From the facebook page ‘the People vs the Government, DWP and Atos
A bit of advice for those who have been chucked off esa and forced to sign on, but are not fit to look for the jobs let alone do them. Well last week was my first signing on day, as I’d been for interview there the week before. At the interview I told the guy that I dont wanna sign to say I’m fit for work when I’m not!
He said a few times that if I want any money I must sign it. So I said, well I aint gonna look or work! So he told me I had to apply for a certain amount of jobs per week or I wont get paid. So I told him I aint fit to work and nobody will employ me unless I lied at my interview. Then I’d get fired straight away cus I wouldn’t manage to get there on time it at all. Well he was keeping his cool just looking blank at me. As we started to fill his on screen form in, he asked, so what job would u like to do. So I said, one where I can turn up when I want and go home when I want n get paid while I’m off!
He said u can’t say that! So he suggested things n I said after each one, well I cant do that because of…..and gave him the reason. I was there over an hour cus I just wouldnt play this stupid game. In the end we wrote some things down just to go home. So while at home I wrote on here saying how could I get out of doing job searches for a job I will never be able to do ( ive got fibromyalgia and cfs severely, so get brain fog, have sleep probs and of course the pain).
I was advised to get a sick note. So, I turned up on friday with a sick note for two weeks, as this is the longest they allow u, and only 2 in a year, or you will get signed off jsa. So iI gave this different advisor the sick note, which the doctor had included the third friday, making it 15 days, and I was told that because it was 15 days I dont have to sign on next fortnight either, so av to go in a months time, but need to bring along a two week job search list. So I told the man I didnt want to do it. I said I think I will bring another sick note in.
I said, how can I be asking esa to do me a reconsideration and if not successful an appeal, if I’m signing on to say I’m fit for work. I said its ridiculous. Writing to tell them I’m not fit to work. I said its stupid as I cant be both.
So I asked what would happen if I brought in a second sicknote straight after, making it more than a two week one next time too. He said they will close your case and make u sign on esa. I said, how can that happen if I’ve been chucked off it?
He said , what happens when esa say your fit for work and job centre wont except u because they say ur not fit to work is……..wait for it………. They put u into a group called the holding.
Its wherepeople are put that don’t seem to belong in either group till its decided through reconsideration that u can go back on it, but if it goes to appeal and u lose your appeal, which will be months and months away, only then do u have to def be on jsa and abide by the rules!
So all u lot, get to doctors on ur signing on day and get a sicknote for more than 2 weeks and get chucked of the jsa that we didnt want anyway, and join the holding group instead. Thanks the nice Job Centre Plus man. Xxxx
Benefit tales 