Work Programme feedback?

Not a benefits query - more an observation. When Pathways to Work existed we used to get fairly regular feedback from clients about their experiences - good and bad. However, since the Work Programme started last summer, we have had hardly any at all. Was wondering how many people in the WRAG group are actually being referred onto the programme or if they are being filtered out at jobcentre plus interviews, leaving ‘work ready’ claimants to go through the programme and thus ‘enhancing’ the stats.

Curious to know if other people are getting any feedback.

We’ve just had a client in who is on ESA (WRAG) and has been referred to the work programme but is hopelessly confused because she also has a fit note from her doctor. She has multiple health problems and when she got to the contractor’s office couldn’t access it in her wheelchair (steps) and they refused to help her in as they had no disabled toilet.

One of our volunteers was also referred and told he had to give up his work in the Bureau to do work experience. That has been admitted by JCP to be wrong and they’ve accepted the value of his work experience with us.

That’s an interesting one Ariadne. Funny how someone can bid for a contract that includes support for people with mobility problems, but then fails to take account of the ‘reasonable adjustments’ required by legislation since 1995. Some things never change.