Benefits issue

tomtontom

Puppetmaster79 wrote: »

No nearest ones of both are miles away as he lives in Essex (Norwich, London and Milton Keynes).

But thanks for that that does give me a few ideas. Just JSA and income support while my half sister was living there from 2002 - 2008...

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=disability%20employment%20support%20essex&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCIQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.essex.gov.uk%2FHealth-Social-Care%2FCare-for-Adults%2FStaying-Independent%2FRight-to-Control%2FDocuments%2Fsupport%2520guide%2520to%2520hep%2520disabled%2520people%2520work.pdf&ei=NFDrU6OzBozA7AaFpIGoCQ&usg=AFQjCNH7z0g_2USpow893sqHGl0RzOCGLw&sig2=qb_LjhHOkenuhNh7w9YfSw&bvm=bv.72938740,d.ZGU

Hopefully this link will work - if you scroll to page 22 there are some organisations that may be suitable.

Puppetmaster79

tomtontom wrote: »

Hopefully this link will work - if you scroll to page 22 there are some organisations that may be suitable.

That is good info, but the places on P22 are more for people with learning disabilities like downs syndrome and autism for example, not really people with numeracy and literacy issues...

I work as a support worker for learning disabilities so I know a lot of the places there.

The site hasn't been updated lately as Four Seasons has shut down...

rogerblack

Puppetmaster79 wrote: »

Well the job centre are not helping him as they stated "Its not their job to help as I had a meeting with them and my father."

Has he specifically been referred to the disability employment advisor?
Have you become his appointee for JSA?

https://www.gov.uk/equality-act-2010-guidance may also be worth reading.
The DWP are required to do 'reasonable adjustments' for people with disabilities.
This includes even non-financial damage.

Is he claiming DLA - or perhaps PIP.
Has he had a social services assessment of his needs?

Cyberman60

Puppetmaster79 wrote: »

Well he would if there was plenty of jobs around which are accessable to him...

Unfortunately there aren't many around and a lot of employers take on youngsters to train them as they know that they're more likely to advance their career. Even though employers aren't supposed to do that they find other reasons for taking younger people on. I even walked into supermarkets with him like the co-op and tesco asking if they had vacancies and they had nothing in his area.

I was temporarily unemployed and struggled to get back into full time work (eventually I did) and I have 15 years experience in my field!

It's where the benefits system has gone a bit crazy and unsustainable though, isn't it. The guy can clearly work so I personally don't see why the taxpayer should support him except in extreme circumstances... ie safety net, not featherbed.

There are jobs out there as today's figures yet again show unemployment falling and Romanians and Bulgarians now number 135,000 in the UK. I was once unemployed also for two years so I do understand the frustration.

I do sympathise with the OP but we cannot put the whole of the UK on ESA simply because they cannot find work. Maybe there are other temporary benefits he can apply for while on JSA, such as housing allowance, council tax etc, which I remember being offered to me (I took my pension early instead as I hated being on JSA) while he continues to seek work.

TELLIT01

The only requirement in order to make an application for ESA is a medical certificate (now called a certificate of fitness for work) from his GP. If he has that he will be paid ESA at the assessment rate until he has a medical assessment. This is supposed to happen in the first 13 weeks. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't! What the outcome of any assessment would be I can't say.
Payment during the assessment phase is exactly the same as he is currently receiving on JSA.

Puppetmaster79

rogerblack wrote: »

Has he specifically been referred to the disability employment advisor?
Have you become his appointee for JSA?

may also be worth reading.
The DWP are required to do 'reasonable adjustments' for people with disabilities.
This includes even non-financial damage.

Is he claiming DLA - or perhaps PIP.
Has he had a social services assessment of his needs?

No to all that, Job centre have said nothing to him about this...

Puppetmaster79

Cyberman60 wrote: »

It's where the benefits system has gone a bit crazy and unsustainable though, isn't it. The guy can clearly work so I personally don't see why the taxpayer should support him except in extreme circumstances... ie safety net, not featherbed.

There are jobs out there as today's figures yet again show unemployment falling and Romanians and Bulgarians now number 135,000 in the UK. I was once unemployed also for two years so I do understand the frustration.

I do sympathise with the OP but we cannot put the whole of the UK on ESA simply because they cannot find work. Maybe there are other temporary benefits he can apply for while on JSA, such as housing allowance, council tax etc, which I remember being offered to me (I took my pension early instead as I hated being on JSA) while he continues to seek work.

Right so what you're basically saying is my father can 'clearly work' and you don't see why the tax payer should continue to fund him? Have you actually had the privilege of meeting my father to make such comments like that?

That is such a nice attitude speaking like that about someone who is having difficulty finding work and is getting scant help from the Job centre with literacy and numeracy problems and who has health issues with diabetes and stress caused by the Job centre's neglect.

Edinburgh65

Unfortunately, it is probably unfair to direct the term neglect towards the Jobcentre these days.

Many years ago, when less people were unemployed and less had "issues", perhaps the staff did have more time to help people to actually find jobs.

Given the increase in jobseekers over recent years, it's not currently sustainable to be able to offer that level of help to people. People have to take responsibility for themselves. The Jobcentre will set targets and jobseekers need to take responsibility for themselves and seek their own jobs. Maybe they should rename this service.

In an ideal world, people would get more help, but the system is overloaded. At present, I would imagine that the Jobcentre only has time to cope with the basics, although they should be taking the time to offer your Dad help with sourcing basic literacy and numeracy courses.

I was unemployed for just over a year a few years ago, and at no point in that time did I expect the Jobcentre to find a job for me. There are simply not enough hours in the day for them to find jobs for the unmotivated.

I know that your Dad feels very stressed, but that is probably normal for anyone who needs to attend the Jobcentre. Nobody likes to be scrutinised or questioned, but if you want to claim benefits, then you have to jump through the required hoops. Anyone who does not feel stressed on entering a Jobcentre is probably not sufficiciently aware of the predicament that they are in. Stress is normal for a genuine jobseeker, and is no excuse for being allowed to opt out of attending appointments.

xylophone

with literacy and numeracy problems

Have you checked on whether there are adult literacy/numeracy classes available in your borough?

Edinburgh65

Is there a B&Q or Morrison's store near your Dad? Around here, those stores seem to be a lot more sympathetic to employing older employees, and older employees seem to make up the bulk of the checkout staff.