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Hi all, having a nightmare here. Think those on JSA might need to know some of this info.
The JC advisor told me today single parents can no longer restrict travel to work time. It now HAS to be 90mins - each way - in line with everyone else.
And that we can not have up to 28 days to find suitable childcare.
Can still restrict the working hours to school hours - but if traveling for 90mins there an 90mins back, that's not much work being done is it?
Also when doing their 'Looking For Work' form, you now have to specify the website and reference number for all jobs applied for or expect sanctions to be applied.
xx
J6767 & Louise,
J6767 I am so sorry that yet again you are having such a bad experience at Jobcentre Plus. It was my understanding that all the flexibilities would remain for single parents in the new Welfare Reform Act 2012. I have been working on our new flexibilities information which we are going to be putting into a written leaflet and the legal content has been checked by the DWP and it includes the existing flexibilities such as travel times. I will write to the DWP and be in contact with other single parent organisations about this. In the meantime could you ask your adviser on what basis they think that the rules have changed?
To other single parents out there please let me know if you are getting similar advice about flexibilities as J6767.
Arhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Laura 
Dear All,
I have written to the DWP and will let you know when I get a response.
Laura 
Thank you Laura, it will be interesting to see how they respond!
Hi Laura & Louise, thanks for getting back to me.
The advisor refused to say. I did insist I had it on good authority that there were travel distance allowances, but he refuted it completely. He DID try to look up the 'up to 28 days to find a childminder' on their internal system, but couldn't find anything at all about single parent flexibilites - at all. He told me they've just had a big change in the system.
This wasn't my permanent advisor - I don't have one. I go from desk to desk seeing whoever's free that day, so I doubt I'll see him again to ask.
Thanks for writing to DWP Laura, hope you get some sense.
J6767
Yes, I will let you know how I get on. It does not seem right to get different advice depending on the adviser you happen to get on any given day. This is why we are pushing for clearer advice to be available at Jobcentre Plus.
All the best
Laura
Thank you for this information J6767. I was not aware of this. Is this yet another ploy to try and trick us into "sanctions"?!!!
Thank you Laura for trying to clarify this information for us.
Hi all.... Did you manage to clarify the situation at all, Laura? Im 12 weeks away from JSA as my little girl turns 5 in August and I REALLY want to know the "official" line and my rights for when the time comes...
Roseblossom,
Yes, from this coming Monday single parents who youngest children reach 5 will nolonger be eligible for Income Support and if deemed fit for work will transfer to JSA. You join the 124,000 single parents who have recieved their letter.
At SPAN, the charity that runs One Space, we have been busy for months trying to get the DWP to publish a leaflet on the flexibilities and they had what they call "a final sign off" on Monday. They should publish shortly although the flexibilities are complicated. I will set out in response to your other posting on the site. At SPAN we are also developing a short printable leaflet that we hope to publish by the end of June.
Laura
I found the whole thing shocking when the age was reduced to 7. Five is simply shocking.
Hi everyone
I am as some of you know on JSA, recently I was on ESA but I refused to go to the medical I simply couldnt face it, my GP wanted me to remain on the sick however I decided to return to JSA, it has been quite straightforward really and the advisors have been for the most part really helpful.
I was also told it was 90 mins travelling, but stood my ground as there is no childcare here at all for my son who is 11, the school breakfast club starts at 8.30am and school starts at 8.50am so its more of a quick drink rather than a breakfast club.
My advisor now is the disability one who I have seen in the past and I have to say he is one of the best advisors I have ever come across, last Fri on explaining that I cant really be considered as available for work as there is no holiday childcare and my son doesnt return to school until the 17th September, he said not to worry at all as there are exemptions in place for lone parents, one of these is postal signing through the holidays and the other is that you can insist on a term time only job until your child is 13 years old, he brought all of this up on his computer screen so if he can then they all should be able to, I do think you need to be quite strong in asking for your "rights" and point out that there are things in place, you can find this information via direct.gov but it isnt easy to find. I hope this might help some of you in the coming weeks xxx
Thanks for that, tiredmum. I think it definitely depends on whether you have a good advisor within the Benefits Agency as to whether you get all the information pertinent to your particular situation - I know when I was claiming Income Support that my advisor at the time was really fighting my corner (which made such a difference!).
I'm sure the information you've given here will be useful to lots of lone parents on the forum.
Mary
Tiredmum
I have just replied to you on another part of the site.
I am glad that you have had a positive experience with your adviser who has taken account of your and your children's needs. I think it is interesting that this is a specialist adviser - something which is getting rarer and something that we are pushing for Jobcentre Plus to retain. This good practice shows what should be done and it makes it frustrating when other offices/advisers do not do the same. We have a copy of the DWP/Direct.gov guidance about flexibilities on the One Space site. We are also developing one of our own which will be more detailed. Hopefully this will help single parents to know what they can ask for and enable them to stand up for their rights!
