jobcentreclothes
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Reporting local life since 1854 40p Thursday, March 29, 2012 SEN-eO1-S2 [P] [P] 2-FOR-1 ON GREAT DAY TRIPS Token collect Terms apply SEE PAGE 20 Unemployed given handouts to spend on new outfits BY ALEX CAMPBELL AND LUCY ROUE [email protected] THOUSANDS of out-of-work benefits claimants are being kitted out with new outfits and work gear from high street stores – leaving taxpayers in Staffordshire and Cheshire with a £1.85 million bill. Claimants who secure interviews or land new jobs can buy clothing worth up to £300 from selected stores and then claim the costs back from their Jobcentre. Or job-hunters can be handed vouchers by their local Jobcentre and sent to spe- cific shops. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has spent more than £1.1 million buying clothes for jobseekers in Stafford- shire over the past five years. At least £750,000 has been spent in Cheshire over the same period. Almost 19,000 people are currently claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance in North Staffordshire and South Cheshire. Former landscaper Roy Baddeley, who has been out of work for five years, was stunned to be reimbursed for the £25 cost of a new pair of boots by the Jobcentre. The 47-year-old, of Clayton, said: “I was told to go out and get myself a pair of boots. I haven’t even worn them yet and they’re still in my shed. “I think it would be a good idea if you were offered a job and told you needed some boots before you could start, but it shouldn’t be just willy-nilly.” Job-seeker Steven Buckley went to Matalan to buy clothes for a job interview after being told about the scheme by a friend. The 25-year-old, who lives at the YMCA, in Hanley, said: “I told the Jobcentre that I had an interview coming up and was able to go to Matalan and get some new work trousers, shoes and a shirt. “I felt a lot better going into my inter- view knowing that I looked smart.” Carly Dale, aged 21, of Hazelhurst Street, Hanley, who has been unemployed since September, said: “It will help people to get a job if they have the right clothes and look smart. “I want to do NHS work so being smart would help my chances.” The clothing payments are made from the Jobcentres’ advisor discretionary fund (ADF), which also covers travel expenses. The fund paid out £2.5 million in Staffordshire and Cheshire in five years, with about 60 per cent of that on clothes. The ADF has now been replaced by the flexible support fund. Many of the grants are for functional items like work boots, which some firms insist on workers having before job offers. But claimants lining up interviews for office roles can claim full outfits, including suits, shirts and shoes. Clothes can be bought from a range of stores including Matalan and Burton. Staff approving the grants have no way of checking if the claimant already owns the appropriate clothing. A DWP spokesman said: “Any awards made must be appropriate, good value for taxpayers’ money and ensure the recipient can move into work sooner than would otherwise be possible.” Have you bought new clothes with Jobcentre cash? Email us at letters@ thesentinel.co.uk Looking the part: Page 4 £1.85m COST OF JOBLESS CLOTHES BILL DOLING OUT CASH: Hanley Jobcentre. STRIKE FEAR SEES PUMPS RUNNING DRY SEE PAGE 11 Picture: Neil Hulse ©NM Bad Credit? We can finance you a car Call 32 82 72 today We buy any car any make, any price. Quickly, fairly, safely and for the highest bid APR: 28.6% from Aquariums to Water Gardens 243/251 City Road, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent 01782 844866 Open 7 Days . Free Parking at Rear GLOVERS Tropical Fish, Water Garden & Reptile Centre WE’VE GOT THE LOT Aquariums, Hoods, Stands, Heaters, Thermostats, Pumps, Filters, Lights, Power Filters, Foods, Books, Cabinets etc 50,000 TROPICAL, POND & COLD WATER FISH ALWAYS IN STOCK Visit our resident Iguana ‘Richie’ and see our large selection of Reptiles all at bargain prices Tropical, Pond and Cold Water Fish always in stock
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50,000TROPICAL,POND&COLDWATERFISHALWAYSINSTOCK TropicalFish,Water Garden&ReptileCentre VisitourresidentIguana‘Richie’andseeourlargeselectionofReptilesallatbargainprices Tropical,PondandColdWaterFishalwaysinstock Bad Credit? We can finance you a car APR: 28.6% We buy any car any make, any price. Quickly, fairly, safely and for the highest bid Reporting local life since 1854 BY ALEX CAMPBELL AND LUCY ROUE Open7Days.FreeParkingatRear DOLING OUT CASH: Hanley Jobcentre. [P] ©NM
Transcript of jobcentreclothes
Reporting local life since 1854 40pThursday, March 29, 2012
SEN
-eO1
-S2
[P]
[P]
2-FOR-1 ON GREAT DAY TRIPSToken collect Terms applySEE PAGE 20
Unemployed given handouts to spend on new outfits
BY ALEX CAMPBELL AND LUCY [email protected]
THOUSANDS of out-of-work benefitsclaimants are being kitted out with newoutfits and work gear from high streetstores – leaving taxpayers in Staffordshireand Cheshire with a £1.85 million bill.
