowance

Telephone: 0800 731 0297
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0297
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Child maintenance

Contact the Child Maintenance Service or Child Support Agency.

Death and bereavement benefits

Telephone: 0800 731 0139
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0139
Welsh language telephone: 0800 731 0453
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Debt Management

Telephone: 0800 916 0647
Textphone: 0800 916 0651
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 916 0647
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Read the Debt Management customer service standards.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people aged under 65

Telephone: 0800 121 4600
Textphone: 0800 121 4523
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 4600
Monday to Friday, 8am to 7:30pm

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people aged 65 or over

Telephone: 0800 731 0122
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0122
Monday to Friday, 8am to 7:30pm

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), including ‘new style’ ESA

Telephone: 0800 169 0310
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0310
Welsh language telephone: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Incapacity Benefit

Telephone: 0800 169 0310
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0310
Welsh language telephone: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Income Support

Telephone: 0800 169 0310
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0310
Welsh language telephone: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Jobcentre Plus

Telephone: 0800 169 0190
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0190
Welsh language telephone: 0800 169 0207
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Find your nearest Jobcentre Plus office.

Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), including ‘new style’ JSA

Make an online complaint about JSA.

Telephone: 0800 169 0310
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0310
Welsh language telephone: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Maternity Allowance

Telephone: 0800 169 0283
Textphone: 0800 169 0286
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0283
Welsh language telephone: 0800 169 0296
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Telephone: 0800 121 4433
Textphone: 0800 121 4493
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 4433
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

State Pension and the Pension Service

Telephone: 0800 731 0469
Textphone: 0800 731 0464
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469
Welsh language telephone: 0800 731 0453
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Find your local pension centre.

If you’re abroad, contact the International Pension Centre.

Social Fund

Telephone: 0800 169 0140
Textphone: 0800 169 0240
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0140
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Universal Credit

Make an online complaint about Universal Credit.

Helpline: if you have an online Universal Credit account

Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Textphone: 0800 328 1344
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 328 5644
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Helpline: if you do not have an online Universal Credit account

Telephone: 0800 328 9344
Textphone: 0800 328 1344
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 328 9344
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Vaccine Damage Payments

Telephone: 01772 899 944
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 01772 899 944
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Complaints about the department

If you have a complaint about the Department for Work and Pensions itself, write to:

DWP Complaints
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV99 2GY

DWP complaints data

Read details of the number of complaints received about DWP in each financial year.

ABC Comments, have your say below:

‘Many Deaths Tonight It Could Be You….’:- Ladysmith Black Mambazo

'HOMELESSNESS - Today, Crisis responds to the Ministry for House, Communities and Local Government statistics for England. These numbers, while experimental statistics, are the first full years worth of data issued since the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) in April 2018.

The data shows in the last year:

• 263, 720 households have experienced homelessness or have been at the brink of homelessness in England
• 58,290  households have been prevented from becoming homeless since the introduction of the HRA
• 40,010 households had their homelessness relieved since the introduction of the HRA
• 8,230 people who are at risk of, or have experienced homelessness are over the age of 65.

Responding to the announcement, Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive at Crisis, said: “Everyone has the right to a decent home, and it’s great to see the success the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) has had in its first year, preventing over 60,000 households becoming homeless in England. Despite this over 7,000 households are currently in B&Bs, unable to access safe and secure accommodation. Our clients tell us of damaged, and even dangerous conditions, where they lack basic cooking and laundry facilities and face the constant pressure eviction at short notice. No one should have to live like this.

“We know we can do better. The HRA has great potential, but it can only go so far when people are being pushed to the brink, struggling to meet the cost of housing. The Government needs to tackle the root causes of this issue - investing in building more social housing and restoring Local Housing Allowance (LHA), so that it covers the true cost of renting.”

ABC comment. Rough sleepers in the UK have been growing category of citizens.

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CONSUMER ADVICE - Essex Trading Standards is warning about elevated reports of doorstep incidents that have led to financial loss incurred by residents. Sometimes victims are repeatedly targeted resulting in significant individual financial losses.

Essex Trading Standards has co-produced a short film highlighting the issue of doorstep crime. The film, 'Rogue Trader' seeks to raise awareness within the community about how these criminals operate and to remind us all to be vigilant when it comes to our neighbours, friends and relatives who could be susceptible to this type of crime.

The film features some talented actors, alongside Lee Mead, (Casualty and Holby City actor – and winner of the 2007 BBC talent contest Any Dream Will Do), are well known actors Perry Benson, who has appeared in popular television shows This Is England and Benidorm, and Christine Ozanne, an actress who will be familiar to fans of daytime BBC soap opera Doctors. 

If you have concerns about a trader report them to Citizens Advice on: 03454 04 05 06.

Best advice is not to deal with traders at the door - and to go strictly on recommendation from friends or family. 

Or why not consider using https://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/

Buy With Confidence where all businesses are vetted and approved by Trading Standards.

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UPDATE -We have made a few minor changes to Essex University's, Essex Law Clinic entry.  

Essex Law Clinic is based on University's Colchester Campus. The law clinic is open for appointments all year round (with limited service between April and October) on campus or outreaches (Colchester, Jaywick...)

Free and confidential advice

Members of the public, students and University staff can use the Essex Law Clinic to get free initial advice about a legal problem they are facing. The Clinic offers clients an initial consultation to find out their legal position and advise them on what steps they can take to remedy the issues.

If you need some legal advice, why not give them a call? PLEASE click on the logo:

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RECRUITMENT SLOWING - UK jobs growth is cooling says ONS figures. 

The UK employment rate was estimated at 76.1%; this is the joint-highest on record since comparable records began in 1971, and higher than a year earlier (75.5%).

