The 'wonderful' Job Centre Plus

Since signing on last October I found it a 'wonderful' experience at the Job Centre Plus and look forward to my fortnightly visits - NOT!!!

Initially when first signing on, there was an issue with my Job Seeker Allowance payments. As I was never told by my advisor about this on my visits, when I didn't receive payment into my bank account 2 weeks after my first visit I called their head office where I was informed that I hadn't made enough national insurance contributions. I have been working since I was 17 years old (34 years old now) and since late last year this is the longest period I have ever been unemployed. When I was working, I had plenty tax and NI 'contributions' taken from my pay before I'd even received my pay slip. So on my next visit to the Job Centre I demanded to know exactly what the problem was, where they explained that I needed to send my 2 P60 forms to the Job Centre Plus Head Office, as there were issues regarding those 2 tax years(2008-09 & 2009-10). So I posted my original P60 forms to their JCP Head Office in Glasgow by 2nd class recorded delivery as requested, which were then delivered and signed for 2 days later (11 Nov 2011). Some time after I was called by a guy from their Glasgow Head Office handling my file confirming I am indeed entitled to Job Seekers Allowance and the back logged payments will be due in my account within a few days. Great!!

As the issue of my JSA payments was now resolved I was expecting my original P60 forms to be returned back to me. January this year, I called the Glasgow Head Office again to find out. Only to be told by the same guy handling my file that he had never received my P60 forms sent. Turns out he used an in-house HMRC database to check my 'contributions' using my NI number. So it wasn't even required for me to send my P60s in the first place!!

I am hopeful I will be successful in securing a permanent job soon and when I do, I hope I NEVER have to deal with the 'wonderful' Job Centre Plus again! That place and the people that work in it are a waste of resources and thought!! And I'll take great pleasure in raising a major complaint. As my P60s I can never get re-issued and if the HMRC were to ever contact me asking me to provide these forms. They are not going to accept photocopies. Plus its worrying to know that someone signed for it, but was never sent to the person handling my file. For all I know someone could be using my NI number, my name and address(from my original payslips, some of which I had also sent)fraudulently.