job seekers allowance

my son is 19 and has been in fulltime employment since 16,unfortunately the company went bust.i went to the local jobcentre to find out about him signing on,i was told he needed to get his p45 and then make an online application or phone application.he also went to the jobcentre and was told that when he had his p45 he could sign on.it took 8 weeks before he got it,he made an online application,they lost it,he made a phone application they lost it,we went to the job centre and they very reluctantly gave him an appointment for the following week,we went to the appoinment and were then told he had to fill in a form,as this form would take at least an hour he had lost his 'slot'and would then have to wait upto four hours to be seen,we did this,he also filled out a form to claim back payment as we found out that a p46 could have been issued by the job centre so he could have claimed job seekers allowance earlier.needless to say his back dated claim was refused.we are going to a tribunal on tuesday to present his case i am doing this with him,i have explained the situation numerous times to the dwp but they are not really interested,my son stiil has not got a job and last week applied for a chainsaw course via the dwp funding,they want him to do a business course first,which will basically use up his small grant,and he will still be out of work,my main worry is,although i have been to a tribunal before,it was dla for my daughter which she was awarded afterwards.how do you convince the tribunal that the jobcentre is totally useless and gives out wrong information,anyone had the same treatment?

Whilst echoing what Gordon says about JSA not being our area of expertise, may I suggest that if your appeal fails, you get some advice from a welfare adviser about whether you might have any claim for maladministration. I must stress that I am in no position whatsoever to comment on whether what has happened would amount to maladministration, I merely suggest that you take advice on this, as where there has been maladministration, it is possible to claim compensation.