Jobseeker interviews and appeals
So you know the basics, but what is involved with signing on?
Jobseeker interviews
Having asked for your claim form you will have made an appointment for your first jobseeker interview. Fill the form in and take it to the interview.
At the interview, an Employment Service Adviser will:
- Make sure you understand the rules for JSA;
- Discuss the kinds of work you are looking for and the best ways of finding a job;
- Give you information about jobs, training and other opportunities;
- Check that you have filled in your form fully and given all the information they need
You must usually come to the Jobcentre every two weeks to confirm that you are still entitled to JSA and discuss your progress in looking for a job. You must also go to regular, more detailed interviews to look at your situation.
Jobseeker's Agreement
To get JSA you must have a Jobseeker Agreement - you and the adviser will make this agreement at your first interview, and you will both sign it.
Your Jobseeker's Agreement will include details of:
- Your availability for work;
- The kind of work you are looking for;
- What you will do to look for work and improve your chances of finding work;
- The services the Employment Service provide to help.
If you and the adviser cannot agree on the content of the Jobseeker's Agreement, a decision maker will decide if the proposed contents are reasonable. If you do not agree with their decision, you can ask for it to be looked at again by another decision maker. If you still do not agree, you can appeal.
Appeals
If you have been denied the benefit you claimed, you still have a right to appeal. You can take your case to an appeals tribunal, and if you succeed, your benefits will be backdated. Talk to an adviser at your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
If you have been found capable of work under the Personal Capability Assessment and have been denied Incapacity Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance or Income support, you may have no option but to sign on for either Contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance. Claimants are graded by a points system, and you would need 15 points to qualify as incapable of normal work.
However, the Personal Capability Assessment sometimes misrepresents a person's actual fitness. If you feel you have been wrongly assessed as capable of work, you should get advice immediately from your local Citizens Advice Bureau on how to appeal against the decision. Signing on in the meantime will not prejudice your chances of appeal. But it is important to remember that you will have to show that you are taking the necessary steps to be available for and actively seeking work under the rules mentioned above while you wait for your appeal.
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