Dwp Staff Given Suicide Guidance

[tonyav]

Ahead of Iain Duncan Smiths welfare reforms.
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/dwp-staff-given-suicide-guidance-ahead-of-iain-duncan-smiths-welfare-reforms/ar-BBm50jq

[Peter Pedant]

erm the same way that they deal with everyone else

say it is nothing to do with them
you're in the wrong office
they have to answer the telephone
Sharon who does this will be along in a minute
say they dont know why you're here they dont do that at all
I dunno who said that but ....

[-Talbot-]

Will they get a pay rise for taking on this extra duty?

[douglas9401]

No chance of the passed over, useless, heartless pirck being given suicide instruction I suppose.

[wolf63]

Why do people hate the staff of DWP so much?

[wolf63]

Boys?

I spent nearly 25 years of my life working for this agency. Does that make me an ogre or the enemy? I got early retirement on health grounds.

For the last 12 years of so I have been in receipt of benefit and unable to work. I spend part of my day here, slowly getting crazier and crazier.

:-)

[Quizproquo]

People don't hate the staff wolf63. They hate the system the staff are instructed to follow without deviation.
My own dealings with them left me destitute and relying on friends in my lowest hour taking pity on me and bailing me out, through nothing but red tape.
I feel for the poor staff who have to dish this out and take the flak.

[wolf63]

Thank you Quizproquo. I hope that your situation has improved. The system is now so complicated it is a wonder anybody knows what it going on.

I used to get frustrated when only one action by the customer would mean that their benefit would be awarded but they would be unable to complete the action as it was the pub darts tournament or something equally stupid.

[Peter Pedant]

I last went down to the DWP to tell them one of their victims ( that would be a dosser of course ) had died

and they started treating me like dosser

andI struck back with lines like - I am not on your books I am only the informant

and they really were saying things like - " wotcha doin' ere ven ? "
and I was going like: " because I have been told to turn up here and you will assist me" - very difficult not to smirk when you deliver lines like that .....

and she really said: o we dont have any of that here dear .....

[mikey4444]

What we use to call the Job Centre is now effectively a place where people are deprived of their benefits, if that can be achieved.

I have only "signed-on" on one occasion, for about 8 weeks, 10 years ago.
I managed to new job lined up myself very quickly after being made redundant but they couldn't start me immediately, hence the delay.

During that time I wasn't treated with any respect at all. I was 52 at the time and had never been out of work since I first left school at age 16. I turned up for my fortnightly meeting at the DWP dressed in a suit and had my briefcase with me, but I was still treated the same as most of other long-term unemployed there. In the end, I signed myself off the dole, and relied on my dwindling savings in order to survive, as it was much less demeaning. At least I was able to do that...most people couldn't.

My heart goes out to anybody struggling to find a job, because they won't find one at the "Jobcentre" as new jobs doesn't seem to be their speciality at all.

[THECORBYLOON]

The six-point plan was launched about five or six year ago so it's hardly a new story and it's not linked to any proposed changes.

[DaisyNonna]

Should imagine they are giving advice on how to do it
Must be the least understanding or helpful people I have ever come across

[THECORBYLOON]

What experiences have you had with DWP?

[DaisyNonna]

Isn't that a very personal question Corby?
Suffice it to say it was a miserable and demeaning experience

[THECORBYLOON]

You may have had issues but that does not mean the vast majority do not do a good job day in day out and to suggest they are inciting suicide is outrageous.

[DaisyNonna]

Issues?

[askyourgran]

I'm not surprised, there are people out there who go completely mental if they are told something they don't want to hear, they can become very nasty and personal. All claimants feel they are 'special cases'. It must be very stressful working at the DwP. Apart from prominent notices telling them that the staff are only following the legal procedures there is little else they can do. Senior management should be on hand to see that counter staff are competent, they step in when necessary.

[THECORBYLOON]

Issues as in issues with DWP.

[DaisyNonna]

I have no problem with employees following legal procedures
I do object to being treated as an incompetent person who was responsible for being in need of finding a job and expected to go on a course run by someone who had no idea of what she was supposed to be doing, wasting my time and hers. Not to mention the others on the course being given wrong, out of date information.
At no time was I given any help finding another post.

[THECORBYLOON]

Was the course run by Jobcentre folk or by a Provider on the Work Programme for instance?