Sick and disabled claimants face being sent on unlimited workfare from the beginning of next month a memo issued to Work Programme providers has revealed.
Claimants in the WRAG group, who have been judged by the shabby Atos testing regime as possibly able to work at some point in the future, will from next month be mandated to unpaid community work or face losing benefits.
In a new low for the third sector, charities such as Scope, MIND, Mencap, the Salvation Army, RNIB and the Leonard Chesire Foundation will now be able to force disabled people into unpaid work or report them to the DWP for benefit sanctions.
Astonishingly these charities will also be able to use workfare workers in their own businesses, meaning that charity shops could soon be staffed by sick and disabled claimants forced to work without pay under threat of poverty and possible homelessness.
The memo (spotted by the ever vigilant consent.me.uk) can be read at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/work-programme-memo-082.pdf
This appears to be a brutally flawed measure to toughen up the Work Programme after yesterday’s disastrous performance figures (more on these later by the way).
Workfare for sick and disabled claimants, some of whom may have cancer, serious disabilities or severe mental health conditions, has long been floated by the DWP as part of the war on welfare claimants.
The work must be ‘community based’, meaning that claimants will be sent to work for charities and voluntary sector organisations. Under the ‘black box’ approach on the Work Programme, which means providers can mandate participants to whatever they see fit, there is no time limit for workfare on the two year scheme.
Charities will both administer and benefit from this vicious new attack on disabled people and those who are too unwell to find work. They can also stop it in its tracks.
A new militancy is required and these charities need to know that we will not accept their greedy money grabbing activities on the Work Programme or any other workfare scheme. And they will no longer receive a penny of our money. If they exploit us we will shut them down. Start by telling them what you think of their connivance with the Work Programme and join the Boycott Workfare Week of Action Against Workfare Charities beginning on December 8th: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1741
Charitable Work Programme sub-contractors include @scope, @MindCharity, @mencap_charity, @RNIB, @LCDisability, @salvationarmyuk, @AddactionUK
Charities who exploit workfare staff include @thebhf, @barnardos, @age_uk, @CR_UK
If you donate to a charity contact them today and demand a written assurance they will not use workfare staff or carry out government contracts to force anyone into unpaid work or sanction benefits.
the void 
The Brandon Trust (ably supported by our supposed ally Kaliya Franklin aka Bendy Girl) is pioneering screwing us in every inconceivable way. Workhouses for the disabled: http://the-new-republic-blog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/100-silly-voices-brandon-trust.html
Interesting blog link Harry. I find I have some afinity with the content. 😉
Harry , what do you expect from someone who gets a smiling posing pic with that bastard IDS. Head, arse, up, springs to mind.
Your immature vendetta against Kaliya Frankilin is becoming tiresome.
The people on ESA are not going to stand a chance once the Private Providers get their hands on them, they won’t know that they don’t have to sign any forms and will be signed up to some work placement (they can’t even probably do) before they know what’s even happening.
Many people will have signed the forms already if they were ever on JSA years ago. Besides the DWP will issue the sanction if they see you as being ‘uncooperative’. Don’t forget it’s the DWP who are issuing all these threats
Johny.. I did ask boycott workfare about MIND as they have asked me for help on a project.. They told me that MIND is against workfare and would put a stop to it if found. Also i linked a page from mencap which was reporting atos crapita contracts i mistakingly misread the article and thought mencap were working with atos.. Now i am confused , can you clarify the situation here as i am ok asdisting mind on the project but if it is the case that mind has er changed its mind then thats not helpful to me..as on principal find it objectionable..get back to me if poss, thanks.
MIND and Mencap are both Work Programme sub-contractors, meaning it will be them who are now expected to refer sick and disabled claimants to workfare and to report any refusal or non-attendance to the DWP for sanctions.
Johnny this is a mess.., as i say BW told me that MIND were against workfare.,this is not good , its not helping me with my relationship with them. Also it will affect their image with public . Maybe thats the tories idea .. Fuck up charities so they can open up private work houses..fuck them arseholes. If this this is out of revenge for the failed work prg then it shows what utter evil bastards they are.,
I have just seen and read the statement by Mind on this matter it seems they are too not happy about it all dont want to take part in any forced work or sanctions ..
Unspeakable. A new low water mark for IDS, Freud and the Coalition.
It doesn’t matter any more. It has become wholly apparent that no one is going to stop InDrunkenShit, Lawd Fraud, Hulk Hoban, or any of this gang of psychopaths hellbent on fucking up as many people as possible for fun and profit.
