Work-focused Interviews - experiences?

My partner, who has been placed in the WRAG, will be attending her first work-focused interview at the Job Centre next week.

This is yet another worrying step for her in this whole disturbing process, and I wondered if anyone can provide any information about the conduct and content of the interview in their experience.

Any information gratefully received.

Many thanks.

Thanks for your reply and links Gordon.

As you state it would be really good if someone could give brief and general details, such as how you were treated, how long the process lasted and what the outcome was for you.

If anyone can post comments along these lines before next week, it would really help to either put my partners mind at rest, or at least prepare her for what is about to happen to her.

Many thanks

Hello Brian,
I attended a Work Focus Interview(WFI) yesterday accompanying my brother who is in receipt of ESA WRAG . My brother was very anxious about attending hence me accompanying him. I have to say it was very straightforward and not at all intimidating. The Adviser who was very pleasant and personable said it was perfectly ok for me to sit with my brother during the interview and even offered to hold it in a private room if we preferred. My brother is not good in confined spaces so I said the open plan office was fine.
The adviser just checked out some details with my brother about his past work history, when he had last actually worked and entered this information into his computer, he asked my brother how he was currently feeling, my brother responded saying he was very up and down and his condition was unpredictable (he has bipolar) and that the strong medication has a big impact on his daily life. The adviser then said " that's all fine, we are done now and we will call you back for another WFI in approx 6 months time" - we were not in there for more than 10 minutes and my brother left wondering why he had been so worried and anxious about attending.
I hope all goes well with your partners WFI next week.

Many thanks for your reply Maureen, and I'm pleased for your bother and you that it turned out to be not as bad as he/you thought it might have been (isn't it a pity that the official letters couldn't be a bit more customer friendly?).

The last thing for me (from Maureen or others) is did they explain to you the possible next steps regarding e.g. work-focussed health related assessments?

Thanks once again Maureen and best wishes to your bother.

Brian wrote: Many thanks for your reply Maureen, and I'm pleased for your bother and you that it turned out to be not as bad as he/you thought it might have been (isn't it a pity that the official letters couldn't be a bit more customer friendly?).

The last thing for me (from Maureen or others) is did they explain to you the possible next steps regarding e.g. work-focussed health related assessments?

Thanks once again Maureen and best wishes to your bother.

Hi B,

Just to point out, WFHRA's were stopped in summer 2010, supposedly for 2 years.

They have not been reinstated.

bro58