Work and Health program initial appointmet.

Hello,

Firstly I wish I had found this forum earlier. My work coach has booked me a work and health program initial appointment for tomorrow with her at my JCP. Despite it been mentioned by other work coaches who I told I wasn't interested, they explained it was voluntary and I didn't have to partake if I didn't want to. I am however on my 2nd work coach who has made this appointment without asking. I did explain via my journal I wasn't interested, but apparently my wc is on 'leave' (or just doesn't want to provide a written response).

I have been receiving the full UC payment since January this year after a period of bad health made my last employer get rid of me in November last year. I did receive some top up payments from UC while I was off sick as my employer only paid the going rate of SSP. As I understand it from reading up about the work and health program on .gov.uk, they can only force me on to it after 2 years which would put me in the LTE bracket.

I was a victim of their 'Work Choice' program back in 2017 which left me on anti depressants as I wasn't given any choice, nor any decent work. My research has led me to believe that the work health program is very much a similar thing, just run by Reed and not Remploy, who continued to chase me around after I'd signed off once I found a job on my own. I'm not prepared to go though this again so will be digging my heels in.

If anyone can offer any advice in the short space of time before my appointment tomorrow it would be appreciated. I've tried to arm myself best I can with what Ive read. My main point for rebuttal of the program is that I am not LTE (long term unemployed) so therefor any referral must be done with my consent, which ain't going to happen.

My work coach has 'attitude' so I'm expecting sparks to fly. I will post an update tomorrow after my appointment if I have time, I have an interview in 2 days so preparing for that will maybe delay the update.

Regards, Rik

Hi Rik
welcome to the forum.
Just giving this a bump to the top of the forum in case anyone can help.

Hi Rik
Since no one else has replied I will see what I can do.

I think you should make a complaint:

here


You should make it clear that the appointment was made without your consent for a programme for which you are not eligible to be mandated to as you have only claimed for 11 months and not 24. Mention the dates and the name of the work coach who made the appointment.

Let us know how you get on.

Hi Caker,

Thank you for your replies. The meeting was just to make me aware of the W&H program and what it offers and that I was under no obligation to be placed on it. It followed what Welfare-Champion posted up in this thread

https://respectfulbenefits.forumotion.com/t4304-whp-random-allocation-referral-tool

particularly this part of the response given to a FOI request, 'Prior to a claimant being allocated, they are invited to an interview with their Jobcentre Plus Work Coach. At this interview they are made aware of the nature of the Work and Health Programme and the support they may receive.' So it would appear that she was following correct procedure. I did have to give a valid reason for declining the offer, I did explain my previous bad experience with the work choice program but that wasn't good enough reason. (They obviously don't give a flying F about anyone's wellbeing).

The valid reason I gave was that I don't need help writing a CV nor applying for jobs and going to interviews. I also mentioned I had not received a yes or no in relation to my LVP application for funding to access training. This is something my wc put me forwards for. (I've been down this road twice in the past with no positive outcome). She did explain that she would be chasing this up before my next visit. I simply said that I thought this training through the LVP would offer me a better chance of returning to work in my specific field (Computer aided design) than what the W&H program had to offer. Much to my surprise she agreed with me and that was a good enough reason for her not to put me onto the W&H program.

I also did a bit of digging and asked why they thought the W&H was a good option for me. It turns out it was her manager and the resident disability employment advisor (DEA) whom said she had to try get me on to it. She was happy to give me names of both of them and the DEA is the same nasty piece of work that pushed me onto the work choice scheme.

So to sumarise, I dodged the W&H program bullet (for now) and came away knowing that I'm dealing the nasty DEA again. I will also add that despite my current health problems which involve a degenerative condition affecting vertebra in my neck, I was diagnosed profoundly deaf as a child. It's the hearing difficulties they jumped on last time and I fully expect to them to use this again as a reason for me needing specialist help from their 'experts'.

I'm back to my local JCP next Tuesday and I will keep updating this thread as I go along as it might be useful for other folks that end up in a similar situation.

Hi Rik

I am glad to read of this good outcome.

Thanks for keeping us posted.

Caker

Rikalus wrote:I did have to give a valid reason for declining the offer

You had to give a valid reason for declining a referral to a scheme they could not mandate you to in the first place? Have I got that right?

