Refused a job centre crisis loan help!?

hi i applied for a crisis loan this morning, i live with my girlfriend, and we have had no real income since i lost my job on the 22nd of august. since then we have had 2 crisis loans, 1st one for 50 pound to last us 5 days, 2nd one for 71 pounds to last 7 days. today because we are still not receiving any benefits, and we are both estranged from the rest of our family we needed to apply for another crisis loan, but within an hour we had a call back from a very patronising advisor named Wendy, who refused to give us a crisis loan until after we have been to a work focused interview, which is booked this saturday. Is it not against the law to force people to starve? we have been without gas already since yesterday, and now have no electricity! any advise as to what to do? even if we could wait til saturday, we could not apply for another crisis loan until next monday, i don't know what to do, as we cant survive one more week without money for food gas electricity! please someone offer some usefull advise! were desperate!
Additional Details
we do have a place to live, not homeless.....yet!
money that we applied for had to go towards the rent!

Lindsay A	If they won't help you and you are desperate then I'm sorry but I would definitely do some ''off the books'' work. You get cash straight away. And I know you said that you are worried about being caught but I know so many people who do this all the time and have never been caught. You said that you are not receiving any benefits so you can't get into any serious trouble, because it is not benefit fraud. The issue would be the fact that you are not paying tax- but seriously what choice do you have right now? Work that you can do cash in hand- includes working in a cafe or a restaurant as a kitchen assistant or waiter/waitress. A cafe would be your best bet- because the staff come and go that often they usually don't bother to put people on the books. If you have a car one of the best cash in hand jobs you can do is delivery driving for a takeaway- you can earn pretty good money cos you get tips from customers and sometimes petrol money. There is less chance you will be caught as you are just driving around. I know this is a bit naughty but they are not really helping you right now, and when bills are due you can't escape them- you can't wait to get a job on the books and then wait till you get paid. ALSO you said you are having trouble cos of the boiler- if you need a shower then you can go 'swimming' at a local centre but just use the shower- I know someone that did this when they were having their bathroom decorated and had no bath or shower. EDIT- seriously consider the cash in hand work - if you do get 'caught' just say you have started there that week and you are sorting the paper work out with your boss- again I know people who have done that too.

It's me	Maybe you could sell something to get some money to tide you over until then

Olo B	Although I can empathise with your situation I am slightly concerned at the fact that you have been out of work for almost a month. You may be looking for a very specialised job but that does not stop you taking on a temporary job to tide you over. There are dozens of cleaning, supermarket, admin jobs about that will pay you the minimum wage for a mind numbing day of work... however that is still £40 a day and will prevent you needing these loans. If there is some reason for being out of work then fair enough... you should be granted the crisis loans, however if there is nothing preventing you from working you should spend all the time you have used trying to grab money off the state... and use that time on getting yourself into a job. People say jobs are scarce... that is a load of rubbish I am afraid. It is just people are too proud to take the small petty jobs.

LillyB	So both of you get off your ar5es and get a job - you could be doing temporary work by tomorrow. Its not anyone elses responsibility to feed you. You can't afford to do the college course so leave and go back to it when you have sorted yourselves out. This is not a crisis - it is a permanent situation so you cannot expect to keep getting bailed out. And sorry but you do choose to be in this situation otherwise you would not be in it.

moomoo	If you're that desperate surely any part time work would help? At least you'd be able to eat and then try and save some money to go towards the rent, until your next load comes in? As for your heating, you shouldn't need any and if you do, go put a jumper on. Good luck is all I can say and don't knock having a part-time job, it's better than nothing and if you don't get one, your only other option is to quit college!

stanthemansmum	In your position, I would speak to an advisor at your college. There is a hardship fund which might help. That is what it is there for. Are you sure you are able to receive benefit as you are both full time college students? It is a catch 22 situation, they want people to get an education and better themselves but if you are over 19 and do not have kids or family support, there is no way of doing this. If it is only a short term problem, I would go to someone like Providence and get a small loan to tide me over but remember, borrow £50 and you pay back about £90! Ring DSS every day and nag them until you get the decision and hopefully some money. Good luck

Manda	You need to seek advice from the citizens advice asap they would tell you what to do i think you can work upto 16hours and still get all your benefits ive had to go without money before and its a nightmare its like nobody is willing to help ive worked at the citizens advice and they are really good

charterman	First thing is to write and appeal this decision. If you are not working, have you applied for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit? This should take care of your rent. Explain to your landlord what is happening. Most will wait for it to be processed, but if you have the misfortune to deal with Manchester City Council, it can take 6 months+. There is a job agency called Labour Ready. They are all over the country. Go in and register with them for work. They pay at the end of each day in cash. It may mean you sitting in the office at 6am waiting for work, but if you do get something, it can last from a day to indefinite I've just read your latest footnote. Go and see the welfare officer at the college and see if they can help you. Don't be fobbed off. They should be able to see if you qualiy for HB.

