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Voluntary support conversations for disabled claimants rolled-out

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The DWP are rolling out voluntary support conversations for disabled claimants to 27 additional jobcentres, bringing the total to 33 sites.

The conversations are aimed at claimants assessed as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) as well as those who have yet to have a  work capability assessment (WCA).

The hour long sessions are intended to identify barriers to moving into paid or voluntary work.  As well as employment, they cover housing, debt, skills, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation services. Support Conversations are delivered by Healthcare Professionals, Pathways to Work Advisers, and Disability Employment Advisers, and are available face to face, by video, or by telephone.

If you are invited to take part in a Support Conversation, you are free to refuse without it affecting your benefits.

List of confirmed sites (6 further sites to be confirmed shortly):

  • Aberdare           
  • Berwick Upon Tweed   
  • Blaydon              
  • Bournemouth  
  • Didsbury            
  • Glenrothes       
  • Grimsby             
  • Hoxton
  • Lancaster         
  • Leeds Park Place           
  • Leicester Charles Street            
  • Leicester Wellington Street     
  • North Shields  
  • Northwich        
  • Preston              
  • Rusholme         
  • Saltcoats          
  • Shettleston      
  • South Shields  
  • Southend          
  • Sparkhill            
  • Springburn        
  • Sunderland      
  • Thornaby           
  • WesterHailes  
  • Whitehaven     
  • Workington       

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Bob
    · 5 days ago
    I have just had my invite, via the journal. I am so stressed out by it. Awaiting more therapy sessions. I felt obliged to see them when this starts. Hopefully they will believe me then. I have been trapped in the system for years.

    I have had no help, hardly claim anything I too scared and ashamed because of the endless negativity. I am autistic it’s made me even worse.
    Like the rest of you I would like a better life decent Job and engage fully but that’s not possible right now. A bit of time and effort on the part of the DWP would have helped. They are just pure evil we are the go to scapegoats.

    How do they expect us to work with limited experience, qualifications and opportunities not to mention the obvious limitations based on our health conditions 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    WorkshyLayabout
    · 6 days ago
    Someone from Boston job centre sent me the exact same message as Rox has posted. I replied with, "How do you feel this will be of benefit to me? It is not something I can partake in due to ongoing health problems." 

    *Note the same health problems that a doctor and judge at a tribunal deemed made me incapable of working or doing work-related activities.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Lou
    · 7 days ago
    Knowsley also do these 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Lpot50
    · 8 days ago
    Iv'e just had my second invite. 
    All within the space of two weeks.
    I haven't replied. It states reply to this message if you want to have a chat. I don't. I wouldn't trust them, as far as I could throw them. Which wouldn't be very far. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Justin@73
    · 14 days ago
    I've been pestered by DWP ever since being UC and bring put New Style ESA (temparey for 12 months).

    I got an entry in my jiurnal from a member of staff asking if beed any help with anything. They wouldn't stop unyil my sister wrote back on my behalf. Thrn, i get a phone call from DWP as i haven't signed or declared any commitment on the New Style ESA side of my claim. Considering i weren't applying for different ESA what do they expect? I was put on this stupid ESA for reasons i still don't get!!  Up shot is I'll get loo paper off thrm which I need to keep in a safe place incase my situafion has the audacity to change. 
    I went onto UC as thexSupport zgroup ESA i was on was due to be terminated as a move gking onto UC.  I expected to be on UC and the new system. nothing wss said about this othrr ESA or anythinh. The DWP just automatically put me on Nee Style ESA for 12 months. I've nevrr had so much contact with the DWP since.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Wink
    · 14 days ago
    These schemes make me laugh, I am a full time job for someone, I need help with every activity of daily living and would happily volunteer, if I could get the help to get ready and help to and from my car, my personal budget hours were cut by Social services to 16, from 21 and i was told I could shower 2  times a week and go out once and they charged me half my weekly income. After a year I gave up £5k in debt, if they want me to work they first have to provide everything I need and pay for it. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    junior19
    · 14 days ago
     I didn't think Scotland would be included in this as Scotland has ADP.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    adrian
    · 15 days ago
    AGE  62  & career for family . DUE  to accident & work 40 yrs back . MAY 1986 ,  last 2 yrs  so have 2nd degenrtative changes   for life due to  THE accident , claim  (LCWRA )  .Cant claim careers eletnment uc & (lcwra)  lcwra greatest .  WORN  spine joints t11- t12 , l2- l5/ si . start stenosis .  MOVE with aid walking stick  max 20 meteres 60 ft stand up right aided 1 , 2 min . SO  you cant go far do much . PSYO  did not work . SPINE  injections  helped 2 , 3 weeks with pain .  UNDER NHS ,  pain manadgetnment  op ruled out 60 % failure rate .   MECHANICS , BACK SPINE   JOINTS , worn out after 45 yrs in  MANUAL work . PAYED  in like lot others  43 yrs CLASS 1  tax national insurance (paye)  as employee, tax payer.  GOVERTNMENTS  dont care about this . LEGAL  min to get FULL , NEW OAP  penstion & 66/ 67 is 35 yrs .   HAD  one these in vites back nov 2025  declined  just said   .... IAM ,  LCWRA = UNFIT FOR TO WORK = U LOW CAPACAITY FOR WORK & WORK REALATED ACTIVITY .   ( SIMPLES ) GOVERTNMENT WANT  except this or lot us age 62- 65  had to give up work due to disabilty . LOCAL JCP  just got back in touch  said we up dated ur records , all on journal anyway .   JUST EXPANDING IT TO MORE JOBCENTRES .  ITS TOTALLY VOLUNTARY . For orginal claimants lcwra  protected b4 april 2026 . 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Evie
    · 15 days ago
    I had one of these 'invitations' weeks ago from a job centre not listed above. I'm less than 3 years off state pension retirement age and was ill health retired 5 years ago. I ignored their invitation.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Alaya
    · 15 days ago
    I received two of these calls, from the Norwich Job Centre, but when I had to move the third call, they didn’t re-arrange, and I have heard nothing since.

