work coach

Hi I wonder if any one could advise me I am in esa support group and have received a letter from the DWP,the letter starts with the following

"Invitation to office interview"

"We need to see you in order to discuss the benefit we are currently paying you.We need to ensure your payments are correct so it is important that you attend this interview
you should note that where there is doubt about whether the conditions for entitlement are met your benefit may be affected

The interview is to be with a work coach,is this a mandatory interview so non attendance is suspension of benefit,any advise and help will be gratefully appreciated as I thought support group were exempt

dinsdale wrote: Hi I wonder if any one could advise me I am in esa support group and have received a letter from the DWP,the letter starts with the following

"Invitation to office interview"

"We need to see you in order to discuss the benefit we are currently paying you.We need to ensure your payments are correct so it is important that you attend this interview
you should note that where there is doubt about whether the conditions for entitlement are met your benefit may be affected

The interview is to be with a work coach,is this a mandatory interview so non attendance is suspension of benefit,any advise and help will be gratefully appreciated as I thought support group were exempt

Hi d,

We have had a spate of these in recent times.

As far as we are aware members in Central England are receiving letters regarding these "interviews"

Our advice is to contact them and challenge them as to whether or not the interview is Mandatory.

If it is a Compliance/ Benefits Check interview to check your personal and financial details, then you would have to comply.

If it is in any way "Work Related" with regards to Work related Activity or your furure work prospects, you do not have to comply if you are in The Support Group, see :

This Post, and these other related topics :

Here, Here and Here.

We cannot advise you to not take part, as that is a decision that only you can make.

However, the important issue is to challenge the JCP on what the interview is pertaining to, and whether it is mandatory.

If you find that it is WRA/Work related, and the mention of a "Work Coach" would intimate that it may be, and they are telling you that it is mandatory, you could quote the necessary DM Guidance and The ESA Regulations previously provided, and inform them that you are going to complain to your M.P. :

If in The SG, participation in WRA or WFI's is purely on a voluntary basis.

Contacting your MP

bro58

Hi bro58 thanks for the help,if others may benefit.

I phoned the work coach number and said,that is difficult for me to attended for a interview but could I have a home based interview which they don't do so now will have a telephone interview which is not "mandatory" but advisable I think,once again thank you

dinsdale wrote: Hi bro58 thanks for the help,if others may benefit.

I phoned the work coach number and said,that is difficult for me to attended for a interview but could I have a home based interview which they don't do so now will have a telephone interview which is not "mandatory" but advisable I think,once again thank you

Hi d,

Just to be clear,

If this "phone interview" is a Work Focused Interview, (WFI) your participation is purely voluntary. (Whilst in The SG)

If you are to take part, which is your choice, be careful not to be pressured into taking on any "Voluntary" Work Related Activity, (WRA) unless of course you want to.

Sometimes, WRA that starts off "Voluntary" can end up being "Mandatory", once you agree to take part.

Please update us accordingly !!

bro58

Hi d,

There is yet another instance : Here.

I have noticed an article dated 18/12/14 on The PCS Union Website pertaining to DWP Management for Central England. (CEG)

It seems to draw reference to letters of this ilk being sent out to ESA SG members.

It's around 2/3 of the way down : This Page, and reads :

"ESA Claimants

PCS made CEG Management aware some letters to claimants are threatening and strongly imply that failure to attend offices, whether at the weekend or in the week, could mean their benefits are stopped . Management agreed that the wording was inappropriate. They agreed to withdraw these letters and issue more appropriate ones, however they wouldn’t go as far as to inform the ESA claimants that attendance is voluntary in many of the cases. They also agreed that vetting should take place so that vulnerable or claimants with complex needs are not invited in. It remains PCS’s view the Benefit Review process being used does not offer the supportive approach that ESA claimants need to help them get nearer to work and has the potential to intimidate them."

I have emboldened the relevant part.

So it seems that they will not go as far as informing the claimant that taking part in the interview is "Voluntary", even though it may be.

If any members of The SG feel that they have been misled into thinking that one of these interviews is "Mandatory", when it isn't, they may wish to complain to their M.P. citing The PCS article.

Contacting your MP

There should be no problem with this, as the article is in the public domain.

This is why it is important to challenge and ascertain exactly what the interview is pertaining to, and whether it is "Mandatory" or "Voluntary".

At least then, you can make an informed choice on whether to take part, or not.

bro58