[d773]

I have an Appointment tomorrow to see a Jobcentre Plus advisor

this started about 2 months before christmas when they wanted me to go to a meeting.

I have severe OCD with a fear of HIV/AID and contamination, I was accessed 5 years ago when on Incapacity benefit which went fine and the doctor was very supportive.

This time round I feel like a criminal, the meeting before christmas was to see how I was and to give me some leaflets
on support charities which help people back to work, I looked at these leaflets and declined as they were not appropriate to me.

Then I had to see them 2 weeks after at the jobcentre to be told that those leaflets were now compulsory an I had to go along to an interview.

I went along to the interview at the charity where they said the following

They offered support in writing CVs
They could help me with basic numeracy
They could help with basic literacy

They also informed me that if I had GCSE's that they were now invalid as they were over 5 years old

I listened to all of this and then stated that I have been to University and have a Degree in Engineering.

I was then shown a powerpoint where they talked about victims of domestic violence and their support for that.

Then they showed me a powerpoint slide OF AN ALLEYWAY THAT WAS A SEA OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGES which they then told me was their help to get people off drugs!!! At this point my OCD just took over, I was scared, paranoid I felt that the jobcentre was a loss to me as they were hell bent on sending me into the environment with drug addicts that had already pushed me to end up in A&E after jumping over a stairwell.

I am now fearfull and feel very desperate that I have no where to turn and will end up in the one situation I am fearfull of otherwise I will lose my only benefit.

I want to work but do not want to be pushed into a programme with people on drugs and people who need basic numeracy.

I have a mental illness, why are the jobcentre and government treating me like a criminal

[Universal Credit]

Could be a deliberate **closed door** policy of reading notes and tipping those likely to top themselves over the edge? They then save money and have a smaller pool of manageable clients. There is a perverse incentive for them to do this and they have the information to do it too. Perhaps RETHINK needs to look into your case and find whether it is a anomaly or needs to be taken as a warning sign to be acted upon?

[mld]

I had to go to a meeting after getting IB, so its being going on for a few years here, before ESA.

I was asked to do a numeracy and literacy test, as I said I didn't read newspapers (I get my news off the internet or TV). I said I had a Masters Degree and the woman was embarrassed and said the courses she could offer were for those without formal qualifications! I still had to go back, but my doctor wrote me a sick note as I was paranoid about why I had to go - but as I said, this was prior to ESA and still when doctors gave out sick notes!!

Sorry about your situation, do you have a care coordinator to chat things through with, or some contact at your CMHT?

M.

[d773]

Thank you for your reply,

I had my meeting to find out that I had been put onto Work related ESA and not the support group.

I broke down in the jobcentre and stated I had been an IT Systems Engineer so when I was sent to a place as I described this was devastating. I was given a number to apply for Support Group, I stated I wanted nothing more than to get better but had lost all confidence in the Jobcentre having my health and welfare as important.

I stated that the place they sent me were giving people the impression that GCSE's are invalid after 5 years and told him to look into their powerpoint presentations with a photograph of a sea of syringes.

I do not have to go back for 4 months and may be able to do the interview over the phone.

I phoned up to get the application to appeal and am awaiting that form, I remember now filling in an ESA questionnaire but was unaware that I needed to be as thorough as the woman on the phone now stated in my answers, I was of the opinion that they had my condition on file following my Incapacity benefit full medical a few years ago

[Universal Credit]

I really do detest these powerpoint presentations. I had a few on a unrelated matter to the DWP and they just make me fall to sleep. The monotony, the screen is mostly wasted space too, and the presenter talks mostly to the screen. This is a issue with these presentations in general. A real ego massage for the talker but does nothing for the audience I'm certain. They could hand out a couple of well written A4 sheets with the info from one of these written and you'd be able to go over it five or six times plus ask questions...that'd destroy the magic I guess? (even if the magic doesn't work except for justifying a pointless salary for the presenter?) Only a small fraction of people have good functional audiatory recall, and this will lead to less questions being asked which is a good thing if the presenter doesn't know their subject?

[kerriejoe]

i have been on ib for a good few years and i have been put ont the work related group on esa now i have my first interview on wednesday and i dont know what to expect i am soo scared but if i dont go my benefit will be affected so im going but the esa benefit told me that im in the work related group because the other group is ony for people that do not have long to live , i hope you get yours sorted its all very confusing to me xxx

[prudent_princess]

d773, on 18 January 2012 - 10:00 PM, said:

I have an Appointment tomorrow to see a Jobcentre Plus advisor

this started about 2 months before christmas when they wanted me to go to a meeting.

I have severe OCD with a fear of HIV/AID and contamination, I was accessed 5 years ago when on Incapacity benefit which went fine and the doctor was very supportive.

This time round I feel like a criminal, the meeting before christmas was to see how I was and to give me some leaflets
on support charities which help people back to work, I looked at these leaflets and declined as they were not appropriate to me.

Then I had to see them 2 weeks after at the jobcentre to be told that those leaflets were now compulsory an I had to go along to an interview.

I went along to the interview at the charity where they said the following

They offered support in writing CVs
They could help me with basic numeracy
They could help with basic literacy

They also informed me that if I had GCSE's that they were now invalid as they were over 5 years old

I listened to all of this and then stated that I have been to University and have a Degree in Engineering.

I was then shown a powerpoint where they talked about victims of domestic violence and their support for that.

