ESA and Work Programme

We are starting to get complaints such as the following:

* Attended the first mandatory WFI at the jobcentre, and has now rec’d a letter from A4E, stating she must attend an interview with them [and] take along an updated CV, and be prepared to sign an agreement stating she will be actively seeking work within the next 6 months. [client’s condition militates very much against such an assumption]

* Objected to being told to come into A4E on a regular basis (one that far exceeded WFI requirements) and was told ‘we can make you come in here as often as we like’

May I ask if others are getting similar complaints? What the companies can and can’t do seems a little opaque not least because their agreements with DWP seem to allow a fairly free hand.

The approach appears to be if the client cannot be found fit for work, it’s open season in the Work Programme.

Can anyone also recommend good resources for further reading about the WP?

I’m presuming the claimant in the first case is on ESA.

See here:

http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/1516/P15/

So unless the regs that I cited have changed then A4e cannot force anyone “to sign an agreement stating she will be actively seeking work” within any period whatsoever.