Sep 022014
 

Equal Lives Press Release 02/09/2014

Norwich deaf man says that the government initiative ‘Access to work’ is making it impossible for him to do his job.

Matt Talbot, a deaf man from Norwich says that his job (to run a Youth Forum for young disabled people in Norfolk) has become almost impossible in the last 6 months. Access to Work, a government initiative introduced to support disabled people into employment, has actually become a barrier to Matt doing his job effectively.

Matt said ‘Access to Work promised me lots of help and support – like providing funding so I can pay for the interpreters I need to do my job successfully. Much of my time in the last 6 months has been spent in correspondence with Access to Work, responding to cuts in the funding I receive and endless requests for detailed information on what I do each minute of the day or information about project users which I am not at liberty to share.

Matt continued ‘Its ben a real challenge to deal with the workload of all this – let alone the work I’m expected to do with disabled young people in my day job. I’ve had more than 4 different advisors on my case in 6 months – it’s become impossible to make any progress.

Matt is also very concerned that Access to Work have withheld payments. As a result Ensign Interpreting, the Kings Lynn based agency that Matt uses for interpreters, is owed more than £10,000 from Access to Work.

Matt said ‘I rely on my interpreting service to do my job well. It’s very important to me that I’m not seen as a ‘bad debt’ to the local agencies I ask for support. It feels unfair on a small agency to ask them to keep delivering my services when they have not been paid.’

Mark Harrison, the Chief Executive of Equal Lives, said ‘We’ve kept a record of the endless correspondence that Matt has endured with Access to Work – it’s become a farce. Access to Work are imposing cuts on disabled peoples funding by stealth with no evidence. The way that Matt has been treated is tantamount to bullying – the unnecessary stress this has caused Matt is particularly disappointing’.

The Government justified closing down Remploy by saying they would invest the savings in Access to Work. They have spent the last two years cutting this support and moving the goalposts.”

Peter Weston, Director at Ensign Interpreting in Kings Lynn said “Due to the way that Access to Work are currently handling claims for support, agencies are left waiting for payments for months. This jeopardises the support that is being provided leaving disabled people unable to focus on their job roles. Access to Work fail to communicate these issues with agencies and clients leaving them uncertain as to whether they can continue to provide support.

He continued “Despite laws being in place to protect small businesses, government agencies like Access to Work fail to acknowledge late payment charges even when accounts are eventually settled. It is especially disappointing that this particular client was informed by Access to Work that he was underspent on his budget and yet we are still awaiting payment.”

 

About Equal Lives

Equal Lives is a user-led human rights organisation supporting all disabled people in Norfolk. It was formed in 1996 by groups of disabled people in Norfolk. The organisation is led by a Board of Trustees all of whom are disabled people and elected by and from its membership. The organisation undertakes a wide range of services including:

Comprehensive advice that covers all Department of Work and Pensions benefits relating to illness and disability. We offer support, advice and information to families and carers of disabled people

Providing advice and support to people considering or using Personal Budgets or Direct payments in Norfolk

Support for vulnerable adults and juveniles detained in police custody

Advocacy support for users of mental health services to make sure that their views and concerns are heard by others

Advice and support to people considering or using Direct Payments in Suffolk with our Suffolk Independent Living service

Projects and activities with our membership and others to work towards achieving Equal Lives

 

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 Posted by at 18:58

  One Response to “Government initiative ‘Access to work’ is making it impossible for a Norfolk man to do his job.”

  1. I have gained so many qualfications as a kitchen designer, interior designer and accounts payable clerk. I was bullied at work this year frustrating not having help that I repeating asked for, so results in my line manager bullying me for not keeping up and take out frustration on me , very ignorant and lack of help and support from access to work and organisations to make them understand. resulted in me with stress and depression and anxiety and lost my job. now it impossible to get jobs. all turning me down cos I can,t hear the phone and noone to help me worse than 15 years ago. jobs agency want direct communication with me over phone without third party involved as their company policies. no matter how I repeating explained. I was ingorned and rejected, told me not to bother turn up for interviews!! this is bad!

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