Then they showed me a powerpoint slide OF AN ALLEYWAY THAT WAS A SEA OF HYPODERMIC SYRINGES which they then told me was their help to get people off drugs!!! At this point my OCD just took over, I was scared, paranoid I felt that the jobcentre was a loss to me as they were hell bent on sending me into the environment with drug addicts that had already pushed me to end up in A&E after jumping over a stairwell.

I am now fearfull and feel very desperate that I have no where to turn and will end up in the one situation I am fearfull of otherwise I will lose my only benefit.

I want to work but do not want to be pushed into a programme with people on drugs and people who need basic numeracy.

I have a mental illness, why are the jobcentre and government treating me like a criminal

Oh my god!That would send me over the edge!

I have had to attend an appointment at the JC and I broke down and had a panic attack.
Left me feeling awful for days afterwards (in fact, still feel affected by it).

I will have to refuse to go back, if I get any more appointments, cos I cant do that again

[EART HL I NG]

prudent_princess, on 13 February 2012 - 06:02 AM, said:

Oh my god!That would send me over the edge!

I have had to attend an appointment at the JC and I broke down and had a panic attack.
Left me feeling awful for days afterwards (in facts still feel affected by it).

I will have to refuse to go back, if I get any more appointments, cos I cant do that again

Are you in the Work Related Activity Group of Employment Support Allowance?

[prudent_princess]

EART HL I NG, on 13 February 2012 - 09:49 AM, said:

Are you in the Work Related Activity Group of Employment Support Allowance?

No, didnt even know about WRAG then until I read it on here.

[EART HL I NG]

prudent_princess, on 13 February 2012 - 06:02 AM, said:

I have had to attend an appointment at the JC

If you are not on ESA WRAG then you must be JobSeekers Allowance?

These are the only two benefits that I know of that require a compulsory visit to the Job Centre.

Of course you could have been invited to attended a Work Focused Interview whilst on Icapacity Benefit but this would have been voluntary NOT compulsory.

[prudent_princess]

EART HL I NG, on 13 February 2012 - 11:29 AM, said:

If you are not on ESA WRAG then you must be JobSeekers Allowance?

These are the only two benefits that I know of that require a compulsory visit to the Job Centre.

Of course you could have been invited to attended a Work Focused Interview whilst on Icapacity Benefit but this would have been voluntary NOT compulsory.

I am on ESA...i just wasnt aware of the WRAG.
What does it mean?

[EART HL I NG]

prudent_princess, on 13 February 2012 - 12:24 PM, said:

I am on ESA...i just wasnt aware of the WRAG.
What does it mean?

WRAG stands for Work Related Activity Group there is more information about it here:

http://www.benefitsa...-activity-group

Some people who get ESA are put in the Support Group if you get that then you are not required to attend interviews at the Jobcentre.

It will say in your award letter whether you are in the WRAG or the Support Group.

[prudent_princess]

EART HL I NG, on 13 February 2012 - 01:18 PM, said:

WRAG stands for Work Related Activity Group there is more information about it here:

http://www.benefitsa...-activity-group

Some people who get ESA are put in the Support Group if you get that then you are not required to attend interviews at the Jobcentre.

It will say in your award letter whether you are in the WRAG or the Support Group.

Thank you for that..I really didn't know all about that.
I am being messed about with my benefits at the moment :-(
so I hadn't even got round to finding out whether I am WRAG or Support group.

[EART HL I NG]

prudent_princess, on 13 February 2012 - 01:34 PM, said:

Thank you for that..I really didn't know all about that.
I am being messed about with my benefits at the moment :-(
so I hadn't even got round to finding out whether I am WRAG or Support group.

You're welcome - hope you get it sorted.

The letter your local benefits office sent you saying you are getting ESA, (this letter is called an Award Letter - you should keep it safe because you may need to refer to it from time to time) will tell you whether you are on WRAG or Support Group.

If you are in WRAG then some of your benefit payments depend upon you attending Work Focused Interviews at the Jobcentre and undertaking any Work Related Activities that your Jobcentre Plus Officer feels appropriate. If you do not attend these interviews or undertake the work related activities your Jobcentre Plus Officer has allocated to you then some of your benefit will be stopped, (unless you have a valid and accepted reason for missing them).

If you are in the Support Group - not only do you get more money than people in WRAG but you also don't have to do anything in order to get your money. However most people on ESA get put in WRAG.

If you find that you are in WRAG but think that you should be in Support Group then you can appeal this decision - but it has to be in writing, (although you can phone them to tell them you intend to appeal in writing) and within one month of the date of your award letter.

You can get free help and advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau

There is also a leaflet which you can download or get free of charge from every Jobcentre.
Leaflet GL24, 'If you think our decision is wrong', gives information on what you can do if you have applied for a social security benefit, but think a decision is wrong.

http://www.direct.go...line/DG_4017514

Whilst your appeal is being processed, (which can take several months) you do not have to attend the Jobcentre interviews or undertake any work related activities and your benefit payments remain unaffected.

Be careful though because if you appeal against being in WRAG the appeals service look again at your whole claim and it is possible for them to decide that a person who is appealing being in WRAG because they think they should be in Support Group is in fact not entitled to ESA at all and find them fit for work.

I'm not saying this is likely to happen but it is possible and anyone appealing being in WRAG should be aware that there is a risk in appealing.


All the best