Financial help with interview clothes for the unemployed

[neeeeeeeeeek 10]

Have they now stopped this allowence?

[Telstarbox 10]

From direct.gov.uk:

 

 

When you claim Jobseeker's Allowance, you'll need to attend an interview at the Jobcentre. This is called a 'new jobseeker interview'.

A Jobcentre Plus adviser will talk to you about the extra help that may be available to you, such as:

 

access to specialist help for things like writing a CV, preparation for interviews, confidence building and work skills

help to look for work if you haven’t had experience of looking for a job for some time

help if you're looking for professional or executive jobs

help with reading, maths or with your English

information about improving your skills to suit the type of jobs available locally

help with one-off expenses that might help you get back to work quickly, such as the cost of buying formal clothes for an interview

Edited October 13, 2010 by Telstarbox
format

[maaaargaret 10]

Having read all the comments here i thought i'd add my experience many years ago on this.

Having worked since leaving school (in the same job 17yrs whilst also bringing up 4 children), i had to give up work after after my personal circumstances changed. I was unemployed for 6weeks and was desperate to work at anything. I lost my confidence and it was hard not having things we had been used to. I was encouraged to apply for this grant which i had to spend at selected shops. I got clothes and a pair of shoes that i couldn't have paid for without this. I looked and felt confident, applied and got interview/job and never looked back. so in nearly 30yrs of working (minus the 6wks on the dole) i feel i've more than paid back into the system. My wage slip with tax and NI contributions deductions more than reminds me of this on the 30th of each month!

[alko27 10]

I believe Matalan now have the contract for supplying this.

[cuttsy 10]

Wish id have had 100 quid to buy new clothes for interviews. As someone said earlier 20 quid at primark does the job. Iv never lost out on an interview and certainly didnt spend 100 quid on clothes. Would be better if it was 30quid for interview and when you get a job the further 60 quid is then given for work clothes etc....

[happyhippy 11]

Before people get the wrong idea, not all of the amount available through the Adviser Discretion Fund is always allocated at once.

 

Just because it's available for people to apply to, doesn't mean it's granted. It's not an automatic entitlement either. It is at the discretion of the adviser concerned.

 

Thought I'd allay some fears.

[LadyInRed 10]

IMHO

 

I find these threads amusing, I lost my job in June after working for 12 years solid, went to get jsa and get treated like scum..

 

My outgoings still are over the JSA and I don’t have enough for food half the time and have had to walk to plenty of places, the job centre do not give money back for interview bus fare which on one day cost me £4.30 bus and £cant recall the tram ticket day rider but which when I did not get the job pickled me as it was money I don’t have!

 

leccy is £35 monthly

net / phone / tv / mobile is £50 (in contract cant break)

rent contribution £80 a month and that’s with benefit

TV licence £12.12 a month - compulsary

bus fare to sign on £2.60 every two weeks £5.30

debt £1 token payments £5 each month (you don’t know your going to lose job when you take on credit with places – so don’t judge)

which is £187.42ish every month and i get £256 - out of this i need a new winter coat and some shoes.. i also don’t have a suit that fits anymore.. so this help would be greatly received from me and seen as i have paid NI since 16 – even if its only from a cheap shop – nobody will take anyone serious in an interview in jeans or old scruffy clothes, trainers or the like..

 

this leaves me with £68 ish for food over four weeks.. this is less than an average person spends a week on food.. and also if i get interviews that’s less to spend..

 

iv not always been unemployed but don’t tell people I am as they treat you different and talk to you like your slow

 

some people ought to live in the real world .. i sit in the job centre to sign on and look for work - i like to look smart but none of my clothes are designer – some people don’t want to work fine – they don’t get help but the ones who do like me should get some help after all I have paid my tax for long enough!.. and yes if I did not get help like a previous post about a bus pass if the job was meadowhall way or further I would not walk all that way then be expected to a) interview b) start an 8+ hour shift..

 

“we work to live we do not live to work”

 

edit: Matalan and Primark - how can they supply clothes as they dont go up to big enough sizes for EVERYBODY! so thats discrimination!

 

edit:

 

From direct.gov.uk:

 

When you claim Jobseeker's Allowance, you'll need to attend an interview at the Jobcentre. This is called a 'new jobseeker interview'.

A Jobcentre Plus adviser will talk to you about the extra help that may be available to you, such as:

 

access to specialist help for things like writing a CV, preparation for interviews, confidence building and work skills - send you to a4e for six weeks!

help to look for work if you haven’t had experience of looking for a job for some time - not available as they are understaffed

help if you're looking for professional or executive jobs - ?

help with reading, maths or with your English - the government have cut funds the gov site should be updated

information about improving your skills to suit the type of jobs available locally - as above..

help with one-off expenses that might help you get back to work quickly, such as the cost of buying formal clothes for an interview - i will ask when i next visit.. ?