Laura
Hi tired mum,
A lot of us will be interested to see that your advisor told you that you can insist on a 'term time only job' until your child is 13. This would be great news, as so far we have only been advised that you can limit your working hours to school time, term time, but for some reason they expect you to be free during the school hols! Has anyone else been advised that you can limit work, to term time only? Or has anyone seen anything to confirm this? I am on the work programme, and Im a bit concerned that they will put me into unpaid work during the school hols.
Hi Mary and help me now please take a look at this link its a PDF which isnt easy to fond but as you will see it is from the DWP website and was updated in May 2012, I do hope it helps for you to read it in black and white from them xxx
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/...
Help me now
The flexibilities are rather confusing. Tiredmum has given link. There is the flexibility for single parents that when their youngest child is under 13 they have the right to restrict their hours to school hours. However, that is not the same as restricting to term time. Single parents like tiredmum has used the flexibility in school holidays that is open where there is no suitable childcare.
Laura
hi can some one help me regarding laws on single parents on jsa i have a son who is 6 i am on jsa and looking for work of 16hrs a week within my lads school hours but my adviser is trying to get me inroled on courses in college while i am looking for work if i refuse to inrole will my jsa be stopped or is it only if you refuse work that your jsa stops.and what benifits are stoped is it housing benifits aswell or just jsa.
Hello lean baffoon
Have a look at the general guidance by clicking here.
This seems to imply that it is up to the adviser. The sanctions (if given) seem to apply to the JSA, rather than the other benefits.
I do not know what the rules are about college courses....the word "reasonable" is used a lot in the DWP document. Your boy will be in full time school now and it seems to me "reasonable" that you could undertake a course which entailed him going to after-school club twice a week, say, but if there is no childcare available or the college is a long way away then that would not be "reasonable", in my opinion. Is your adviser saying that you could stay on JSA whilst not technically being available for work (because you would be at college)? That seems to contradict their rules, too.
Have you asked the adviser outright about these things? You need some confirmation of these first before you can take any action.
Just to let you know SPAN the charity that runs One Space has just published New Guidance for single parents on or about to transfer onto Jobseekers Allowance (JSA).
The guidance sets out the flexibilities open to single parents that should make your job preparation and job search different from other people on JSA. As well as being a job seeker you also need time to care for your child or children. We have also included information about changes that will take place in the future and an explanation of some of the programmes and new terms used at Jobcentre Plus.
We hope that you find the information useful and that you use it as a practical help when you are at the Jobcentre. It would be great if you could let us know how you use the information and feed back to us. Also let us know whether there are areas to expand or change for when we update.
Many thanks
Laura 
Threat to the Flexibilities - We need your help!
Despite reassurance from the Government during the passage of welfare legislation the flexibilties open to single parents are under threat with the introduction of the Universal Credit. As many of you know this is an issue that SPAN the charity that runs One Space have long campaigned for including producing guidance on the current flexibilities. We think it is really important that as well as being a job seeker single parents have time to care for their children. As part of the changes single parents will nolonger have the right to work during school hours while their children are under 13 or turn down or leave work where there is no suitable childcare. Over the coming month we will be trying to persuade the Government to change their mind. It would be really good to have quotes from single parents saying why the flexibilities are important including when they have helped you move into work. Could we share your story in the press (your personal details will not be shared)? Please do get in touch.
Laura 
Hi guys...
I' all a fuzzle about this new JSA thing. I think I'm a mess at the mo' too.
I was switched couple of weeks back.
My youngest just gone 5 and my girl 10yrs.
My advisors (as I do not know which one is my main one as I've seen many a diff' face) I was getting no info' on how to apply for furthur ed' or anything about childcare. Like I said I'm new to this, I've never done it before. Complete novice!
They instead kept shoving rules and what would happen if I didn't follow them to my money down my throat. I feel intimidated, worthless, I've sat in the car outside the jobcentre crying because I don't know how to make a stand - what directions I have to take. I've been told awefull things about what they do and it is so scary. They twist the rules so much and you can never ever get a word in - abd if you do they say you have a problem?
I asked to see a lone parent adviser. I saw her last week. She told me I had to take into consideration the childcare as I had no qualifications or experience. And if she wanted to put me on a JSA training course, I wouldn't be able to attend because of the children and no childcare, my money could be stopped? I told her that she was forcefully making me take childcare but saying it in a polite manner. She said she wasn't but she still insisted that I would I consider it. Then she warned me about sanctions. I told her - what if I take a course at college - I could study within my childs school hours or at night - then she told me that would be pointless as if they found me a job I would have to stop the course. I told her that would be a waste of my time and energy and public money - why advertise it if your intending to kick me of it?
Then she put me down for 90min travel there and back from any work every day apart from sat' and sunday. They also picked a job for me which I didn't want. I eventually changed it. She has put me down for the 90 min each way travel, 40hours a week - nights! Because I refused childcare. She has told me it will be reviewed after christmas if I have not found anything. She told me to sign the agreement. I did it because I have no other options available to me - or to my knowledge no rights.
I have no qualifications, I have no experience - they took my CV from me and said I have to put more on it? Who is going to want to hire me? Especially when I have a 5 year old and a 10 year old. I feel a total looser.