Cameron wanted rid of IDS in the last Cabinet reshuffle. IDS said, ” Fuck off. I’m going nowhere. Me and flip-flopper Freudy are happy where we are. We are getting to kill people. It’s fun. So….fuck off. Understand? ”
That is the reality of what we live under. They are the people who would be very very happy to see us dead and gone. That is very very real.
And no one will stop them.
Johnny this is so medsed up. Because that puts mind against workfare in its shops but using work program in its business …????
thats right, and they’ve signed a contract with the DWP which means that are not allowed to criticise the Work Programme
What?? Not allowed to criticise?? What fascist country is this? So if a sick person drops down dead whilst working for them they mustnt say oh fuck maybe this poxy work prog failure might have contributed.. Ok so what if they did criticise then what??
For people on ESA WRAG – Read Very Carefully.
Work Programme Provider Live Running Memo
To: Work Programme Providers From: Work Programmes Division
Memo Serial Number: 082 Date: 13 November 2012
Subject: Work Programme – Chapter 3c Work Programme provider guidance update
Action: For information
Timing: To be published on 3rd December 2012
Background:
The purpose of this memo is to inform you that an amendment will be made to Chapter 3c – work experience on a voluntary basis and community benefit work placement.
Currently, community benefit work placements are not available to Employment and Support Allowance Work Related Activity Group (ESA WRAG) participants. It has now been agreed Work Programme providers will be able to use mandatory work placements as another measure through which to help ESA WRAG participants move closer to the labour market. It will help these participants to address barriers to work such as lack of work experience due to their limited capability for work.
The introduction of WRA for ESA participants is in line with the view that long term absence from work is bad for the health and well being of individuals and their families. Evidence also suggests that work can have a positive impact on the long term health of people with disabilities and health conditions.
Summary and action:
The opportunity for ESA WRAG participants to take part in mandatory community benefit work placements will be introduced from the 3rd December 2012.
This will mean if a Work Programme provider identifies a suitable participant and ensures the work placement is of community benefit, they can mandate them in the usual way as per Chapter 3a – Mandation.
It is worth noting that tere is a greater emphasis throughout guidance is on ensuring that the activity identified is appropriate for the participants health condition or disability and being aware of their barriers to work, including ill health/disability and any reasonable adjustment requirements when organising an activity with an employer.
Further Information Contact Details:
All enquiries on the subject of this memo should be raised with your Performance Manager in the first instance; they will endeavour to provide you with an answer as soon as possible.
Regards
27/11/2012
Contracted Customer Services Directorate
“the OPPORTUNITY for ESA WRAG participants to participate in mandatory community benefit work placements” …
So, the Work Programme Providers are qualified to understand each and every health condition or disability “to ensure that the activity identified is appropriate” (They all underwent medical training before deciding to go into their employment-related occupation)? In a workplace there (should be) health & safety training as well as a HR Dept to look at job descriptions and person specifications (not just have a quick conversation about any ‘reasonable adjustment requirements’. When they try to use a one-size fits all approach – it won’t work in one way or another (I’m sure they know that but going ahead anyway as the end justifies the means). It’s not going to feel like much of an ‘opportunity’ on the ground tho’.
Yep – I commented on that ridiculous wording ‘the opportunity to be forced’ on my blog.
http://moggymilitant.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/esa-wrag-claimants-to-be-mandated-on.html
It sounds ridiculous and trying to ‘sell’ this as an “opportunity” insults our intelligence as well as adding insult to injury (leaving to one side the likely real injuries down the line). It sounds laughable but is really serious. The taking control of words and redefining their meaning is truly sinister and the use of ‘words-that-mean their-opposite’ makes it harder to challenge whatever is being proposed (especially if you’re on the receiving end of it and it’s said without any sign of irony/a straight face, or is in black&white on official looking letterhead). Think ‘Animal Farm’/’1984’ and anything else where there are many small and powerless individuals trying to function in the face of a huge dictatorial regime (not sure if it’s like science fiction but a bit like the film where Tom Hanks thinks he’s running his life but gradually realises he isn’t) …
Those few seconds spent going from complete disorientation and outrage can be long enough to have ‘lost the argument’; it really works. Something gets signed that would be better left unsigned or agreed to by default since it can be nearly impossible to find the words to ‘come back’ against the repeated and consistent misuse of words on such a massive scale – because ‘how can you start to explain what’s wrong with what’s you’ve just heard’ – you would sound ridiculous as “of course this is a good thing”. I’ve just experienced a classic JCP example where (after a long discussion and a (failed) attempt to say ‘thanks but no thanks’ to what was being ‘offered’ to me with attempt to use reason) a small compromise was eventually agreed – but mostly they won & I lost. Towards the end of this exhausting exchange I heard the words “We are just trying to help you” in reply to a question I had tried asking – and it was like being in a (very) bad dream. If I could have screamed I would have but by then all of my energy had been drained away and it was like being in a soundproof room, banging on the walls and trying to be heard – and being looked in on from the outside by men in white coats who were pointing and laughing and shaking their heads at each other in amusement.
