18 May, 2006

They lied to me

Well once again it happening to me the local benefits agency. They stopped payments going into my post office account because they had to adjust my payment because they wanted to take money off me for crisis loans. Which I understand but what I can't get into my head is why it takes them four days to do this and why they send this order to pay late. Then tell me they sent it last week and in fact it hasn't got there yet . So along I stroll to the job center and kick up a fuss to hear sorry but an order to pay was sent but only sent yesterday. I spent the whole of yesterday in my local job center. Just to be palmed off but at least it wasn't a waste as I met and talked to several people. One was a woman of about 40. Who told me she was divorced with two children and getting the benefit she was entitled to. Was like trying to find a dentist. For twelve months she has been in and out of the local office with benefit problems. She said the benefits office are a law unto themselves. When I said they have a law to adhere by she laughed out loud and said if everything was perfect they'd still find away to screw you( her exact words) Another member of the public I met was Joe living in a St mungo's hostel just down the road. He told me that his benefit had been cancelled nine times in the last six months due to an error and he was here trying to get the arrears he was owed. Another I met was Myra a twenty something young woman who up till three weeks ago had never been out of work. She was complaining about being disallowed benefit because she had left her job. She said she had already told them she didn't leave and that she was laid off. I know mistakes are made and that due to the system that staff are stretched

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