>>14869
> How hard would it be for me to follow suit?

Tricky but not impossible, though right now is one of the toughest times to try given that many of the top employers gorged during the pandemic, laid off people after that ended (or at least stopped hiring) and are only now slowly starting to recruit again.

> What sort of portfolio/quals did you have to land your first job? Is that all you needed or was there some element of networking or other luck involved? What was your first job?

First job was with a hosting company, Desmond in CompSci was enough to get me through the door at the time. Some job hopping in between, current job was via networking. It's no joke that some jobs barely get publicly advertised, though make no mistake: it may get you an interview but it won't get you the job if you screw that up. YMMV, of course, start ups and smaller shops have their own rules.

Luck's a nebulous thing but of course some of that is involved and anyone who claims otherwise is deluding themselves.

> How long did it take you to move up towards loadsamoney and was your trajectory fairly typical?

About 10 years, and I'd say fairly typical for someone in my position. Looking at my colleagues a better degree result probably would've shortened that by a few years but enough of a proven track record in the industry makes up for a lot of sins to the point where degree barely matters anymore.

>>14870
Seem to be doing fine on £180 a month - save for buying too many ciggarettes and having to cut into next months allowance, but I'm addressing that now.

If I get sacked for poor performance, do I get sanctioned?

I'm on a final written warning due to attendance (I am disabled), and they've said that if I fall behind on one of my tasks I could be dismissed.

I'm worried I'll get sacked then get no JSA because I was sacked for being disabled and not good at my job.

>>14878

Being sacked is what you want in terms of getting benefits, as far as I understand. It's harder to claim if you just walk out of a job. At least, that's how it was ten years ago when I was in the habit of just walking out of jobs. If you go AWOL and never contact them again they are forced to officially "dismiss" you, rather than having on record that you resigned, so you still got to claim.

What I would do, however, is get onto Citizen's Advice and see if there's any legal counsel you can take regarding the situation, and regarding what benefits you can claim if it comes to it. I'm assuming you're not unionised so if they want to sack you they pretty much can, but you can at least probably buy time by forcing them to double check they've got their case watertight.

Over the course of 10 years, a friend of mine has saved £10,000 while on disability and ESA. They're concerned that if their savings are declared, their benefit will be suspended and will have to repay a backdated amount. The friend says the the savings developed over a considerably long period of time and that a call to the DWP every month to declair +£83 savings is unrealistic, but it has understandably come to the point where something must be done.

What advice would you give them?

>>14880
Your friend is a benefit fraudster and should get a job.

>>14881
I don't think saving an average of £83.333* a months makes their pal a "fraudster".

>>14882
You're right, it doesn't. Having savings above the £6k threshold and intentionally failing to report that for around four years, does.

>>14880

You can still claim means-tested benefits (ESA/UC) if you have savings of more than £6,000 but less than £16,000. Anything over the £6,000 limit will trigger a deduction of £4.35 per month for each £250 over the threshold, so having £10,000 in savings would mean a deduction of £69.60 per month. PIP/DLA aren't means-tested, so any capital or income won't affect those benefits.

I'd be inclined to just declare having capital of £10,000 without giving any further details. The chances are quite good that they'll just apply the deduction without asking more questions. If they do ask more questions, then your friend is faced with a choice - tell the truth and potentially have the deduction back-dated, or tell a lie and risk a fraud investigation.

>>14883
Oh, boohoo: "I'm a little rules boy, I love the rules". I hope your trousers fall down in front of a school and they throw on the nonce wing.

>>14885

I do find it impressive how you manage to both be so edgy and yet still come across like such a complete mewling wimp.

>>14884
So my friend is looking at a potential £3,340 backdated deduction, assuming 10,000 over 10 years is accurate.
My friend could absolutely live with that, especially as his benefit would be reduced by only £11 each month afterward.

I'm wondering at what figure a person could be technically claiming benefits while not actually recieving anything due to deductions.
As far as I know, reporting a change in circumstances requires similar information to an entirely new application - every 3 months if I understand >>14881 correctly.

It would be helpful if the DWP automatically tracked bank accounts, though that's understandably a concerning intrusion of privacy.

Hot take: If people are doing minor fiddles (as opposed to massive outright fraud), maybe we should address the root causes of that rather than just criminalising them.

>>14887
>It would be helpful if the DWP automatically tracked bank accounts, though that's understandably a concerning intrusion of privacy.
The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill mandates this and has already progressed through the Commons.

Rather than giving his ill-gotten fraud gains back to the DWP, why doesn't he just fucking spend it?

>>14886
I was not aware that making fun of you was a test of courage or engaging in being "edgy". This new knowledge will have no bearing on my future actions, but maybe if you report me to the government I'll start behaving.

