DWP Services & Provisions for those with Disabilities

8/9/2019 DWP Services & Provisions for those with Disabilities

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A selection of Services & Grants

For those with Disability issues wishing to return towork

103/05/2010Presented by John Fairest material edited fromDWP Resource


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The DEA-Disability Employment Advisor

Your Disability Employment Adviser can offer you:y an employment assessment to identify what type of work or

training suits you bestA referral, where appropriate to:,y to Work Preparation, an individually tailored programme

designed to help some disabled peopley Pathways to Work personal advisery

a work programme for disabled people, like the Job IntroductionScheme, WORKSTEP or Access to Worky a Work Psychologist for a more detailed employment

assessment to identify the best work or training for youy a job-matching and referral service - the DEA can let you know

about jobs that match your experience and skillsy information on employers in your area who have adopted the

'two ticks' disability symbol

Employment assessmentsy An employment assessment can help you identify your abilities

and strengths. At the end of it, you and your DEA will havecreated an action plan of steps you can take towards achievingyour employment goals.

Whathappens at the assessmentYour employment assessment will usually take place at your local

Jobcentre. You will have an interview with your DEA, which is an

opportunity for the two of you to:y talk about your skills and abilitiesy discuss any previous work experience you may havey agree what might be the most suitable job for youy As part of the assessment, you may be asked to carry out some

practical tasks and written work. These tasks will be similar tocommon tasks involved in various types of work.

y The assessment may take half a day or longer, depending onyour individual needs. The DEA will discuss the length of yourassessment with you beforehand.

After the assessmenty You and your DEA will talk about your assessment and agree on

an action plan to help you achieve your job goals. Your actionplan may include training or taking part in the 'WorkPreparation' programme.

y An employment assessment does not affect your benefits. Youcan claim travel expenses for attending an assessment



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Access to WorkBenefits

yAccess to Work might

pay towards theequipment you need atwork, adapting premisesto meet your needs, or asupport worker. It can

also pay towards the costof getting to work if youcannot use publictransport.

Eligibility

yYou may be able to get

Access to Work if youare:

y in a paid job

y unemployed and aboutto start a job

y unemployed and aboutto start a Work Trial

y self-employed



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The Job Introduction Scheme (JIS) is available through Jobcentre Plus. It can help you if

you have a disability that may affect the kind of work you can do. JIS pays a weekly

grant to your employer for the first six weeks of your employment to help towardsemployment costs.

Eligibilityy To qualify under JIS rules, the job can be full or

part-time, but must be expected to last for atleast six months, including the JIS period.

y The scheme cannot be used for jobs ingovernment departments or agencies, or forjobs that attract the 1,000 RecruitmentSubsidy.

y Neither can it be used for Permitted WorkLower Limit jobs, Workstep or a New Deal jobfor which a New Deal subsidy is being paid,although people on the New Deal forDisabled People programme can use JIS.

y It cannot be used by people taking part inWork Based Learning for Young People in

England, Training for Work and Skillseekers inScotland, or Skill Build in Wales. It cannot beaccessed within provider-led Pathways toWork Districts by Pathways customers.

The grant and how it is paid

y JIS pays a weekly grant to your employer for

the first six weeks that you are employed. Inexceptional circumstances, and afteragreement with your DEA, this may beextended to 13 weeks.

y Your employer will pay you the normal rate forthe job.



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Jobcentre PlusPathway to work Work CreditWho is eligibley When you make a claim for Employment and

Support Allowance or incapacity benefits, you will

automatically be considered forPathways toWork. Only people aged between 18 and the age whenyou are eligible to receive Pension Credit willautomatically be considered. This applies if you areclaiming for the first time, or are claiming again after abreak in receiving benefit.

Incapacity benefits include:y IncapacityBenefity Income Support on the grounds of incapacityy Income Support while you are appealing against a

decision that you are not incapable of worky Severe Disablement Allowancey Even if you are not automatically considered, you can

still apply for help from Pathways to Work if you areentitled to certain benefits because of your healthconditionor a disability.

y You can calculate your State Pension age by using theState Pension Age Calculator. The results also give thedate when you may be able to get Pension Credit.

