personal capability assessment

rio

Pathways to Work is being rolled out across the country, and once your area is included ALL people on IB will be considered for a Work Focused Interview sooner or later. I think the interview is compulsory for all apart from those on DLA higher care and mobility components.

saintjanet

rio wrote:

Pathways to Work is being rolled out across the country, and once your area is included ALL people on IB will be considered for a Work Focused Interview sooner or later. I think the interview is compulsory for all apart from those on DLA higher care and mobility components.

Sorry this is not correct,people can if they wish take part ,not all will be forced to do so.Some will be forced, those who came onto ib after the changes.

rio

saintjanet wrote:

Sorry this is not correct,people can if they wish take part ,not all will be forced to do so.Some will be forced, those who came onto ib after the changes.

I think you will find it is correct, I have been on IB for six years,so before the changes took place, and I have been told that I have to take part in 'Pathways to Work' or risk losing my benefit - I have the letter to prove it!

saintjanet

rio wrote:

I think you will find it is correct, I have been on IB for six years,so before the changes took place, and I have been told that I have to take part in 'Pathways to Work' or risk losing my benefit - I have the letter to prove it!

My husband has been on ib since 1992 and he has been told he does not need to have these interviews,he can however join in the scheme if he wants to as with the new deal scheme.He is not in an exempt category. Sorry,i do not want to fall out over this.;)There have been many changes to ib over the years,for example loosing money because of a personal pension does not apply to everyone on ib,only those going on after a certain date,this is one reason the government keep passing these things through parliament,by agreeing that changes only apply to new claimants and not existing ones.Although I think there may have been a transition period with regard to these interviews.

There are more changes planned but they still have to become law and if they do ,they will be implemented in 2008.

healy

Pathways to work will be rolled out to all parts of the Country by 2008 and most new and old claimants will have to attend.

Loop

What are exempt catagories? I am expempt from attending the Jobcentre etc...not sure as I have only been claiming 8 months or so and never has a PCA

"£40 a week return to work credit"

So people would get £40 plus their income for going to work? Is this fair? its not much less than I get for being Ill!

DjSatansfury

healy wrote:

Pathways to work will be rolled out to all parts of the Country by 2008 and most new and old claimants will have to attend.

I dont mind doing that. What i do mind however is a highly inaccurate computer program deciding wether im ill enough or not, then having to go through the whole rigmarole of having next to no money and being made to look feel like a fool and liar by people who "know better". :mad:

Rant over lol

saintjanet

healy wrote:

Pathways to work will be rolled out to all parts of the Country by 2008 and most new and old claimants will have to attend.

When this was announced by the government,it was stated that all new claimants would be required to attend work focused interviews.I think the confusion lies in the fact that the announcement was made long before the interviews were to begin taking place.

For this reason people coming onto ib in the ensuing period would then be expected to have them at this later date.Not existing claimants from before the idea was thought of.This was discussed on another site and was confirmed by a welfare rights adviser at the time,only wish i could direct you to this.Perhaps they changed this at a later date,i dont know.

In any case it is simply an interview anyway,nothing to really worry about.

saintjanet

Loop wrote:

What are exempt catagories? I am expempt from attending the Jobcentre etc...not sure as I have only been claiming 8 months or so and never has a PCA

"£40 a week return to work credit"

So people would get £40 plus their income for going to work? Is this fair? its not much less than I get for being Ill!

They would recieive the £40 plus whatever salary the job paid up to £15,000 per annum.

rio

saintjanet wrote:

My husband has been on ib since 1992 and he has been told he does not need to have these interviews,he can however join in the scheme if he wants to as with the new deal scheme.He is not in an exempt category. Sorry,i do not want to fall out over this.;)There have been many changes to ib over the years,for example loosing money because of a personal pension does not apply to everyone on ib,only those going on after a certain date,this is one reason the government keep passing these things through parliament,by agreeing that changes only apply to new claimants and not existing ones.Although I think there may have been a transition period with regard to these interviews.

There are more changes planned but they still have to become law and if they do ,they will be implemented in 2008.

I certainly don't want to fall out either, guess we all have far more important things to cope with. As I understand it (and I may be wrong) once Pathways starts properly in an area (rather than the pilot scheme, under which attendance is voluntary) they will be calling people who have been on IB for years, rather than just new claimants. The government is targetting getting at least 20% of people off IB, and are looking particulary at people with back conditions, some mental health problems, and non quantifiable problems such as certain phobias. I have a back condition which I presume is why after 6 years I have been called, although in my case my condition is congenital as certain vertebre in my back are malformed and I now suffer from bone degeneration of the spine. It will be interesting to see how this is treated as I am exempt for the PCA, there is also of course the chance that my name has cropped up on the list by accident, but as I understand it, anyone can get selected and unless exempt because they receive the higher rate of DLA they will be expected to attend.