Claimants Being Offered Unpaid Work Experience- At The Job Centre
Unemployed benefit claimants are being offered unpaid full-time work at the job centres where they sign on.
Jobless people who have been offered the 9am to 5pm ‘work experience’ positions are said to be livid at the idea they may be being exploited.
Some people who sign on at the Kentish Town Job Centre in north London say they are worried they might lose their housing and unemployment benefits if they refuse.
But a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spokesman said such suggestions were ludicrous.
The spokesman said the placements offered ‘invaluable’ office experience for claimants who he stressed would never have access to sensitive data.
He said: These positions, they are not mandatory in any way. They are completely voluntary.
Claiming we could sanction people for not taking on the positions is absolutely ludicrous.
Its all about helping people get skills and experience.
The spokesman said the practice of offering unpaid work at job centres to claimants was not universal, but certainly happened at a few here and there.
He said the number of working hours was flexible and volunteers days never ended later than 5pm.
The spokesman denied suggestions jobcentres were using the practice to exploit claimants for free work, saying: This isnt something thats for the jobcentre; its something thats for the claimant.
He added: Its absolutely ridiculous the idea we are forcing people to do work experience and thats filling in gaps of staff that have left.
Same Difference 
Hit the nail on the head, there losing staff, and filling there places with free labour. But of coarse they will never admit that.
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Nah theyl never sanction you for not turn up whot whot another pack of lies from the mouths of devils
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