Mandatory Work Activity (UK/Scotland)

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so apparently i'm being forced into MWA...

I was told at first by the DWP that I MUST undertake work experience (which i was already doing) - except that it had to be from one of the companies they recommended (i.e. only multinationals with customer service posts that are known to cause meltdowns for me).

Now, because I have agreed to look at posts - not agree to do it, just to look - they told me (another adviser) that in fact it WASN'T mandatory but because I have said I would look into it, that makes it mandatory

now, i haven't signed anything so they can't prove i said i would look.

then i was told by one adviser that i should add a section into a CV i was sending off - then another adviser told me something completely different

then i was told to attend a mandatory meeting with another clerk - then when i showed up to the meeting the clerk told me that the meeting was voluntary and only if i needed it (drop-in) and and got very angry with me because i hadn't prepared any questions

then when i tell them about my ASD they don't believe me despite me telling them in the very first instance when i saw them, in my application form to them, on my medical notes, on my application forms to companies (in notes to employer) and it is on the screen in front of them (when they know how to work them that is).


basically what i told them was "if i can get up at 5am for a 6am load-in and work til 2am at a gig, what would getting up 8am for a 9am start sweeping floors in a shop or whatever teach me?". i wouldn't mind working in a regular job, so long as its not dealing with lots of people and as long as i'm not working for 5 days a week 9-5 for FREE


then all of a sudden, i'm being unreasonable for wanting MINIMUM WAGE

if the work is voluntary, then i can leave whenever i want and it won't reflect badly on me. but it's not voluntary.
if i'm a worker, i'm entitled to NMW. but i'm not a worker either.


and one of the DWP clerks thought that autism could be cured by getting an over-the-counter antacid or whatever



long story short, i have no idea where i stand.

any one else have similar stories?

Am I understanding you correctly that in order to retain some kind of government benefits you are being forced into "volunteer" labor that isn't really voluntary because you're being forced? What's the point of that?

It sounds like you're just asking them to help you find a paying job with reasonable ASD accommodations so you can work effectively without having meltdowns. What's the problem with that? Do they not understand what you want?

You, being American, don't "get" the UK bureaucracy. I'm a Yank too, but I've read enough to know that the UK has absolutely THE WORST bureaucracy in the developed world. Worse than even California. The UK is currently ruled by conservatives who make tea partiers look like Obama lovers. They want to toss everybody off welfare and tell the "bums" (many of who are seriously disabled) to "get a job" and "rise to the challenge". It's a nightmare because they are tossing everybody off DLA (like SSI) and onto JSA (like unemployment benefits). On JSA, you have to take the first job you're offered. Then they toss you off benefits altogether. They report that as a win and go on their merry way. Then the poor aspie is fired six months later. He can't go back on JSA. He doesn't have any help finding a job. He's out on his own. He's screwed. So basically, that's life in jolly old England right now. The govt is downsizing and tossing thousands of people out of work, who are then blamed for their predicament. It's a catch-22 that people can't escape.

It's not quite that bad, but the present situation as regards benefits is pretty dreadful. It's also massively corrupt and expensive as well, as a lot of people who appeal their benefits end up winning. I'm going through the process at the moment.

Ohh...that actually sounds similar to the welfare to work program here but far worse. Geez, I'm sorry man.

Yeah, basically mandatory work schemes basically mean stacking shelves in multinational supermarkets for your Jobseekers' Allowance.

It's all pretty despicable what's going on. People are being tested, found "fit for work" (or given a lesser benefit), appeal, win (many people win on appeal!) and are then immediately retested. It all stinks to high heaven.