What’s even worse is it’s becoming legitimate to use.some of these ‘opposite’ terms in everyday communications (with the media) and not just in ‘official’ communications from DWP/JCP to claimants. I’m not sure anyone who is outside of the process, even if they try to look in, will even suspect that anything sinister is going on …They might just think “Oh, look – they are helping everyone. Why is that one crying? – oh, of course, they must be tears of joy and gratitude for all the extra help!”… Not funny.
It is very sinister. When you read the debate in Hansard and followed its passage through parliament (the Welfare Reform Bill) they spoke in language that was all very reasonable sounding – as if there were all sorts of protections and the worst would be only enforced in very very rare cases. But from what I hear it is the norm. All these phrases are all euphemisms for something else. ‘Lifestyle choice’ ‘targeting those who need the most help’ ‘the genuinely disabled’ all so loaded and full of insinuation. It would be better if they came out and said ‘and the rest of you can just f*ck off’. At least it would be honest.
Paul Foot wrote a book called ‘words as weapons’.
Put into perspective anything could be regarded as opportunity.
Opportunity to drink water, opportunity to breathe, opportunity to think, opportunity to be killed … Something from nothing.. Things you already have been commidified into a product..,
Stop whingeing, blame the scroungers
Comment on torygraph article.,” there is no poverty in britain , only idleness “
Looks like you lot on ESA are gonna be lumped in with us lot on JSA.
Hey both have SA in the job description ., its a start.,
Not many comments on the third Harrington report; he seemed to come out in favour of the improvements made by DWP and ATOS, and was critical of the courts who overturn decisions on appeal without referring to the DWP. Not really what we wanted to hear…
Harrington : creature of The Claggeron.
No one is prepared to stop this lot.
That much is obvious.
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Shit this puts me in a spot as i am trying to relocate to another area and the need to establish contact base there. Helping MIND eould help as the branch who want my help are located at where i may move to.,silly me i have principles dont i?? Where i live is a nigtmare and i gotta move out. .,
Bobchewie – relocate fast as this starts being mandatory on the 3rd December. But it will still take a week or so before people start getting their referral letters from the DWP to the Private Provider.
Am on housing register somewhere. And one of the issues is to establish a connection there. I was hoping something else would do that but thats wanderd off a bit. All the same if i move there i got to be involved in something. And for me i get a lot of very odd stuff happen its bizarre it actually looks like a repeat of me being there before.. Its that strange . Ok so not so long ago i came up with an idea for a group that could help mental ppl in this location, then not long after i saw MIND on same wavelength so i thought oh more weird stuff like i normally get. So i offerd help to set up group with MIND now all this has come up and its thrown me a bit now. Not sure if MIND tweeted the request for ppl wanting to set up group there was honest i hope so as i still think its worthwhile and helpful to ppl . And its voluntary anyway ., unless mind had money to pay me so itd be a sort of job..
I get lowest dla once a month an is every two weeks , ive never been hauled in by dwp jobcentre , so far theve pretty much left me alone. I sort of self re skill. My big issue is this relocate thing and my compass needle is spinning. The fact that im on housing reg in that location i thought was positive sign then this group with mind too.,
it will be gradual I suspect. some charities might be too squeamish to use workfare and there’s the question of placements being found (the New Deal largely collapsed because of this)
problem is that even if charities refuse to send claimants on workfare they could be over-ruled by prime contractors, then charities can just be used to monitor attendance and refer for sanction anyone who doesn’t turn up – there’s no way out of this for them under current contract arrangements
Johnny there is a statement from mind about this it seems they are not happy about it at all.,
One method of direct action to help put a spanner in their evil works : everyone on WRAG to re-apply for ESA. Everyone on JSA to apply for ESA on the basis that their mental health has been unbalanced by this mad Tory government.
Yes, I know not everyone would do this, but if enough people did, then it would gum up their system. It would set some of the ‘advisers’ back on their rolling chairs.
Many of the DWP staff should remember they are soon to join the dole queue.
IDS is a non-discriminatory psychopath. He’ll destroy his own people, too.
He is that kind of crazy.
The term you looking for is Cannabalism
Boycott Workfare have a form on their site to name and shame workfare placement providers and the Work Programme Private Provider that sent you on it, whether your on ESA or JSA – (Link below)
remember, if you hurt your back or break a finger nail and it’s no fault of your own then stick a claim in…it’s free FFS….
