Job Centre Plus messing me around, again.
The weeks when I get part-time work, I have to notify the Job Centre as it affects my Jobseekers Allowance. It's an easy process in theory, declare you have had work and send them a copy of your pay cheque/invoice, and sign a form on your next visit to the Job Centre when signing on.
I call the Job Centre the day after I worked as I normally do. After three attempts, all being on hold for over 20 minutes each time, I finally get through to someone. I'm told "oh no, do not worry, you need to declare when you next sign on which is a week on Monday". A week and a half pass, I go to sign on, and I''m told "you have to call the phone number to declare that you have had work".
A couple of days pass as I was working in London the day after, I call the number and I'm told I cannot declare over the phone, I have to do this at the Job Centre. So, an appointment is made a week later, where everything should have been sorted.
Over a week later I receive a letter. It is from a Decision Maker at the Wolverhampton Benefit Centre. He knows I completed form A15C, but he has not received it from Dudley Job Centre. I have three days to return the form enclosed or else I will be sanctioned. Sanctions can be from 4-26 weeks of no benefit pay <highhorse>(Job Seekers Act states that only one week is the maximum limit for sanction of benefit pay, but the DWP like to work above the law)</highhorse>. However, no form was enclosed with the letter!
So, I call the Benefit Centre as soon as possible, took three attempts over two days, twice I gave up after being on hold for 30 minutes, and I finally get through to someone today. It's still not sorted, I have to wait for the Decision Maker to contact me.
No wonder people benefit cheat!
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Masshouse Security Harassing and using Threatening Behaviour to the public.
I have just returned from Birmingham. Out of all the years I have visited the city, I have never been confronted by someone so rude and aggressive.
The story in TL;DR form, I was taking photos in the area, I had a confrontation by a security guard claming I'm not allowed to take photos on public property, followed by threatening behaviour from the security guard. I'm not the first, but the third person this has happened to.
I have just sent an e-mail to Hive Birmingham, copy below. Unsure if it needs to go to anyone else? My old PR contact worked at David McLeans who no longer exist.
Hello,
I'm writing to you as I would like to make a complaint about the conduct and unprofessionalism of security staff at Masshouse.
The complaint is about harassment and threatening behaviour.
Today I decided to take photographs of Eastside, specifically the new developments such as Hotel La Tour and City Park. I have been visiting the area for many years and never had a problem. I used to run a blog on Eastside that was very popular, with support from Birmingham City Council and now defunct David McLeans. I was also the Eastside student representative at Birmingham City University.
I was near to Masshouse, and decided to have a walk through Masshouse, at the time with my camera around my neck. I wanted to have a look at block M which is near to completion and it is one of the first times I have had an opportunity to get close to it. I have been involved with Masshouse for many years, David McLeans have invited me to press events, to speak with the architects and to comment my support during the planning process.
I was approached by one of the security team on my visit. From the start he was not very kind, shouting at me, "you cannot use a camera in this area!".
I had not taken any photos on Masshouse property, I was just walking through at the time. I politely asked, "Is this private property?", he did not answer my question at first, but the reply was "for all I know you could be a terrorist, I do know you, please can you tell me your name?".
I did not say my name, but did say I'm a visitor to the area taking photographs for personal, none commercial use. He wasn't happy I was there and carried on shouting at me "You cannot take photos of any of these buildings". I hadn't even raised the camera to take a photo at any point in time.
I then, again keeping my cool, asked "who would I need to contact if I would like to take photographs, have you got a press officer I can write to?". I was being serious, I would like to take photos from your property overlooking City Park. The reply was "I'm not going to tell you who to contact, anyway they are on holiday today so you can't speak to them".
I then asked who did he work for, again he refused to answer, but answered "Stop trying to be cleaver with me". I wasn't happy and did not want a confrontation, so I exited the property and walked down the steps near to Hive on to council property, I was followed by the security guard.
I then decided to take photos of block M from the pavement, which as far as I'm aware is public property. The guard shouted "you are not allowed to take photos of these buildings", followed by "Hive do not allow photos of their building.".
I replied "I am on public property, there is nothing in law to state I'm not allowed to. Please, let me carry on with what I'm doing".
He replied, "Don't get funny with me, I have worked in this business for over 20 years, I know you are wrong and I am are right".
I took a couple of photos from the pavement, and then crossed the road to take some more. He shouted across the road "listen if you do not go, I will stick the camera up where the sun doesn't shine".
I have had a little search online, and found many others that have been harassed by the same team.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=84637659&postcount=974
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=84646192&postcount=980
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