Hearing impairment and unemployed? 5 things to know about claiming JSA
Are you unemployed and have a hearing impairment?
Tips for claiming JSA
As I mentioned I’ve been made redundant twice since I gained a hearing impairment. Both times I was unemployed for a while and claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA). Here are 5 things I learned about claiming JSA as a deaf person:
- You don’t have to be skint to claim JSA.
There are two types of JSA you can claim. One depends on the level of income you have (income-based JSA) and the other – which I claimed – depends on you having a qualifying level of National Insurance contributions (contributions-based). Find out more about JSA here.
- Claiming JSA is simple, but make your communication needs clear.
The first time I claimed, I had to do it by phone from the job centre, which was extremely challenging and meant everyone in the waiting area got to hear all my personal information! Thankfully that’s changed. Unless you have a textphone, the easiest way to claim JSA is to complete a form online. When you fill it in make clear what your communication needs are. People with a hearing impairment have varied requirements so it’s important to explain whether you can use the phone or not, and what communication support you need at the job centre.
- You can avoid the initial information session.
Everyone who claims JSA has to attend a group information session. But the job centres usually don’t have the resources to provide communication support. So, in my case they quickly gave me the information I needed in a 1-2-1. One stressful experience avoided!
- Ask to see the Disability Advisor.
Some job centres still have dedicated advisors for disabled jobseekers, but I understand that many are being made to generalise. Either way there should be someone whose role it is to help you, so, when you sign on, ask to see them. My Disability Advisor understood that certain jobs, for example in a call centre, would not be appropriate for me. She also referred me to a charity called the Shaw Trust who specialise in helping disabled people find and keep employment (and were very supportive).
- Not everyone who works in the job centre is horrible!
On Facebook and other online communities people at Jobcentre Plus get a hard time. And that’s not always fair. Maybe my JCP is the only nice one in the country, but both times I had to claim I was treated like a human being. If you ‘play the game’ of looking for work and keeping a record, they will see you as someone who makes their life easier, rather than one of the many who don’t.
When I was made redundant in 2011 it was the first time I was unemployed and disabled. And the big question was, should I admit I had a hearing impairment in my job applications? More about that next month.
What’s your experience of Job Centre Plus? Would you press the ‘like’ button or give them the thumbs down?
To help with your career planning, why not speak to our certified careers consultants – some of whom are deaf themselves.
Lisa Caldwell works freelance as an accredited Phonak Roger Pen trainer with Credo Communications.
You can catch up with her at credocommunications@gmail.com
Good stuff although I would challenge “job centres don’t have resources to provide communication support” as they are the DWP which is one of the largest sections of government. The duty to make reasonable adjustments (Section 20 Equality Act) such as communication support is that of the service provider or provider or a public function provider. Whether something is reasonable is based on the resources of the ENTIRE organisation, not a single branch, so it would be based on the entire DWP operating budget…
There is no way jobcentres have any excuse at all in law not to provide appropriate communication support for those who need it. Even if the OP doesn’t need it, many people use BSL or really cannot manage with 1:1 quiet room support and the JCP absolutely must provide this. They like to try and claim they can’t afford it (poor us, poor us) but that is not true and this lies could be in itself discriminatory…