I also asked the lone parent adviser on same day if she could do me a better of calculation. She told me "find a job first, and then we will do one"
She booked me in at 2:15 week just gone for a group session. I asked her how long it would take as I had to be back for the children. She said 30mins. Then she said, you sign on same day, come straight to me and you'll be out for 2:50 - 10min travel and you'll be in time to pick up your children from school.
I went to the meeting. We all waited for extra 5 min before going in.
Once in I had to listen to the same rules that each adviser tells me each week, only this included the Universal job match.
I listened to him say that if a job is offered to us and we turn it down regardless, our money will be stopped and it may affect our other benefits we have coming in. I put my hand up after a while and asked him a question relating to what he had just said. He told me I was wrong about the better of calculation and that he could do all in the room one now. I told him one of my advisers told me to find a job first and then they would do it. Then I said, so if I found a job and she did me a better of calculation and I would be worse of - that means I would still loose my JSA because I have turned down a job? . He said she should not have said it. Every line he was coming out with was different to what the advisers were saying. He was on the same team as them. The pink team. He seemed annoyed that I had spoken up. Then he said I had a problem? "No one else here has a problem, only you!"
I told him that I didn't have a problem? Why would he think I had a problem when all I was asking was a question in which I wanted him to answer in which I did in a polite manner. He said he would get back to me on that subject regarding the work hours she put me down for oin which I asked him also?
I didn't do it on purpose. I have 2 young children. I'm not lazy. I will work - but I will not have anyone else watch my babies. Not with the way the world is today. I am afraid if I do something wrong. I just want answers, my rights and to be told the truth about my options. It's not fair!
They made us switch of mobiles in there - couldn't see the time. They let us go at 3:15 - I should have been at the school by then.
I still had to sign on. I ran over to the desk and he told me to take a seat - I told him I couldn't as my children were to be picked up. He went over to an adviser who I've spoke to before and she said she would do it. She told me to take a seat. I said I can't I have to get my children - You know what she said to me... We all have children Miss*** My jaw dropped - that is the first time I felt like leaning over and punching someone. Then I asked her again if she could hurry as I have to fetch my babies. She then asked me why I was always stressed when I go up there? I told her it was her and her lot. That's when she took my CV and started discussing that I needed to put more on it and that it wasn't enough and she had to keep it??? What the??? I'm late for my children and she wants to discuss my CV? I just told her just keep - I haven't got experience or qualifications - what can I do? Also told her there was a reply from a job app in the back I applied for at Asda that was refused. I started getting teary as all that was going through my head was my children. My 5 year old inside by reception and my 10 year old who would be waiting "outside" of school for me and it was dark night at an early time. Who knows who the hell is hanging about. What were my kiddies thinking of me not turning up. What's the school going to say? I grabbed my things she gave me back after she signed me and I ran out, got in my car, which was over parking limit time, and I got stuck in traffic all the way to the school. I actually went a lot faster than I should have. I know I shouldn't have but I was teary, stressed, panicking, concentration levels all over the place.
I arrived at school at 3:37 - What am I supposed to say? Sorry, I was being bullied by the JSA. It's embarressing. So you lie.
I hate that place and the people in it. It's not right to treat other human beings that way...
Sorry it's so long - I'm really stressed and have no one to talk to and seeing this forum - I've just let it rip and blurted it out.
Hi shadowmancer this all sounds awful and i can understand your fears and frustrations with how you have been treated.
Have you had a look at the link that Laura put on about guidance for people going onto JSA click here to have a look as i think you may find it useful.
You could also make a complaint about how you were treated shadowmancer here's a link to how you can make a complaint to the DWP.
Though i have heard similair stories to yours before, i have also heard about experiences where advisors have been helpful and pleasant too, i hope you find one of those on your next visit.
Shadowmancer
So sorry to hear about your experiences at the Jobcentre. Please do read the guidance I produced for parents on JSA. If you do not have access to a printer I will send you out a paper copy (please email me L.dewar@spanuk.org.uk) but please do not share your address details on the One Space site. I was particularly concerned about your treatment in relation to getting back to pick up your children. As you have children under 13 years of age you are currently entitled to ask to work during school hours and this should be reflected in any job seeking agreement. They should also take account of your availability to schedule appointments that fit in with your caring responsibilities towards your children. They should not schedule appointments that make you late to pick up your children. Agree with Sally that you might want to complain about your treatment. If not at least make sure through putting forward your rights that they do not schedule an inappropriate appointment in the future.
I hope your next meeting at JCP goes better and do let me know how you get on.
Laura
Hi Shadowmancer,
My heart goes out to you. Please DO complain about you experience this is NOT how people and most importantly, children, should be treated. It is inhumane.
That's just awful...
shadowmancer
What shocking treatment! You sound like a great Mum who is trying to do the best for her children. Stay strong.
Hi J6767
I can understand that they may want a reference for all jobs applied for as otherwise anyone coulod say anything. I am shocked about the other things you have been told, though, and will just let Laura know.