A voice for London’s unemployed

UniteCommunity

Compulsory andVoluntary Work

KNOWYOURRIGHTS

Benefitclaimants –

the staff are often put under extremepressure to refer claimants to programmesor to sanctioning in order to hit secrettargets. unite and pCS are working to exposethe Government lies on targets and workingwith other organisations to help claimantsand to abolish workfare and sanctions.

Join Unite CommunityCome and be part of the largest union in theUK, Unite. If you’re unemployed, a carer, avolunteer, student or retired, UniteCommunity membership is for you.

unite Community membership costs just50p per week. up and down the countryCommunity members come together ingroups and meet up to take action togetheron issues they feel passionately about. Joinus and get involved. to find out more or tojoin on-linewww.unitetheunion.org/community oremail us on: community@unitetheunion.org

this leaflet was produced with the supportof london unemployed Strategies. Contact nick phillips on 020 7467 1283/nickplus007@gmail.com

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South East – Kelly tomlinSon Kelly.tomlinson@unitetheunion.org07941 342835

South West – brett SparKeS brett.sparkes@unitetheunion.org07718 666593

London & Eastern – daVid CondliFFe david.condliffe@unitetheunion.org07791 113806

Midlands – Shaun penderShaun.pender@unitetheunion.org 07885 803449

North West – Sheila Coleman Sheila.coleman@unitetheunion.org 07711 375538

North East Yorkshire & Humberside – John CoanJohn.coan@unitetheunion.org 07711 375536

Scotland – Jamie Caldwell Jamie.caldwell@unitetheunion.org07980 721417

Ireland – albert hewitt albert.hewitt2@unitetheunion.org07711 375537

Wales – ian Swanian.swan@unitetheunion.org07850 649699

Contact your local Unite community coordinator

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work and health programme (wahp)

The Government Department of Work andPensions (DWP) have said they believe thatwork is good for people’s health. their aimfor the work and health programme, whichis replacing work Choice and the workprogramme, is therefore to get as many long-term sick and disabled people as possible –and the long-term unemployed – into work.

For the long-term sick and disabled peoplethe scheme will be formally voluntary. thelocal authority, Jobcentre coaches, Gps,health-based support agencies etc. will allbe able to refer clients to the serviceproviders – private companies such asmaximus, ingeus and remploy. One bigproblem will be whether claimants see theseagencies’ ‘encouragement’ as unduepressure at a time when they may simplyneed out-of-work support and healthcare.

the scheme lasts 15 months per claimant,with up to 6 months ‘in-work support’ forthose who do find work. it will includeintensive ‘barriers to work’ assessments,followed by signposting to a variety of

health-related courses (often online so diy-type) as well as the usual work preparationtype e.g. CV-writing, interview techniques.For the long-term unemployed (over 2 years)the scheme is CompulSory. this isalarming as it could potentially lead to aclaimant being requested to do workexperience, work placement and/or othertypes of work with the threat of benefitssanctions if they do not comply.

Contrary to what these schemes can imply,the biggest barrier to work for disabled, sickand long-term unemployed people is not oftheir own making. It is the employersthemselves, who will not provideappropriate jobs (with adaptations wherenecessary for the disabled) on decent termsand conditions.

Some people may feel they could benefitfrom the new work and health programme;and at least for those for whom the schemeis voluntary, they have nothing to lose bytrying it out, as in theory they can exitthemselves at any time. but our advice is becareful what you commit to and seek adviceif you are in doubt.

A possible alternative – ‘EthicalVolunteering’

Myth: I can only do 16 hours voluntarywork a week before I lose my benefit

Fact: You can do as much as you want –but don’t overdo it!

the government, dwp and Jobcentre plus areall now very keen on what they call’promoting volunteering to improveemployment prospects’.

the official dwp line is: Universal credit advisers (and JSA ‘coaches’)will be able to reduce a claimant’s expectedhours (of work search) to up to 50% toaccommodate voluntary work. However, theclaimant is not restricted to the number ofhours they wish to do.

‘expected hours’ of work search is normally35 which means you can do up to 17.5 hoursof voluntary work without your benefit beingaffected, and anything over that, you do inyour own time. Remember – you can do yourwork search at any time – it doesn’t have tobe between 9 and 5!

there is an organisation called KeepVolunteering Voluntary: http://www.keepvolunteeringvoluntary.net/ unite and most of the other big unions aresigned up to it, as well as campaigninggroups like disabled people against Cutsand major charities like Shelter. all itsmembers are opposed to compulsoryworkfare schemes and take on volunteersonly because they want to be there.

if you go on their website, or contact yourlocal voluntary action or volunteer centreyou should be able to find a not-for-profitorganisation that works on issues that yousympathise with, and that you can dovoluntary work for. it should also providetraining for you. together you can tell theJCp coach that this is going to produce, intheir terms,‘the best prospects of obtainingwork’, more than any compulsory schemethey try to put you on.

We want real jobs and a real living wage –not Workfare and sanctions

pCS is the union that represents job centreworkers. it is not staff working in jobcentresthat set Government policy. they want to be able to provide help tothose who need it rather than focus onconditionality or mandatory unpaid work.

Compulsory and Voluntary Work

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