weltweit
Well-Known Member
atm I rent a nominally 3 bed house (actually two bedrooms and a box room). I live alone but my son is with me 3 nights a week. Rent is £900pcm.
can probably advise in more detail on the housing benefit thing if wanted.
The job hunting support thread
- Thread starter Cloo
- Start date
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
oh shit
i think you might be in for a nasty shock.
are you a private tenant, or council / housing association?
assuming you're private - this may be worth a look (the 'local housing allowance' rate you're allowed varies by area, to reflect rent levels) but I have a nasty feeling you'd only be entitled to the LHA rate for a 1 bedroom place, since son isn't 'resident' (I'm a bit fuzzy on how it goes with shared parenting now)
broadly speaking, if you're renting somewhere bigger than what the system says you're entitled to, you'd get housing benefit up to the limit for the size of place you're allowed, but you'd have to make up the shortfall out of your benefits / savings.
there may be a bit of leeway if you've started the tenancy and been working before starting claiming, but again I'm fuzzy on that bit.
weltweit
Well-Known Member
Puddy_Tat, I am expecting a shock. I am a private tenant. I lived here for perhaps 5 years initially with a family (working partner), I have been working for about 2 years of that. Last 6 months working.
eta: Checked out the link (thanks), 1bed gives me quite a bit less than I need. May have to urgently move I guess. Lots of stuff though which will be a pain.
eta: Checked out the link (thanks), 1bed gives me quite a bit less than I need. May have to urgently move I guess. Lots of stuff though which will be a pain.
I got a call about a job interview for something paying £17000 in London. 
the agent told me the company knows it is low pay for london and they will be reviewing it about 6 months time. I think I will take it for the moment if offered, just because I am bored out of my ass sat at home. use the chance to look for a job elsewhere.
This tells me the take home pay will be
http://iknowtax.com/2014/
£1200 per month. Poor. But will pay the rent.
the agent told me the company knows it is low pay for london and they will be reviewing it about 6 months time. I think I will take it for the moment if offered, just because I am bored out of my ass sat at home. use the chance to look for a job elsewhere.
This tells me the take home pay will be
http://iknowtax.com/2014/
£1200 per month. Poor. But will pay the rent.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
may be worth exploring the possibility of getting a house-sharer to occupy one of the bedrooms?
although I think (and suggest you seek better informed advice that I can offer here) you would need to do so on the basis of them having a separate tenancy agreement with your landlord (or getting in to a joint tenancy - and this raises the possibility of benefits people asking questions about 'co-habiting') - and don't know if you or your landlord would want to touch this idea with a barge pole. I have a feeling that (again, even if your landlord was happy with the idea) if you set them up as a sub-tenant of yours, and rent they paid you would be regarded as income for housing benefit - and possibly JSA - purposes.
Job hunting activity news here is 2 applications batted out this weekend - one fairly uninspiring but London, one not bad, but further away from London and somewhere fairly expensive. A couple of possibles to apply for this week.
Where's the :uninspired: smiley when you need it?
Had an interview today.
Got another on Thursday
Another one on 3rd Feb
And a telephone interview tomorrow.
1st two are low pay
The 3rd is a 6 month contract.
Last one is located in Hammersmith which is a pain to get to by bus from Vauxhall which means I have to take the underground which is going to cost me much more money in travel costs as well as inevitable delays due to signal problems etc.
Got another on Thursday
Another one on 3rd Feb
And a telephone interview tomorrow.
1st two are low pay
The 3rd is a 6 month contract.
Last one is located in Hammersmith which is a pain to get to by bus from Vauxhall which means I have to take the underground which is going to cost me much more money in travel costs as well as inevitable delays due to signal problems etc.
xes
F.O.A.D
With a heavy sigh, I'm even considering making the journey. Will the job center help me out with paying for my petrol to get there and back? The job would be alot more local, servicing the midlands, home counties and north london. Maybe some travel over Europe too. Can I justify a 340 or so mile round trip on this whim that i might get a job from it?
Guineveretoo
Mostly bewildered
One of my friends, who is a nurse in the UK, has just handed in her notice after 10 years in the same job because she is so stressed at how badly treated and overworked she is.
Until and unless nurses are treated with respect and paid (and managed) properly, there will always be a shortage.
Until and unless nurses are treated with respect and paid (and managed) properly, there will always be a shortage.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
in fucking York
I think the answer to that is no - the "travel to interview" scheme was closed in 2011.
I can find some references to the "flexible support fund" but can't find a lot about it. This may depend on any combination of whether there's any money left in the kitty locally, what mood the person you ask is in, and what day of the week it is.
