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Discuss employment support for disabled people
TraceyAbbott
Member Posts: 9 Listener
Hello, I’m Tracey, a Recruitment Advisor at the Business Disability Forum. I’ll be here for the next two weeks to answer any questions you might have about employment support, or to discuss any issues you’d like to around employment for disabled people.
Also joining me is Michelle (community user name Chell), a Pre-employment Advisor for disabled people, from Scope’s Kent Employment Service.
Also joining me is Michelle (community user name Chell), a Pre-employment Advisor for disabled people, from Scope’s Kent Employment Service.
Between us I hope that we can offer some great support and advice!
This discussion has been closed.
Replies
I am disabled and would like to know if you help people who would like to get back to work and where you support people in help them to find job
My name is Radost Dineva and I'm with cerebral palsy and I'm looking for a job in Birmingham right now. I' am from Bulgaria and have CAE certificate in English, Bachelor degree in Social pedagogy. Also, I have good knowledge of Microsoft package system (Word,Excel, Power point,etc), in addition to that I know German at B1 level.
My question is whether I should apply for benefits in order the JOBcenter to help me in finding a work or not. It would be very helpful if you tell me about whether there are other ways in which I could find a job in the market. I need to start work, because I want to study master degree in UK, but I have financial difficulties with paying my tuition fee.
Thank you in advance!
Best Wishes,
Radost
Hi Tessa,
Not sure if you have given you an answer yet, Part of my Role as a Pre Employment Advisor for Scope, is precisely that. I help people with all kinds of health conditions and disabilities get back into work. You have not mentioned the area that you live in but i could find out what support is avaliable for you. We cover evething for intervew prepartion sourcing appropriate Roles to the appropriate customer, confidence building and goal setting. Most importantly we support you once you get a job. This will ensure that you have the best chance to keep the job you are in with our support. To be refered to us, if we are avalialble in your area is to go to your local Job Centre Plus.
Hi Radost
It's brilliant that you want to support yourself whilst furthering your education. However, my understanding of the Job Seeking Allowance (JSA) is that you must be available for full time work, also must be actively seeking employment. Its all about availability. If you are doing a full time education course this may effect your benefit claim. I am not a benefit expert so please check this out.
Having said that you can always apply for jobs on your own initiative, Speculative letters are brilliant. It shows initiative and also can get you through the back door to companies who otherwise do not openly advertise for job roles. The current trend n the job market is you must have a fantastic Covering letter's for advertised roles. You can no longer just send a auto response to a company. They must individual to the roles you are applying for it shows that you care and that you are really interested in the company you are applying to.
Its the Catch 22 question, qualificcatons verses experience /talent. it all depends on the employer, I have been offered a job due to my life experience, rather than qualifications and experience in the role. Depending on the role you may be able to offer a portfolio, but this is where your reseach will come in handy.
Sorry thats is a bit vague talent will win every time !
Hi Sophie
I walk with a walking stick and have come accross this on nmost if not all interviews i have had along with some of the client interviews i have attended. What your talking about is called positive disclosure. In my opinion, no i would not put this on any application or CV. I would only declare my disability if it were a two tick company. The main barrier i see and have experienced is the perception of the employers about disabled people. We are always sick, we are going to need loads of adaptions, insurance etc. Its our job to be positive about our conditions so that the employers are factually aware of your condition, but also that any problems that you the person with the condition may percieve in the role, but that you have the solution the these percieved problems. In my case i need a desk higher enough to get my chair and footstall under, my solution is access to work, who have paid for a desk chair and footstall. Problem and solution. If you are not comfotable with explaining your conditions then how will the employers be. Practice in diclosing your condition positively (this can be hard) but please remember that what makes you different is what makes you you ! I feel that my disability helps makes me a better at putting myself in others shoes and is a positive selling piont to employers.
I don't have the confidence to run payroll for the PA myself so am not looking to self manage someone - HELP please
Hi Tracey & Chell
I am a 50 year old woman who has recently been diagnosed with ASC.
I know it is causing me issues in the workplace and I would like to disclose to my manager, but I am unsure how to go about it & even what support to ask for.
Do you have any suggestions?
Erica
Hi Tessa so sorry I've been slack in returning your email but have had some changes around my own disabilities to manage.
Alongside the impairment specific charities who de excellent work in this field like Scope, Leonard Cheshire and Mind you can talk to Remploy, again who run a work program who will also be able to guide you and support you through the process.
Non charities that are great include, de Poel Community and Equal Approach
I wish you all the best in your hunt and thank you for reaching out
Hi Sophie, apologies for my tardy response, I have had a few mental health issues this week but all better now :-)
Absolutely tell an employer that you have CP and actually I would put it on the cv. If the company is stupid they wont employ you whether its on there or not as soon as they see you their prejudices are likely to kick in. However the great news is that all of the members of the Business Disability Forum are constantly telling me they would like to reach out to the disabled community and invite to apply. Have a look on our website for companies to approach and any challenges feel free to get in touch. Ooo and another thing you may like is EY are running a two dayfree leadership training course next week with bursaries for accommodation and travel. worthwhile getting in touch with them
Goodne4ss Danielly that sounds appalling. I would ask to speak to the disability champion in Tesco's, they are very good at putting things right when they are made aware of the challenge. I'm so sorry that you have had this trouble must be really quite depressing.
