What happens if UC want you to work but you can’t get a job?

[Whatisthereason]

What actually happens if you do the required amount of work related activities, attend interviews of you manage to get any but just never get offered a job?
If this goes on for years what actually happens ?

Depends on the circumstances and they may look at what type of work, where you are applying and extending the travel to area (it can be 90 minutes each way). They can also also refer you to a DWP funded provider, who will work with you on a weekly basis, often in person, to help you find work. Sanctions are a last resort and usually for those that cannot demonstrate they have been carrying out sufficient work searches / applications or failing to attend appointments. Have they offered you help with CV? Work searching? Referral to specialist Employment Coaches? Often HAs have support and they have more success than DWP funded programmes with finding people work.

It’s not for me it’s for a close family member . They have been let’s say , extremely honest in their CV about their limitations which means they don’t get many interviews (but the argue it’s the truth eg no qualifications, not able to work in a team, unmotivated to work alone, extremely limited due to past criminal Convictions and MH struggles). Applies for lots of jobs but never gets them, actually does try hard to gain qualifications but can’t manage to.

If their CV openly states all of those things I wouldn’t be surprised if they will get sanctioned for this, writing on a job application that they can’t work alone and also can’t work within a team etc may as well be submitting a CV that says “I do not want this job, don’t hire me”, they are not truly looking for work and this will be picked up on

With respect, "unmotivated to work alone" is a problem. your "motivation" is to put food on the table. Potentially same with "can't work in a team" (unless a good reason).
There's being honest + then there's deliberately not trying to get work...

None of us feel super "motivated" to go to work & we'd all of course rather not have to. I think any UC coach worth their salt would recognise this is not a genuine attempt to find work.

Can they be sanctioned if this is the truth though? The person has autism but isn’t getting PIP (they are described as high functioning) they aren’t actually lying and I’ve offered to help redo the CV (but I think I’d struggle as there isn’t much I’d be able to put for them ) the problem would then be they will be totally honest at interview stage so it may get them more interviews but once they talk that’s it - they tell the truth and that won’t help them get a job !

If they are genuinely unable to work as part of a team or alone due to autism, then they are too disabled to work & they need to go down this route x

I think this is due to the relentless pursuing of obsessive hobbies so anything deviating from that just isn’t tolerated ?

Multiple courses are started and not completed there’s definitely something there where they want qualifications but then lose interest ?

Persuading them to reapply for PIP is proving impossible. They last tried 5 years ago and were rejected and wouldn’t appeal

How long have they been on UC. It does sound like being put on an intensive program like restart might help them if they get a decent coach who will support them properly.

@Whatisthereason as before, they're either capable of holding down a job or they're not. If they're deemed capable of work, they need to write a CV & attend interviews with the aim of getting a job. Same with qualifications unfortunately. Can't just keep giving up on things & expecting the taxpayer to fund it.

If genuinely too disabled to work, that's different

Yes they absolutely can and would be sanctioned. You can’t send off applications that essentially say “don’t hire me” and then claim to your work coach that you are actively looking for a job.

If they continue like this they will be sanctioned and payments stopped, this is a last resort and not something they want to do but they will be “motivated” to look for any job when those payments stop coming in and they need to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads.

Same applies to interviews.

If they're incapable of work, I'm not sure it's PIP. Isn't there disability benefit (not sure what it's called) where you aren't required to look for work? X

They need to be applying for jobs.

If they have a Cv and are applying then extra support may be put in.

This might include looking at their cv.

There are some truths that you need to put on a Cv (qualifications, convictions etc) and others that you don't.

Once the employer discovers they are disabled they won't get the job anyway (bitter experience here)

I think the work coach is likely to get more involved in helping with CV at some point. And really, if they get more interviews through being less honest on application (if work coach advises) then their attitude will be noticed in the job interview, and UC can't be sanctioned for that, if they attend interviews etc.