At this rate it's likely my friend will step forward to report their change in circumstances, on the understanding that the DWP has overpaid them and fully expects a backdated deduction.
Seems like the most honest way forward - perhaps ask Citizens Advice to interpret an appropriate frequency for future circumstance change reports.

>>14889
I think they'd rather have half a years worth of rent in savings than a shiney new television. Infact that's how it started - saving for a months rent in advance, then the next and the next.

>>14891
I didn't ask why they'd saved the money. I asked why they'd prefer to give it back rather than spending into compliance.

>>14891

I wouldn't advise him to be dishonest, but I would suggest playing dumb - answer any questions honestly by all means, but don't volunteer anything unprompted. Most Jobcentre staff aren't inclined to do any work that they don't have to; there's a reasonable chance that if he just tells them "I've got ten grand in the bank" they'll apply the deduction going forwards but won't back-date it just to save themselves the hassle, or will apply a nominal back-dated deduction that's less than he actually owes.

Under no circumstances should he admit to intentionally concealing information - if they ask why he didn't tell them sooner, then he just didn't realise that he had to. No explanations, no excuses, just "I didn't know". Being stupid is an administrative matter, but lying is fraud. It is generally very difficult to prove that someone has lied (as opposed to making an innocent mistake) unless they admit to it. It probably won't surprise you to learn that Jobcentre staff are quite used to dealing with morons, so it generally isn't very difficult to convince them that you're an idiot rather than a crook.

>>14893

If he went on a spending spree and they found out about it, they would class it as "deliberate disposal of capital" and treat him as if he still had the money. If we were talking about this a year ago then he could have probably got away with it, but the DWP are reviewing lots of claims at the moment and I've heard from loads of people who've been asked for several months of bank statements. If your bank statements show that you've spunked four grand up the wall just prior to having your claim reviewed, they probably aren't going to treat that favourably.

I'm in a job where I am too ill to work. I don't see myself getting better - my disabilities and the job are just incompatible no matter what adjustments are made, and with how my mental state is. I'm on a final written warning, and have an occupational health appointment on Wednesday as I've been off a month.

With regards to claiming ESA or JSA, would being dismissed or resigning willingly work better in increasing my chance of receiving the benefits? I have paid full NI contributions over the last three years. I don't want to jump if it'll make the DWP think I left the job willy nilly. But if occupational health deem me fit for work I truly could not cope with having to go back.

My final written warning said I am allowed 3 consecutive sick days once per quarter, and I've had a month, so I am very very likely to be dismissed. I just want to prepare for every eventuality.

I see Rishi is making a last grasp by attacking the disabled again. Wants to get rid of Pip and replace it with vouchers or one off grants.

I got denied ESA due to not making enough contributions in the 2022-2023 tax year. During that year I was in employment the whole time, albeit a lot of it part time or off sick. When I go on my Government Gateway it says I've made full contributions for the last four tax years.

Does this mean I also wouldn't be able to get JSA either? Can't get UC as my partner earns above the threshold, but can't really support myself on just my PIP alone.

>>14931

If you were on Statutory Sick Pay, you can apply for national insurance credits to make up a full year of contributions. It's free, but you do have to apply by post - see the first link below.

If that isn't an option for whatever reason, you can pay voluntary contributions to cover any gaps. You can check to see what gaps you have and what you'd need to pay at the second link below.

In either case, once you've covered the gap, you'll be eligible for New Style ESA or JSA if you meet the other criteria.

https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility

https://www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

Is getting DLA for a kid less faff than PIP?

>>14936
Applied a few days after posting, call today to clairify my contact stuff. Now it's around 15 weeks and somebody will look at the form and make a decision.

>>14938
Got a letter today, Awarded on both parts.
Not too shabby.

Been claiming JSA and UC, I'm starting a new job next week, but I'll be absolutely fucked if I don't keep on getting benny payments for at least the next 2-4 weeks. How can I game the system to get as much money as possible out of it before I have to end my claim? What do I do, switch the dual claim to just UC or what?

Paid in all me life, innit. I deserve some bastard money.

>>15005
They won't stop paying you until your employer starts paying you more thanyou receivein Universal Creditpayments. I don't know about gaming the system, but you should be covered just fine. For example your bank statements might look a bit like this while you're starting work:

17th Oct - Universal Credit = £400
30th Oct - Employer = £100
17th Nov - Universal Credit = £300
30th Nov - Employer = £2,000
17th Dec - Universal Credit = 'eff all (until six none payments in a row and then the claim is automatically closed)

>>15006

Alright, all well and good. But how do they know how much I'm getting paid? How's it actually work? I tried asking the JobCentre person this and they just said "oh don't worry it's all dealt with automatically", but that's exactly why I am worrying about it. I've only had to claim bennies twice in my life but that's enough to know these people are, putting it kindly, an incompetent set of fuck ups.