That’ll put the cat among the pigeons and stop all this Madness once and for all..
Remember, these employers are as much responsible for your health and safety as any other employer..they have a duty of care and a duty to train you to work safely at your job and that means ££££££….
Never sign anything that say’s you are volunteering,
If they tell you you are getting stuck on a work program, just say ok, i’ll be there, but let them know you are not doing this voluntary and i’m sure as shit not signing that piece of paper….
sign nothing, if you get injured or Killed you probably wont have a leg to stand on..(no pun intended) as you are deemed to be a volunteer…
Now, Go forth and watch out for the piece of would that shouldn’t have been there….. 😉
Actually, legally speaking you are regarded as an employee even if you are ‘volunteering’. The only difference is that you aren’t paid. Questions worth asking about these scum charities, 1) Are they carrying enough insurance to cover their liabilities? 2) Are they providing adequate training? 3) Are the Health & Safety regulations implemented and enforced?. If you are mandated to work for the modern equivalent of the Todt Organisation, then it may be worthwhile thinking about joining the Industrial Workers of the World. They seem to be attracting an increasing number of members and have recently been successful in getting a pay rise for the London cleaners. For unwaged people the dues are a pound a month, and it’s a very democratic organisation, no paid officials whatsoever. If we are mandated to do work as JSA or ESA we might as well get ourselves organised and make things as difficult and expensive as we can for our slave masters.
To answer at least one of your questions,
My nephew was mandated to work at The British heart foundation and the only training he was given was a book on health and safety he was handed and told to read it….
He was moving washing machines and wardrobes with a two wheeled trolly that had one flat tyre, He spoke to one on the other workers about how someone could be injured,
The manager of the shop got wind of it, ask him to come to the office and said..quote, “you’ll not be getting a claim out of us”..and asked him to leave the shop….Go Figure..they want the free labour, but think they are above the law when it comes to training staff….
Every firm in the UK, even the Private Providers must by LAW have the Health and Safety Regulations posted in a public area, such as a canteen, or employee’s enterance, or main work area.
That doesn’t surprise me at all. As you said, they want the cheap labour. It’s our place to make sure that we make that as difficult and expensive as possible.
Where I live the council have set up food banks with £10,000 to cover start up costs, utility bills, office equipment etc. not much left for food. It is situated three miles away in any direction from the most deprived areas, so when jsa or wrag claimants who refuse to be mandated to charitable workfare, uj or any of the other disgusting diktats which will see their benefits sanctioned, they will have to walk 3 miles and be eternally grateful to the donators and the charities that are running it , i.e. churches together and Trussell trust. CHARITIES REPLACE REGULATORY BENEFITS. At the moment it will only be open 1 day per week for two hours and you have to be referred there by all the busy body social organizations who try to make themselves look like they are doing something in order to keep themselves in a job.
It is the same dictatorial organizations that are nothing but apologists for the Government and labour councils who are quite happy to enforce these policies via a magazine funded by advertizing and sponsorship that as far as I can see is a mouthpiece for right wing policies being projected by labour councilors. I am 58 have no intentions of moving from my home nor paying extortionate 25% rent to stay there out of nothing, because benefit levels are so low it is the equivalent to nothing. I will wait for them to evict me, but i intend to fight it through the court system first, I do not intend to go down without a fight. The media are being silenced via regulation (not that the moderates ever intended to speak out anyway on the expected pogroms).
GP’s have also been happy to sign silence contracts against social reform and the proposed cull of the poor. We are all being dictated to from a health service that is indoctrinating youngsters against their parents lifestyle, then we have the gay lobby who have campaigned for girls to partake in the school football teams, health trusts are promoting anti-everything that people enjoy from the school lecturn. If I had a school age child I would educate them at home given this climate of brain washing.
The electorate think voting for a single issue right wing party like ukip will solve the problems of unemployment – good luck to those again that are brainwashed by right wing propaganda. The truth is you are living in a country that is totally undemocratic and unrepresentative of the majority of the people who don’t vote at all – I wonder why?
UKIP are to the right of the BNP; the only reason they want out of the EU is so they can tear up the Human Rights Act and restore the Death Penalty.
Personally when the shit hits the fan, I’m gonna Cobain after a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. In other news:
Duchess of Cambridge “unsure about new Hair Style”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/9708176/Duchess-of-Cambridge-Ive-never-been-to-namesake-city-before.html
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How about naming the charities that have nothing to do with the work programme lets get behind them .We also need unions to get involved to tell their members not to give to these so called charity’s.we need posters etc to put up in our homes to let other people know whats what.
we need to organize into one group for support and knowledge.