    I received the message on my UC Journal,
    I did feel obliged to engage, and I did engage, the lady was nice enough but there were undercurrents in her dialogue with me that slipped through, looks a statement of “ Ì will push you if I think your not reaching your goals monthly”

    My goals in my head are actually dreams of what I would like to be capable of doing, of what I used to be capable of doing before I was disabled !

    She said “ So what’s the dream” and she ran with that, and said I had to make micro changes every month, that it may take a long time but that it was important that I do those things ( that I can’t do ) .

    She then told me that she too was severely disabled and that the health component of UC was not very much anyway, and that she was working for the DWP now part time.

    Implying I suppose that I could do that too?
    I’m 60 years old next year ! In addition Ì physically cannot work. 
    I asked her what support she could give me, as a severely disabled person- who ‘dreams’ about working again, and what the DWP was actually offering in terms of support, she then informed me that the DWP had a scheme where if you saved £50 a month the DWP would match that by paying an equal amount of £50 a month for you ! 
    Not only am I without an extra penny a month ! But my body will never do the things that I can only dream about once being able to do !

    Has anyone even heard of such a scheme?

    No actual support was offered.

    I’m glad I engaged with the conversation to know what it is they are actually rolling out under the cover of darkness, so to speak, I suspect it is very pernicious indeed, I felt that.

    The right wing media monster, and the legacy of hate given to society by the previous Tory Governments, has now it seems, been 


    “ one can tell the level of depravity in a society by looking at the way it treats its most vulnerable members”



    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      adrian
      · 15 days ago
      @Alaya FOR  claimants lcwra   PRE 2026  PROTECTED ,  pathways to work / workwell schemes  TOTALLY  voluntary .  NO  sanctions deductions if  you dont wish to take up offer .  SO  u keep uc & lcwra. LCWRA =  LOW capacaity for work & work realated activity  no work requirtnments = unfit to for work , simples . . TILL NOW  change (PM) . BOTH  labour 2024 , Conservtive & reform right wing . REFUSE  to accept under stand this , EVEN  if u age 60- 65   payed in 40 - 45 yrs ur money . class1 tax , national insurance (paye) as employee, tax payer . 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Sally
    · 15 days ago
    There are already about 1 million more job seekers than jobs available, what on earth do they hope to achieve by harassing disabled people who cannot work, to attend interviews, never mind trying to get them fit for work! They need to focus on getting the fit into work.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Me
      · 4 days ago
      @Sally This is the issue. I just had surgery fairly recently for tumour removals and more surgery the hospital been calling me. My health has severely deteriorated from cancer injections n pain in leg not able to walk etc yet they’re pestering me I can’t even leave the house to food shop I pay double to be delivered I can’t go for short walk only abit in small garden it’s so upsetting they keep doing this to disabled people people won’t be able to keep up if you can’t sleep at night and often have to catch up otherwise you’ll be in excruciating pain how are people supposed to function with full time employment. It’s just EVIL 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jan
      · 14 days ago
      @Sally Sally, My fit and perfectly able 32yr old son, has been unemployed since graduating his MA at the onset of Covid pandemic: every interview he has had has stated: ''You have no experience, sorry.''  What an absolute tragic waste of a good young man who, feels quite desperate:  meanwhile, as he continues to seek work, the disabled are being pressured to GET WELL!!!  This is disgraceful.  It is nonsense - completely absurd.  Good wishes to All.  Jae .
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Deb
      · 15 days ago
      @Sally They have only one intention - and that is to reduce disabilty money paid out - they are "shaking the tree" to see how many "bad apples" fall ( meaning they want to rid themselves of anyone who they see as capable of work.  
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Duncan
    · 15 days ago
    I've had 4 invites,  no chance of me going , I would be a liability to any potential employer as it stands at the moment 
    Saying no or ignoring the message once should mean that the centre should take the hint 
    As an aside , the will be a special place in hell for Iain duncan smith 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Rox
    · 15 days ago
    I received similar from Fulham Jobcentre Plus as notes in my UC journal twice within the space of two weeks in March - asking me the same thing…

    1) 11 Mar 2026 at 11:31am

    Hello XXXXXXX 

    My name is XXXXXX from Fulham Job Centre.

