ESA : WRAG to Support Group

deadby40

I was in WRAG for last 18 months, then after an ESA 50 last month I was placed in Support group for next 2 years.
Whilst I was in WRAG, I had 2 work/welfare interviews in September which I rejected completely. The first one was a complete write off, they said they would start all over again next interview. The 2nd one i told them they could sanction me whatever, i wasn t doing the work programme - my illness is aggravated and my health gravely worsened by doing this sort of Work Related Activity. They accepted this and told me not to worry about it anymore. They let me go and that was it for 3 months

Now i get a letter saying my next interview is in january 2012 and all the usual threats. What gives? I was under impression that in support group you didn t have to do Work Related Activity but this suggests otherwise

Tx for any informed opinions

dave030445

deadby40 wrote: »

I was in WRAG for last 18 months, then after an ESA 50 last month I was placed in Support group for next 2 years.
Whilst I was in WRAG, I had 2 work/welfare interviews in September which I rejected completely. The first one was a complete write off, they said they would start all over again next interview. The 2nd one i told them they could sanction me whatever, i wasn t doing the work programme - my illness is aggravated and my health gravely worsened by doing this sort of Work Related Activity. They accepted this and told me not to worry about it anymore. They let me go and that was it for 3 months

Now i get a letter saying my next interview is in january 2012 and all the usual threats. What gives? I was under impression that in support group you didn t have to do Work Related Activity but this suggests otherwise

Tx for any informed opinions

yes you are right you dont have to do any work related activitys when in the support group maybe they havent updated there files. yet

deadby40

Tx for that. I just freaked a bit cos something i read said that if in support group, you can volunteer for Work Related Activity programme. It also said that once volunteered in, you cannot leave. With me being in WRAG and thus the workfare programme, i thought they might be trying to connote the same thing - 'nobody ever leaves the work programme'

dave030445

deadby40 wrote: »

Tx for that. I just freaked a bit cos something i read said that if in support group, you can volunteer for Work Related Activity programme. It also said that once volunteered in, you cannot leave. With me being in WRAG and thus the workfare programme, i thought they might be trying to connote the same thing - 'nobody ever leaves the work programme'

you said your illness is aggravated and my health gravely worsened by doing this sort of Work Related Activity so why would you have volunteered

Tehya

Hi, my hubby is in the Support Group for almost 3 years, you're right you do not have to attend any meetings for job related activity in fact you'll be pretty much left alone until your next medical is due.

I had a similar problem when he was first placed in the Support Group as the folks who used to run the local WRAG meetings ( Shaw Trust ) tried to tell me that being in the Support Group meant having their support to move into work and if I didn't bring my hubby to them for training then they would tell the DWP to stop all our payments including DLA and Carer's Allowance. :eek:
Stupid thing about it all was they wanted to train him for a career in ICT when he'd been a computer programmer and then an ICT engineer for years before his illness took over his life. :mad:
I reported them to the DWP thus received a phone call two days later with a rather veiled apology claiming the person got it wrong because they were new although this was the same person who had been working, for well over 12 months, with the husband of a lady in my Carer's Group. :cool:

Anyway my advice: give them a call on monday and when they admit you don't have to go ask them for a letter confirming it.

PS: Dave the OP didn't volunteer, they are just worried that the person doing the WRAG interviews may think he has because he had to take part prior to being placed in the Support Group.

Mupettee: I'm sorry but that's none of your business.

deadby40

tx for that.

it does seem, from a bureaucratic perspective, very similar to your husband's experience. and yes, you are completely right in yr summation of my comments in relation to dave's (much appreciated) posts