Has Job Centre Plus got no shame?

speedyturtle

Paralysed teenager who has been on life support since birth must be ‘interviewed’ to prove he is unable work or face losing all his benefits

Liam Barker, 18, can only communicate by blinking

A letter Job Centre Plus said he might have to attend an interview to carry on getting benefits

A father was disgusted after his severely disabled son might have to prove he couldn't work in order to receive benefits.

Liam Barker, 18, was not expected to live beyond three months old after he was born paralysed and has remained on life support since birth.

But Liam defied his prognosis and celebrated his milestone birthday in December last year despite being born with an incredibly rare condition, called myotubular myopathy, a terminal muscle wasting disease.

He requires a ventilator to breathe and needs constant care from his parents Phil Barker, 52, and Michelle, 44, at their home in Linthorpe, Middlesbrough.

The family were awaiting news on which benefits their son would be entitled to but were shocked when they received a letter which informed them Liam would be entitled to employment and support allowance but that he may need to attend a 'Work Focus interview' in order to receive them.

Two weeks ago, Mrs Barker, who also has a 12-year-old daughter, discovered that Liam's child benefit payments had been stopped.

Mr Barker said: 'I discovered the letter last week. We'd been on a week's respite and it was there when we got back.

'I rang Stockton Benefit Centre and a woman on the phone asked me: "Can he work?"

'I tried to explain his medical condition and she just said: "It's a yes or no answer, it's a standard issue form."

Mr Barker explained that his son couldn't work but the lady on the phone said he may have to be interviewed and receive a medical assessment.

The letter insulted the family who claimed the Job Centre should have looked at Liam's National Insurance records beforehand

The father explained there was no way his son could attend an interview as the only place he visits is the hospital.

The family are still waiting to be instructed on what they are supposed to do now.

The father believes that Job Centre Plus should know Liam's situation as they have his National Insurance number, which can be used to reveal he claims disability benefits.

'I was quite annoyed really at that,' he said. 'After 18-years surely they must know now.

'How is he going to go to a back to work interview? He cannot answer them. He can only communicate with a blink so I do not know what they are going to expect him to do.

'If another disabled person had these issues and didn't have a full time carer, they might lose their benefits or not know what to do. It's caused a lot of upset.

'I don't think they really understand the situation and if they'd just looked into his National Insurance number or looked into his records properly they would realise he can't work.'

The Department of Work and Pensions says candidates found to be incapable of work, receive long term support.

A spokesperson for the DWP said: 'Often as a child gets older their needs change over time.

'The Work Capability Assessment looks at what a person can do, not only on what they cannot.

'If someone is not capable of any work, then they will of course get long term
incapacity support through the benefits system.'


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2206976/Job-Centre-Plus-Paralysed-teen-life-support-birth-told-prove-work-lose-benefits.html

garybarlowforpresident

It is a standard letter - it states he "may" be called for a WFI, not that he will.

Torry_Quine

garybarlowforpresident wrote: »

It is a standard letter - it states he "may" be called for a WFI, not that he will.

That was my thoughts as well. They don't send out individually written letters to people.

DomRavioli

That poor child has no quality of life, yet his parents whinge over this?

enabledebra

It's 'crying wolf' reporting like this that makes it harder to get the real issues taken seriously.

McKneff

In fairness, the people at the JC are not mind readers, they have no idea what the circumstances of this person is.

They have forms to fill in, while they may be told about the circumstances, and then the form is passed to some other person and again to some other person who only has what is written on the form to go on.

Whilst I have every sympathy with the situation, The parents lives may revolve around their son and rightly so, but theres still a world outside of that that doesnt.

Richie-from-the-Boro

At first reading of the REDTOP it seems the young fella must have a parent as PoA, which the SUN conveniently forgets to mention, which would have happened at age [child services to adult services DLA] 16. I'm making the assumption he is now 18 [child services to adult services ESA] and this is the usual insensitive and clunky but necessary process.

In short the adult that was acting for the child as his Power of Attorney will have received a letter saying your bairn is now 18 send in a MED3 or whatever and didn't do so on time. Of course his parents are offended by the lack of sensitivity in this clear cut case, but hey - in the interests of being even handed - that's what the Power of Attorney was granted for and the parent should have been more diligent in taking care of decisions and negotiations on behalf of his son. I suppose the dad with a clear cut inarguable public sympathy case is simply using the media to highlight the fact that the mechanistic 'tick' box lacks humanity .. .. and of course it does.

It's not clear from the article whether or not the dad did do what was required and then the DWP still stopped his benefit anyway .. .. or didn't do what was required as PoA and the benefit subsequently stopped because the DWP received no response.

I might have done the same thing in the same circumstances, it would be wrong, but yes - I might have lost the sense of reason !