Absolut wrote:You had to give a valid reason for declining a referral to a scheme they could not mandate you to in the first place? Have I got that right?

Yes, you got that right. I'm not surprised I was asked to be honest. I was also told I had been referred because I had been out of work for 'a long time', that was rebutted when I explained that it was only 11 months and not the 2 years that would place me in the LTE bracket required to make a mandatory referral.

They've been quiet since on the W&H program. I was pretty fired up at that meeting so I'm hoping they got the message, for now at least.

I started on the DWP'S own Back to Work and Health Programme[ about April 2021.
I went to work for myself as a heating engineer. I didn't start work until July with everything I need to ready for the job, a job Id done before.
I stopped about June 2023 due to the health problems I've had since 2012, Fibromyalgia, chronic depression and acute fog, and the job not working out.
I was re-assessed and have had my UC claim money more than halved with the limited capability for work component and status stripped from me after 10 YEARS[u]of being in receipt of.
After gaining an unfit for work note whilst on appeal I've been harassed 4 times by a work coach asking for interviews and commitment reviews.
Apparently if it goes against you while appealing the Doctor will not go against their remote statistic conclusion for work fitness.......
I emailed Damien Moore ,my, MP for Southport, and after a couple of emails have basically had no help with Dwp failing to give me any information about the complaints procedure.
I][u]I URGE ANYONE DO NOT GO ON THE BACK TO WORK PROGRAMMES !!!!!
Do not trust them
Please COPY PASTE SHARE SEND to share to help me and anyone else this might distroy.
Yours sincerely G from SOUTHPORT

I started on the DWP'S own Back to Work and Health Programme[ about April 2021.
I went to work for myself as a heating engineer. I didn't start work until July with everything I need to ready for the job, a job Id done before.
I stopped about June 2023 due to the health problems I've had since 2012, Fibromyalgia, chronic depression and acute fog, and the job not working out.
I was re-assessed and have had my UC claim money more than halved with the limited capability for work component and status stripped from me after 10 YEARS[u]of being in receipt of.
After gaining an unfit for work note whilst on appeal I've been harassed 4 times by a work coach asking for interviews and commitment reviews.
Apparently if it goes against you while appealing the Doctor will not go against their remote statistic conclusion for work fitness.......
I emailed Damien Moore ,my, MP for Southport, and after a couple of emails have basically had no help with Dwp failing to give me any information about the complaints procedure.
I][u]I URGE ANYONE DO NOT GO ON THE BACK TO WORK PROGRAMMES !!!!!
Do not trust them
Please COPY PASTE SHARE SEND to share to help me and anyone else this might distroy.
Yours sincerely G from SOUTHPORT

hazeheating@gmail wrote:I started on the DWP'S own Back to Work and Health Programme[ about April 2021.
I went to work for myself as a heating engineer. I didn't start work until July with everything I need to ready for the job, a job Id done before.
I stopped about June 2023 due to the health problems I've had since 2012, Fibromyalgia, chronic depression and acute fog, and the job not working out.

I'm sorry no-one has responded to your message so far. We are aware of the issues with the WHP/DWP/UC following a period of work. We have seen your message and there is no need to spam the board.

I think the problem you've hit is that you now need to request a Work Capability Assessment. The WC will not switch off requirements such as looking for work, taking a job and attending the job centre without proof that you are too ill to work. While you are waiting to attend a WCA they will treat you as fit for work and send you back on the WHP or Restart if that contract hasn't ended.

I emailed Damien Moore ,my, MP for Southport, and after a couple of emails have basically had no help with Dwp failing to give me any information about the complaints procedure.

You can directly write a letter of complaint to the manager of your local job centre, but I don't think you will get very far. What you need to do is get your claimant commitment restricted by quoting the Equality Act 2010 at them pointing out how your conditions affect your ability to work. You are legally within your rights to ask for reasonable adjustments. Be realistic. Can you work 10 hours per week, 20, 25? How far can you travel by public transport? Only you know what you can tolerate, not the WC. They are not a medic. If you haven't already requested one ask to be referred for a work capability assessment.

I URGE ANYONE DO NOT GO ON THE BACK TO WORK PROGRAMMES !!!!!

I'm not sure what your problem has to do with the back to work programmes? Are you having to attend the WHP or Restart again?

We can help you on here if you will just be patient.