Barrier's up in job hunt (From Andover Advertiser)

Barrier's up in job hunt

12:14pm Thursday 17th January 2013 in Letters

I AM a claimant of Jobseekers Allowance.

When I noticed a poster on the Star 1 bus for a free month’s bus pass for Jobseekers Allowance (plus various other benefits) claimants for the month of January, aimed at getting people on the afore-mentioned benefits out and about looking for work, I went into the jobcentre and asked if I could have a pass.

I was told that because I was with Maximus which is a secondary agency to Jobcentreplus, and they help me with my job searching not the jobcentre, I was not entitled to a pass.

I think that this is totally unfair as I am still expected to travel as far afield as Salisbury and Basingstoke to look for work.

I can’t afford to pay the bus fare out of my own pocket to either places and Maximus will only reimburse bus fare to and from an interview.

I feel that a barrier has been put up in front of me and I am only able to look for work in Andover.

Jerry Corlass, Roman Way, Andover