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Referral to Work Programme

fairf
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11 years 4 months ago - 11 years 4 months ago #95337 by fairf

Referral to Work Programme was created by fairf

Hearing the bad news story on the Work Programme on the news today prompted me to relate my experience at the Job Centre last week.

After an Atos assessment in January I was transferred from incapacity to ESA WRAG income related(IR)with a prognosis of 18 months. At my latest work focussed interview (WFI), my sixth, last week I was informed that I was going to be referred to the Work Programme at my next WFI just before Christmas. This would be 7 months before I was due for review. My advisor/DEA said that she had been told that very day that she now had to refer anyone on ESA WRAG (IR)with a prognosis of 18 months or less to the Work Programme. It appeared that someone could have just started on ESA WRAG (IR) with a prognosis of 18 months or less and could be referred more or less straightaway to the Work Programme! A date of 10/12/12 seemed to have some significance.

I wondered if this was happening throughout England or just in certain areas.

The DEA said that she and her fellow DEA were not happy about this but their hands were tied. She advised me to take a friend with me when I went for my first appointment with the Work Programme provider. She also stressed that I did not have to apply for a job or undertake any type of work (which I understand to mean voluntary work or work experience).

Last edit: 11 years 4 months ago by Gordon.

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Gordon
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11 years 4 months ago #95343 by Gordon

Replied by Gordon on topic Re:Referral to Work Programme

fairf

The period was increased to 12 months in November and there is a pilot running that will effect claimants with upto 24 months still pending, and as we are unaware of anybody in the WRAG receiving a period of more than 24 months, this suggests that it will effect all ESA(IR) claimants in the WRAG.

The following FAQ has details.

Work Programme

Gordon

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fedup90

11 years 4 months ago - 11 years 4 months ago #95346 by fedup90

Replied by fedup90 on topic Re:Referral to Work Programme

If you got points at an ATOS assessment for the descriptor "Is unable to get to a specified place with which the claimant is unfamiliar without being accompanied by another person."
surely you could refuse to go to the work programme appointment with a company such as A4E and not be sanctioned. Surely if you were to go to this work programme appointment, it would be used against you at a future Atos work capability assessment and you would not get points for this discriptor.

Last edit: 11 years 4 months ago by Gordon.

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summertrain
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11 years 4 months ago - 11 years 4 months ago #95349 by summertrain

Replied by summertrain on topic Re:Referral to Work Programme

Two questions.

1. If you refuse to go on the work programme is the very worst that can happen is that you will be sanctioned and lose the work
portion of the WRAG? (About £30)

2. If you were to go self employed would this end all this crap?
(presumably they'd jump up and down and click their heels with joy at getting you off their books?) :woohoo:

Last edit: 11 years 4 months ago by Gordon.

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Gordon
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11 years 4 months ago #95350 by Gordon

Replied by Gordon on topic Re:Referral to Work Programme

fedup90 wrote:

If you got points at an ATOS assessment for the descriptor "Is unable to get to a specified place with which the claimant is unfamiliar without being accompanied by another person."
surely you could refuse to go to the work programme appointment with a company such as A4E and not be sanctioned. Surely if you were to go to this work programme appointment, it would be used against you at a future Atos work capability assessment and you would not get points for this discriptor.

This is unfortunately where we get into one of the many Catch-22s inherent in the ESA system.

If a claimant has been placed in the WRAG, then they are by definition, considered fit enough to participate in Work Related Activity, because if they were not fit enough to do WRA, they would have been placed in the Support Group.

All I can say is that your condition must be taken into account by your JC+ advisor when asking you to attend WFIs, to participate in WRA, or in forwarding you to the Work Programme.

By not participating you risk sanction, and whilst the matter may be resolved in your favour, this may only happen at appeal.

Gordon

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Gordon
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11 years 4 months ago #95353 by Gordon

Replied by Gordon on topic Re:Referral to Work Programme

summertrain wrote:

Two questions.

1. If you refuse to go on the work programme is the very worst that can happen is that you will be sanctioned and lose the work
portion of the WRAG? (About £30)

2. If you were to go self employed would this end all this crap?
(presumably they'd jump up and down and click their heels with joy at getting you off their books?)

The Sanctions regime is being updated, see

Changes to ESA Sanctions

Obviously, if you close your ESA claim, you no longer need to participate in the Work Programme.

Gordon

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