Valproate banned without the pregnancy prevention programme READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/valproate-banned-without-the-pregnancy-prevention-programme

HPV vaccination programme for men who have sex with men READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hpv-vaccination-programme-for-men-who-have-sex-with-men

Just so you are aware the Consumer Action Group was approached to offer advice on the making of this episode. http://www.itv.com/tvguide/ Buy Today, Pay Tomorrow? "Households are currently borrowing more than a billion pounds a month in a spending spree that is fuelling a dangerous debt crisis, which could leave many people teetering on the edge of serious money troubles. Adam Shaw investigates whether Britain is heading for a new credit crunch. News " Initially I was invited to advise on debts of a debtor that will feature in this episode. Prioritising all his debts (around 10.5 K and how to deal with the mounting pressure he was being placed under.. Analysing his various debts and what stage he was at in line with who they were owed to and the age of the debts and explaining the Credit Consumer Act legislation etc.. ITV came to my home and interviewed me and was filming for over 2 hours..talking about the debtor and how Consumer Action Group works and the benefits/expertise of our forum over the more traditional methods. Unfortunately I have been informed today that the interview which would have probably been edited down to about 5 mins will not feature on Thursdays episode because of the way the episode has been edited and that there is no real conclusion to the debtors position even though a lot more clearer that our piece did not really fit in with the flow of the programme. However we will get acknowledgement on the titles and we will be linked into " Tonight's " Social Media should people require further details of this forum.....

Hi, I would be grateful for any help.I completed the work programme in October 2016 and am back on jsa,my advisor keeps giving me conflicting information on how to provide evidence of jobseeking but that is not the main question.At my last signing he said that somebody had made a mistake on my claim and that I was to be reffered to annexe 12 but that it was not appropriate as my claim began only seven months ago and that it would have to be 12 months since claim began. he said that if reffered before 12 months dwp would have to pay!i asked him what annexe 12 was and he replied "it is something we use to bring you closer to the labour market" I asked him if it was like the work programme and he replied"something like that ".he said it was sorted out now and not to worry but I have tried to find out what exactly annexe 12 is with no success and am wondering if anybody on here knows? thanks,I like to be prepared when dealing with that lot!

Hi all , i have been attending work programme for over a month - and was late for an appointment due to a heavy cold and my provider decided callously to raise a doubt with DWP. recieved a 'good reason letter' asking why i dint attend work programme appt.- how can i successfully challenge this and avoid a sanction. help would be very much appreciated guys!

Hi, I'm unsure if I am posting this in the right place but I am looking for some advice or if anyone has been through anything similar and what happened. I applied for ESA, and after a health assessment I was denied ESA. So I appealed and won the tribunal and was placed into the WRAG group. I had an interview at my job centre and was told I'd be starting the work programme at Ingeus. 2 years later I am at the end of my work programme (ends 2nd October) and I have not managed to secure a job. I have been looking for jobs as a TA in a school, or as a last resort going back to work in a nursery. I have epilepsy and suffer from both grand mal seizures and absent seizures, so I didn't really want to go back to a stressful nursery. I also suffer from bad anxiety which can sometimes trigger my seizures. Up until about 6 weeks ago my advisor hadn't really been helping much on the job front. But she has then started pushing me to apply for jobs which are either miles away or are full time when I specified I wanted part time only. The other day she told me that my only option now was to sign off and start doing Avon so I could keep getting support from them at Ingeus, but that would mean I would lose my ESA and have to wait months (her words) for my working tax to start, so I'd be depending on an income from Avon. I also received a letter from the JC with an appointment to see a work coach and discuss my options. The letter says that the work coach will set me work related activities and help me prepare for a return to work when I am ready. My advisor told me that this was a meeting to get me ready to be put on jsa. Now I don't know what to do. I have heard people say she is pushing me to sign off because it benefits her. Do I sign off? Or do I refuse to do so and see what happens at the work coach appointment? Surely they can't just stop my ESA and put me onto jsa?? Any help/advice will be greatly appreciated. Rebecca.