Currently I got 93 quid yesterday from Universal Credit and 180 quid the other week from JSA. I don't know when the next JSA one is due but presumably if I am actually in work, I shouldn't be claiming JSA and it should just be rolled into the UC until I am getting paid fully from the job, right?

>>15007

Every time an employer pays someone their wages, they have to tell HMRC. HMRC will then tell the DWP. All you need to tell the JobCentre is that you're starting work. They'll get the rest of the information automatically from the taxman. The only way anyone can really fuck it up is by being slow to update that information, in which case you might receive a payment that you aren't entitled to. You'll have to pay that back, but you won't have to pay it back immediately or all in one go.

Remember that Universal Credit is paid in arrears - your payment is based on your actual income in the last month. The amount you receive doesn't change until you actually get paid.

>>15011

Rightio, cheers lad. I will just be a good boy and tell them properly when I start I suppose then.

To vindicate my statement about them being incompetent, I just got a text asking me why I didn't attend the appointment I attended this morning. Fucking set of dicks.

>>15012

I'd recommend making a note in your UC journal (click the "change of circumstances" option) when you start work and when you first get paid. It can't stop them from making some kind of pointless balls-up, but it does give you written evidence that it's their fault and means that they can't penalise you for it.

If they do cock something up and you need it fixed ASAP, send a message to your Work Coach and ask for a "mandatory reconsideration" - if you say those magic words, the issue must be formally reviewed by a supervisor.

How long does it typically take for the DWP to process a PIP renewal form? Mine arrived with them today. I've had one renewal before, but I don't remember the timescales.

It's a fucking horrible process. I'm never going to stop being autistic. I've actually gained a diagnosis of ADHD since the last renewal. It seems cruel to make me fill out a form then wait anxiously for weeks every 3 years.

>>15014
Mate I'm fucking dreading my transfer to PIP/UC or whatever it is these days. The thought of 3 yearly review is daunting - is it enough to say 'no change' or do you have to go through justifying your claim all over again?

>>15015
Last time I mostly went no change except for a few sections where I said things got worse. I didn't need a reassessment for them to extend it.

This time it's much the same, many things have gotten worse, nothing has improved. So in the form I wrote maybe 8 paragraphs across the different sections. I just hope I don't need another assessment.

Planned out my suicide venue/method if they refuse me. Hoping it doesn't come to that but we'll see.

>>15016
>Planned out my suicide venue/method if they refuse me.
I hope you don't mind me asking this but to what extent do you think this could be a self-hostage situation?
I have thought the exact same thing myself, infact I keep the thought as a safety net, but I do wonder if it's true. I see that it's essentially a threat to get what I want. You know what I mean?
Keeping in mind that as reassessments ramp up I do genuinely feel increasing stress which I find difficult to manage, ultimately resulting in panic, confusion and not-insignificant schizophrenic events.
But I do wonder the sincerity of my emotions. As far as I can tell they're genuine, but my ability to recognise what's happening causes doubt. I question whether I'm lying about my condition, being that over a decade of non-work I've mostly forgot the reality of my condition under constant stress, have to rely on my perception of my condition when assessing it, and generally am able to lead a quiet stable life on benefits so I'm rarely required to confront any condition that may or may not be present.

The moment my lifestyle is rocked, it all comes back, but I don't recognise whether it's mere fear of change or .. whatever.

>>15017

Ihad about 6 months off of work last year for me mental 'elf. At various points I wondered, am I really ill, or am I blagging it?

Well, the obvious conclusion, looking back, was that even if I was blagging it, I wouldn't be blagging it unless I was actually really unwell. Telling myself I was blagging it was as much an ego protection as anything else. I didn't want to admit to myself I was in such a deep pit of despair that I couldn't face reality, it made me feel more in control to treat it like I was just skiving.

It's almost like there's no practical difference, if you think about it.

>>15018

I think part of the problem is that mental health issues are far less night and day as somebody breaking a leg or an arm and then obviously needing months of physio and rehab and not being able to work productively during much of that time. You'll know when your leg is broken. Everybody in that situation, including you, will have some kind of concept of what that means. And nobody is going to tell you to just pull yourself together and think happy thoughts.

That's why it's a challenge both diagnosing mental health issues and realising and admitting to yourself that you need help. I suffered from depression through much of my young adulthood. It was always there, a baseline feeling of deep unhappiness about my life. Even when my life was objectively going well. I guess somehow I just kept thinking that life is like that for everybody. And that they all just somehow learn to keep a stiff upper lip and move on and not dwell on it. It was only after a number of years that I was realising what I was doing to myself by not facing my problems, and not admitting to myself that I badly needed therapy or counseling. It can be a difficult step. Because who wants to admit to themselves that there is something wrong with them pyschologically. But at least in my case, finally taking that leap was an incredible weight off my shoulders. Even before I started seeing a therapist, I felt profoundly relieved. Like there was finally a
tiny bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

Not sure where I am going with all this. But I hope this is helpful to somebody.

