Pathways to work

FeistyPigeon
FeistyPigeon Community Member Posts: 355 Empowering
edited August 14 in Universal Credit (UC)

Hi everyone, apologies for not being here for ages, and a brief fly-by now as I'm down with a bug. But came across a new document published by the gov this morning and thought you'd all want to know. It's about their Pathways to Work program.

From what I understand everyone on LCW and LCWRA will be contacted next week onwards by an adviser and offered options under their Pathways to Work scheme, which could include work trials or additional support if you're already into work.

The important point to note is that this offer is OPT IN, in otherwords, you should not be penalised if you decide it's not for you. You should also bear in mind that, as the gov says, the incentive behind this scheme is to cut the welfare bill. Here's the link if you want to read further:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-to-be-supported-into-work-as-government-reforms-welfare-system

Take care everyone, and take your time to consider options before you take up offers…

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Comments

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,469 Championing

    Yes I saw this, worried though, that they may hound you. Timms is a disgrace

  • worried33
    worried33 Community Member Posts: 1,103 Championing

    I might have praised it if it offered a pathway to NHS treatment. For me I have a day to day mission to be able to get out of bed, get some food, go toilet and wash.

  • rubin16
    rubin16 Scope Member Posts: 1,617 Championing

    For me, I've always wanted to work and have a career but never had the chance due to my health. I'm finally at a good stable point in my life at the moment, whereby I can say I really want to try have a successful career again and want to find work. But saying that the job itself has to be suitable for my needs, hence only looking at the hybrid style of working whereby I atleast get 1/2 of 5 days working from home.

    I just don't want to end up in a situation, whereby I start work and months or a year later I fall ill again and end up back to square one. But I have to atleast try, for my own sake. Nothing would please me more than having a stable career I could rely on, come off benefits and not have to worry about the constant worry and hounding from DWP.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Community Member Posts: 9,064 Championing

    This sounds exactly like what they were offering last year.

  • Holly_Alumni
    Holly_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 6,534 Championing

    Thanks for sharing @FeistyPigeon - great to have you back, even if just a flying visit to drop off some really helpful information. I hope you're doing ok. Don't be a stranger.

  • Lentilsandveggies
    Lentilsandveggies Community Member Posts: 28 Contributor

    Also from the same website,it says if you ignore the message,they book you for an appointment anyway-

    B+W.jpg
  • moosee
    moosee Community Member Posts: 174 Empowering

    Ok. So maybe best to reply to any message with a polite "no, I'm not well enough to take part in this at the moment, thank you"? Something like that? What will you other people on here say?

    Would be interesting to hear from anyone on here who has received the Pathways message. What did you do, ignore or politely decline?

  • moosee
    moosee Community Member Posts: 174 Empowering

    It is a lot of people to contact. I'm desperately trying to take it one day at a time too, v difficult. Sorry to hear you will have to do it by phone call.

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Community Member Posts: 6,405 Championing

    Universal Credit is for job seekers. In that scenario they would lose the LCWRA health element, and have to show the Work Coach that they were doing so many hours of job seeking each week to remain entitled to the basic rate of UC and avoid sanctions.

    New Style Job Seekers Allowance is contribution based and requires NI contributions from work within the past 2 years. So the majority of people currently on LCWRA would not qualify for that.

  • moosee
    moosee Community Member Posts: 174 Empowering

    Ok. So its not like a normal journal message where you can reply? Its more of an automated notification?

    We will just have to ignore it then, if we are unable to reply directly.

    Also, I'm sure Benefits and Work wouldn't be advising people to just to ignore it if this resulted in people getting appts booked anyway. Surely there'd be posts on their forum and on here saying "help, i ignored this message but they booked an appt anyway, what do i do". It sounds like they have been sending these messages out prior to April this year.

  • moosee
    moosee Community Member Posts: 174 Empowering

    AAnd... i dont think they have the manpower/time to be booking appts for everyone who didnt op-in, they are busy enough as it is.

  • ChrisR777
    ChrisR777 Community Member Posts: 1,890 Championing

    I simply said no thanks, they thanked me for my reply. I haven't heard a thing about it since.

  • moosee
    moosee Community Member Posts: 174 Empowering

    Hi. How did you do that? I have just logged in and have seen the message but there is nowhere to reply that im not interested. Did you make a journal entry to a work coach or what? I cant see how to do it. And what did you write?

  • ChrisR777
    ChrisR777 Community Member Posts: 1,890 Championing
    edited April 9

    it was a while ago, but I just replied via "Make a journal entry'.

    "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- the things that matter to you- potential options for the futureThis chat is voluntary for you. It will not cause us to re-assess 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."

    "No thanks, [name of DWP wmployee], I am a 50 yo wheelchair user."
    

    "Thank you for letting me know. This is a voluntary support, and I will add a message that you declined the support at this time.If in the future you require support, please send a journal message and we will get back in touch."

  • moosee
    moosee Community Member Posts: 174 Empowering

    Ok. So yours was an actual journal entry message from an actual named person?

    This message on mine is as soon as i log in as a sort of banner (dont know how else to describe it) and not a journal entry from a named person.

    "Thinking about work but don't know where to start? If you're disabled or have a health condition, you may be able to get personalised support, guidance and training. Trying it will not affect your claim and it's completely voluntary."

    Then there are buttons" to click "find out how" or "hide this message".

    If you click on "find out how" this is what it says...

    "How we can support you

    If your Work Capability Assessment says you do not need to work, but you've been thinking about it, this could be for you.

    We recognise that a disability or health condition, on its own, is not always what holds you back. That's why we're offering you time with one of our advisors, who can work out the best support to meet your needs.

    It's completely optional. We can arrange it around you. And it's available now, or whenever the time is right.

    What to expect

    An advisor will contact you. They'll agree a convenient time for an initial chat - on the phone, on a video call or in person - and answer any questions you have.

    They will get to know you to identify support, that could, over an agreed series of appointments:

    • develop your skills
    • build your confidence
    • help you plan your future

    It's up to you if you want to go ahead. Equally, if you feel now is not the right time, you can get in touch with us when it is.

    Will this affect your claim?

    Taking advantage of this support will not:

    • affect the money you receive
    • involve any reassessment of your health
    • change any commitments in place

    The only difference will be in the support you receive.

    Interested?

    Select 'Continue' to tell us how you would prefer to be contacted.

    Continue"

  • moosee
    moosee Community Member Posts: 174 Empowering
    edited April 9

    There is nowhere to reply that you arent interested at the moment. Im confused! I will obviously just have to ignore it for now. I clicked on "hide message" and it has disappeared.

    I assume most others on here will just ignore too?

  • ChrisR777
    ChrisR777 Community Member Posts: 1,890 Championing

    I only discovered that when I logged in to find those messages for you. A box popped up to dismiss it.

  • worried33
    worried33 Community Member Posts: 1,103 Championing

    I havent had an email that says I have a journal update, does it trigger one?