To take a job with the DWP even though I will lose friends

[Sunsnet]

I currently work a minimum wage job in retail. It's long hours, exhausting and for really shitty money. Sometimes I earn less than minimum wage as I'm salaried and not entitled to overtime.

I've just been offered a job with the DWP. I'll earn 50% more, have a WAY better pension plus more benefits. I'll even be able to work fewer hours so I can spend more time with my family and STILL be better off than now. BUT, I have friends who think the DWP is immoral and by working for them I will be implicit in that immorality.

I agree that the way the DWP works at the moment is immoral, but surely we need good people to work there to ensure that people who need the help and are entitled to it actually get it. Or am I just clutching at straws to justify my position?

I have one friend in particular who says they will never speak to me again if I take the job. This friend is independently wealthy and never needs to work again, I am not. I do not own property, have a family to support, I'm a single parent and I have no qualifications so have no hope of a better job.

Would I really be that awful a person to sell out and take this job?

Definitely go for the new job.

OP, do your friends who criticise all work for ethical not for profit organisations?

If the answer is no, then they have no place to criticise you. Your job would be to work for which ever government is in power.

With lots of jobs, it’s a case of hanging up your thoughts with your coat. That applies to multi nationals (some of which are huge political party donors), the finance industry, SMEs, charities and the public sector

Most people I know would do all they can to avoid working for unethically employers, but of course in the current political climate choices can be difficult if you're not well off and people need to find an income, so might, like the OP, aim to do good in a job that doesn't necessarily align with their values.

I have loads of dealings with the people at PIP. I would say that the number I have encountered who want to "make the lives of disabled people harder" is tiny, less than 10% of the contacts I have had with them.

Imo, the problem with PIP is the companies that carry out the assessments. Their reports are frequently nothing short of a pack of lies. I'm sure it comes from the management of those companies, after a friend got a job as an assessor and her reports were constantly rejected and she repeatedly told to make changes that were untrue (she resigned before she completed her training). I'd like to know what's in the contract those companies have with the DWP.

Around 40% of the applications I help clients with are rejected, and I appeal most of those. So far, I have 100% success rate at appeals, and a fair few get an offer when the appeal has been submitted.

It's the system that's flawed, not the people delivering it imo.

Ditch your weird friends. I’d have no time for righteous drama llamas like that. I find these people are usually from quite well to do backgrounds and are the type who can afford to have principles when it comes to stuff like this.

Dump them and find fun people to be friends with

How pathetic, anyone would think you were going to work for Hamas.

It's your life, the DWP are not some sort of evil entity, they've actually been very considerate of my health issues and limited capability for work so tell her that next time she tries to lecture you about morality.

Good luck.

It's not that weird among people on the hard left of politics.

Take the job and tell your supposed friend to piss off. Sounds like a really great opportunity for you so go for it and don't let anyone make you feel bad😊

A friend of mine’s daughter has complex learning difficulties and has been let go by various companies as her difficulties mean she has significant trouble with working memory and initiative etc, yet DWP will not accept her capabilities are severely limited and keep trying to force her into any old crappy job only for her to get let go within weeks as she can’t keep up with the demands, and round the cycle goes. They refuse to give her limited capability benefits.

The work capability criteria are very unfair for people with learning difficulties and MH issues imo, @YoureALizardHarry11 . If you look at the criteria for qualifying for limited capability for work/work related activity, you'll be able to see how hard it is to score sufficient points for the relevant descriptors.

There is a catch-all, which is "substantial risk", whereby, if any person would be at substantial risk if the claimant had to work/undertake work-related activity, the claimant must be considered to have limited capability. However, you have to know about it to put it on the form, or it won't be taken into account.

This is how most LD and MH people are awarded LCW/WRA, and this is the bit that the government are considering abolishing.

But that then raises the question why do the assessment companies feel the need to lie in reports. Are the rumours true about DWP offering incentives? 🤔 The decision maker told me that the assessor didn’t lie as they have no need to, they’re independent 😂, then proceeded to lie himself about the conversation we had as evidence against me to put before the tribunal

What is immoral about giving people money for doing nothing, making sure that child maintenance is paid by those who should be paying it and administering one of the most generous public pension schemes?
I would tell your sanctimonious non-friends where to stick their left wing bigotry and take the job.

I'd take the job, but I am not sure about your mission to change the culture of DWP. Unless it's very senior I imagine you'll just have to do as you are told, whether it seems fair to claimants or not.

Are your rather judgemental friends going to pay your bills? No? Well, tell them to jog on. You've got responsibilities that you have to meet and they're of no help whatsoever.

Do what is best for you and your family, tough if some of your 'friends' don't like it. Please do not give in to emotional blackmail.

The dwp is immoral?! What on earth are they on about? They sound like loons. The problem isn’t the dwp it’s the government. And that will change shortly. Hate these holier than thou types. They probably work for Shell or some massive bank.

I’d go for it, if you lose friends that’s on them.

I started at a big council today maybe in a low rung job to someone, even with a general election booming.
Couldn't have found a better employer. Can access an Employee Assist Programme and £500 better off salary wise with a commute once or twice per month as it is more remote working. I have landed well and really am better off then trying to get a job in a one man/women business which I use to like. In the past I loved nothing more than job seeking thinking next month I might be even working somewhere else but I’ve reached a point I want stability.

Anyway the council have empathised they care how their customers, the public are spoken to as that is their reputation and that’s good enough for me.

🙂

Fuck your friends mate. Do they pay your bills, food, living costs??? Well done on getting a job paying 50% more than your current minimal wage job and being able to spend more time with your family. Your kid(s) will love having more of you x

I'm a bit late to the party here but I worked for the DWP processing claims for over 10 years and I will say that there were some colleagues who were dicks and lacked empathy...but they still did the job, and still made sure people got paid.

I know people who have left and gone back & lots of my colleagues (mostly the non-dickish ones!) have promoted or transferred to another Civil Service role on promotion. There are people working there that want to do the best for the claimants and make sure they receive everything they're entitled to. I was one of those people and I did whatever I could to help. I 100% agree that you do need people with good morals, ethics and empathy to work in places like this so you should absolutely go for the job and make a difference whenever and wherever you can. Good luck!