Unhelpful Pr*cks!!! A rant.

[Juz]

RANT RANT RANT

As most of you know, I'm being made redundant at the end of the month.

I had no intention of going to the benefits agency/job centre, whatever it's called, but I have to, to be able to claim on my mortgage insurance.

So I called them up today to find out how to go about it, as I've never even been into one let alone claimed anything in my life, only to find that they were the most rude and unhelpful bunch of c*cks I've ever spoken to!

RANT RANT RANT

Juz

[wannadivenotwork]

My wife will "second that emotion". She recently visited your new found best buddies recently to apply for certain benefits after the arrival of my son. She came home in a "near-tears" situation after being treated like a lazy job-avoiding, dole/benefit soaking loser! Even though she had been working her t1ts off for the last 10 years and paying her tax like a good little girl, the moment she asked for any of it back in the guise of benefits, they pretty much treat you like a scumbag.

Its actually disgusting the way you get treated. Honest people like us who only ask for benefits that we deserve/need get treated like sh1t, whilst there are those losers will read about who get a 4 bedroom house and £30K a year to live off and have never worked a day in their lazy lives!

ARGHHHHHH!

again, rant over.

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by Juz

As most of you know, I'm being made redundant at the end of the month.
So I called them up today to find out how to go about it, as I've never even been into one let alone claimed anything in my life, only to find that they were the most rude and unhelpful bunch of c*cks I've ever spoken to

Yup. When my previous firm folded I ended up in that situation.
So, after the happy day telling all my staff they didn't have a job and probably wouldn't get paid, I signed on. Thankfully I managed to find a couple of days a week contracting installing Mainframe coms and writing system drivers so I "declared income".

Grief I enjoyed telling them I didn't need their handout this (most) fortnight. I knew I was making more a day than the guy behind the desk made in a week. You can take the rudeness with a big friendly smile when you know it hurts him more than it hurts you.

nigelH
Sorry. My nasty side leaks out occasionally.

[Conor]

I can't wait until Kate joins this one.

[Mdemon]

Sorry you had a rough time.

I went through the same mill a couple of years ago. However, I walked in there as if they were really nice people, with a big smile, and lo and behold, I got treated extremely well. They are so used to being screamed at, I think I shocked them by being overly nice. Might be a useful tactic next time?


Over the months, I was offered every bit of training I was allowed (and some I'm sure I wasn't) because I was starting up a business. They genuinely couldn't have been more helpful. And the beer tokens helped fund my diving habit... Dive count went through the roof that year... Every cloud and all that.

(And if you'd like a nice dose of irony, just after I signed off, they "consolidated" offices and a whole load of them got made redundant... It's probably karma or something. )

[PW1664]

Originally Posted by Juz

RANT RANT RANT

I had no intention of going to the benefits agency/job centre, whatever it's called, but I have to, to be able to claim on my mortgage insurance.

Juz

How long did it take you to get thorough to the insurance company to make your claim?

I found the line ringing for more that 20minutes EVERY time I called. The policy condition was to call in every month, 'sign on' and provide proof this had been done, the whole process really pi$$ed me off... especially since I'd paid for the policy....

Good reason to RANT

[Mdemon]

Originally Posted by PW1664

How long did it take you to get thorough to the insurance company to make your claim?

I found the line ringing for more that 20minutes EVERY time I called. The policy condition was to call in every month, 'sign on' and provide proof this had been done, the whole process really pi$$ed me off... especially since I'd paid for the policy....

Good reason to RANT

They have a form for Mortgage Insurance which they stamp and you post off. Don't know about your policy but that was enough for mine. Same for Credit Card company. I racked this up just before the chop on expenses. You get 10% per month of the figure on that day regardless so having paid off the card I still got a hundred quid or so "free" every month. Nice to screw the insurance companies for a change...

[PW1664]

Originally Posted by Mdemon

They have a form for Mortgage Insurance which they stamp and you post off. Don't know about your policy but that was enough for mine. Same for Credit Card company. I racked this up just before the chop on expenses. You get 10% per month of the figure on that day regardless so having paid off the card I still got a hundred quid or so "free" every month. Nice to screw the insurance companies for a change...

Looks like you checked ya policy out first. I should have done the same, Nah the Mortgage insurance was through the Mortgage provider, very unhelpful, made it very difficult to claim... really pi$$ed me off.

[Simon A]

Juz,
I sympathise with you.
I'm being made redundant at the end of next month! seeing as you're a month ahead, please can you put all the relavent info in a nice easy to use pack to make my life easier! LOL
Simon A

[ahar]

Originally Posted by Juz

RANT RANT RANT

As most of you know, I'm being made redundant at the end of the month.

I had no intention of going to the benefits agency/job centre, whatever it's called, but I have to, to be able to claim on my mortgage insurance.

So I called them up today to find out how to go about it, as I've never even been into one let alone claimed anything in my life, only to find that they were the most rude and unhelpful bunch of c*cks I've ever spoken to!

RANT RANT RANT

Juz

Sorry you had a bad experience. Generally people in Job Centres (or JC+ as they are becoming known) are helpful and pleasant, and although it doesn't excuse how you were treated they do have to put up with an enormous amount of abuse from some customers. I suspect that this gives them a 'thick skin' and can make it difficult for some people to switch between the ordinary person and the scumbag screwing the system and shouting at them when they get caught.

The average AO who deals with customers will be earning around £15k (depends on service though). Some of the staff in JC+ are so poorly paid that they claim benefits as well as the customers.

PS I work above a JC+, and although I'm not a front line guy (IT rather than benefits), all of the guys I work with at one time or other have been - talking to them about it gives me a new respect for DWP staff.

PPS Kate on the forum is a JC+ advisor, drop her a PM and I'm sure she'd be happy to help)