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Disabled claimants in UK to be told to get a job in 2 years or face a year's sanction.

Countrygirl

Senior Member
Messages
5,429
Location
UK
https://skwawkbox.org/2017/07/17/di...2-yrs-to-get-job-or-be-sanctioned-for-a-year/
And the most hideous aspect of this hideous system is that it applies to disabled people. Two years to find work or you’re cut off from support.

It’s hard to imagine that this could be true, that anyone could be so lacking in humanity as to devise such a system, let alone enforce it. But it is true. A DWP insider told the SKWAWKBOX:

Yes, it’s absolutely true and absolutely appalling.

A claimant can either be placed in the WRAG (work-related activity group) or SG (support group), depending on what the healthcare professional has put in their report as part of the Work Capability Assessment (WCS).

However, if neither the WRAG or SG have been satisfied then the claimant is considered fit for work on the grounds of no Limited Capability for Work (LCW) then they must either appeal or claim Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA) (or remain claiming UC if they are claiming this benefit).

The “JSA equivalent” is the WRAG – people who have been assessed as disabled but still capable of working.

A claimant used to be paid an extra WRAG premium of around £26 a week, but this was axed from 3 April 2017 – but for new claimants only who claim from this date, existing claimants are exempt – for now.

As the WRAG is no longer payable, the claimant will only receive the JSA rate of £73.10 a week (or £102.50 for a couple claim). This is because the WRAG means the claimant must attend the Jobcentre periodically and see their Work Coach to get them back into work. Failure to comply at any time will result in a sanction. SG claimants are exempt and are not required to attend the Jobcentre – but that could be about to change.

But your source is correct. If WRAG claimants haven’t found work within two years, under the new rules they will be sanctioned for a year.

Blanket, deadline-based sanctioning of 100% of the people put into a group by a medical assessment that is widely considered arbitrary.

This frankly evil aspect of Universal Credit needs to be widely understood – and universally opposed – and a government that has this kind of cruelty at its heart cannot be allowed to continue in office.
 

tinacarroll27

Senior Member
Messages
254
Location
UK
I have just answered an email from someone with ME who has been told by the DWP that their 'expert' has informed them that people with ME can cure themselves with 18 months by increasing activity. After that, her benefit will be removed.

It gets worse and worse!! Who is this expert? someone from the PACE TRIAL?? :aghhh::aghhh::aghhh::aghhh::aghhh::aghhh::aghhh:
 
Messages
64
Location
Charlotte, NC
I feel we have a limited time of finding treatment before society has a partial collapse whether financial or some kind of major military action that will disrupt research and much more.

Too many signs pointing to major upheaval and global chaos by the mid '20's. Research needs to work fast or I fear we'll be stuck indefinitely.
 
Messages
2,125
If you get put into the WRAG you get Contributions based ESA. This is only payable for one year and then it is means tested (Income Based ESA). If you have savings you are stuffed.
So at the moment you only have one year to not only get well enough to work, but to find a job as well.
Same as healthy jobseekers.
 
Messages
2,391
Location
UK
I have just answered an email from someone with ME who has been told by the DWP that their 'expert' has informed them that people with ME can cure themselves with 18 months by increasing activity. After that, her benefit will be removed.

:mad:
Is this something one of the ME charities could pick up on? The DWP should not be allowed to issue such a diktat without it being open to public scrutiny.
 

Daisymay

Senior Member
Messages
754
Dear goodness this is utterly appalling, what's this country coming to......

My heart goes out to everyone on ESA, the stress and fear they put people under it horrendous x

This just hasn't been publicised, we have to hope that when people understand what's going on there will be yet another u-turn.

Edit: Will the BMA and Royal Colleges speak out about this, they blooming well should!
 

RogerBlack

Senior Member
Messages
902
There are large parts of this story that are wholly inaccurate.

Under universal credit, there is no requirement to get a job in two years.
There is a requirement to do various things, depending on the level of 'conditionality' - but as long as you do them, you can't be sanctioned.

This can include various work-search and other requirements such as courses.

But your source is correct. If WRAG claimants haven’t found work within two years, under the new rules they will be sanctioned for a year.

I've been following the development of universal credit, including reading the actual legislation, and reading adviser websites daily.

The cancelling of the WRAG premium is bad enough, as are other aspects, but this claim is at best a careless mistruth.

It may be a misinterpretation of 'contributions based' benefits, which do time out (and leave you on income based) after one year.
 

Wonko

Senior Member
Messages
1,467
Location
The other side.
Whilst I wouldn't put it past our wonderful PM to do this sort of thing, and it seems in line with other things I've read are being discussed by various parliamentary working groups, I did wonder why I hadn't seen anything about it on UK benefits assistance sites, so as someone who no longer has the brain to follow UC (or pretty much anything else) thank you for that debunking and explanation.
 

Large Donner

Senior Member
Messages
866
Im hoping more of this Victorian nonsense gets taken to court and gets defeated like the benefits cap and the bedroom tax.

At least this case below is a step in the right direction.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...lawsuit-court-case-judge-misery-a7802286.html

The Government has been dealt a huge blow as the High Court ruled its benefit cap is unlawful and illegally discriminates against single parents with young children.

Conservative ministers are now likely to be forced to change or scrap one of their flagship welfare policies, which limits the total amount of benefits a household can receive to £23,000 a year in London and £20,000 elsewhere.
 

RogerBlack

Senior Member
Messages
902

So they're backing off the original claim.

There is no limit of two years if you don't find a job, for anyone on UC.
You are not sanctioned if you do not find work. You are sanctioned if you do not perform actions towards finding work that are specified by your work coach.
This may include if you're not in either of the 'sick' groups being required to interview and do your best at interviews, as well as courses, and other required activities. Simply not finding work does not stop your UC after a set period.