I have supported a cliant in getting DLA (successful) and CA, She applied for CA but was asked to come for interview where she was asked to produce evidence of qualifications, work experience. She hadn't been expecting this and felt very uncomfortable! Anyway, she's been awarded it now but have you heard of other parents being asked to do the same?

How awful. It sounds like a fishing trip for the DWP, thinking perhaps that with a child at school you're pushing it to fit in 35 hours caring elsewhere. (Clutching at straws here - maybe they'd had a tip-off)

Just had a first ever prosecution for not doing the 35 hours case. The word coincidence exists because these things happen, but I do wonder sometimes.

Section 70 (1) (a) SSCBA 1992 says 'regularly and substantially engaged in caring for that person'. Regulation 4 of the Social Security (ICA) Regs 1976 sharpens this up just to the extent of 35 hours in each week allowing for temporary respite etc. Nowhere does it sharpen up the quality or define qualifications for caring.

Worth a complaint?

Alternative theory- Does client live in a Jobcentre Plus area? if so, CA has to be claimed via Jobcentre Plus now, in which case client would have to attend 'work-focused interview', at which job & training opportunities are discussed, before benefit can be paid. Its supposed to be a way of keeping the client in touch with the job market. It is possible to get waiver of requirement to attend if JC+ can be persuaded that interview would not be of assistance or inappropriate. Have managed to get waiver a couple of times for carers, although usually only where their caring responsibilities would prevent them from attending the interview. There are also a few groups of people who are exempt from the requirement (people working 16 hours +, people over pension age) but most clients have to jump through the hoop in order to be paid.

We have the same problem (Jobcentreplus country) - the reasons given, amongst others, was that they could check that the form had been completed properly, they could check identity(?), they could advise on job opportunities in the future, advise on other benefits that might be available etc etc.

We know this is a nonsense - the local office know it's a nonsense - the call centre know it's a nonsense - and the client's views are normally unprintable........

I am curious about Andrew at Stevenage CAB message about a prosecution for not providing 35 hours a week care. Are you able to give a bit more information on the circumstances as I was under the impression that there was no specific definition what providing care means.

We help people to maximise their incomes through the Carer Premium of IS, PC and HB/CTB and it would be useful to know of any pitfalls.

I can't really give more details here, but I can assure you that in theory at least the reasons for prosecuting were sound.

It was a very unusual case and it would not stop me in any way advising people claiming CA.

As previously stated it’s likely to be a Job Centre Plus area. Living in Derbyshire we are dealing with not only all new Income Support and Incapacity claimants being called in for these interviews but what the government doesn’t seem so keen on advertising in its new approach of ‘supporting’ people with disabilities back to work, is that it is including all new claimants of Carers Allowance. We used to be able to telephone up our local office and be sent new claim forms for our clients. Now it’s like getting blood out of a stone as you struggle to communicate with JC+ drones who have been programmed not to release claim forms without setting up an interview. It’s quite an interesting interview to attend with those clients who have been forced to give up well paid jobs to care for members of their family for little more than £40 per week. I attended one recently with a client who asked what support would be provided for his wife, if he, as her main carer, were to be out of the house all day. The personal advisor could not give an acceptable answer and suggested he contacted Social Services or get another member of his family to help with the care. As if this hadn’t been thought of before an adult gives up a well paid career for peanuts. We didn’t stay much longer.
Where is this government getting the impression that people claiming Carers Allowance are in need of help in getting a job, THEY HAVE A JOB. They just aren’t paid for the hours they put in, so much for minimum wage.

this is nonsense, as mike shermer says, and dishonest nonsense at that. as if the carer and disabled persons' situations are not stressful enough.

and what an exercise in futility and waste of money.

and if your client asked what advice they would give to the other family member about who would look after the disabled person, at their Work Focused Interview,,,?

unfortunately, i will not be able to attend any of these interviews, resourcewise. they sound extremely interesting. even so, the record of the interview would be interesting. they do keep records i suppose? : )

do you suppose the MP's have any idea... ? and i expect social services are thrilled too.

: )

jj

Records are just something old that got replaced by CDs aren't they?