    Would you like to have a chat about how I can help you? We can talk about how I can support you, and we can identify things you can do to help you take the next steps - but only when you're ready to.

    For example, we can talk about:
    - developing your skills
    - building your confidence
    - potential options for the future

    This chat is voluntary for you. 
    It will not cause us to reassess your capability for work. The amount of Universal Credit you receive will not change.

    If you would like to know more, please reply to this journal message. I will arrange to contact you at a convenient time.

    I look forward to hearing from you.

    Kind regards,
    Fulham     Jobcentre Plus

    And again…

    2) 25 Mar 2026 at 3:58pm

    Hello XXXXXXX

    My name is XXXXXX from Fulham Jobcentre.

    Recently I asked if you would like to have a chat about how I can help you. This is still available. 

    We can talk about your needs and how we can support you. And we can do it at a time and pace that works for you.

    This chat is voluntary for you. 
    It will not cause us to reassess your capability for work. The amount of Universal Credit you receive will not change.

    If you want to know more, please reply to this journal message. I will arrange to contact you at a convenient time.

    Kind regards
    Fulham Jobcentre Plus


    Both times, I’ve ignored the message and have not responded. I haven’t had another message like it since the above two. 

    I do find it a bit contradictory and not fitting with LCWRA, to send these to people who are sick/disabled/chronically unwell etc who are on LCWRA - to talk about them literally doing work-related activities! 

    This can make us feel like rubbish as many of us already do (for what we cannot do) so just adds more feelings of guilt, depression, worthlessness, pressure for the impossible etc and can worsen our health! 

    If someone is not on LCWRA, then I can understand it, but it feels to me like they’re trying to get people who have LCWRA to actually do things that they’ve been assessed as not being able to do?! 


    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Justin@73
      · 14 days ago
      @Rox That's exact same message i got in April this year. I didn't realise that was part this  onverswtion roll out! I wss told by the bloke who assessed my migration yo UC claim that i'd never be asked have a work coach or be adked about work. He swys that he cwn clesrly see that i wouldn't sble to work. This based on my white long cane. Funny how the other stsff at Ipswich job centtre aren't aware of this.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Navigator
    · 15 days ago
    Add Kingston, Surrey to the list, as I got 2 invites for these Voluntary support conversations, despite my conditions being long term and unlikely to improve.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    robbie
    · 18 days ago
    Just over a fortnight before the Timms review interim report. Well that's going to be tricky: unless they come clean and say they've got nothing, they'll find it difficult to make commitments they keep.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    bronc
    · 18 days ago
    It would be unwise to engage with these work coaches and talk about voluntary work. I've found that admitting to doing voluntary 'work' was a big black mark against me in the past.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    topcat
    · 18 days ago
    i have has 3 phone calls this week thay are harassing me i am not answering the phone any more so thay keep sending me a text messsage to call uc and as soon as i do thay start ringing me this is westminster  job center
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Clockoholic
      · 18 days ago
      @topcat That's ridiculous, and I would say it is harassment as you have already declined and they keep pushing you.
      Can't you put a note in your UC journal to say I've declined more than once, and can they kindly stop contacting you regarding this as you are feeling harassed?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Scorpion
    · 19 days ago
    I wonder if these voluntary conversations would not finally become mandatory, as Alan Milburn  recommended imposing "Duty to engage" in his "Pathways to Work Commission report on long-term sickness and economic inactivity in the UK".
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Me
      · 4 days ago
      @Lara So sorry me too
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Kit kat
      · 15 days ago
      @Scorpion I'm pretty sure you're correct. Unfortunately I don't think Andy Burnham will change any up and coming recommend reviews such as the Timms review. Andy Burnham is very much wanting people back to work even though we have been assessed as to ill for work, they don't seem to care.
      Cost of living keeps rising but the government persist in their curel blatant attack on long term health and disability people. Leaving us destitute I'm one that will loose my home if these cuts go ahead it's very worrying 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Claore
      · 17 days ago
      @John How  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Lara
      · 18 days ago
      @Scorpion Pretty sure the stress of this will push me over the edge and I'll be damn sure to tell them that if they do make it mandatory. I cannot deal with the DWP at all with serious mental health consequences. They stress of all this in the past year has caused a serious relapse of my eating disorder I'm terrified of what's going to happen
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Scorpion
      · 18 days ago
      @Scorpion Duty refers to obligation, which is the opposite of voluntary, I'm afraid.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    hrh
    · 19 days ago
    ive been invited by hoxton job centre twice and politely declined twice …
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    HBS
    · 19 days ago
    all very well but where are the employers who would take them on.....

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