work focused interviews - not applicable?

Hi,

Just became a member and this is my first post.

I suffer from ME/CFS and am just now applying for ESA. I have been off work for about a year, and have been living off an income protection plan which i have through my employer. I continue to be employed, although i am not working, and have no reason to think i will be better any time soon, basically i am dependant on a cure or miracle.

reading the articles from this site i can see that realistically i am not going to get put in the support group, but the group below. I think i will comfortably score more than 15 points in a medical assesment.

Am i right in thinking this would mean i would have to attend WFIs? This is pointless as i still have employment, and have had an assesment at work to see if they can do anything to help me get back to work. I have tried all the NHS offered treatments reccomended by NICE and am still not well enough to work. So what is the point in the WFI for me?

Attending an appointment like this costs me, it means that the rest of the day and the next day (at least) i will feel a worsening of my condition. So im not keen to have them.

Furthermore the insurance company which carried out a thorough investigation are satisfied that i am unfit for work and are paying out no problem. So how can the DWP insist on me attending WFIs?

How many WFIs would i have to go to, i read 5, is that right?

Thanks all,
Best Wishes

Hi snowathlete

You have one WFI a month for the first six months. I think it may be less frequent after that.

According to the ESA guides in the members' area, your personal advisor can waive the interviews if they think they will not be beneficial to you. Whether they do this is of course another matter, but you can explain to them what you have said in your post and ask them to waive the interviews as they are clearly detrimental to your health and will serve you no purpose (or anyone else for that matter).

Best wishes

Derek

DepressedDerek wrote:

Hi snowathlete

You have one WFI a month for the first six months. I think it may be less frequent after that.

According to the ESA guides in the members' area, your personal advisor can waive the interviews if they think they will not be beneficial to you. Whether they do this is of course another matter, but you can explain to them what you have said in your post and ask them to waive the interviews as they are clearly detrimental to your health and will serve you no purpose (or anyone else for that matter).

Best wishes

Derek

Derek, hear-hear! Six interviews???indeed that is a wonderful use of tax payers money...and to what end?

I'd love to see what results the WFI's have had in getting people into work?

Oh I forgot, the answer will not fit on one side of an A4 sheet in 32 point type set...sigh

BTD

Hi BTD

The answer has already been published and is quoted in the 5th July members news article.

The DWP have already admitted that Pathways to Work has been a complete failure, with no effect at all on the number of sick and disabled people moving into work.