September welfare benefits

In Touch-South EastIssue 6 1st September 2010 IB/IS Reassessment The Process (subject to change following reassessment pilot) We will write to customers when their benefit becomes due for reassessment to tell them about the changes. We will also phone them to answer any questions they may have and find out if they need extra help. They do not need to contact us before they receive this letter. Customers will then be sent a medical questionnaire to complete and return and this will be used to decide if they need to attend a Work Capability Assessment. It is important that customers provide as much detail as possible when completing the questionnaire as this will be used to help decide if the customer is entitled to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Continued overleaf Those who cannot work or have limited capability to work will move to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The WCA will identify the most severely disabled people and those with the most severe health conditions, and place them in the ESA Support Group. They will not have to take up any work-related support unless they wish to do so. Those for whom we assess an eventual return to work is realistic will be placed in the ESA Work-Related Activity Group where they will have to take part in prescribed activity in order to retain their full benefit – this will include access to the Work Programme. We plan to introduce a single Work Programme that will offer targeted, personalised help for those who need it most, when they need it. Customers moving onto Employment and Support Allowance and Jobseeker's Allowance will be supported by the planned Work Programme. Incapacity Benefit/ Income Support Reassessment Summary of Policy All existing incapacity benefits* customers are to have their claims reassessed between October 2010 and 2014, (reassessment in the South East will be between February 2011 and 2014). As part of this reassessment the majority of incapacity benefits customers will undergo a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to determine their future benefit entitlement. Those assessed as fully capable of work will be invited to make a claim to Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), claim/remain on Income Support (IS) if they satisfy an alternative condition of entitlement, or move off benefits. *‘incapacity benefits’ includes both Incapacity Benefit (IB) and IS paid to people on the grounds of incapacity (including Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) cases) but not Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Attendance Allowance (AA).

IB/IS Reassessment Further Information IB/IS Reassessment Customer Journey (subject to change following reassessment pilot) Customer Letters (we are aware that there can be issues opening these documents therefore please refer to separate attachments sent with this newsletter) Useful Links Jobseeker’s Allowance Jobseeker's Allowance : Directgov - Money, tax and benefits Income Support Income Support : Directgov - Money, tax and benefits Pension Credit Pension Credit : Directgov - Pensions and retirement planning IB Reassessment The Process continued If they need to attend an assessment, the customer will be phoned to arrange an appointment. They will not need to attend an assessment if a decision can be made on the information provided on the medical questionnaire. Using the information from the questionnaire, the Work Capability Assessment and any other evidence provided we will then decide if they are entitled to ESA. People will continue to receive their current benefit, as long as they meet the conditions of entitlement, until we have reassessed their claim. If a customer does not return their medical questionnaire or attend a Work Capability Assessment when asked, this may affect their benefit If they can get ESA We will phone and write to the customer to tell them they can get ESA. We will transfer their claim automatically and they will not need to do anything. No one moving from their existing benefit to ESA will see a reduction in the level of their benefit entitlement at the point of change. If we assess that an eventual return to work is realistic, we will place the customer in the "ESA Work-Related Activity Group". This means they will: ,[object Object]

get support to help them prepare for suitable work

get extra money on top of their basic benefit called a "work-related activity component". If we assess the customer's illness or disability has a severe effect on their ability to work, we will place them in the "Support Group". This means they will: not have to take part in any work related activity, although they can do so voluntarily if they want to get extra money on top of their basic benefit called a "support component”. If they cannot get ESA We will phone the customer to tell them our decision and what to do if they think it is wrong. We will also discuss their options which may include the following (dependant upon eligibility): Claim Jobseeker's AllowanceThey will need to make a new claim for Jobseeker's Allowance. We can transfer them at the end of the call or give them a number to call later. Continue to claim Income SupportThey will not need to make a new claim, but the amount they get may change. Claim Pension CreditWe will give them the phone number to claim Pension Credit and tell them what they will need to do.

Work Choice fromOctober 2010 Work Programme The Work Programme will be far more personalised than existing programmes, with the support supplied being determined by front line providers based on the needs of individuals. DWP will also offer stronger incentives for providers to work with the harder to help and for the first time, pay providers out of the additional benefits they realise as a result of placing people into work. The Government will be implementing the new Work Programme by the summer of 2011. The Work Programme will be an integrated package of support providing personalised help for people receiving out of work benefits. In order to ensure that as many people benefit from the Work Programme as quickly as possible the Government will be phasing out many of our existing programmes and folding them into the Work Programme. Until the Work Programme is implemented, the Government will ensure support is in place. We will give providers the freedom to support customers based on their individual needs, and will base our payments system on results to ensure that providers are paid for additional sustainable job outcomes. From 25 October 2010 a new DWP supported employment programme – Work Choice - will replace the existing Workstep and Work Preparation programmes and the Job Introduction Scheme. Work Choice in the South East: In the South East approximately 2138 customers will transfer to Work Choice from our existing Workstep Providers and Remploy. South East Work Choice Providers Thames Valley – Shaw Trust Hants & IOW – CDG-WISE Ability Ltd Surrey & Sussex – Working Links Kent – Working Links Customers who do not want to transfer or disclose information will be supported by their Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Adviser. Work Choice aims to: Move away from individual programmes to a single programme with a modular approach based on effective needs assessment and creation of tailored packages of appropriate support; Create a programme that will reflect the differing needs between those needing short/medium-term supported employment before progressing into open employment and those needing long term support and who may never progress into unsupported employment; Develop specialist provision and ensure that clear guidance supports Jobcentre Plus Advisers, particularly Disability Employment Advisers, to refer the right customers at the right time

September welfare benefits

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September welfare benefits