Do whatever you have to do.
I think i am right in saying that if you are doing education or voluntary work already you should not have to do this.Can someone confirm or deny this.If wanting to work voluntary how many hours etc would you have to do .
We all have to fight this send letters,emails to charity’s, MP’s of all partys
write letters to the press,write blogs. join unions so we get a foot in the door This way we are trying to do something Positive..
Id like to see as many people as possible descend on the home of ids in Buckinghamshire and set up camp in his grounds. Im well beyond angry now,Im plotting and want people to join me!!
Sounds like a brilliant idea!
@guyfawkes:
What is wrong with girls being on football teams? Particularly where there is no girls’ team or not enough girls to form one? And was not a ‘gay lobby’ campaign or issue. What is wrong with being gay?
Nuffink.
Ok johnny if you are reading this. I dont know wtf is going on. It looks like twatter has kicked me off again. And i am supposed to fill in some form bollocks. The thing is this i gather that either they have a bot that when it sees multiple posts it assumes spam or hate mail. As you know info when doing activist stuff changes minute by minute and you are updating and responding like buggery . I had s post but i couldnt tweet to all recipients in one go so i had to repost to different recipients one after another.. I guess it might have triggerd something, thing is this twatter dent me a msg saying they had a tech fault, to thats them accepting liability .. So i dont know wtf to do, grovel again ? I dont know what this form is about. I needd someone to tell them that 1 their crappy app doesnt work in that when you reply it selects text and deletes it immediately with you having to restart it again and again.. Not only that but being disabled myself do they want to didcriminate against me when i an involved in disability rights activism?? So wtf is all this about ? Are the thought police cracking down now??
Dear Customer,
Got cancer with more than 6 months to live or a long term disability, that, er, administrators with their great knowledge of medicine decide are not, er, long term? Are you in the ‘Work Related Activity Group’? No problem! Have we got plans for you!
We’ll mandate, I mean ‘invite’ you onto our flagship ‘Community Action Programme’, you know, the one that ex offenders get ‘invited’ to do, and it will transform your dying months, it really will…and for those who have/don’t have/have er ‘long’ term conditions that aren’t really long term or maybe they are (check with the administrator), well, this marvelous programme is open ended, and open to you, meaning, that you get to stay on it until, well, forever really or however long it takes until you stop claiming for one reason or another, of which part is of course entirely optional….
This is history in the making, and we have chosen YOU, to take part in Great Britain’s transformation as a world leader of, well, we’re still working on that one, but be assured that you are an integral part of our plans.
We hope that you will be grilled, I mean thrilled!
Yours fatefully,
Ian Dunkhead O’ Shite: Minister for the Deporting of Worthless Pensions
I may have put this comment someplace else on here – however how can it be that despite evidence to the contrary – disabled people are being sent on this ramshackle scheme without (1) any formal introduction, (2) any formal assessment of an individuals needs, (3) any ideas on a persons skills , Oh and ins some cases (4) reaching decisions without actually seeing the person in question…IDS witters on about “waste” of disabled persons on the Incap benefit roll – Perhaps he would like to know WHO put me on there – I’ll give him a clue – Look in the Mirror Mr Duncan-Smith. I have followed the Departments own Quack to the Letter – Their advice – Referred to the Nearby Brain & Spinal Centre and advised to do Voluntary work – which not only have i been happy to do – saves the organisations i work for (as a volunteer) quite a bit of cash. Now, just to let you know Mr Duncan Smith – I don’t take kindly to threats and name calling – Provide me with a PROPER OPPORTUNITY – Get your Staff to Read my Medical File PROPERLY and IN GOOD TIME and Finally find me a job that i can do to the best of my ability (perhaps matched to either previous work / skills) and without any additional stress and i’ll happily do it…put me through the merry-go-round and expect some letters coming your way!
How can it be that the decision to put people into a category like the WRAG (for the foreseeable future unless they appeal) and to take their ability to be sent to work and to fulfil an indeterminate set of other ‘requirements’ as read – can be made without a doctor having seen them? (Sounds a little bit crazy but been shown to be illegal – as yet).
… should say “not been shown to be illegal”
i am a shop manager for mind….our chief exec said we would have no part in this months ago, and as far as i know this is still true…i would not have anyone forced to work in my shop…HOWEVER..is someone chose to come to me to help them gain confidence to go back in to work, then thats theit choice…i always do a health and safety risk assment with new volunteers…so just to be clear…i would not ever used forced labour in my shop…but in some cases surely if the person wants to it could be beneficial????