Andrew - aren't we supposed to approach this with at least a modicum of seriousness .......however, given the subject matter on this thread, which demonstrates perfectly the meaning of the rich and colourful tapestry of life in which we are all enveloped, and furthermore that the evolutionary process is alive and well in Whitehall...........................


"What this country needs are more
unemployed  politicians".
 -- Edward Langley, Artist (1928 - 1995)

 

Ken Kesey :

"While McMurphy laughs. Rocking farther and farther backward against the cabin top, spreading his laugh out across the water- laughing at the girl, at the guys, at George, at me sucking my bleeding thumb, at the captain back at the pier... and the Big Nurse and all of it. Because he knows you have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep yourself in balance, just to keep the world from running you plumb crazy. He knows there's a painful side; he knows my thumb smarts and his girlfriend has a bruised breast and the doctor is losing his glasses, but he won't let the pain blot out the humor no more'n he'll let the humor blot out the pain."

I thought in Greece to be a policitian was like jury service - you were called up and did it for a year. Only exception being people who wanted to do it.

Ancient Greece, that is.

nice quote. : )

just about the top and bottom of it.


jj

"Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner".

James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)


Now that's what I call a quote...........................

Goodness, you're a very erudite lot, aren't you? It's too much on a Friday. I'm off to buy Viz...

Once again we agree, young Mike - that's a belter of a quote!

I applied for Carers Allowance for a client three weeks ago. It was a couple who have been missing out on Carers Premium. On receipt of the claim because she is under the age of 60 she was asked in to the local Job Seekers office for a work focused interview.
She called me in a panic and was going to withdraw her claim. I convinced her to attend as they had informed her that the claim would not be forwarded to Preston unless she attended an interview.
Well she attended yesterday and Yippee! was approved as a carer after answering two questions
1. was she a trained carer!
2. Could she drive!
She was then informed because of staff shortages it could take 12 weeks to process her claim.
What is it all about?

Trained or untrained - driving licence or not, it's all immaterial isn't it. If you apply for carers allowance for someone who is receiving DLAMC then you are entitled to the benefit - no amount of totally inappropriate questions can change that. Anyway, I thought the interview was merely to ensure that the form was completed correctly and that the claimant was made aware of what other benefits might be available to them - the questions that this lady was asked had no bearing on the matter at all, and were totally out of order.

It's about time Whitehall deleted Carers Allowance from the list of benefits for which an interview is obligatory - they're getting nursing on the cheap as it is.....




I don't make jokes.
I just watch the government and report the facts.
-- Will Rogers

I advised one of my clients to write to her MP about the job focussed interview. I wnated him to know what his parliament is asking hard pressed carers to do before they can claim. This particular carer had a disabled son ( aged about 10), her husband is ill and she is the main carer for ehr elderly mentally ill mother. Can only get one CA of course! She was so panicked by the prospect. I asked the JC+ to waive it under SI, which they did.
How many carers are put off by this interview?

explicitly, it's a misuse of tax -payer's money and deserves an NAO scrutiny. there's a cost to the public purse, to achieve nothing whatsoever, but a worsening in public service. (processing time increased to 12 weeks!!?). even the consideration of a granting of a waiver has a cost implication in the bureaucratic process.

implicitly, there's an internal logic - providing you believe that too many people are getting DLA who really aren't severely disabled enough to deserve it (or alternatively the bills just plain too high!). doesn't it follow that there must be a bunch of so called carers exploiting the MC care 'get out of work free' card? 'WFIs', not to be confused with WMDs (easily done, sharing that same fictional/misleading quality) provide a means of applying pressure which may well intimidate the slackers, (and they know who they are), into getting a job. wholly innocent citizens subjected to the treatment will not object to being inconvenienced, stressed and treated offensively if it means the system can weed out the feckless, will they?

the policy is unreasonable, but perhaps reason-based policies are passe in the twenty-first century?

belief - based policies, there's the thing. belief based policies and gibberish. oh, and while we're at it, let's get rid of 'doing the sums' too. maths might also conflict with the beliefs.

jj