The UK unemployment rate was estimated at 3.8%; this is lower than a year earlier (4.0%) and unchanged on the quarter.

The UK economic inactivity rate was estimated at 20.8%; this is lower than a year earlier (21.2%) and unchanged on the quarter.

Estimated annual growth in average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain increased to 4.0% for total pay (including bonuses) and fell to 3.8% for regular pay (excluding bonuses).

In real terms (after adjusting for inflation), annual growth in total pay is estimated to be 2.1% and annual growth in regular pay is estimated to be 1.9%.

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UN CLAIMED BENEFITS - An inquiry has been launched by Holyrood’s Social Security Committee as estimates suggest a huge number of benefits remain unclaimed by those eligible for them. The inquiry aims to explore the extent of the issue and what can be done to tackle it.

Statistics from HMRC and DWP estimated that in 2016/17 only 31% of families without children eligible for Working Tax Credit claimed, while only 60% of those eligible for Pension Credit claimed.

However, the full extent of benefit non-take-up in the UK is unknown because of difficulties in estimating eligibility.

The Committee is now looking for information on issues related to benefit uptake including why estimates of take-up are available for some benefits but not for others, and the impact of awareness raising campaigns in improving benefit uptake. The Committee is also investigating how technology could help automate some benefits to improve take-up and how take-up rates for the new Scottish social security benefits will be impacted by their link to the take-up rates for UK benefits.

Image: Bob Doris MSP.

 Bob Doris MSP, Convener of the Social Security Committee, said:

“There can be any number of reasons for low benefit uptake rates, but it is absolutely essential that we learn the scale of this challenge and take every possible action to improve uptake.

“There is no doubt the stigma of claiming benefits hinders uptake while too often people are simply not aware of the benefits they are entitled to. Administration processes are also often too complex, and our inquiry is determined to identify any barriers to benefit uptake and how we can remove these.

“The Committee will consider the Scottish Government strategy on benefit uptake which will be published in October, but what is clear is that everything possible must be done to ensure those in need receive the full benefits they are entitled to.”

Other issues the Committee is keen to explore include if different approaches are required for different benefits, and the impact of various eligibility criteria upon take-up rates.

The call for views is open until Monday 21 October. You can let the Committee know your views here: http://www.parliament.scot/benefit-take-up

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ANOTHER DWP MINISTER'S RESIGNATION - Amber Rudd has resigned from her cabinet post in Boris Johnson's government. Here is the full text of her letter to the prime minister.According to the BBC the work and pensions secretary told the BBC there were no "formal negotiations" taking place with the EU, just "conversations".

Ms Rudd said up to 90 per cent of government time was spent preparing for an "inferior" no-deal option.

Chancellor Sajid Javid said he was "saddened" by the resignation.

Downing Street has announced that Environment Minister Therese Coffey will replace Ms Rudd as work and pensions secretary.

Image: The new work and pension minister, Therese Coffey. 

The new DWP minister has: 

• Consistently voted for reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the "bedroom tax").
• Consistently voted against raising welfare benefits at least in line with prices.
• Consistently voted against paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability.
• Consistently voted for making local councils responsible for helping those in financial need afford their council tax and reducing the amount spent on such support.
• Consistently voted for a reduction in spending on welfare benefits.
• Almost always voted against spending public money to create guaranteed jobs for young people who have spent a long time unemployed.
• Almost always voted for reducing the rate of corporation tax.

This is Minister Therese Coffey's bio:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thérèse_Coffey

Coffey's decision to author a paper for the Free Enterprise Group recommending pensioners should be forced to pay National Insurance provoked a backlash among older constituents. She took money for supporting the gamining industry in parliament. She denied that she had been  "influenced in her considerations on matters of related policy by any hospitality received". 

Amber Rudds' resignation letter said:

"It is with great sadness that I am resigning as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Minister for Women and Equalities.

It has been an honour to serve in a department that supports millions of people and can be such a force for good. I would like to pay tribute to the thousands of people who work for the DWP across the country. They are committed public servants and I am proud of the work that we have done together over the last 10 months to create a more compassionate welfare system.

I would also like to thank you and the Chancellor of the Exchequer for your support in the recent Spending Review. I am so pleased that you committed to spend millions more supporting the most vulnerable in society, and I hope that the Government will stay committed to going further at the next fiscal event, building on the work the department has done.

This has been a difficult decision. I joined your Cabinet in good faith; accepting that 'no deal' had to be on the table, because it was the means by which we would have the best chance of achieving a new deal to leave on October 31.

However, I no longer believe leaving with a deal is the Government's main objective.

The Government is expending a lot of energy to prepare for 'no deal' but I have not seen the same level of intensity go into our talks with the European Union, who have asked us to present alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop.

The updates I have been grateful to receive from your office have not, regretfully, provided me with the reassurances I sought.

I must also address the assault on decency and democracy that took place last week when you sacked 21 talented, loyal One Nation Conservatives.

This short-sighted culling of my colleagues has stripped the party of broad-minded and dedicated Conservative MPs I cannot support this act of political vandalism.

Therefore, it is with regret that I am also surrendering the Conservative whip.

Britain's body politic is under attack from both sides of the ideological debate. I will now play whatever role I can to help return it to a better place.

I have been lucky to have had extraordinary support from my Conservative Association since I was adopted as their candidate in 2006. Three times they helped elect me as their MP, keeping Labour at bay through nail-biting campaigns.

I remain a proud conservative and will continue to champion the values of fairness and compassion, and to support my constituents of Hastings and Rye.

Yours Sincerely,

Amber Rudd"

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Cambridge City Council, Temporary Housing,116 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 1BZ have asked us to point out that their telephone number has changed to Tel: 03300 538109 

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