Return to Work Credity Return to Work Credit is a tax-free payment

of 40 per week. It can be payable for up to52 weeks as long as:y your job is expected to last at least five

weeksy you are working on average over 16 hours a

weeky you are earning no more than 15,000,

before tax, per yeary you are earning at least the National

Minimum Wagey you have been getting an incapacity benefit

for 13 continuous weeks or morey A claim to Jobseekers Allowance or Income

Support as a lone parent in the five weeksbefore starting work might stop you fromqualifying. Please contact your adviser or

Jobcentre Plus for more details.



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WorkPath programmes

Jobcentre Plus have designed WorkPath programmes to help you get over the barriers you may face in the world

of work. WorkPaths offer practical support if you or the person you work for needs help, so that you can get the

most from yourself and from your work. There are three WorkPath programmes:

Access to Work

Work Preparation

WORKSTEP

Access toWorky Access to Work can help you if your

health or disability affects the wayyou do your job. It gives you, and theperson you work for, advice andsupport with extra costs which mayarise because of your needs.

Access to Work might pay towards:y the equipment you need at worky adapting premises to meet your

needsy a support workerIt can also pay towards:y the cost of getting to work if you

cant use trains or busesy a communicator at job interviews, if

you need one

WORKSTEPWORKSTEP can help if you feel that

you need a lot of support beforedoing a job on your own. It is allabout meeting your needs so thatyou can get and keep a job. You mayknow about WORKSTEP under itsold name of supportedemployment.

Work PrepSee next slide



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Work PrepAbout the programme

y Work Preparation is a flexible,individually-tailored programme that can

help you prepare for the return to work.y Work Preparation can help you to:

y identify the type of work most suitable foryou

y

gain work experience in a workenvironment

y learn new skills or update old ones

y build your confidence



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Disabled Friendly EmployerThe 'two ticks' disability symboly Although employers are bound by the Disability

Discrimination Act (DDA) to treat you fairly, some ofthem demonstrate that they are particularly positiveabout employing and retaining disabled people.

y Some employers show this by placing the JobcentrePlus 'two ticks' disability symbol on their job adverts.

y This means the employer has made somespecific commitments regarding the employment ofdisabled people. As part of this, you are guaranteed aninterview if you meet the minimum conditions for the

job vacancy.

Job adverts and application formsy An employer may include a statement in a job advert

that positively encourages disabled people to apply,and shows that the employerknows about their legalresponsibilities under the DDA.

Look out for the following:y is the 'two ticks' disability symbol displayed on adverts

and application forms?y where did you see the advert? Some employers put

adverts in places where disabled people are more likelyto see them, for example with Disability Employment

Advisers at Jobcentresy are application forms available in different formats?y are arrangements in place that enable candidates to

submit forms in the format best suited to them?y are you asked on the application form to say whether

you have any special requirements for attending an

interview?y is there a section on the application form asking you to

comment on any adjustments you think you mightneed because of disability or a health condition?

y If you are worried about this last issue and would likesome advice, talk to your Disability Employment

Adviser. They can help you decide on the best way toexplain your suitability for the job. They may alsocontact the employer on your behalf if you would likethem to.



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NDDPNew Deal for Disabled People is a programme of advice and practical support, which helps people move fromdisability and health-related benefits into paid employment.

New Deal for Disabled Peopley

New Deal for Disabled People is a programme of adviceand practical support, which helps people move fromdisability and health-related benefits into paidemployment.

How the programme worksy The programme is delivered through a network of 'Job

Brokers' from a range of organisations. Each Job Brokeroffers different services, which can be tailored to yourindividual needs.

y Your JobBroker will talk with you about your situationand the sort of work you want. They will help you decideon the best route into employment for you and work with

you to achieve your goals.