.
People freely volunteering is fine, so long as it is a free choice and not the result of someone being cajoled and pressurised into ‘volunteering’ as this isn’t really volunteering.
TOTALLY and that is why the only volunteers in my shop are volunteers.x
Forcing someone to “volunteer”, just makes people feel that being a volunteer is a punishment. So it will have an effect on future true volunteers.
Not so long ago i came across some organisation called pay2work.
And it went on about true volunteers or something , the idea was that you paid the organisation to work for them.
Exactly – forced voluntary work is a nonsense and a contradiction in terms. If you force someone to have sex it’s rape, so this is a form of employment rape and the consequences will be devastating.
If someone walks in off the street and ask’s to Volunteer then that’s all good and well, anyone sent from DWP are sent with the threat of sanctions if they dont take part in Workfare, they are still expected to job search even though they may be working 5 days a week..
Trust me, My nephew was threatened not only by JCP but he was threatened by the Manager of The British heart foundation on his first day, that she would see to it that he would lose his Benefits if he failed to turn up….he was also pulled up for not being early enough, she wanted him at the shop 5 mins before opening times…Howz that for a Nazi bastard…Charities, i would never step foot in them again and trust me None of my family will ever again donate to one, i would burn anything i would have gladly handed over before My Nephews experiences…
i here u steve…but we are not all like that in shops…trust me …i only have the best interests of my volunteers at heart…i pay their fare…pay for lunch….they have as much tea/coffee/biscuits/as they can manage…i dont put them at risk of injury…yes there are some bastards out there…but not all of us 😉
.paul farmer publicly came out and said mind would have no part of this…only if people expressly wanted to work with us by their own choice..
I’ve been doing voluntary work pretty much since I lost my job due to mental health problems @ a decade ago. Max 8 hours per week with breaks as my health has been problematic. This sounds very like Pathways to Work. I hope the WRAG group is better organised and supported. But, sadly, I’m not holding my breath.
Ask to see the risk assessment conducted for your individual placement, after all disabled peeps are not run of the mill employees and special consideration must be shown to how risks associated with each and every person so placed are considered.Equality Act and its reasonable adjustment, including the financing of that adjustment/s, are incumbant upon both private and public bodies, ie DWP and ‘charities’.Disability Equality Duty requires that public bodies, ie DWP and JC+ give due regard to a number of areas concerning the disabled, so ask them how the placement does the following-
promote equality of opportunity between disabled persons and other persons
eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under the Act
eliminate harassment of disabled persons that is related to their disabilities
promote positive attitudes towards disabled persons
encourage participation by disabled persons in public life; and
take steps to take account of disabled persons’ disabilities, even where that involves treating disabled persons more favourably than other persons (e.g. the provision of an accessible parking bay near a building, where parking is not available for other visitors or employees.)
And best of luck to all.
EVERYONE, whether able-bodied or disabled should ask their providers about risk assessments about their work placement. Not only are you well within your rights, but it would be an important spanner in the works, as risk assessments are time consuming and costly, if done properly. Don’t accept a placement if you don’t get a copy of the individual risk assessment
http://www.mind.org.uk/news/6425_statement_on_the_workfare_scheme_and_the_work_programme
I came across this which to me typifies tory sttitudes. It was to do with anti workfare protest in april,,reported in Daily Fail.. The headline should have read: Tory MP who called British workers lazy tried to stop anti slavery protest :
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2106601/Tories-order-police-halt-workfare-demos-MP-makes-formal-protest-BBC-bias-favour-hard-Left-militants.html
It would be interesting to find out whether these “charities” have public liability insurance that covers people with severe health problems if they are forced to work in their shops. If not, then what is the legal position if somebody’s illness causes an accident to a member of the public? Just a thought.
First it was companies doing workfare and the ensuing negative pr made them back off , i fear negative pr towards charities would be disaster for them in terms of donations . I am hoping that the public can tell the difference between companies whose only intetest is profits and organisations whose income is derived from public donation. Sure public pritest is acceptable on this matter but am concerned that charity organisation bashing wont help here. What is needed is a different approach to make it clear that charities are being exploted here as much as the placements if that is the case..
I say bash the charities that are willingly colluding in these schemes – they don’t even have the obscene excuse that they were ‘only following orders’. They actively, and willingly chose to ally themselves with this evil regime, and should suffer the consequences.
That is a matter i too wonderd about re liability.,
Dean
What equality of opportunity is there in working in a charity shop or van driving for said charity, whether between able bodied or disabled?