Have you asked the (potential) employer whether they will reimburse travel costs? (they will probably laugh, but may be worth a try - if they say "no" it may give you an idea of what sort of employer they are.)
Do the job centre know you have applied for this job? If not, I'm more inclined to say to hell with it.
If they do know, I don't know if (in the current climate) they would sanction you for not being able to afford to travel hundreds of miles to go to this...
xes
F.O.A.D
Well, it was on a list I gave them (2 pages long) of the jobs I'd applied for in the last 2 weeks, but nothing specific. Still considering it, could be a total waste of time, but it gets me out the house I guess 
Borrowed some more money off the OH, so I could afford the petrol or train ticket...
Borrowed some more money off the OH, so I could afford the petrol or train ticket...
Guineveretoo
Mostly bewildered
Ask the employer if they pay travel expenses for interviews. In my experience, employers mostly DO provide this, although they don't all advertise the fact.
If they do pay, then you could go and check it out, if only for the experience?
If they do pay, then you could go and check it out, if only for the experience?
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
I have another one to apply for (only a 9 month post but might be useful to get back into that field) - did the 'please ring for informal chat' thing today and sounds fairly reasonable.
Tomorrow's thing includes a 'role play' exercise - don't think I've done one of them before.
Any bright ideas?
I'm slightly concerned that they will present situations and expect me to deal with them according to their procedures, which as an external candidate, I'm not that clear on.
Tomorrow's thing includes a 'role play' exercise - don't think I've done one of them before.
Any bright ideas?
I'm slightly concerned that they will present situations and expect me to deal with them according to their procedures, which as an external candidate, I'm not that clear on.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
well, that went slightly better than expected - i had somehow got the idea that there would be a group of us.
the role play thing consisted of one of their people being 'irate customer' and another observing how I dealt with it, then me having to write a brief report of it. Although one of the issues that 'customer' raised wasn't covered at all in the briefing I was given, so I hope I did the right think in saying what I think is the right answer. Blargh. The other written exercise was fairly simple.
Another interview invite for next week - again in the line of work I was in some time ago, so will probably be another 'creditable also-ran' sort of thing. Meh.
the role play thing consisted of one of their people being 'irate customer' and another observing how I dealt with it, then me having to write a brief report of it. Although one of the issues that 'customer' raised wasn't covered at all in the briefing I was given, so I hope I did the right think in saying what I think is the right answer. Blargh. The other written exercise was fairly simple.
Another interview invite for next week - again in the line of work I was in some time ago, so will probably be another 'creditable also-ran' sort of thing. Meh.
been offered a job. accepted. told them can start tuesday. off to another interview tomorrow and will try to get them to increase the salary. interview on monday paying much more but only for 6 months. will go but ask them what chances of it turning permanent.
weltweit
Well-Known Member
Sounds very positive thriller. Out of interest, how many did you apply to before these successful ones?
about 20 or so. Just a case of going on reed/monster etc and applying, applying. Bizarrely I never get any response to office angels jobs I apply for. I think they have black listed my name after a job I applied for in 1999 I was caught out fibbing on my CV. Since then, they never ever ever ever get back to me.
weltweit
Well-Known Member
Yes, probably on a list.
When I was last hunting no one ever got back to me, I always called them first ... I called all of them ..
Guineveretoo
Mostly bewildered
Most people don't respond at all to applications these days, which I find very frustrating.
It's got so that I even appreciate getting a rejection because at least I'm getting something!
It's got so that I even appreciate getting a rejection because at least I'm getting something!
weltweit
Well-Known Member
Yes, I know what you mean, at least a human did something, even if it was just to reject you.
I think the dynamics have changed. There are 2,400,000 unemployed, many on JSA and to qualify for JSA they must apply to 2 jobs a week - does not matter so much what jobs - just that they apply. As a result recruitment agencies are swamped for every vacancy, including many CVs that are not suitable, perhaps from people who are just trying to make up their 2 applications that week. No surprise then if agencies are not bothering to acknowledge applications any more.
Guineveretoo
Mostly bewildered
This is true, but it doesn't just apply to agencies, unfortunately.
juice_terry
Here is a man who would not take it anymore.
Seems to be happening with everyone. Like others have stated it is even nice receiving a rejection e-mail at least it feels like you have been acknowledged to some extent. It really is a dehumanising process. oh well back in to sign on tomorrow which is another waste of time. No support with finding work whatsoever from JC+
chilango
Hypothetical Wanker
Whilst I'm sure that's true. Even posts I was fully suitable for, meeting both essential and desirable criteria in the person spec very very rarely replied except when shortlisted. Not even a stock email.
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