Who is eligible

y You can join the programme if you receive one or more of thefollowing benefits:

y Employment and Support Allowancey IncapacityBenefity Severe Disablement Allowancey Income Support including a disability premiumy Income Support because your IncapacityBenefit has been

stopped and you are appealing against the decisiony National Insurance credits because of incapacityy Disability Living Allowance, provided that you do not get

Jobseeker's Allowance and are not in paid work for 16 hours ormore a week

y Housing Benefit with a disability premium, provided that you donot get Jobseeker's Allowance and are not in paid work for 16hours or more a week

y Council Tax Benefit, provided that you do not get Jobseeker'sAllowance and are not in paid work for 16 hours or more a week

y War Pension with an Unemployability Supplementy Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit with an Unemployability

Supplementy a benefit equivalent to IncapacityBenefit from an European

Union (EU) member country



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NDDP how they can helpNew Deal for Disabled People JobBrokers can offer you a wide range of support, including:y helping you to look at your skills and abilities and identify suitable job opportunitiesy advice about writing CVsy helping you through the process of applying for jobs, including help with filling in

application formsy help with preparing for interviewsy identifying any training needs you may have and then working with local training

providers to get the training you needy information about local job vacanciesy supporting you during your first six months in worky They also work closely with local employers to help make sure things go well for you at

work. They can arrange extra support in the workplace - like special equipment, for

example - if you need it.y Some Job Brokers may be able to help you with travel costs to interviews or even pay for

some of your costs while you are looking for work. They will also advise you about helplike the travel-to-interview scheme.



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Declaring a disabilityThere is no obligation for you to disclose a disability - it is your own decision. However, there are

some things you might want to consider in making that decision

Should you tell a potential employer about your disability?y Although you may be uncertain about how an employer may

react, there are good reasons for telling a potential employerabout a disability.

y Employment is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act(DDA). This means it is unlawful for employers to discriminateagainst disabled people in their recruitment and selectionprocedures.

yUnder the DDA, employers must also consider making any 'reasonable adjustments' you might need in order to enable youto work for them. If you don't declare a disability, anemployment tribunal might decide that your employer wasjustified in failing to make adjustments for you. However, itcould also decide that your employer could reasonably beexpected to know about your disability even if you have notdeclared it.

y It is worth remembering that if your employer does not knowyou have a disability, they cannot make any adjustments to helpyou succeed in your job

Decidinghow and when to declare a disabilityy The DDA is the law, but keep these points in mind when

deciding whether to disclose a disability.y If you're asked in an interview or on an application form whether

you have a health condition or disability, answer in astraightforward way. Make the distinction between a healthcondition and a disability.

y If you sign a declaration saying you do not have a disability when

in fact you do, this may have consequences later on.y Application forms and medical questionnairesy Some application forms ask direct questions about disability, so

you can give all the details you feel are important whencompleting the form.

y If necessary, explain how your disability would affect you in awork environment - or say that it has no practical effect. Focuson your abilities and why you think you're the right person forthe job.

y If you feel that being disabled, or your life experience due toyour disability, increases your ability to do the job, mention thison the part of the application form that asks why you're suitablefor the job. If you don't disclose a disability, it may be harder to

explain its positive aspects later on.y You may also be asked direct questions about disability and

health on a medical questionnaire. Whether you will need to fillone out, and at what stage you do this, can depend on the type ofjob or employer.

03/05/2010Presented by John Fairest material edited fromDWP Resource 11


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Disability ApplicationsAttending interviewsy If you're shortlisted for an interview and

need practical support, such as a signlanguage interpreter or help getting tothe interview, you should contact the

employer to arrange this.y It's much easier for employers to respond

to your needs if they can prepare inadvance. It's a good idea to disclose adisability before an interview, althoughthis is not a legal requirement.

y If you wait until the interview and youhave a disability you haven't told the

employer about, it may take them bysurprise. They may ask irrelevantquestions about your disability that youcould have answered simply on theapplication form. The time should bespent explaining why and how you're theright person for the job, not focusing onissues of disability.

Employment tribunalsy Whether or not you declare a disability,

if you feel you've been treated unfairly inthe application process because of yourdisability, you can make a complaint to

an employment tribunal. A complaintmust be lodged within three months.The employment tribunal can:

y decide whether your treatment wasagainst the law

y recommend whether the employershould take certain action, for example,offer to employ you or change its policy

y order the employer to pay youcompensation



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For More information


This PowerPoint is a basic introduction toresources. John is a former NDDP advisor and

available for consultation and presentations

[email protected] 826469

Documents

DWP Services & Provisions for those with Disabilities