Surely they really MUST be cleared to work by a PROPER DOCTOR not an ATOS HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL??!! BEFORE they risk their health! THIS HAS TO BE ILLEGAL? if someone drops dead, there has to be a case to answer by IDS – (Irresponsible.Depraved Sicko)
What i feel is needed here is a co ordinated response to these meadures that is properly well thought out.,
GP’s/Consultant’s evidence goes in to be looked at but seems to be just put to one side – then a Healthcare Professional (could be a registered nurse) does the Work Capability Assessment which isn’t a medical, ticks the boxes available, and from this evidence the decision is made.
If the appeal then goes far enough forward and gets to a Tribunal (I understand) there is a doctor on the panel (& the decision very often is overturned at that point). But the hope is not everyone will go through the process of appealing (it’s not that easy to follow) and some will just ‘believe’ their decision or put up with it. People (arguably) have dropped dead as a result & there challenge(s) are being undertaken against the SofS for his role in these deaths. (As far as I understand it – from trying to support someone who’s ended up in this situation).
Yes I know all of that but this is basically forcing people who “may” be able to work in the future not a group of yes they are fit for work! I am saying the Gov really should get a proper medical opinion that why I think there has to be a legal case to answer here! Claimants should be checked first to see if its safe!
I was agreeing with you.
Tony Benn said, “if the people KNEW what was going on, they wouldn’t stand for it. That’s why the government don’t want them to really know” and “An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern.”
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I emailed Scope and got the following weaselling response:
Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of Scope responded to the figures:
We have known for some time now that the Government’s fitness to work test is deeply flawed and is wrongly pushing many disabled people onto the Work Programme.”Today we learn that only 1.3% of disabled people claiming employment and support allowance have actually found a job through the Work Programme.
These shocking figures indicate a system that is not working for disabled people.
“Disabled people want to work but face multiple barriers such as a lack of skills and experience, confidence and even negative attitudes from some employers.
“They need tailored and targeted support to find a job and the Work Programme just doesn’t offer them this.
“We desperately need the Government to re-think its approach if we want to see more disabled people in work in the future.”
“Professor Harrington’s reviews of the Government’s fitness to work test have continued to highlight significant flaws in the way disabled people are being treated.
“High levels of successful appeals, shocking undercover footage of ATOS assessors and horror stories of people inappropriately found fit to work create an alarming dossier of evidence that highlights this ‘broken system’.
“The fact is thousands of disabled people want to work but they face significant barriers, from a lack of skills and experience, confidence and even negative attitudes from some employers.
“Because the Work Capability Assessment does not take into consideration all the barriers disabled people face in finding employment it cannot indicate whether someone is likely get a job or not.
“The consequences of this badly designed assessment, that is being used to test up to 10,000 people a week, can have a devastating effect on people’s lives.
“If the Government is genuinely committed to giving disabled people a fair deal and ultimately seeing people in jobs, not just off benefits, it is going to have to act not just acknowledge these problems.
“We need to see fundamental changes to the way the WCA is designed and delivered to disabled people, to ensure decisions are being made in a transparent way and to guarantee people the support they desperately want and need.”
You
You notice that nowhere in that statement are Scope distancing themselves in any way from the MWP for either able bodied or disabled people. In fact, throughout the main body of the email, the word “volunteers” was used repeatedly. I have withdrawn my support of the local shop, both donating to and buying from, until such time as Scope grow some balls.
Peter Nicholls
That is why (even the university educated) are kept in the dark on many thiings. I recall about 20years ago GCHQ saw a few of it’s workers mysteriously committing suicide – I wonder if they were partial to or uncovered disturbing information?
Hi
Mind have this statement on their website!
http://www.mind.org.uk/news/show/7868_statement_from_mind_on_mandatory_unpaid_work_placements_for_people_on_employment_and_support_allowance
Posted Thursday 29 November 2012
Paul Farmer, Chief Executive at Mind, said:
“Mind does not believe that people who have been found unfit for work should be forced to undertake mandatory unpaid work placements. We recognise the value that volunteering and work experience may play in someone’s journey back to work and their recovery from a mental health problem. However, for people on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) such placements should be a choice, not something they are pushed into doing under the threat of sanctions.
“Our opposition to mandatory unpaid work placements for people on ESA applies to the whole of the Mind network, including our shops and local Minds.
“We believe that the Government needs to rethink its approach to helping people with mental health problems back to work. There is currently too much reliance on conditionality and sanctions, based on the false assumption that people with mental health problems don’t want to work, rather than focusing on creating a supportive and enabling environment and addressing the many external barriers faced by people with mental health problems in looking for suitable employment.”
