Shaw Trust

sammyjammy

They aren't just saying get yourself a job either, they help with supported placements etc, we had someone at our work, she worked fulltime but the company only paid her for something like 20hrs a week, this meant there was no pressure for her to keep up an expected level of work, a motorised stair lift was put into the building for her to use, over the use she has upped the hours she is paid for by the company and now works on a level playing field with everyone, she is extremely physically disabled but enjoys the atmosphere at work and wouldn't want to sit around at home all day. The Shaw Trust made up her wages to the full time amount.

SomeBozo

russula wrote: »

I have been on Incapacity Benefit for a few months now. This is the first time in my whole life (over 35 working years) that I've ever been unable to work and had no choice but to claim IB. During these few months I have received two communications in the post from a charity called Shaw Trust. The implication of these letters is that I should be working rather than claiming benefits.

It's hard enough already to cope with the indignity of being in this situation, and the Shaw trust is adding to my distress by making me feel as though I'm a benefit scrounger.

What I don't understand is, who gave them (or allowed them to have) my details? When I applied for IB, I don't recall signing anything that said my details could be passed to third party organisations.

Shaw Trust say they are in partnership with Job Centre Plus. I must therefore assume that is where they got my info from? Why am I being hounded to 'get a job' when I'm less than a year on IB? This seems totally unreasonable to me. Coping with a dramatically altered lifestyle due to illness and having to claim benefits is bad enough, without having these people rubbing my nose in it. Is this normal practise - to hound genuinely ill people and make them feel like they have committed a crime?

I would have thought that any kind of help, from any kind of organisation to help get a job would be welcome?

Bozo

russula

SomeBozo wrote: »

I would have thought that any kind of help, from any kind of organisation to help get a job would be welcome?

Bozo

Actually, what I need right now is medical help to recover my health, not help to get a job. I am not 'sitting around doing nothing'. I am battling with a health condition. I did not choose to get sick - it's where I have ended up through no fault of my own. And if I had the choice to work, I would certainly be doing so, as I have always done in the past.

Once I have my health back, I will be literally jumping for joy and running to every job centre and employment agency to find a job - assuming there are any jobs left to be had of course.

dmg24

russula wrote: »

Actually, what I need right now is medical help to recover my health, not help to get a job. I am not 'sitting around doing nothing'. I am battling with a health condition. I did not choose to get sick - it's where I have ended up through no fault of my own. And if I had the choice to work, I would certainly be doing so, as I have always done in the past.

Once I have my health back, I will be literally jumping for joy and running to every job centre and employment agency to find a job - assuming there are any jobs left to be had of course.

It is possible that looking at ways of getting back into work may also have a positive effect on your health. I don't see any harm in giving Shaw Trust a call and asking if there is any support they can offer that would be suitable to your circumstances.

Loopy_Girl

When I was a lone parent on IS, I used to get letters pretty regularly from JCP saying how much better I would be working and what help there was etc.

I didn't find them offensive, merely letting me know there was help available.

As Woodbine says, if you are not ready then just chuck them in the bucket! Job done.

I think you are being a little sensitive about being on benefits. There is no shame in it but WHEN you are ready to go back to work, there are agencies to help you. How are ST meant to know how your recovery is going? You could be 2 weeks or 2 years from recovery and they are merely offering a bridge for you when you are ready.

Speedy recovery

fluffymovie

Hi there

As I understand it, Incapacity Benefit has been replaced by ESA (employment support allowance) and the idea is to help people who are not currently working due to illness to find work.

The government say that IB was a way to look at what you couldn't do and ESA is to find the things that you are able to do.

As a result, claimants on ESA will be required to attend Work Focussed Interviews with the Shaw trust to look at any work that they are able to do. The shaw trust are paid when they place someone in work and they are working in partnership with the JCP so they are reputable and there may be issues if you do not contact them if this is what they have requested.

healy

fluffymovie wrote: »

Hi there

As I understand it, Incapacity Benefit has been replaced by ESA (employment support allowance) and the idea is to help people who are not currently working due to illness to find work.

The government say that IB was a way to look at what you couldn't do and ESA is to find the things that you are able to do.

As a result, claimants on ESA will be required to attend Work Focussed Interviews with the Shaw trust to look at any work that they are able to do. The shaw trust are paid when they place someone in work and they are working in partnership with the JCP so they are reputable and there may be issues if you do not contact them if this is what they have requested.

People do have to attend any work focused interviews but if they are just sent general information in the post like this they do not have to reply and there will be no problems.

crutches

i find these type of letters upsetting too.Now i try to rationalise that the system does not diffferentiate between the physically/mentally challenged who need help and support to access the workplace,(like the good example above),the workshy scammers(who will ignore this anyway) and those in physical/mental pain who need TREATMENT before returning to work.
If someones barrier to employment is tremendous pain it needs a different outlook to that of building ramps,lowering desks,voice software etc.If the NHS is not working efficiently or funded sufficiently to treat people promptly and effectively then they won't be working.If you wait 18 mths for a hip replacement on benefits that wait costs the benefits system.
Most employers are happy to accept money to adjust for static conditions,to encourage people until normal hours are reached but not many can afford to employ people with variable worsening conditions who do not know from one day to the next if they are fit to work,or who have to spend hours in various clinics to maintain their condition.
Unless the govt can find some way to compensate easily and quickly for variable conditions there will always be a problem.It should be easier to do temp work,easier to come on and off benefits as necessary and easier to work p/t one week,none the next,f/t the next and adjust through tax credits/ IB.