Edited October 13, 2010 by LadyInRed

[howden 10]

Wish id have had 100 quid to buy new clothes for interviews. As someone said earlier 20 quid at primark does the job. Iv never lost out on an interview and certainly didnt spend 100 quid on clothes. Would be better if it was 30quid for interview and when you get a job the further 60 quid is then given for work clothes etc....

 

I think it would be better if it was £30 for the interview and if you got the job you paid the £30 back.

[happyhippy 11]

IMHO

 

I find these threads amusing, I lost my job in June after working for 12 years solid, went to get jsa and get treated like scum..

 

My outgoings still are over the JSA and I don’t have enough for food half the time and have had to walk to plenty of places, the job centre do not give money back for interview bus fare which on one day cost me £4.30 bus and £cant recall the tram ticket day rider but which when I did not get the job pickled me as it was money I don’t have!

 

Wrong. So long as you have proof that there was an interview, then you would be refunded for the travel costs, or in some certain cases given a travel warrant under the Travel To Interview scheme.

 

leccy is £35 monthly

net / phone / tv / mobile is £50 (in contract cant break)

rent contribution £80 a month and that’s with benefit

TV licence £12.12 a month - compulsary

bus fare to sign on £2.60 every two weeks £5.30

debt £1 token payments £5 each month (you don’t know your going to lose job when you take on credit with places – so don’t judge)

which is £187.42ish every month and i get £256 - out of this i need a new winter coat and some shoes.. i also don’t have a suit that fits anymore.. so this help would be greatly received from me and seen as i have paid NI since 16 – even if its only from a cheap shop – nobody will take anyone serious in an interview in jeans or old scruffy clothes, trainers or the like..

 

So long as you fit the criteria for an ADF, you can speak to someone about it. The people who sign you on aren't at a high enough 'rank' to authorise a payment though. The outlets are generally chosen so as to ensure a 'certain' level of quality.

 

this leaves me with £68 ish for food over four weeks.. this is less than an average person spends a week on food.. and also if i get interviews that’s less to spend..

 

iv not always been unemployed but don’t tell people I am as they treat you different and talk to you like your slow

 

God knows where you shop, but I barely spend that a month on food for myself!

 

some people ought to live in the real world .. i sit in the job centre to sign on and look for work - i like to look smart but none of my clothes are designer – some people don’t want to work fine – they don’t get help but the ones who do like me should get some help after all I have paid my tax for long enough!.. and yes if I did not get help like a previous post about a bus pass if the job was meadowhall way or further I would not walk all that way then be expected to a) interview b) start an 8+ hour shift..

 

“we work to live we do not live to work”

 

edit: Matalan and Primark - how can they supply clothes as they dont go up to big enough sizes for EVERYBODY! so thats discrimination!

 

As I said before, it is a discretionary payment. I know of loads of people who have had payments to use at 'non-contracted' outlets. The awards are at the discretion of the adviser though.

 

help with one-off expenses that might help you get back to work quickly, such as the cost of buying formal clothes for an interview - i will ask when i next visit.. ?

 

Yes. That is what the ADF is for, but again, the people who sign you on can't authorise a payment. You'd need to speak to another adviser for more help.

 

Hope that helps.

[neeeeeeeeeek 10]

Just an update. The allowance is now £50 and it can only be used at Matalan.

You visit the shop, identify what you need and take noteof the prices. Then you return to the job centre and they fill out a form with the list of items and associated costs next to them which you take back to Matalan. I believe this is only available to people who have been signing on for 6 months or more.

[BLADES-EELA 10]

IMHO

 

I find these threads amusing, I lost my job in June after working for 12 years solid, went to get jsa and get treated like scum..

 

My outgoings still are over the JSA and I don’t have enough for food half the time and have had to walk to plenty of places, the job centre do not give money back for interview bus fare which on one day cost me £4.30 bus and £cant recall the tram ticket day rider but which when I did not get the job pickled me as it was money I don’t have!

 

leccy is £35 monthly

net / phone / tv / mobile is £50 (in contract cant break)

rent contribution £80 a month and that’s with benefit

TV licence £12.12 a month - compulsary

bus fare to sign on £2.60 every two weeks £5.30

debt £1 token payments £5 each month (you don’t know your going to lose job when you take on credit with places – so don’t judge)

which is £187.42ish every month and i get £256 - out of this i need a new winter coat and some shoes.. i also don’t have a suit that fits anymore.. so this help would be greatly received from me and seen as i have paid NI since 16 – even if its only from a cheap shop – nobody will take anyone serious in an interview in jeans or old scruffy clothes, trainers or the like..

