DWP - Disability Employment Advisor

Hi, 

I was a Disability Employment Consultant for a national charity and used to work very closely with DEA's (Disability Employment Advisors) during the 1990's and 2000's and I was responsible for delivering the DWP's disability programs at that time: The Workstep Program, New Deal For Disabled People, and the DWP's six-week Work Preparation Program. In some parts of the UK, DEA's were phased out around 2010/2011 and their duties were were assigned to the Work Coaches, who then became responsible for everything.

About four years ago, however, they brought DEA's back. They now are responsible for claimants to Work Capability Assessments, organising Permitted Work hours and setting up in-work support for disabled employees through the Access to Work scheme.

You have to ask your DWP Work Coach for an appointment to see a DEA, who will almost certainly want to send you for a DWP Work Capability Assessment. The results of this assessment will determine whether you are obliged to look for work or not. The first step, however, is to speak to your Work Coach and ask to be assigned to a DEA with whom you can discuss your issues.

If, when you have the assessment, they deem that you are incapable of working (or looking for work), you will be assigned to a special category of claimants who have: Limited Capability for Work and Work-related activity. This will mean for a set amount of time there will be no expectation for you to apply for jobs or to undertake any training. Just one word of caution. The Work Capability Assessments are notoriously stressful and woefully inadequate in terms of catering for people with Autism or Mental Illness, and it is rare that they decide that someone is completely incapable of work. I would advise you to seek the support of an advocate during the assessment process.

You may also be offered the option of Permitted Work by a DEA. This allows you to work for a restricted number of hours and at no more than minimum wage whilst still claiming Universal Credit. It's for people who are capable fo some work, but not able to undertake full-time or part-time hours. It's a complicated process and one which your DEA is there to support you through.

The good news is that while you are waiting for a Work Capability Assessment (and a decision after the assessment) all of which can take many weeks, you will not be expected to look for work. This will give you some breathing space if you are currently unwell. Another word of caution, though, it used to be standard practice to reduce your Jobseekers Allowance or Universal Credit during the assessment process and they called it a holding benefit. I don't know if this is still the case.

In some parts of the UK, DEA's were phased out around 2010/2011 and their duties were were assigned to the Work Coaches, who then became responsible for everything. About four years ago, however, they brought DEA's back.

That was a bad idea to have ever phased them out but good to see them back.  I've never even attempted to take Work Capability Assessments and fully believe I'm nowhere near 'completely incapable of work', just not able to 'sell myself' in interviews or certain aspects of roles like customer service. I have computer and numeracy skills so would be well suited to a 'back office' role with a lot of spreadsheet / database / finance work but ‘admin’ is such a broad job description and roles are combined with reception / telephone / customer / public elements that I did not do well at when I had tried in the past, for a long time having tried to muddle through employment without declaring Aspergers, but finding I would have to in future after being told to "improve at communication skills" in appraisals.

Hello Metal Micky

Hope you are well.

Sadly, the Work Capability Assessments were never designed for hidden disabilities. They were created solely for sensory and physical disabilities (and severe ones at that). In recent times, they've made some attempts to modernise them and make them more inclusive.  They never used to be terribly descriptive either. Their main aim was to give a black and white answer about whether someone has to look for work or not. And their goal was to prevent claimants from claiming disability benefits, not to explore work opportunities/adaptations.

The good news is that despite the silly job advertisements that people seem to churn out, not every job requires you to be a social butterfly with a sparkling wit. I used to cringe when I read some of the rubbish employers would write in person specifications. They read like popularity contests rather than job descriptions.

Hello Metal Micky

Hope you are well.

Sadly, the Work Capability Assessments were never designed for hidden disabilities. They were created solely for sensory and physical disabilities (and severe ones at that). In recent times, they've made some attempts to modernise them and make them more inclusive.  They never used to be terribly descriptive either. Their main aim was to give a black and white answer about whether someone has to look for work or not. And their goal was to prevent claimants from claiming disability benefits, not to explore work opportunities/adaptations.

The good news is that despite the silly job advertisements that people seem to churn out, not every job requires you to be a social butterfly with a sparkling wit. I used to cringe when I read some of the rubbish employers would write in person specifications. They read like popularity contests rather than job descriptions.

Deleted user said:

The good news is that despite the silly job advertisements that people seem to churn out, not every job requires you to be a social butterfly with a sparkling wit. I used to cringe when I read some of the rubbish employers would write in person specifications. They read like popularity contests rather than job descriptions.

I love this paragraph because of what I was told by one employment advisor.  He said that getting a job is a popularity contest, it doesn't matter about your skills, experience or references, they have to like you in order to employ you.  Unfortunately I'm always bottom in any popularity contest.

You are so correct, my son wanted a summer job to get some money together for when he went to UNI. He was at a job interview and this woman asked him "so why do you want this job and where do you see yourself in five years time" Now had the job been for a CEO, or NASA Project manager you could have understood the question, it was for a job as a kitchen port. Some employers wallow in the importance of their position and think they are Allen Sugar. It don't make life any easier.