Access to Work, a conundrum?

GlasweJen

So access to work have been on the phone to my employer and to my taxi company. I got a letter to call an English office which I did.

So the man on the phone kept asking about my DLA award and stuff, and then he asked how I'd get to work if I wasn't sick. So after a commotion he said I'm being charged for mileage when my contribution should be nil as I'm entitled to free bus travel.

Now I've been paying £10 a day for a year and it turns out I shouldn't have because this woman has said I can drive but I couldn't drive even if I wanted! Should I ask for this back or just leave it? On one hand I really struggled paying £360 monthly from my wage of 1000 after tax but on the other not everyone gets taxis funded and I feel like I should pay something.

The amount involved is roughly £2300.

Soapn

I absolutely applaud your whole ethos towards work!

I wish more people would be like you.

I think you should claim for the money back.:)

formaldehyde_perfume

Reclaim! Theyd certainly be chasing you like a pack of wolves if it were the other way round.

GlasweJen

I'm still mulling this over and my OP doesn't make much sense so here it is a bit clearer.

I started getting access to work support when I had job 1, the advisor told me that the contribution I paid was the cost of public transport. I pointed out that public transport was free for me or £11 a week with a weekly card and she said those don't count and it has to be the cost of 2 single tickets a day, fair enough I thought.

I've now found out that as I was getting my mum to take me to that job before A2W stepped in I was being deducted 20p per mile from the total taxi cost and that is the correct protocol for someone who was being taken to work or who has a mobility car/has a remote chance of driving.

Then I got job 2, I was told again that I'm paying for single tickets but the claim is still deducting 20p per mile (I.e. not the public transport tickets which again, are free). Job 2 is 20 miles away from my house and it's all motorways so A2W guy thought maybe there was no public transport between my house and my work but turns out I can get 2 buses and I'm literally being dropped off at our shops front door. Because I've never driven/been taken to this job before and I can't drive for medical reasons and I don't have a mobility car I should be getting deducted public transport rates and not mileage. I get free buses so I shouldn't have been deducted.

I had a huge stress trying to claim last year and the woman was downright rude to me, expected mountains and mountains of paperwork that wasn't asked for in any of the official documentation and she was acting like she was personally funding the scheme, I did make a complaint about her at the time.

I am swaying on the reclaim side as things are tight just now, I've not earned for 5 months and things could be easier with a bit more cash but it just seems a bit greedy.

Anubis_2

I think only you could make that decision, but if you are swaying towards claiming then go with that instinct, after all, you shouldn't have been charged in the first place, therefore you are claiming for what is yours and has been taken.

GlasweJen

I would be happy being given back the actual public transport cost (£50 a month vs £30 a week) but I know what red tape is like!

gingergee

Excuse the ignorance, what are access to work? xxx

GlasweJen

The job centre run access to work. They basically help disabled people by providing them with support in the work place. They do things like arrange transport, hearing induction loops, CCTV for blind people, special chairs and basically anything within reason that would help a disabled person access their work place.

gingergee

So would they help someone actually find a job? Or is it just helping those in their current employment? Im desperate to keep working, but cant do what i was doing. Dont know where to turn for help x

GlasweJen

Remploy help disabled people find jobs as do some special advisors at Jon centres but you need to request them. Access to work would help with interviews (if you need a communicator) and then support you once you actually have the job.

Richie-from-the-Boro

conDEMS are dumping over 1000 disabled Remploy workers this year !