Yes so this is getting LCWRA status but it is incredibly difficult to get, the threshold is very very high, and from the info given it doesn’t sound like this person would succeed in gaining this

Have they tried to narrow down lines of work which might be suitable for them? For instance, working in a garden centre (where you can be supervised from a distance but not directly, watering/planting/caring for plants?

Being able to offer some streams of work which COULD be doable, even if the person can't get a job in them (they might not, for example, live anywhere near a garden centre/nursery) would at least be something to put forward if UC try to sanction.

@Mrsttcno1 thanks for this- that is what I'm thinking of.

Well, the OP's family member needs to decide whether they're able to work or not & seek support from there. It sounds like they would be able to do some jobs but currently don't want to.

This isn’t true, if the person is applying for lots of jobs and getting interviews but no job offers then the work coach can contact the employers and seek feedback, at which point if they report that the person has sat in interview and essentially said “here’s why you shouldn’t hire me” they can and will be sanctioned.

I think this is where our system isn't working. There are people who cant work without support but aren't disabled enough to qualify for help. Wonder if labour will do anything about this?

I think they'd be heavily sanctioned as they're deliberately making themselves unemployable by doing their CV like that. If they've been judged fit for work they won't be allowed to just stay on benefits for years.

It's sounding like they need a limited work capability assessment.

Would the GP understand his difficulties and issue him with a 'fit' note to hand in when applying for this consideration?

I know you say it's proving impossible to get him to reapply for Pip. We were approaching a similar battle at to you.

I joined Fightback on Facebook who are a charity who help with PIP forms. They have examples of applying when autistic and it was immensely helpful.

A few weeks ago we had a paper assessment with a short phone call from DWP and have been awarded PIP for autism for 4 years. It's accurate, and fair. But my point is we were not fobbed off as can be the case often with autism.

Is there anyone (including you) that could write to support his difficulties?

It's sounding like he needs more benefits support.

There should be someone from the National Careers Service based at the Job Centre and they should ask for an appointment. There should also be a Disability Champion and please do ask for additional help if needed. They should ask about training / upskilling and there are a great many SWAPs available, alongside fully funded training courses for those who are unemployed, whether virtual or in person. Apprenticeships can also be accessed at any age. I support a very broad spectrum of individuals into work, training and volunteering and there is always something positive to add to a CV. I have just referred a middle age adult, on the spectrum, to a volunteering placement, that he is very much enjoying and is helping him with re-engaging with people and developing confidence, after not working for 12 years! You can go with them to help explain the issues and most job coaches are happy for this, with the job seekers consent. Check out https://find-employer-schemes.education.gov.uk/schemes/sector-based-work-academy-programme-swap Mental health issues and criminal records are also not rare and there are employers who are supportive, again worth asking and looking at site such as https://unlock.org.uk/

I’m waiting for an appointment we are on a waiting list for an adult autism support worker with a local charity but the wait is up to 20 weeks. I’m just hoping they may be able to intervene and help as I don’t know what to do !

Doing a PIP application is very stressful and the process they go through can be error prone.

When I first applied for it the report they wrote on me was clearly someone else (wrong injury wrong history and frankly most details wrong).

I got insurance payout shortly afterwards to pay for wheelchairs, physio etc.

It is very demoralising though as it's a 50 page form and you have to submit loads of medical evidence.

I have just done the ESA version and been awarded not capable of work.

I would suggest help from family is probably best focused on redoing pip with the assistance of someone who knows the system.

Ime as a disabled person once you get to interview and they realise you are disabled (and he may not be able to hide his autism, I can't hide my wheelchair) you don't get the job.

If the employer is asked for feedback they are unlikely to say we didn't give him the job because he is disabled (not least because it's illegal) so the work Coach will get random bullshit from them.

Is there a disability employment lead that they could engage with at Jobcentre plus? This may help to explore what reasonable adjustments they may need to access a job; and also look at structured work experience or other support that could help to meet their needs?