Hi,

I've just found this thread and have been having similar problems. I'm a Part Time MSc student at Cov Uni. Since I started I was claiming JSA until now - where for some reason (after having all of the "official" JSA forms all signed, stamped and dated by my University for my 9 hours a week taught course) they now have suspended my claim indefinitely as they regard me as full time because I am doing a Masters degree. No one told me I couldn't claim as I'm under 16 hours but since they have suspended it apparently "you can't claim for masters degree's regardless of being part time and the University providing a letter to this effect.

The next part is even better. I get a letter from the "decision makers" asking for my job searches since I enrolled on part time as they also for some unknown reason think I'm full time. I don't know how or why as I handed in Part time forms to the job centre! So I send me job searches in. My claim gets suspended without any letters telling me so. Bank balance at -£1000 and dropping. I call the job centre and they say claim suspended by "decision maker" as the "decision maker" has apparently called the University to see if I'm full or part time. I can't find out who exactly supposedly called them. So I call the University and on the system, yes since I started I've been a Part time student.
Getting repetitive. Called the job centre back they say then I need an official letter. No problem call the University they do me one. Call the job centre back and say can get letter but don't know about hours. They say they need confirmation of hours but then ask what course I do. I say P/T Masters. They then say you can't claim for Masters however I've not ever been told in the past 13 weeks I've been signing on nor seen this in writing anywhere?

I then ask well if I've been a part time student then won't they want all the money back. Not great when bank balance is -£1000! The guy says maybe "but between you and me don't say anything". So professional.

So my question is do I argue the toss about my hours and Part Time "ness" or cut my losses and hope they don't want paying back! I lean toward the latter (a) because of the hassle of dealing with obviously incompetent people and (b) the demoralization of signing on with 1 master's and studying a second. It's not like I've not been looking for work either. How does someone survive on £50.65 a week driving 60 mile round trips to University (part time).

I do agree that nobody knows their arse from their elbow and might suggest they give me a job at the job centre as I'd no doubt be more competent at it than most of them. What's most annoying is the fact that they speak to you like your stupid and worthless when all you do is try and get a measly £50 a week. It's not like they are giving you it out of their own back pockets!

Rant over.

But seriously if anyone knows where I stand or what I could do for the best please let me know