pathway to work interview

[fast fuse]

hey, i got a letter saying i've got to go jobcentre 2mar, but i dont see point of having this as they want to help me get back to work & i don't see how it will work, , but im already getting help from therapist, i cant cope with waiting round/busy places so it just gonna make me anxious,
i got letter day before my medical assesmant, (which wernt as bad as i thought it would be),
i cant make the time anyway plus i have bad cold,sore throat, and they wont answer the phone so couldnt cancel, i won't be turning up,

anyone else had this? and is it any good?

[bulbie]

It depends where you go. But you'll have to attend. Sooner or later you will have to attend or give a bloody good reason not to. They certainly won't buy I have a cold, that's for sure.

I was sent to a company called Working Links for my Pathway to Work. They appeared great on the surface, really understanding of my condition, gave me all the help I needed or so I thought. In the end they made a lot of promises to me, all of which I bought because they were so nice, so unlike the job centre, and not one of them came true.

All I wanted was help finding work I would be able to manage, and to get into college to retrain as a counsellor. They did neither.

when you say 2mar do you mean tomorrow or 2nd March? If it's tomorrow then avoid it and they will write to you threatening to stop your money or just stop it without notice despite the fact you couldn't get through. If it's 2nd March then I daresay you'll be over your cold by then! :P

[enfantboheme]

"I have a cold"... hahaha... they're not going to go for that. They can, and will, stop your benefits if you refuse to attend some of these interviews. Is "Pathways to Work" compulsory, or can you opt-out? You need to know.

If you are summoned to one of these interviews, then go, but take somebody with you; social worker, support worker, advocate, a carer, and get that person to explain how your condition effects your day to day life. If you take somebody "professional" with you, they're less likely to cut your money. If you're having to go to a "job club" type scenario, get a letter from your psychiatrist to say it's no good for your mental health, and they can't make you attend.

If you don't have a psychiatrist, or a social worker, or a psychiatric nurse, or a support worker, then... you're probably not that sick, and maybe you're just lazy!

If they do stop your money, or part of it, then APPEAL. You usually have 28 days to appeal. You can then get evidence from, gps, social workers, cpns, psychiatrists, etc. Nine times out of ten, appeal with good evidence, they give you your money back.

[bulbie]

Not anymore they don't. Most people are still getting their money taken off them even with good evidence.

But given that the OP has been sent a letter saying they must go to this appointment, then chances are it's compulsory. Mine certainly was. I took someone with me to every appointment. Didn't do much good other than keeping me a little calmer just knowing someone was there.

But also agreed on you need as many docs for your condition as you can get, and ones you see regularly, or they aren't going to take you seriously at all.

As for appealing for your money if it is stopped, this is good advice, but unlikely to succeed if the op just doesn't turn up, especially if they later said I couldn't come I had a bad cold. I was sick for my first ever appeal a few years back. My IBS had totally floored me, could barely move and certainly didn't have the energy or concentration levels. Even this was not an excuse for them. I'd say the only excuse good enough for not showing up is you're dead.

[trombone_babe]

Yes I really think you will have to go, I'm sure this appointment is compulsory. Try and take someone with you to help with the anxiety. I have to say that out of all the interviews I've had to attend for ESA, occupational health assessments for work etc, this was by far the least stressful. They didn't try and push me back into work (the ESA docs are quite capable of doing that ) and just asked a few questions about my previous work, qualifications etc.

If you don't have a psychiatrist, or a social worker, or a psychiatric nurse, or a support worker, then... you're probably not that sick, and maybe you're just lazy!

That really isn't a very helpful thing to say. I went for years without access to any of the above, and still haven't got anyone in these fields that I would trust as far as I could throw them, and certainly not to support my case for benefits.

I hope you manage to go to your appointment and that it turns out to be OK.

[fast fuse]

i am getting another appointment, and i do have a cold/sore throat,(loadsa viruses going round) it only in my town so not far away, my mum went and told them, i tried ringing but they never answer the phone,..

[Scared with BPD]

You could say you need a home visit. I know it's a scarcity but I got one for both my ESA assessment and then for Pathways to Work. I don't know the outcome of the second visit yet, but they were really nice and also told me I should be receiving DLA which I thought was impossible to get these days so hadn't even thought of applying. Saying that, the form still hasn't been completed. But they were not as dismissive as I expected them to be.

Good luck.

[smokinghorse]

Just dont take your meds, then run amuck. you may get sectioned but then you will only need to worry what the hosptail look like lol, l plan to take no hostages as l feel none of this is about support it just to save money.

[smokinghorse]

Just dont take your meds, then run amuck. you may get sectioned but then you will only need to worry what the hosptail look like lol, l plan to take no hostages as l feel none of this is about support it just to save money.

thats if l have not killed myself by then

[keepsafe]

HEy smoking horse - obviously you are not doing too good - anything I can do to help - do you want to talk???
I agree with you its all about head count and cutting it and saving money - bloody b*ll*cks

KS