Today was the day I had to sign up to the Claimant Commitment at the Charles St Jobcentre in Cardiff. The forecast rain didn't fall as I walked to my fate. Just like last time no security was present at the entrance to the Jobcentre so I just walked to the area where I would be called. After sitting down for roughly five minutes my name was called. The woman who is now my Coach completed my Claimant Commitment on her computer after asking me the relevant questions and then printed off a couple of copies which I then signed. I was given a booklet which is far too big for the average pocket so unless it's folded up it will be a matter of taking it by hand every fortnight to the Jobcentre. It appears that we have to complete two sections every fortnight and the booklet has enough sections that it will cover a few months. I will have to fill in what I am going to do over the fortnight to find work and complete the actual part nearer my Jobcentre attendance date. Of course, I did ask a few questions and one of them was regarding sanctions. I asked her, if she didn't think that someone had done enough to find work, would she refer it to a decision maker and would I be able to give my account before any sanction was brought in. She told me that if someone in her opinion had not done enough to find work then she could suspend their benefit and then send it to a decision maker. The claimant could appeal but I made a point that when people sign they are usually relying on that benefit payment over the next few days to pay bills and buy food so surely the system is unfair. I suggested that if an advisor didn't think that the claimant was doing enough it would be fairer if the advisor and claimant put their opinions to a decision maker before any benefit was suspended. To be fair, the woman who is my advisor or as they say now “Coach” did appear to be fair but it's early days and I have not rocked the boat, well not yet anyway. It's an important point regarding when a sanction can be put in place, we will have to accept that if they feel that not enough is being done by the claimant then they can suspend payment of any benefits and it will take time to get them restored even if you eventually win. Although hardship payments can be obtained it still means a claimant will have to live on very little and sometimes through no fault of their own. If this happens to anyone, it's vital that they go straightaway to the council and complete a nil income form to keep the housing benefit going. If a sanction is upheld the housing benefit won't be backdated so it would be very easy to build up arrears that will have to be paid from the little hardship payments that can be obtained. This government are intent on paying benefits in the future on a monthly basis and eventually when a person in work becomes unemployed they won't receive a thing for the first week of unemployment and then another four weeks as benefit is paid in arrears so it would be five weeks before they would receive anything to live on. That's in the future and let's hope benefits are kept to a fortnightly cycle. I will start writing in my efforts to find work over the next fortnight in my booklet soon. I guess it will take a little bit of time to complete it to a good level and I would have thought that JCP advisor's would accept that the first effort completing the Claimant Commitment wouldn't be spot on first time. I will find out in a fortnights time and report on here what happens. I was told that an open day is taking place at the Charles St Jobcentre in Cardiff on 20th August and many employers will be in attendance on a number of floors so I guess if anyone is supposed to sign on that day they might have a day off. I can't guarantee that they don't have to sign on that day so if anyone is supposed to sign on that day please check.