@yorkie out of interest whats the loophole you found as i may need to borrow it in a few months lol
It's quite simple really, I'm pissed at myself that I didn't do it sooner.
The basic schedule
1- The day before you are due to attend the WP provider, sign off.
2- Enjoy your day off
3- On your day off or the day after do a rapid reclaim
4 -attend you appointment for the rapid reclaim
5 -sign on next as normal/or sign off if that before your next WP appointment
Why?
1- If you attend the WP then you open yourself up to their decision making. Bear in mind that most of these are fly by night set ups that just want to make money from you and treat you as their little profit unit. If you dont play ball you'll get a sanction or a threat of one.
2- most if not all will not provide a properly qualified recruitment specialist, you'll probably get an 'advisor' who is uniquely unqualified.
3- By all means check out the company, if you feel there's something in it for you great, but why waste the best part of a day on a waste of time otherwise and also potentially jeopardise your income.
4- You simply cannot be sanctioned for non attendance when you are not in receipt of JSA (even if its for a day) . When you sign off all appointments are cancelled. This has been confirmed by DWP FOI questions.
Cost
You'll need to be able to last for a couple of weeks without payment just in case of any late payments caused. You'll lose a at worst £10 every 2 weeks if not less depending.
It will also cost you a bit of time and attention to detail. You may have to chase the odd late payment.
Important tips to remember
Signing Off -
On your ES40JP card you only need to fill in the part 4 declaration. Just put a line through 1-3.
The declaration is for (and INCLUDING the last day). I would recommend writing on it 'On and including' then the date.
Then scan it and keep a copy safe.
Go into the jobcentre on the last day, hand it to a the desk staff (not G4S). If there's just a G4s say you want to see a member of staff.
Say you are signing off. They will probably check it and ask why. Just say you have not filled in any of the voluntary information and do not wish to and wish them a good day.
Rapid reclaim - on the phone
after the days break, I prefer to use the freephone number and ask for a rapid reclaim.
Make sure you state the start date as the day after your days break, I.E. when the WP appointment was.
The jobcentre probably wont of signed you off fully just at that time so make sure you ask just to make an appointment at the jobcentre and fill in the rapid reclaim form there. I have found thats the easiest way.
You go in 30 mins before your appointment, ask for the form and fill it in.
Rapid reclaim appointment at the jobcentre
1- At first staff may ask you why you signed off and then on. You do not need to give a reason, just say I decided to! or I decided to have a day off. If they offer there holiday form decline. Its your business what you do in your own private time. The only legitimate question really is have you done any work in the interim period (1 day) which you haven't (unless you have).
2- Use the same job seekers agreement, it'll still be on the system
3- when filling in the job seekers agreement, keep an eye out and let the staff member know not to tick any of the voluntary options. I usually find it works to just say up front 'dont tick any of the voluntary consents thanks'. If they do dont sing it and make them print it off again.
4- IMPORTANT dont give them a phone number. This will cut out those annoying texts and messages. just say you no longer have that mobile number, cant afford it or it was cancelled.
5- No need to enter into ANY chat or conversation about why you are doing what you are doing. You can sign off if you want anytime and if eligible you can sign back on. Just focus on the specific task at any one time. Don't give them ANY ammo about any motivations.
6- you should get a letter about the WP stating 'from today you will WP etc etc' this is fine as it nullifys the past so you WANT this letter. NB could be very handy if they try to sanction you.
7- on the form where it says do you want to claim housing benefit, I usually just write NA already claiming. You dont actually want to say yes or no to that question as it can cause an auto stop or a reapplication.
8- ID they will ask for ID I usually give them the last P45, these will come through every time you sign off.
Next signing day
If the schedule will allow it its better to sign on as normal if possible as this will keep the claim going normally. However if you get a new WP date before your next sign on then sign off the day before that as per.
WP letter
You'll probably get a letter stating that you failed to attend blah blah. No need to reply to this as you were not in receipt of JSA for that date. I wouldn't bother replying to them or engaging them in any way.
Letter of 'doubt' from jobcentre
You might get a letter of doubt from the jobcentre stating you did not attend etc etc. This you SHOULD reply to this
stating the basic facts IE (NB keep it as stripped down as poss, no emotion, no extra waffle at all)
''''You state a doubt has arisen on my claim, this is incorrect as there is not doubt on my JSA for this period.
You state that I did not attend WP provider XXX on XXX date. This is incorrect as I was not in receipt of JSA for that date.
You state I need to provide a reason by XXX date, this is also incorrect as as I was not in receipt of JSA for that date I have no such obligation''''''
send this recorded to the correct address. You can use one of their freepost envelopes and add recorded to it. Keep the slip and use track n trace.
Housing benefit
If you keep the gap to one day only then depending on your council your HB should carry on. However sometimes it will generate an auto stop. I would recommend going in to the council, speak to the HB person directly (don't be fobbed off), get their email then email them form then on. If you then get an auto stop letter (don't worry) just mail that person explain you just had a very short JSA break and your circumstances have not changed and to keep the HB claim going. They 'may' ask you to pop in with a bank statement. This is OK (try and get a summarised non-itemised one) and pop in and see that person directly again. Yes a bit of a drag but its very important to keep the HB going. Also keep the JSA break to a day only that will help this situation (dont be lazy).
Dealing with jobcentre staff
Remember its up to you what you do with your claim/life, not them. Don't be intimidated at all and be confident. Be polite and calm at all times, after a while they'll know not to bother you and leave you be. Don't consent to any extra chats or meetings, keep all in writing. If they make any kind of assertion or statement, just say ''well today I am here for XXX appointment that's it, if you'd like to send me any questions like that in writing then I can respond formally''.
Keeping notes -important
Keep a detailed record of the exact dates you signed off and reclaimed.
Keep track of payments and the dates those payments are for
I recommend one of those long calendars.
Chase any late or missing payments, use the phone to call the benefit centre at the jobcentre, be polite don't worry you'll get your money but you need to be organised. If you sign off before you usually sign on day there will be a short delay in payment, but if you chase it they can usually correct this quiet quickly.
If when you sign off you get paid a day less then chase this and write a letter of complaint to the jobcentre manager.
Finally
I know this method works but if you have any questions feel free to ask.
Also of course to be eligible for JSA you need to be looking and available for work etc so whilst you are claiming I would recommend trying to improve your situation using your best efforts.
Other methods
are out there of course.
If you do attend the WP then you DO NOT need to sign the data protection waiver. DWP FOI fact.
In fact you DO NOT need to sign ANYTHING if you dont want to (DONT be pressured) DWP FOI fact.
If the person is not qualified in recruitment request to see a qualified person, ask to see THIER CV : )
Also if you have access to other jobcentres then when you do a rapid reclaim you can change jobcentre, site transport issues. You'll be amazed how much this can delay things. If its in another jobcentre district then even better.
This all works due to the fact that there isn't a 3 day waiting period on rapid reclaims.
The 3 day waiting period on fresh claims stems back to the 70's when short working weeks and half day Fridays were the norm.
A 3 day waiting period was introduced to stop folk finishing work on Friday, walking into a jobcentre in the afternoon and claiming benefit over the weekend for some extra cash before returning to work on the Monday.
The worst that could happen is that you might have to make your rapid reclaim the day AFTER your WP appointment so that you have a day break but the money lost for just 1 day is only about £10 so.....