Be up front but non confrontational and speak to your line manager about how you can help them get the best out of you. You are a loyal long term employee who wants to achieve to your best. make them aware of this and the simple adjustments you need and hopefully you will feel a lot more comfortable once again but do talk to head office it is a training need for suure
I wish you luck
Afternoon Erica,
telling your manager can be quite daunting. the good news is that a, they will be as nervous as you and b, the will be relieved as you when they understand the challenges you face and the equally straightforward adjusts that will allow you to continue to be a valuable member of staff.
BDF published a guide to "having difficult conversations", can I recommend you speak to Joy on the Scope helpline and ask her to contact me and I will send you a free copy to help and one for your line manager. Id love to know how you get on but remember this isn't a dirty secret its part of what makes you , you and fabulous
best of luck
Hi Jean,
Whilst we do have community and home care support services they don't provide personal and office support to individuals in a work setting.
As discussed in our email exchange I have tried and been unable to find an agency that meets your needs. I've also spoken to a colleague who works for our employment service and he has a lot of experience with the access to work scheme, unfortunately he advised it is unlikely you will find an agency that provide staff for both personal care and office support work.
I know you don't want to employ a personal assistant but if it is an option you decide to explore it would be worth taking a look at Skills for care toolkit: http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Employing-your-own-care-and-support/Employing-your-own-care--support-staff.aspx
I wish you all the best and hope you manage to find a solution, as you said it definitely seems there is a gap in the market!
Zoe-Scope helpline
I found them with the help of several disability agencies including Scope and Action on Disability and Work (www.adwuk.org) who were actually able to signpost me to the agency.
Sorry Peeps, I could not get logged in
Hi Hobbit, if you have been out of action for some time i would suggest some volunteering, i the field that you would like to go into. This not only gets you used to going back to work (as you will get tired) but will give you relivant experience, office, computer etc.
Jean Eveleigh
i am so pleased for you
Hi Maureen,
We are not experts in benefits, which to be honest will be changing again come may ( general election). I would not pass up the opertunity to do the tranieeship, especially as they are like gold dust and doing it may help your daughter cope better the next time round.
Sorry i cant help with the question other than to say it is alway better to try as you may never know what work.
Good luck
Chell
E Evans, I am all for openess in he work place as if your employer does not know how can they help you?
Do you have 121 with your employer to disscuss your performance, this si a good time to disscuss your condition and the effects it is having on you work. You have not said who you work for, but some companies have diability champions, if they dont do not worry, there are charities and the goberment Access To Work (ATW) can send a ocupational health adviser out to your company to access you. This is a goverment run scheme, which i have used at least three times now with great success. If you need equipment they may help your employer foot the bill.
If you do not have 121, ask your manager to have a sit down. make sure you bring information about your condition along, aswell as any medical notes that you may have. This will hlep them understand what you have and how it may effect you.
Good luck
Chell
Dear AJ1982,
In answer to your question about ESA and whether you can earn any
money whilst receiving ESA; yes you can! It’s called Permitted Work.
Permitted Work allows you to try out work within certain limits.
There are three types of permitted work:
Permitted Work Lower Limit- You can earn no more than £20 a week without affecting
your benefit. If you are on incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance
and you are also on income support you can do permitted work but any earnings
over £20 will be deducted from your income support.
Permitted Work Higher Limit- This is designed to test your ability to work before you
move permanently into employment. You can earn up to £101.00 a week and you
must work less than 16 hours a week. As you are in the Support Group you are
allowed to carry out this level of permitted work for an unlimited period.
People who are placed into the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) can only
carry out this level of permitted work for 52 weeks.
Supported Permitted Work- This is work that is:
programme under medical supervision while you are an inpatient or a regular
outpatient of a hospital or similar institution; or
employed by a public or local authority or voluntary or community- interest
organisation that provides or arranges work opportunities for disabled people.
In the latter case, you do not need the person to be working alongside you. The
support must be ongoing and regular, but the frequency of contact can vary
depending on the needs. The means of contact can vary and be face to face or by
phone. The work can be in the community or a sheltered workshop. There is no
limit as to how long you can do this type of permitted work provided your
earnings are no higher than £101.00 a week.
There are also some provisions for
self-employed people for work done while ‘test trading’ for up to 26 weeks with
help from a self-employment provider arranged by the DWP.
Although you don’t need permission to carry
out permitted work you will be required to fill in a PW1 form which the DWP can
send you. Permitted work would count as a change in circumstances so it’s best
to keep in touch with the DWP to keep them updated. Providing you work within
the stated limits, any earnings from permitted work will not generally affect
other benefits you are receiving but do check with the DWP to clarify this.
I hope that this information is helpful. If
you need any further guidance please do get back to me and hopefully I will be
able to help.
Good luck!
Kind regards
Debbie
Dear Maureen,
Thanks for your question. Please see the above comment I posted to AJ1982 regarding Permitted Work. Depending on whether your daughter is offered a paid internship or a voluntary one she could be allowed to carry out this type of work under the permitted work rules.
If your daughter was to come off ESA to start paid employment she can protect her right to return to this benefit for up to 12 weeks. This is called the 12-week linking rule and it means that any two periods of limited capability for work (ie days when you have a limited capability for work) separated by no more than 12 weeks are treated as a single period. So, if you reclaim ESA within 12 weeks of a previous award, you will not have to serve any waiting days. If you had served the 13-week assessment phase in the previous award, you can go onto the rate of payment of the earlier ESA award straightaway (as long as the previous award was not terminated because you were found not to have a limited capability for work).
It can all be quite complicated so it's always best to check with the DWP to make sure that you do not incur any over/underpayments. It's also a good idea to check with any other benefits to see if any changes will impact on other benefits she might receive.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any further queries, let me know and I'll do my best to answer.
Kind regards
Debbie