DWP providing voluntary help to people on LCWRA.

Albus_Scope
Albus_Scope Posts: 11,215 Scope Online Community Coordinator
edited September 23 in Announcements and information

The DWP have just announced the redeployment of 1,000 specialist Jobcentre staff to help those on sickness benefits.

 

These Jobcentre staff will provide voluntary help to people on Universal Credit with no requirement to look for work or engage with job help because of their condition.

 

The work coaches – known as Pathways to Work advisers – are now based in every Jobcentre in England, Wales, and Scotland

 

They will work with claimants to overcome barriers to work and support them by signposting them to additional employment and skills services, such as IT and HGV driving, Government funded Connect to Work support, or on the job training in some key sectors including construction and hospitality.

 

More information can be found in the press notice, see the link below:

 

Ramped up job support for people on sickness benefits - GOV.UK

Some of you may have already received messages on your UC journals. Please don't panic, this is totally voluntary on your part. You do not need to take part if you do not want to.

Comments

  • Ross1975
    Ross1975 Online Community Member Posts: 288 Empowering

    It's as though the DWP itself doesn't know what LCWRA actually means, which is you're not well enough to go to the JC for work related activity.

    What next brick laying classes for people who are bedbound?

  • MW123
    MW123 Scope Member Posts: 1,519 Championing

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/football-clubs-partner-with-government-to-help-young-people-into-work

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 1,867 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @Ross1975. The scheme is completely voluntary so no-one would be pressured into it. People with severe and lifelong health conditions will not be contacted.

  • MarshmallowSpy
    MarshmallowSpy Online Community Member Posts: 9 Connected

    I welcome this scheme, but I think the DWP need to make it much clearer that the scheme is voluntary as you mention.

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 11,215 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    They do say it's voluntary a few times @MarshmallowSpy but unfortunately it looks like the media are failing to mention it more, as it's better for clicks if they don't. Which is a big shame, as it's just going to spread more fear and mistrust.

    "Behind the effort is the redeployment of 1,000 existing Jobcentre staff who will provide voluntary help to people on Universal Credit with no requirement to look for work or engage with job help because of their condition – the first ever national offer to support this group."

    "The offer is voluntary and will be made to LCWRA claimants via their Universal Credit journal with tailored appointments taking place monthly. More than 10,000 people have taken up the offer so far, with thousands more expected over the coming weeks. Those with the most severe and lifelong health conditions, and those treated under Special Rules End of Life will not be contacted."

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Online Community Member Posts: 1,100 Championing

    One of our local councillors is saying that long term sickness is job evasion , horrible man.

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Online Community Member Posts: 1,100 Championing

    https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/anger-and-frustration-after-dwps-latest-jobcentre-announcement-and-mcfaddens-incentives-comment/

    How out of touch and a degrading comment made by mcfadden

  • onebigvoice
    onebigvoice Scope Member Posts: 944 Pioneering

    I have to say hello to all, I am afraid I have been other wise engaged off site with issues that are now coming to a head. The realignment of what is a job centre and what it is actually their for seems to be a bit beyond there comprehension. A job centre before they closed 800 branches around the country was to save money? I am afraid they need to read their own charters and Laws/Acts that surround the Disability and long term sick assessment process. Since errors have been creeping back into the system via the assessment process for access to benefits because 'grey' allowed interpretation of these documents when the Pandemic changed the way access to help both financial and medical changed, but were never reviewed or rescinded and reverted back to 'plan A' these changes suddenly gave powers beyond the normal remit of a decision maker.

    I will write about this in a different post. later.

  • blar
    blar Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener

    Good grief the words help and DWP are not synonymous in any way. The way they treat claimants is shocking and they're only a hop skip and a jump away from claiming themselves.

  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Online Community Member Posts: 2,838 Championing

    Is this voluntary by DWP staff volunteering to help or Voluntary in that recipents don't have to do it ?

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