-Ends-
As of 2pm,. 29/11/12
Nothing from Mencap*, Scope*, RNIB, LCDisability, salvationarmyuk, or @thebhf, @barnardos, @age_uk, @CR_UK
*those stared do have news items on the workfare scheme stats announced the other day.
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I didn’t think I could get angrier with Atos, BUT, I am and Im steaming!!”. I attended an Atos assessment on the 27th of October in support of a good friend, remarkably he was put on ESA. This morning he has received another ESA50 to fill out along with the standard covering letter. He is distort and suicidal and I am having to use all my will power not to get in my car and drive straight to ATOS HQ and carry out some of my own swift justice. These evil bastards are incompetent in the least and pure evil vindictive bastards at worse, I cant describe my anger as words are not enough, I swear If my friend suffers any more because of this I will seek my own revenge on Atos and the dwp.
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This is just mindblowing.
Surely to god this will leave providers and even the DWP open to serious litigation. Compelling people to apply for work to the possible detriment of their healh? What about the opinion of their carers/doctors/specialists?
Mind you, most GP’s seem to be clueless about all this. Perhaps someone shoudl advise such a GP that they will be held liable just the same if they aren’t supported.
GPs aren’t clueless at all. They voted overwhelming to reject the WCA and that it wasn’t fit for purpose at their annual conference but hey, they’re only doctors. The govt doesn’t give a shit about them
Id like to see the naming and shaming of all the employees that work for the providers that will be involved is this, with photos and address of the said stooges as well. This cant be allowed to continue, if we don’t fight back then nobody is going to do it for us.
Dont forget the rw press will do a hatchet job on anyone who dont agree with govt line.. They try to stitch up anyone with no thought of the harm it does..
I am pretty sure that companies have alteady figured out a way to exempt themselves from litigation should anyone be taken ill on their premises..
Talking of which,, i see an alberta company in canada was awarded an exemltion of litigation against injury and illness in worplace.. How about that?
Oh and this i came across too:
Click to access Tech_ressum_Performance_accountability_to_stakeholders_workplace_injuries_in_the_UK_and_Canada_Jan2007.pdf
Then i came across this:
Click to access healthy_workplace_framework.pdf
Even the TUC had something to say about workplace illness and injury ;
http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-21184-f0.cfm
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something survived
There is nothing wrong with being gay, what I am objecting to is schools forcing girls who are not the slightest bit interested in football, to play it.
Men play netball but by its butch name basketball.
ps I have a sister who is gay and likes football so could be an option on school agenda without being forced on girls who clearly do not like football, that is all I was saying.
Why are there not any lawyers all over this and taking the government to court. It obvious to anyone it breaks both the human rights act and the disability discrimination act,
They are hoping no one will notice, also compabies have deep pockets and thirdly the general populace is versed in scrounger language , so anyone who has temerity to question this will be shot at ie lazy arsed scoundrels moaning about being forced to get a job etc etc overlooking the facts that its £20 million ploughed into a system that is plainky faulty at best and doubt about its true nature and that claimants are / are not forced to use it..
” the work program will be funded from future benefit savings of which isnt known ”
Thats from the document on all this
Theres this of course your ticket to work stuff
https://yourtickettowork.com/web/ttw/home
This is just taking the piss, voluntary organisation who train over 40 yr olds to use computers have had ppl sent to them by work program providers who cant be arsed to pay for training..
http://m.thirdsector.co.uk/article/1123273/Voluntary-group-turns-away-jobseekers-sent-Work-Programme-providers
Welsh work program fraud.
http://achangeofpersonnel.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/welsh-work-programme-provider-accused.html?showComment=1339091811023&m=1
Private provider fails to support training and help.
http://indusdelta.co.uk/discussion/triage_stirling/9697
Daves big soceity = another SERCO contract.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/05/serco-bid-national-citizen-service
‘ hetitleh’. ‘wetitleh’. What language is this?
On DWP website..wtf??
http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=data_guide
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My question on Yahoo! Answers:
What would happen if I do this?
I’m an unwaged (not unemployed) disabled person, and I know I’ll be damn lucky to get put in the Support Group (where I should be) at my next Work Capability Assessment. This being so, after my first day of unpaid forced labour at Tesco or McDonald’s, should I constantly fake drunkenness so I’m always sent back home, or should I only ever show up on the first day of my placements, then drop out? DWP rules say no sanctions if I drop out before the first week’s finished as long as I show up on the first day.
Greenwich council give crap jobs to benefit claimants But tories day money should go to wealthy
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22143045
I can see a lot of charity’s going up in smoke, literally!
Reblogged this on markcatlin3695's Blog.
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