Having a job can change lives
Lots of people worry that their benefits will be adversely affected if they get a job.
Many people we support
would like to work. Having a job can make a real difference to a person's life. It improves their confidence and self worth and provides the opportunity to develop new circles of friends.
Supporting someone to work isn't about just finding them a job. It's about matching the individual with the right employer and providing both with the support they need.
State Benefits
Lots of people worry that their benefits will be adversely affected if they get a job. But it depends entirely on the circumstances of the individual whether benefits are affected if they take up paid employment.
This includes, for example, how many hours they work and where they live (at home, in residential care or supported living, etc). We work with each person to find out from their local Job Centre what the "better off" calculation indicates. This is a calculation that Job Centre Plus staff are trained to carry out which takes into account personal circumstances, hours worked and rate of pay. It will indicate what effect working would have upon someone's benefit and income and we can then discuss with them which option would be best.
Wages
When in paid work, the salary offered will depend on the job but everyone should receive at least the National Minimum Wage – this is the law, and there are no circumstances where anyone should be paid less than this. The rate increases on the 1st October each year, and the information can be found at: www.lowpay.gov.uk
When it is someone's first job, or a job in an industry where they have not worked before, we often arrange an unpaid work placement. This is also called a working interview. This enables people to see if they like the job before they commit to working there permanently and is a chance for the employer to see them in action – and often a much more effective indicator of someone's skills than a traditional interview. The length of a working interview differs for each person.
For some people paid work is not an option or their choice. For these people, volunteering or community work may be preferable. Like everyone else, working gives people a sense of satisfaction and a feeling of self worth.
Safety
We always undertake a Health & Safety Risk Assessment before the person starts work and ensure any adjustments needed are made. Our experience has shown that usually only small practical changes are needed to make working accessible for the people we support.
The right job for the right person
People starting work will be given all the support they need to ensure that the type of work offered is suitable and that problems do not arise.
As well as supporting each person, we support employers to understand the needs of that person. We work with employers to overcome any potential worries or problems. And often, as many employers have told us, once a person is given the opportunity to try out a job, their contribution speaks for itself.
United Response runs a number of projects, including supported employment services and a growing range of social enterprises. We also run learning and skills development projects to help people gain the skills, qualifications and confidence they need.
We have recently been selected as a key partner in a new project to support people with learning disabilities in Cornwall into employment.