Is anybody else having trouble with the jobcentre plus call centres complaining that only they can issue claim forms to clients?

I have just had a rather irate lady on the phone telling me that claim forms can only be issued by the jobcentre and that we shouldn't be issuing them.

This would obviously have implications from a logistics point of view. Most of our clients are seen by advisers in their own home because they are either housebound or in rural areas and it obviously makes more sense to complete a claim form during one visit than have to return once the jobcentre have issued the claim form.

Does anybody else have a view on this? or know if the primary legislation has been changed to prevent advice agencies issuing DWP claim forms?

Thanks

I'm afraid that she is misinformed (to put it politely). Agreements have existed for years (as you have indicated) and have since been confirmed (with regard to pension credit in particular) for advice agencies to be supplied with bulk orders of claim forms by the Department. Legislation has not changed that.

Furthermore, claim forms are easily downloaded from the net.

Utterly predictable the way some people react when their power base/contol-freakery mind-set is threatened insn't it?

We are in a similar position, in that 75% of our client contact is via home visits in rural areas. We carry stocks of DLA/AA, Carers Allowance, Incap and I/S forms and obviously complete them as and when necessary.

For those clients who need to claim Incap, but aren't sure if their Nat Insurance record is complete enough to be entitled to it - in those cases we also complete an I/S form and send both in.

Jobcentre plus say that all claimants to under sixties benefits have to attend "work focussed" interviews, including Carers Allowance - the logic of this for Carers Allowance claimants, I/S for those claiming CA, and those who are newly claiming Incap escapes me.

In case rules had been changed recently, I telephoned our local JC plus call centre, who said that these interviews are mandatory for all working age benefits. The theory, according to them, is so that they can advise and help claimants complete the forms, advise them on what other benefits may be available and to discuss what they may want to do at some point in the future: ie, we're going to help you whether you want us to or not......and if you don't come and have a nice chat with us we won't pay you any money.......shades of Monte python.

They also said that:

if a claim was made independent of them, and for example Preston (CA)find they had no trace of a work focus interview having been carried out, then they would notify the local office, who would send out an appointment. No claim, however valid, would be paid until that interview had taken place: there are exceptions although they have to be applied for. In the case of Incap and Income support, if a delay causes financial hardship, a claimant can always call on the Social Fund.

Tha acessibility of the Social Fund for people living in remote areas is another subject for discussion, and one that JC plus don't seem to appreciate, but you can see the problems already....

Don't forget that most of the claim forms that you are likely to need are now available online for printing off, including DLA forms, Social Fund, child benefit. Either use the DWP website or follow the links in the Swopshop area of Rightsnet.

It feels really weird to live in a dual/paralel world of those that are already "Wfi-ed " and those that are not yet.
I am still not totally confident on all this but the Social Security Administration Act 1992 section 2A to C (See Social Security Legislation M Rowland e.a. 2003 pages 27 to 31 ) makes Work Focussed interviews mandatory and a claim could not start until the interview has been held or for good reasons been waived or delayed.

This includes CA claims aswell and yes a claim send to Preston will not be accepted by them unless cleared by local Job Centre plus

I believe that the interview is separate to the issue of the claim form in that you could phone the call centre to register the claim and explain why the interview is not appropriate and should be waived or deferred. My experience is that this can be done over the phone. And that you could than already organise for a down loaded form to be accepted as the claim.

When we were first in the scheme ,which was already from October 2002 because the Rhondda was a 6 month pilot before it was run out nationally , the regime was more rigid and there were incidences that even people on high rate care DLA were visited to have a Wfi and on bereavement interviews were only deferred for 2 weeks. But this has now settled and common sense prevails.

Many problems remain though and the Rhondda is part of "the full package" with Wfis for Incapacity (pathways), partners and lone parents as well
as the intensive activity for 50-59 year olds. Coming on stream

We have asked every time that statistics could be kept on how many people will be dissuaded from claiming and have anecdotal evidence of people leaving the system. And the GMB union in Wales has done a study via census figures as well
But no success on this

I believe it was said that the whole of Britain has to be Wfi-ed by October 2004

Would like to pick up on the suggestion that statistics should be kept on how many people are discouraged from claiming. Could be a high proportion - has any-one followed up on this, or got any more information about whether stats will be officially collected?

I wrote a critique of JC+ standards of service for my column in Care and Health magazine a few months ago. I'm due to revisit this topic soon and I'm always interested in having examples of problems (or even good service). You can email me direct and your information can be treated as on or off the record as you wish. This is an opportunity to expose JC+'s weaknesses to a wider national audience (53,000 peope read the magazine each week) so all offers gratefully received.

Thanks.