I told the DWP

[dickythecook]

that I was starting work and wanted to close my claim for ESA. Being honest I told them when and who with etc. I got a letter this a.m. telling me that I did not qualify for a job grant so I wasn't getting it and then listed the reasons.
Not having a clue what they were on about I phoned up and asked. The reason I did not qualify was that I had not been in receipt of ESA for a period of 26 weeks or more and therefore I could not have the £100 grant. It turns out that I was 1 (one) (ONE) day short. I swear the guy who told me this news was finding it hard not to laugh. Now if I had been a one-legged, one-eyed, lesbian trans-sexual camel trader with 5 kids by six different fathers I would be in a mansion with 10 bedrooms and room to park my motability mercedes and the nanny's BMW off road. But as I say, I didn't know about it and had they said nothing I would have been non the wiser. I'm not bitter, I am lucky I now have a job and can start earning again.

[mrs.chappie]

Are you a tad miffed, Dicky?

[dickythecook]

Not really mrs.chappie, As I said I knew nothing about the grant, no one had mentioned it in all the dealings I had with the DWP. It really is just one of those Life sucks moments. The money would have been nice and made life just a little easier until payday. C'est la vie! <sighs>

[DTCwordfan]

Mais oui monsieur, but as you said, at least you have employment now...how have the first couple of days gone?

[mrs.chappie]

Sorry Dicky, I was being flippant.

That's really cr@ppy, that is. I feel for you.

Hey, congratulations on getting a job - that's no mean feat in today's climate. What will you be doing? (I'm a right nosey bu88er so tell me to mind my own business if you like).

[dickythecook]

DTc 2 days of company training, legal bits,and such. The obligatory- right teams I want you to build a giraffe out of a newspaper and a tower out of marshmallows and spaghetti. The team I was in won the tower building but unfortunately our giraffe whilst quite tall and sturdy had a tail which made it look as though it had explosive diaorhea. It only came 3rd. Today was a full on day unpacking all the new plates and kitchen stuff. Chasing the builders out and trying to clean the place 'cos we go hot tomorrow and burn all the new kitchen bits in. The smell will be dreadful 'cos it always is. We go live on the 11th. So we have a week to get to know each other and learn how to work around each other. Sometimes known as the kitchen dance.
mrs.c, I hope you are enlightned now. Must go to bed and rest my weary bones. 9hrs straight, no breaks. Everyone did the same but they will be able to walk in the morning. LOL

[mrs.chappie]

Good luck Dicky. <thumbs up>

[adsanswers]

I understand your frustration, however they have very set rules they have to follow, with zero 'wiggle room'. The rules certainly need to be made much clearer and more accessible though, and I certainly hope they were not laughing, that is unforgivable.

[craft1948]

I used to love team building events..................loads of outdoor exercise then inevitably we used to get p!ssed and end up in a poker school.
The last one didn't go too well as someone set fire to the hotel, but the firemen were yummy.

[Ann]

I understand how you feel Dicky - it sometimes makes you sick doesn't it - the more honest you are the less you get in life .......... still its best to be honest. All the best for your new job.

[wolf63]

Those lovely people have a hard job to do - implement and run the governments crack pot ideas. The rules of the benefit system were created in a parallel universe and that is why many of them are stupid. The person that you speak to on the phone or at a Job centre are, mostly, human too.

I know - coz I was one of them >> for 24 years and 33 days :-)

Dicky I hope that the job works out for you and that you enjoy the work and that you aren't working with too many eejits. (My spellcheck wanted to change eejits to Jesuits??)

[tonywiltshire]

Your attitude is most commendable, the DWP should, of course, have told you that as a single person you would have been eligible for the £100 job grant if you had been 26 weeks on an eligible benefit and were now moving into paid employment. Still as you say you now have a job.