Claimants who secure interviews orland new jobs can buy clothing worth up to£300 from selected stores and then claimthe costs back from their Jobcentre.
Or job-hunters can be handed vouchersby their local Jobcentre and sent to spe-cific shops.
The Department for Work and Pensions(DWP) has spent more than £1.1 millionbuying clothes for jobseekers in Stafford-shire over the past five years. At least£750,000 has been spent in Cheshire overthe same period.
Almost 19,000 people are currentlyclaiming Jobseekers’ Allowance in NorthStaffordshire and South Cheshire.
Former landscaper Roy Baddeley, whohas been out of work for five years, wasstunned to be reimbursed for the £25 cost ofa new pair of boots by the Jobcentre.
The 47-year-old, of Clayton, said: “I wastold to go out and get myself a pair of boots.I haven’t even worn them yet and they’restill in my shed.
“I think it would be a good idea if youwere offered a job and told you neededsome boots before you could start, but its h o u l d n’t be just willy-nilly.”
Job-seeker Steven Buckley went toMatalan to buy clothes for a job interviewafter being told about the scheme by afriend.
The 25-year-old, who lives at the YMCA,in Hanley, said: “I told the Jobcentre that Ihad an interview coming up and was ableto go to Matalan and get some new worktrousers, shoes and a shirt.
“I felt a lot better going into my inter-view knowing that I looked smart.”
Carly Dale, aged 21, of Hazelhurst Street,Hanley, who has been unemployed sinceSeptember, said: “It will help people to geta job if they have the right clothes and looksmar t.
“I want to do NHS work so being smartwould help my chances.”
The clothing payments are made fromthe Jobcentres’ advisor discretionary fund(ADF), which also covers travel expenses.
The fund paid out £2.5 million inStaffordshire and Cheshire in five years,with about 60 per cent of that on clothes.The ADF has now been replaced by theflexible support fund.
Many of the grants are for functionalitems like work boots, which some firmsinsist on workers having before job offers.
But claimants lining up interviews foroffice roles can claim full outfits, includingsuits, shirts and shoes. Clothes can bebought from a range of stores includingMatalan and Burton.
Staff approving the grants have no wayof checking if the claimant already ownsthe appropriate clothing.
A DWP spokesman said: “Any awardsmade must be appropriate, good value fort a x p aye r s ’ money and ensure the recipientcan move into work sooner than wouldotherwise be possible.”
Have you bought new clothes withJobcentre cash? Email us at [email protected]
Looking the part: Page 4
£1.85m COSTOF JOBLESSCLOTHES BILL
DOLING OUT CASH: Hanley Jobcentre.
STRIKE FEARSEES PUMPS
RUNNING DRYSEE PAGE 11
Picture: Neil Hulse
©NM
Bad Credit?We can finance you
a car
Call 32 82 72 todayWe buy any car any
make, any price.Quickly, fairly, safely
and for the highest bidAPR: 28.6%
from Aquariums to Water Gardens
243/251 City Road, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent
01782 844866Open 7 Days . Free Parking at Rear
GLOVERSTropical Fish, WaterGarden & Reptile Centre
WE’VE GOT THE LOTAquariums, Hoods, Stands, Heaters, Thermostats, Pumps, Filters, Lights, Power Filters, Foods, Books, Cabinets etc
50,000 TROPICAL, POND & COLD WATER FISH ALWAYS IN STOCKVisit our resident Iguana ‘Richie’ and see our large selection of Reptiles all at bargain prices
Tropical, Pond and Cold Water Fish always in stock