 

this leaves me with £68 ish for food over four weeks.. this is less than an average person spends a week on food.. and also if i get interviews that’s less to spend..

 

iv not always been unemployed but don’t tell people I am as they treat you different and talk to you like your slow

 

some people ought to live in the real world .. i sit in the job centre to sign on and look for work - i like to look smart but none of my clothes are designer – some people don’t want to work fine – they don’t get help but the ones who do like me should get some help after all I have paid my tax for long enough!.. and yes if I did not get help like a previous post about a bus pass if the job was meadowhall way or further I would not walk all that way then be expected to a) interview b) start an 8+ hour shift..

 

“we work to live we do not live to work”

 

edit: Matalan and Primark - how can they supply clothes as they dont go up to big enough sizes for EVERYBODY! so thats discrimination!

 

edit:

 

From direct.gov.uk:

 

When you claim Jobseeker's Allowance, you'll need to attend an interview at the Jobcentre. This is called a 'new jobseeker interview'.

A Jobcentre Plus adviser will talk to you about the extra help that may be available to you, such as:

 

access to specialist help for things like writing a CV, preparation for interviews, confidence building and work skills - send you to a4e for six weeks!

help to look for work if you haven’t had experience of looking for a job for some time - not available as they are understaffed

help if you're looking for professional or executive jobs - ?

help with reading, maths or with your English - the government have cut funds the gov site should be updated

information about improving your skills to suit the type of jobs available locally - as above..

help with one-off expenses that might help you get back to work quickly, such as the cost of buying formal clothes for an interview - i will ask when i next visit.. ?

 

great post pal. im exact same, i had debt that i could afford as i was told i was in a job for life, i got made redundant, but i held my head up and moved on, then you try asking for some help off goverment and people slag you off, i tell you something i hope the people that do slag people like us off have this problem some stage in their life - i really do

[wotsits 10]

IMHO

 

I find these threads amusing, I lost my job in June after working for 12 years solid, went to get jsa and get treated like scum..

 

My outgoings still are over the JSA and I don’t have enough for food half the time and have had to walk to plenty of places, the job centre do not give money back for interview bus fare which on one day cost me £4.30 bus and £cant recall the tram ticket day rider but which when I did not get the job pickled me as it was money I don’t have!

 

leccy is £35 monthly

net / phone / tv / mobile is £50 (in contract cant break)

rent contribution £80 a month and that’s with benefit

TV licence £12.12 a month - compulsary

bus fare to sign on £2.60 every two weeks £5.30

debt £1 token payments £5 each month (you don’t know your going to lose job when you take on credit with places – so don’t judge)

which is £187.42ish every month and i get £256 - out of this i need a new winter coat and some shoes.. i also don’t have a suit that fits anymore.. so this help would be greatly received from me and seen as i have paid NI since 16 – even if its only from a cheap shop – nobody will take anyone serious in an interview in jeans or old scruffy clothes, trainers or the like..

 

this leaves me with £68 ish for food over four weeks.. this is less than an average person spends a week on food.. and also if i get interviews that’s less to spend..

 

iv not always been unemployed but don’t tell people I am as they treat you different and talk to you like your slow

 

some people ought to live in the real world .. i sit in the job centre to sign on and look for work - i like to look smart but none of my clothes are designer – some people don’t want to work fine – they don’t get help but the ones who do like me should get some help after all I have paid my tax for long enough!.. and yes if I did not get help like a previous post about a bus pass if the job was meadowhall way or further I would not walk all that way then be expected to a) interview b) start an 8+ hour shift..

 

“we work to live we do not live to work”

 

edit: Matalan and Primark - how can they supply clothes as they dont go up to big enough sizes for EVERYBODY! so thats discrimination!

 

edit:

 

From direct.gov.uk:

 

When you claim Jobseeker's Allowance, you'll need to attend an interview at the Jobcentre. This is called a 'new jobseeker interview'.

A Jobcentre Plus adviser will talk to you about the extra help that may be available to you, such as:

 

access to specialist help for things like writing a CV, preparation for interviews, confidence building and work skills - send you to a4e for six weeks!

help to look for work if you haven’t had experience of looking for a job for some time - not available as they are understaffed

help if you're looking for professional or executive jobs - ?

help with reading, maths or with your English - the government have cut funds the gov site should be updated

information about improving your skills to suit the type of jobs available locally - as above..

help with one-off expenses that might help you get back to work quickly, such as the cost of buying formal clothes for an interview - i will ask when i next visit.. ?

 

With regard to help with Maths or English etc, unless I am mistaken if you are in receipt of Income based benefit, the college course fees are heavily subsidised, in that you only pay the Admin fee. Along with ADF, there are Job grants (qualifying criteria allowing), possible help with travel. There is also the option of applying for interest free loans, again qualyfying criteria allowing.