On 02/11/20 I started working in my dream job for a two week trial. At the end of the two weeks I got the job and started the process of signing off of Universal Credit. On 25/11/20 I got told that I was still on trial as the DWP will not allow me to sign off as my start date has not been approved in terms of The Scottish Kickstart Scheme for the 16 to 24 demographic. I have been working 40 hour weeks since the second of November with nothing more than my Universal Credit payments as compensation.
As of today 23/12/20 I still have no legal start date nor am I allowed to sign off of UC or be paid by my employers without them getting charged for tax fraud despite working full time hours for 7 weeks. I was promised a start date this month but found out this morning that I will not be given one until at least January 5th.
I am fortunate that my employers are willing to keep me on until this is resolved whereas I know plenty of other employers would not. I find it shocking that this scheme that is supposed to help people in my demographic find employment is essentially making it harder for us to find a job or expecting us to work for free until the paperwork is processed. Especially now with COVID19 making jobs more scarce. I unlike others am fortunate that I live with my parents with no kids or expensive bills and live rent free but I dread to think how many others could be made homeless or are starving over Christmas because of this sheer incompetence of the DWP. |