Pathways to Work for Employment and Support Allowance or Incapacity Benefit
Pathways to Work is an innovative new approach to help people with health conditions and disabilities to consider their options for returning to work.
Who is eligible?
Anyone who is not in work because of an illness or disability can volunteer to participate for Pathways to Work.
Any new recipients of:
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit
- Income Support (because of incapacity)
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Also those appealing against a decision which embodies a determination on incapacity for work.
will be required to participate in Pathways to Work in return for receiving these benefits.
If you make a fresh (or repeat) claim for Incapacity Benefit or Employment and Support Allowance you will automatically be referred to a Pathways Adviser in your local Jobs and Benefits office or JobCentre.
What support will I get?
You will be allocated your own specially trained Pathways Personal Adviser who will arrange a series of meetings with you.
At these meetings your Pathways Personal Adviser will:-
- discuss with you the difficulties you are encountering which make it difficult to work; and
- help you consider a range of choices which may provide the practical, health and financial supports you might need to make decisions about work .
For further information please contact your local office and enquire about Pathways to Work
Your Pathways Personal Adviser will help you consider the range of choices below:-
Choice 1
Help to better understand and manage your health condition or disability through the Condition Management Programme which we run along with the Health Service.
Choice 2
Supported work experience through our Work Preparation Programme which helps you to build up your confidence and gain work skills while having one to one support on a work placement.
Choice 3
Learn more about what work you might be able to do and what you can earn without losing benefit under the Permitted Work scheme.
Choice 4
Help to find a suitable job if and when you feel ready for work through the New Deal provision.
Choice 5
Extra financial support while you work. The Return to Work Credit (RTWC) is a tax free payment of £40 per week for up to 52 weeks if you work for at least 16 hours a week and earn up to £15,000 per year.
The Pathways Personal Advisers can also access a discretionary fund to help support a return to work activity.
Choice 6
Your Pathways Personal Adviser can provide information on an extensive range of existing help and support such as the Travel to Interview scheme and Job Grant.
Throughout your participation in Pathways to Work your Pathways Personal Adviser will help you select the help and support suitable for your needs and your circumstances. They will help you to try out work and make it pay. If it doesn’t work out they’ll make sure it doesn’t affect your benefits so you’ve nothing to lose!
