A NORTH Yorkshire woman who has never had a job in her life is at loggerheads with job centre chiefs who have stopped her unemployment benefits.

Susan Moore, 34, of Park View, Burythorpe, has claimed Job Seeker's Allowance for 16 years.

She insists she is not a "scrounger" and has always been ready and willing to work, but has never been lucky enough to find a job.

"I haven't even been for a job interview," said Miss Moore. "No one's given me the chance. I'm available for work, I'd do anything. I'd like to have more money and get off the Job Seeker's Allowance."

Miss Moore lives with her mother, Jennifer, 58, in a Ryedale Housing Association home in rural Ryedale. Mrs Moore stopped working when Susan was born in 1969, and has claimed unemployment benefit ever since.

Miss Moore gained GCSEs at Norton College and started a course at Scarborough Technical College in 1988, but dropped out, claiming she had been bullied.

She has attended regular appointments with an adviser at Ryedale Jobcentre, but claims she has never had a job interview and a suitable job has never been found for her.

Her unemployment benefits were stopped in July after she failed to complete a six-month training course in Scarborough designed to teach employment skills.

She said she was severely berated when she missed a day, so she did not return. Miss Moore said the incident happened after a taxi, which was sent by the job centre to take her to Malton so she could catch a train to Scarborough, did not turn up.

Since July the Moores have been living on benefits of little more than £90 per fortnight. Miss Moore will appeal for the reinstatement of her benefits before the Appeals Service in York, on March 2.

The Moores are now also seeking to apply for Income Support on medical grounds; Miss Moore because she has monthly painful spells and her mother due to swollen legs.

Simon Wilkinson, spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions, which is the umbrella organisation for Jobcentre Plus, said staff did not discriminate and worked hard to find the right job for the right person.

He said: "We aim to give reassurance to tax-payers that our staff are working hard to ensure that everybody has an opportunity to meet their obligations by being financially independent."

For people who are capable of work (and who are aged between 25 and 50 years of age) there is now a mandatory obligation to join New Deal 25+ after they have been claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for 18 months.

The scheme consists of intensive weekly job search support from a dedicated personal adviser in the job centre. If after 16 weeks a jobseeker has not secured employment, there is a requirement to join an intensive activity period, which can include training and work placements lasting 13 to 26 weeks. This is tailored to meet the individual's needs and aims to fully prepare them to compete for employment in the jobs market.

Failing to attend, giving up or refusing to undertake this activity can result in loss of benefit and each time a jobseeker fails to join, further sanctions can be imposed on their benefit.

If a jobseeker fails to honour their New Deal agreement, they are fully informed of their position and advised that rejoining the New Deal intensive activity period is the only way to regain their Jobseeker's Allowance.

Updated: 10:35 Thursday, February 19, 2004