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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Work capability issues and ESA  →  Thread

Work and Health green paper

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shawn mach
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Further to the delays earlier in the year ...

Government puts plans for ‘work and health’ white paper on hold (12 May 2016)
Launch of new Work and Health Programme delayed to end of 2017 (13 July 2016)

... the guardian is reporting that:

“... a green paper detailing the government’s proposals is to be published later this week.”

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/22/disabled-jobseekers-facing-dramatic-fall-off-support

[ Edited: 31 Oct 2016 at 10:17 am by shawn mach ]
shawn mach
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shawn mach
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Maybe Penny was right ....... running out of time for this week!

shawn mach
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Latest: Consultation on reforming the Work Capability Assessment will be announced on Monday ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37810701

Gareth Morgan
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Some confusing messages in the media today:

“In future, disabled people who do not work will be allowed to keep their benefits in full when they start to get help from jobcentres”

“the Support Group, is for people with more severe disabilities. They are given more money in benefits but do not automatically get job help.

Ministers believe the 1.5 million people in the latter group are not getting the adequate support and fear many who want and are able to find a job are being let down by the state.

Mr Green said: “We know the right type of work is good for our physical and mental health.”

“Those in the “support group”, who have limited capability to undertake activities to prepare for work, are not routinely offered help from their jobcentre but keep their benefits. If they get help to find work, they lose out.
...
A source at the Department for Work and Pensions said a new consultation would “look at how people on ESA can have access to the quality support they need to find employment — but without putting their financial benefits at risk in the interim”.”

““All disabled people should be able to access expert, tailored employment support”

“Mr Green said: “A disability or health condition should not dictate the path a person is able to take in life.
“No one wants a system where people are written off and forced to spend long periods of time on benefits when, actually, with the right support they could be getting back into work.”

I think I might feel nervous if I was in the Support Group.

shawn mach
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Gareth Morgan - 30 October 2016 01:06 PM

I think I might feel nervous if I was in the Support Group.

Certainly Damian Green on the radio this morning said they want to move away from the current ‘binary approach’, and made a point of saying that there are far too many people in the support group.

shawn mach
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Minister for Disabled People Penny Mordaunt writing over the weekend -

There are many aspects of government support we need to look at and the Work Capability Assessment, a gateway to Employment Support Allowance (ESA), should be a priority.

In the last 12 months, half of people who attended a Work Capability Assessment were deemed too ill to work, or even prepare for work, at that time. For some of these people work is an ambition they have but currently they have to wait to get support they may wish to access immediately. 

While assessments are an important part of the system, we must recognise where things aren’t working, as we did with our announcement to stop ESA reassessments for those with the most severe health conditions and disabilities.

So we will consult on the Work Capability Assessment to ensure those with the most severe needs can receive the support they need when they need it. We will also review Statutory Sick Pay so it enables a phased return to work if that is best for the employee.

We must look at all the support a person needs and its timeliness and accessibility.  How can we make things easier, reduce form filling in, reduce assessments, make better use of the information we already have about someone housed in a different bit of the system.

http://www.pennymordaunt.com/single-post/2016/10/30/Penny-Mordaunt-MP-We-must-close-the-disability-employment-gap

ClairemHodgson
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Gareth Morgan
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ClairemHodgson - 31 October 2016 09:12 AM

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/31/sick-pay-and-work-assessments-to-be-reviewed-jeremy-hunt-reveals
.

Aargh!!

“Hunt was backed by Duncan Selbie, the chief executive of Public Health England, who said health, wellbeing and happiness were “inextricably linked to work”. Selbie said: “People in work generally have better health, so it makes perfect sense for the government to do all it can to support employers to close the gap around employment, disability and illness and to enable people to work when they can.”

So people in work are healthier - which means that working makes you healthy.

Has he considered that perhaps people who are healthy can work?  Remember correlation doesn’t imply causation.

Mr Finch
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So do we know what’s going on? Is there a consultation?

John Birks
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shawn mach
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Nice one John .. I see the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper will be available from 3.30pm

Paul_Treloar_AgeUK
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new Health and Work Conversation between new people on ESA and their work coach, focusing on what they can do rather than what they cannot

now where did we hear that before i wonder?oh yes, i recall now…

reviewing the medical assessment in line with a capabilities approach to focus it on what people can do rather than what they cannot, with repeat assessments at more frequent intervals that take better account of changing circumstances No one written off: reforming welfare to reward responsibility from 2008 of course.

 

Benny Fitzpatrick
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Following the logic, unless in work, no-one has a right to health, happiness and well-being. More punishment of the poor for their own poverty!

The fundamental problem with ESA and the WCA is the assumption that NO-ONE is incapable of some form of work. Until this is changed, the injustices will be perpetuated.

Andrew Dutton
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I was just drafting some notes when I looked at your post, Paul:

‘Look back over previous reassessments – are we about to see the same talk and the same mistakes made all over again?’


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm - looks like it!!!!

John Birks
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shawn - 31 October 2016 01:14 PM

Nice one John .. I see the Work, Health and Disability Green Paper will be available from 3.30pm

Ok more of a tick.

Sadly I have a hearing to attend bang on boom time.