How do sanctions work?
Evening all,
Just a quick one. I'm currently on RESTART scheme and have been the past two months or so after being referred from my job centre work coach (quite embarrassing, as I'm an ex RESTART employee, but it is what it is!). I've been attending my RESTART meetings as normal without a hitch, but on the 7th I noticed in my bank statements I was a whopping £340+ short. Of course, in a panic, I immediately rang the helpline and was told I'd missed an appointment on the 28th April and must rebook it - which is fair enough, no quarrels here as I'd recently replaced my SIM card and must've forgotten to update my number via journal so had no text notifications for any appointments, nor emails, and wasn't aware I'd had to visit the job centre and RESTART scheme simultaneously. I was also unable to access my journal during this week or so time period as I was away with family, which the agent on the phone also popped in my journal for me.
I claim standard JSA alongside housing benefit at a shared accommodation rate, totalling to a rough amount of £750.00 per month give or take, as I'm paying CMA out of my payments which deducts a small sum. I've rang the helpline three times in the meantime, once Thursday, once Friday, then once more just now. Each time I'm requesting they pop in my journal for me that I've been in constant contact with a new number, provided the number, and asked for the agent to rebook it as soon as they can, especially since this month I was massively short on rent, which, luckily, I managed to get assistance from a friend to cover the missing value just for now.
On the phone today the lady again said the form had been submitted to your coach last Thursday but hasn't been picked up yet, so really my question is, am I losing money each day here that I'm unable to get this appointment rebooked ASAP f2f despite daily calls requesting updates? As I'm just majorly concerned that next month I'll be in the same boat, and don't think this time I'll have the level of financial support to pull money from elsewhere. I'm aware of the sanction advances which can be taken following attending the rebooked missed appointment, however I'm just fearing that may leave me even worse off next month.
Thank you