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No payment from JSA and feel messed around.
I re-applied for job seekers allowance in mid november and noticed I had no money. I then received a letter asking me for details about somewhere I once worked. I sent off the form the very next day and then received a letter saying they had increased my allowance by around £2.
However I have had no payment all through December and it is now the new year so it is coming up to quite some weeks now. The office in Birkenhead has been closed most of the time I have called them so I have not been able to contact them about the issue.
My mum expects rent, I need new clothes. My sign on day has been moved to 9th January as would have signed on Boxing day but it is classed as a public holiday.
I have reached my overdraft limit also as it is a student one and they will not change it until I can present them with a passport (they cost most of my allowance). Does the bank have some involvement? As it is a student one it is an interest free overdraft as I chose the lowest amount for my own sake.
I also owe my partner some money also as he pretty much paid for his own gift for Christmas thanks to this problem.
I do not know to to go about solving this, any advice would be nice.
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Hello! Most of the users of this site are American. Being British (and a former JSA claimant) I may be of some use.
Now, have you had your first sign on date? If not, it can take anywhere up to 2 weeks to process a new claim. Then from this, you need to sign on. When you go to sign on, it will take 3 working days to get paid. E.g. if your sign on day is monday, you will get paid thursday. If you get paid on a friday however, you will not get paid until wednesday.
This christmas + new years etc doesn't help. All the bank holidays obviously will mean no-one will process your claim, and when they return to work, there will be a large backlog, especially from people who have lost jobs after christmas temp jobs or whatever.
I think what you should now, is to ring the job centre. When they gave you your little booklet, there will most probably be a sticker on it with a bunch of numbers. I think you need to call 'benefits enquiries'. They are now open as per usual now that bank holidays etc are over, and so ring today! Keep in mind that they will keep you on hold for a long time. DO NOT HANG UP! I've done this, and its even worse the second time! So ring up and ask whats happening with your claim. You will need your national insurance number, and your other information.
If you can't find the number,use the below link to find your local office, and call them:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
or use: 0800 055 6688 which is the number for benefit claims.
Also, make sure that you stick to it, and if they say "ring tomorrow" for whatever reason, get up at 8 and be sure you're on the phone by 8.30.
The reason they probably asked for your last job was probably to check how much national insurance you paid. I won't get into the complexities, but theres 2 types of JSA, one contribution based, and another one which I cant remember. you were probably under contributions based. But I don't know, thats not really relevant.
In regards to your bank, you can't be sure if its the bank problem. When you ring the jobcentre line, they will say whether you have been paid etc. If they say you have been paid, ask why you haven't recieved your money. If they suggest its the banks fault, ring them straight away and see.
Your interest rate will depend solely on your bank and account type. Your best bet is to go on the banks website, search for your account type, and see the interest rates.
Also keep in mind it is against the law for a bank to take overdraft fee's out of your benefits. It won't stop the bank however. When you notice this though (if they do charge), head over to your jobcentre and ask them for a letter from them, to your bank saying that they must pay you the overdraft fee back. This is a letter stamped and authorised by the jobcentre, and then go to your bank with your card, ID etc.
So heres my advice in short:
1. contact the job centre
2. see what they say, and call the bank if needed
3. stick to it, ring back, and don't hang up when on hold
4. check what interest rates your bank will charge you
5. get a certified letter from the jobcentre saying that the bank cannot charge you fee's from your benefits.
In reference to the last point, remember that they cant take money from your JSA. When you put money into your account in another form though, It will be withdrawn.
Hope I helped, and good luck with this situation + the job hunt! :)
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