Cari	I'm sorry but I fail to see how you can be such in a dire situation already. You lost your job on 22 August. As you correctly state later on, most jobs pay a week in hand - and therefore you should have received your last pay at the end of August. That's only three weeks ago!!! Yes, I can see how you have no spending money. But utilities companies simply do not act that quickly to cut off supplies. How are you without gas and electricity already? I guess I'm just uncertain of what your problem really is. You argue that you're a student so you can't work full-time. Fair enough. But clearly you were managing somehow before you lost your job, so either you can manage to work a reasonable amount of hours, or you can find a job that must pay a decent hourly rate. Basically your argument doesn't add up, because you did manage before when you were working. And why can't your girlfriend get a job?

unknown70	Try getting a job, it usually get you some money. Minimum wage should be enough to see you through Get to the Job Centre and find a job All the best :)

A Soldiers Sweetheart	GET A JOB. Macdonalds are constantly recruiting. The patronising advisor Wendy hasn't refused you, it is NOT her money. She is following legislation. IF she keeps agreeing crisis loans where is the encouragement for you to find a job. GET OUT AND GET A JOB. ANY JOB.

Firiun	Criteria for crisis loans: * A Crisis Loan is for something you need at once: * in an emergency, or * because of a disaster, You are in an emergency: You are starving. * We will only award a Crisis Loan if there is no other way you can get help. You can't get a job in a week!! * If you think it (a desiscion) is wrong, you can write to us and ask for a review. * Send a signed letter asking for a review to Jobcentre Plus within 28 days of the date on your decision letter. Tell us why you do not agree with the decision. Which is stupid, since you need the money now... Unfortunately, i found this on the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions): If you have applied for a Crisis Loan or grant from the Social Fund for the same item or service within the previous 26 weeks, and there has not been a relevant change of circumstances, then you will not get a Crisis Loan. But we will consider a Crisis Loan if there has been a relevant change of circumstances or if you did not take up a previous offer of payment. Sorry. They are not legally obliged to give you an emergency loan. Try here: http://www.emergencyloans.350.com/ BRAINWAVE!!!* (if that's what they're called) this line of the DWP statement: you will not get a loan *for the same item or service* within 26 weeks after the first loan. Apply to the governmental DWP for a loan with DIFFRENT criteria, eg if you applied for a loan for food, apply for one to pay rent, electricity, gas excetera. Point out, if they refuse, what i have told you and you are bound to get the loan! Follow this link for the DWP crisis loan home page: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/sb16/crisis.asp

Courtney's mummy	When I was 17 I went to college full time and I still worked for a couple of hours each evening, and at weekends. I did some kitchen work where all I did was wash up and got paid the minimum wage. You say it is not worth you getting little part time jobs as it won't pay your rent and food but if the both of you worked part time you would be surprised what you could earn. Food is not that bad. I can feed a family of 2 adults and a toodler on £30 a week. This is also with buying fresh fruit and vegetables etc. You should also be getting some help with housing benefit to pay your rent and council tax benefit If you are waiting to hear about benefits then you need to chase them up

cheeky gal	ask them to bring your interview forward if that fails maybe go to your local coouncil office good look

pirate_princess	I advise that you get a job, any job, even one that is 'beneath' you and use the wages from this to support yourself. Been on both sides of your situation, you just get on with it and support yourself, also £10 a day is quite a bit of money when living hand to mouth.

Lily B Talus	You need to go to the c.a.b. for some help, also get onto social services and ask if there is a food bank in your area, these give out substantial food parcels to people in need, might be worth seeing if the benefits office can move your interview forward, or asking to speak to a supervisor there although generally they only give two crisis loans as the situation should be resolved fairly quickly.

joe m	Feel really sorry for you as I ahve been in the same boat. They have told me the same thing. You can ask them to bring forward you interview. I didnt know the job centre started opening on Saturday but that is beside the point. The only other thing I can suggest is to go into the social work dept where ever you are staying and they will either give you vouchers or point you to somewhere you can get food and they might even be able to help with electricity, obut one thing is sure they will be able to give you advice. BTW the employment dept and the social work dept are two different things so dont say I dont know what I am talking about. Just go and look for them. BTW where are you. I taqke it you are in a library seeing as you dont have any leccy at home. au revoir.

Mystical Mamba	50 can last for 5 days, and £71 can last for 7 days easily - in the meantime, have you asked around to see if you can do any brief cash in hand work? (window cleaning/lawnmowing/selling at car boot etc?) and, keep applying for jobs.

vambo the fourth	Look at these stupid bastards saying "get a job!" They've most probably never missed a meal in their lives, the scum. Probably still at home with mummy and daddy. Sorry, mate, you have my sympathy. I don't see what you can do, I'm afraid.

mishnbong	Can you not apply for job seekers allowance until you find employment? You should be entitled to it (although you don't say how you became unemployed). Try ringing welfare benefits, ot the citizens advice, they should help you.

darl	it is absolutley discusting what they are doing there is some places that offer food for homless where you can get somthing to eat go to macdonalds for a job they are always wanting ppl even if its a job to put you on till you find somthing else and you get fed working there)

piet lul	you will see a lot more of that now in this gredit crises.

cor blimey	go back and ask to have the decision overturned on the grounds that you have no food or fuel and would starve without any help from the benefits system and ask for your application for income support to be answered as soon as posible and tell them that its not your fault you have no job you never asked to be put in that possition in the first place and being patronised is only rubbing salt into the wounds

babbalabbadingdong	This is absolutely ludicrous! If they pulled their fingers out of their asses and processed your claim quickly you wouldn't have to apply for a crisis loan. As it is a loan, there should be no trouble receiving it! There are a few things you could do: Harrass the social 24/7 to process your claim Sell something Provident and Greenwoods do small loans for people on benefits. The numbers are in the Yellow Pages Visit your local homeless shelter. They will feed you