DWP/Jobcentre Plus Responds

Thank you for your email dated 26 July addressed to Jim Murphy the Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform.


Your email has been passed to this District of Jobcentre Plus as we have responsibility for the area that you are discussing. I am sorry that Jim Murphy is unable to respond to you personally but I hope you will be able to understand that he receives a great deal of correspondence on a variety if subjects and it is not possible for him to respond to each letter individually.


Thank you for bringing the issues regarding the Old Moat Garden Centre to my attention. I am sorry that you believe that Jobcentre Plus is not supporting our customers on Incapacity Benefit whilst participating in permitted work.


I would like to take the time to explain the regulations around Permitted Work and hopefully this will make our position clearer.


The permitted work rules have been developed to support the Government’s commitment to removing barriers to work for people with long term health problems who want to take steps back to work. They strengthen the aim of work as a stepping-stone off benefit and into employment. It removes the requirement that the work must be therapeutic.


From the information that I have received with regards to customers who are participating in work at the Garden Centre, it does not appear that they would not be allowed to continue. Unfortunately, I cannot be any more specific without personal details of the people involved and a more detailed description of the work and terms of work under which the participants were engaged.


With regards to the decision to discontinue the payment of £3 per day, I cannot comment. Surrey and Borders Primary Health Care Trust are an entirely separate organisation from us and therefore I cannot give rise to any comments regarding their decisions.


If the customers concerned wish to contact us direct so that we may investigate their situations further, please ask them to contact the District Correspondence Team, Jobcentre Plus, Surrey & Sussex District Office, 2nd Floor Ranger House, Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4UL or by telephone on 01483 446150 and we will be happy to help.


Thank you for taking the time to contact us with your concerns.


Natacha Thomas

Surrey and Sussex Correspondence Team

Tel: 01483 446114

natacha.thomas@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk