DWP Work Experience

[anti-pacer]

A friend of mine has been claiming Universal Credit for just under a year. He has today received a letter telling him he has to go for an appointment to find a suitable Work Experience placement.

He's worked for 30 years but has struggled to find work since his last job ended. It's not experience he needs it's a job.

Does anyone know if this DWP box ticking exercise is mandatory? He's quite mythed as whatever period he will end up working for no extra pay in a shop, will stop him from finding serious employment.

 

[najaB]

Does anyone know if this DWP box ticking exercise is mandatory? He's quite mythed as whatever period he will end up working for no extra pay in a shop, will stop him from finding serious employment.

Yes, he can get sanctioned if he doesn't take any places that they find.

While it is a box-ticking exercise to some degree, the theory behind it is sound: the more and longer the gaps in your CV, the less employable you appear when you do apply for posts.

 

[fowler9]

Yes, he can get sanctioned if he doesn't take any places that they find.

While it is a box-ticking exercise to some degree, the theory behind it is sound: the more and longer the gaps in your CV, the less employable you appear when you do apply for posts.

You are right that he should do it or he will be sanctioned, however, the theory behind it is bobbins. If there is a job that needs doing he should be paid full wack for it, not benefits. You don't need to give work experience to someone with 30 years of work experience.

 

[najaB]

You are right that he should do it or he will be sanctioned, however, the theory behind it is bobbins. If there is a job that needs doing he should be paid full wack for it, not benefits.

I agree. But there's probably not that big a delta between what you would get for 15 hours a week in a shop and what you get as Jobseeker's Allowance.

You don't need to give work experience to someone with 30 years of work experience.

I know, but it fills a gap in the CV.

 

[fowler9]

I agree. But there's probably not that big a delta between what you would get for 15 hours a week in a shop and what you get as Jobseeker's Allowance.
I know, but it fills a gap in the CV.

And that is where it all falls down. If a job needs doing and the jobseeker is capable of doing it then give them a job. Don't mess them around with a month or whatevers work experience. It is insulting.

 

[najaB]

And that is where it all falls down. If a job needs doing and the jobseeker is capable of doing it then give them a job. Don't mess them around with a month or whatevers work experience. It is insulting.

I *believe* (but do not know for sure) that the job will have been open on Universal Jobsearch as a regular post for a while before it gets offered as a 'work placement' position.

 

[furnessvale]

You are right that he should do it or he will be sanctioned, however, the theory behind it is bobbins. If there is a job that needs doing he should be paid full wack for it, not benefits. You don't need to give work experience to someone with 30 years of work experience.

Without being flippant, he appears to have 30 years work experience but perhaps as a coal miner when the last pit in the UK has just closed?

 

[anti-pacer]

Without being flippant, he appears to have 30 years work experience but perhaps as a coal miner when the last pit in the UK has just closed?

He's worked in financial services.

 

[furnessvale]

He's worked in financial services.

The point I was really making is that after 12 months unsuccessful job seeking, perhaps a change of career beckons.

I know a man who has been unemployed for at least 5 years. He has an MSc as a very specialised high end mechanical engineer, but refuses to look outside the small market town where he lives for anything other than suitable jobs.

I have no idea how he survives because I am sure his dole will have stopped long ago, or should have.

 

[northwichcat]

He's worked for 30 years but has struggled to find work since his last job ended. It's not experience he needs it's a job.

Has he been offered suitable support for making applications and attending interviews? From my own experience of DWP and what I've heard others say Job Centre appointments are focused too much on making you prove you've been actively looking for work rather than giving you the support needed to get the job.

 

[northwichcat]

I know a man who has been unemployed for at least 5 years. He has an MSc as a very specialised high end mechanical engineer, but refuses to look outside the small market town where he lives for anything other than suitable jobs.

I have no idea how he survives because I am sure his dole will have stopped long ago, or should have.

I'm under the impression under normal circumstances you have to be willing to get to and from a work place up to 90 minutes from your home to claim benefits.

I don't know how that works in practice. For instance, if I worked in Macclesfield and started at 9am, I would have to catch a 7:25 bus after a 15 minute walk to the bus station. Would having to leave home by 7:10 for a 9am start count as an over 90 minute commute?

 

[Darandio]

I *believe* (but do not know for sure) that the job will have been open on Universal Jobsearch as a regular post for a while before it gets offered as a 'work placement' position.

That certainly wasn't the case when I worked in recruitment for PPDG and we had a contract with the DWP to fund such placements. The (mainly) retailers we dealt with made new positions for these placements, i've no idea if it's the same today.

 

[najaB]

That certainly wasn't the case when I worked in recruitment for PPDG and we had a contract with the DWP to fund such placements. The (mainly) retailers we dealt with made new positions for these placements, i've no idea if it's the same today.

Okay, thanks. That wasn't the impression I got from my job coach, but fortunately I was only unemployed for a couple of months.

 

[anti-pacer]

My mate was told it is mandatory to attend the appointment, but that he is under no obligation to take any of the placements on offer.

 

[ainsworth74]

I have no idea how he survives because I am sure his dole will have stopped long ago, or should have.

As long as he is meeting the conditions of his Claimant Committment (i.e. actively seeking work by applying for jobs or undertaking activities that increase his chances of gaining work) then he can be receiving JSA/UC for as long as it takes. All the way thought to his State Pension if needs be!

I don't know how that works in practice. For instance, if I worked in Macclesfield and started at 9am, I would have to catch a 7:25 bus after a 15 minute walk to the bus station. Would having to leave home by 7:10 for a 9am start count as an over 90 minute commute?

Last I heard they expected you to plug it into Traveline to work out of it was more than 90 minutes or not. That may have changed but I doubt it. So for your example you'd put your post code in, the post code of your job and set the time to arrive by 9am and see what you get.

If you had a car of course it's a bit different. I would gamble they'd accept a Google maps or similar journey planner result (or if they don't I'd gamble an appeal tribunal would if they tried to sanction you).

My mate was told it is mandatory to attend the appointment, but that he is under no obligation to take any of the placements on offer.

That sounds about right. The appointment will be mandatory (vast majority of Jobcentre appointments will be and I can't off hand think of any that wouldn't be) but, assuming it's the Work Experience programme (which is usually aimed at 16-24 year olds but anyone can take part if appropriate), then yes they don't have to take up the offer of placement. Note that if they do take up a placement then it will become mandatory so if they fail to go to the placement or get 'sacked' then they could be sanctioned.

 

[najaB]

...but, assuming it's the Work Experience programme (which is usually aimed at 16-24 year olds but anyone can take part if appropriate), then yes they don't have to take up the offer of placement.

That's interesting. I guess since it's unpaid it is different to refusing an offer of employment.

 

[ainsworth74]

That's interesting. I guess since it's unpaid it is different to refusing an offer of employment.

Off the top of my head I suspect it relates back to the issue a few years ago where the DWP got in all sorts of trouble for forcing people to work in Poundland or other places for 'work experience' or face losing their benefits. Which was, not unreasonably, felt to be the DWP effectively subsidising big business by providing free labour and making people work for far below the minimum wage. But I've not checked if that's the case it's just a guess!