>>15014
Honestly, it could be over a year at the moment for a renewal.
I've heard people taking 18 months. Going through it myself at the moment and I hope they take all the time in the world because the dickheads will just take away my car etc, then it'll be the dance of going to tribunal and getting it all back for the third time.

>>15014
I bet you don't pay anyone to care for you. You could just get a job. You might even have one. The type of autistic people that post on image boards don't need to be claiming turbo bennies.

>>15021
Did you get lost on your way to the daily mail comment section or what?

>>15022
Oh I didn't know my view that aligns with the majority of the public and the current Labour government - that too many dossers are claiming disability/sickness benefits - qualifies me as a Mail reader.

I used to claim DLA myself for similar reasons. The coalition government obviously abolished that and when faced with the prospect of fighting for PIP or just growing up a little bit I chose the latter. You could too.

>>15023
What do you do, now, then? Genuinely out of interest.
How do you manage your (mild?) condition? Is it mostly mental, physical, what?
And your thoughts on 'holding yourself hostage' as mentioned a few posts up?
We could take it to /101/ or elsewhere if need be.

I love to tell myself that I too can become a productive member of society, but I'm still convinced I can't cope with doing it. As previously alluded it's to rewarding to fail.

>>15023

I think you might need to work on your tone if this is supposed to be motivating for autistlads. You might be aiming for "tough love" but you're landing more in "condescending prick".

I haven't been unemployed for more than two months in the last 10 years, and I have never been on any disability benefit. But I know what a nightmare it can be at the lower rungs of the employment market, doubly so for someone who has little experience and is all round a bit of a sperg. Many entry level jobs are demanding and take a toll on your mental and physical health at the best of times. The majority of the public and the Labour government saying something doesn't have any bearing whatsoever on whether it's a sensible opinion or not.

I bet most of the NEETlads we have here could probably hold down a job, as long as it's the right kind of job. But on the other hand, the kind of neets you'll see over on /r9k/ and the like... For the sake of the economy, I would earnestly rather they stay on the dole. Why have them taking up jobs they'll just do poorly? We are better off keeping them out of harms way than having them drag down productivity and waste everyone's time in the real world.

My Universal Credit migration letter has finally arrived so to mitigate my stress I've taken to looking over the point system used during UC assessments. I could possibly score 15 across the board, remembering (and most likely re-experiencing during the assessment) my previous difficulties leading to and proceeding variously from my initial claim 15 years ago.

There is a 'substantial risk' clause which seems to state that, even if failing to score any points, will ensure a claim if the DWP is convinced that you or others would be under substantial risk of harm without it. You can read more in the first link below, in the large blue box near the top of the page.

Be sure to look out for a burned body on a beach of the south coast, between I guess now and April cuz that's the my main comforting 'out' should I require it.

A disingenuous way of discussing the topic perhaps, but fuck you.
I'm gonna fuckin' die man, and I'm not even that homeless lad.
My free ride is over.

The scoring guidelines can be found here, for those in a similar position.
• https://www.advicenow.org.uk/get-help/benefits/universal-credit-uc/limited-capability-work-and-work-related-activity-components
• https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/resources/work-capability-assessment

>>15056
Are you already on ESA Support group?

>>15057
Yeah, for about 4 or 5 years now. I'm really hoping you're going to say they'll put me through automatically because this application is awful, I'm starting to notice concerning thoughts and behaviours already and I've barely got through even 1/4 of the process over these 2 weeks.
I'm struggling not to think about it to be honest. Even trying to power through is tough because my mind keeps trying desperately to check out. I only did about 30 minutes today, have sat here paralysed with procrastination instead.

>>15058
Essentialy, make sure to make them aware during the filling in forms that you are already on ESA Support group and as such, Regulation 19 should apply. The missus and I just changed over a couple of months back and they put her straight into the equivalent section. No need to look for work.

You do need to make sure you let them know that you know about it, because dependant on who you end up assigned to they might not know about things, or try to keep you in the dark.

"Regulation 19 of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2014 states that a claimant may be considered to have limited capability for work or work-related activity for the purposes of a universal credit award. This applies if the claimant was previously entitled to the support component or work-related activity component of old style ESA."

>>15059
I greatly appreciate your help, thank you.

>>15056
Good news; my claim seems to have been accepted, only now waiting for payment.
The application process is much easier than it used to be. Had I all the required documentation ready I could have been done in an hour, unfortunately I spent 2 panicked weeks drafting answers to questions I wasn't asked, before even starting my claim.

If you're migrating to UC from ESA, you don't have to answer the detailed health questions - they use your previous answers (providing your claim is complete within the generous 30 day time limit).

>>15085
Reeves and Kendall clearly have more fixing to do.