I've never been on DLA/SSI - and they're probably not doing their jobs because they should have advised me on it... nevermind that now...



it's voluntary because it gives me experience and gets me used to "getting out of bed in the morning" according to them - because i'm used to getting out of bed at 6am and lifting heavy speakers but apparently that won't do. i don't get paid, but the company get a free worker.

my point is, if im working, then i should get the national minimum wage instead of my benefit which is the lower rate of £50 a week



no offence, but it's kinda weird when the right wing nutjobs in America aren't as bad as the ones here

It's like they understand but either don't care, or have targets to meet - or both.

and yeah you understood

all i'm getting is contradictions and misleading information from them.

i found a small local employer who said he would take me on for the work experience - and one adviser said they would get a form for me - however, i was since told that that isn't allowed to happen (probably because they wouldn't then get a dirty big backhander).

Frankly, I think it's an absolute scandal and a lot of free-market right-wing types think the same.

I think everyone who is receiving govt benefits should be forced to volunteer. Absolutely boils my blood that I have to go to work 40 hours a week when others can sit at home all day and collect checks.

If your receiving money from the govt, you should either be A.) Job Training or B.) Giving back through volunteering. I don't mind if the work is tailored to your skills and I am willing to make exceptions for true medical reasons.

I don't understand the concept of taking people that can't work, giving them benefits because they can't work, and then forcing them to work to get those benefits. If they are capable of working they would just get a job instead of getting benefits and wouldn't qualify for the benefits in the first place.

There simply aren't the jobs out there either. There are far, far more unemployed people than jobs that exist. There have been cases recently where many hundreds of people have applied for one job.

I understand there aren't enough jobs out there. I just hate how they expect to force some people to do work that they aren't capable of doing, especially for people with "invisible" mental disabilities. I'm sure they wouldn't try to force a person in a wheelchair to do a job where they had to be able to walk but if you have mental problems you are just expected to get over it.

I only had 11 days of forced work ever (community service) and I barely made it through that. I didn't quite realize it at the time but they did try to accommodate me a little, such as having me go clean up the bathrooms and break room sometimes when the work got really heavy or loud. It was at a recycling plant. When they did metals it was unbearable and no one got any hearing protection.

I'm already doing unpaid work and volunteering already


A) i DON'T WANT to sit at home and "collect checks"

B) i WANT TO WORK - but what i'm saying is, shouldn't i be getting the minimum wage for doing the same work as someone else (instead of the benefit i currently get, although soon won't)?


basically it works out as being paid about £1.20 an hour while everyone else around me would be getting the £6.03 or whatever it currently is right now.




the points i'm making are:

1) i should receive fair pay for whatever work i do - i.e. the same as anyone else in my position (in this case the NMW)

2) as i have proven to the twats behind the desks, i hold a degree, training, experience, previous work placements, references and a CV from jobs in my field (ie theater/event technical support, multimedia etc) - and all they have to do is find me a job in sound/lighting engineering or broadcasting and they will never have to see me again.

2.1) alternatively, they could make it easier to volunteer with a theater, or local crew hire, or lighting techs, or any of the studios, or any of the not-for-priofits in the area - or even the small pub that said they would love to have me on work experience

instead they just IGNORE EVERYTHING I TELL THEM and try to force into something I cannot cope in.


does it also boil your blood that you can afford food?

I fully agree that those who are moderately able of working should work. I'm one of those who would likely never be hired to work a regular 9-5 job, and I've tried to do so and failed. I now employ myself. I have a college degree and a computer technician certification, and I've started a couple businesses that have gone casters up. I now am getting into repairing iPhones. Once I got a little practice, I found them pretty intuitive to take apart and put back together. And it looks like the iPhone 5 will be similar in internal structure to the 4S and the 4 CDMA. (There is a 4 GSM, which is different internally.) Once parts become available, I fully expect to be one of Sacramento's first iPhone 5 repairmen. Cha ching. Money money money. The UK lacks private vocational schools and even community colleges. If you don't pass your A Level tests, your life is ruined. And then the politicians blame the people. At least a Yank has options-he can go to community college or even sign up for private training.

One group of people who are forced to do this activity are those who are expected to be able to work soon. But because of the way it's done, you could have an incurable medical condition, you've not been able to work for 20-odd years and now someone has decided that you might be able to work in 3 months time.

It's illogical.