My son (age 19) is detained under S3 of the Mental Health Act in a hospital in Nottingham. He has been there since November 2015; visiting is a nightmare, as it is a good 200miles there and 200 miles back - taking me anything from 3 and a half to five hours, each way. It seems no sooner I arrive to see my son, it's time to start the journey home again - having only about 45 mins to an hour for visiting. Anyway, my son has his COA meeting on 12 October and I believe that his Consultant Psychiatrist, will be recommending my son be transferred to 'locked rehab' facilities, closer to home. (He is currently in a low-secure setting). My son is entitled to S117 aftercare. Prior to his detention, he had been provided with supported housing, via Children's Services - but apart from that, they did little/nothing to help to support him / despite my regular communication and requests for help? He has ADHD and ASD; which does make him very vulnerable - as he easily exploited and targeted by others etc. Anyway, I had contacted SS for help in 2012 (when my son, then age 15 diagnosed ASD); I had been experiencing a lot of difficulties with my sons behaviour actions etc - however SS have not been helpful and have never given my son a core assessment of his needs etc. I feel they have contributed to his seriously declined mental health difficulties and that he may not have got to point of being sectioned, given the right help and support? Now that he is sectioned, I would rather that he is now transferred and assessed accordingly by Adult Services, as Childrens Services (his social worker) has never recognised my sons plummeting mental health, despite my concerns and pleas for help in past. So I see little point in her/that continuing to be involved with him from here on? I have made Social Services /hospital staff/aware of this and SS assured me they had made a referral to adult services, for my son. However, this was several months ago now and have heard no more about this? As they claim to have made this referral, I have nothing I can personally chase up or work with, or even evidence of them having done this at all? What I would like to find out is this, my son's CPA meeting coming up - is it normal practice; that a Social Worker from your area, would be present/attend? Also, I would like to clarify, in terms of assessment by Social Services - what Assessment would they be conducting , would it be with regard to the Care Act 2014 or would it be under other acts? As a parent/carer/Hearst relative; do I have any right to request assessment on my son's behalf? I am so very concerned that my son has adequate support in place when he is discharged, returned to the community? Social Services has repeatedly failed him and it is vital this does not happen now, if he is to have any real prospect of success. Any help /advice or information in relation to my specific questions above or other information that may assist me in preparation of my sons, CPA meeting - would be gratefully received. For example: funding for transfer to a hospital closer to home? Is this likely to be p,agued by beurocratic nonsence and unnecessary delays etc I await any responses and useful info and thank everyone in advance for your time and input. Thanks again Nadia Phillips:|

LBC the property programme , every Thursday at 9pm. They give advice on tenancy, Landlord, ownership and property issues.

I know there is threads already about this but I went to my local job centre to sign on and my advisor said that I've been out of work for a year, he mentioned the work programme to me. Is it as bad as people make out? Thanks

Hi, I am on JSA and am currently with a work programme provider. I have two issues I hope someone can help me with. First I have been told that I need to attend their (the work programme provider) site for regular jobsearching on their system, but I was also told I need to leave a written record of jobs I have applied for with them at the end of the session (telling me this is mandated for everyone with them on JSA by the DWP). I am sure I have read in this forum somewhere that I do not have to leave this written record for data protection and other reasons, does anyone know where I can find this information, preferably with some sort of evidence/proof that I can take along to my next jobsearch? Second I suffer from anxiety and have brought either my partner or a family member with me to many of my meetings. I am also sure I have seen other clients doing the same thing. My current advisor (like previous advisors I have had with them) appeared to be understanding with this and even put me on a self help course. However literally only minutes after I tried to defend what I believe to be my rights concerning the written record, I was told for health and safety, blah blah, insurance, blah blah etc that I cannot bring anyone along who is not a registered carer with me from now on. This is already very stressful for me even with bringing someone along, does anyone have any advice on this. I feel a little victimised considering the timing of this sudden change and feel they are trying to punish me for standing up for my rights. Thanks in advance for any Help.

I recieved a new MAN today saying I have to start a new course on wednesday for 3 hours for next 6 weeks I am on e.s.a wrag group this is really stressing me out as I have no idea what this entails, Its the lenght of the course thats getting to me the most I have had to sit in this place is an hour I asked when I spoke for more info on this so called course but the advisor didnt have any information on it - or didn't provide any with the MAN I received today. Am I right in thinking I can refuse to do this course as this did not provide any information as to what will be happening on this course - what i am expected to do etc... all it says is ;- Steps to excellence (other) no other information about it - don't know if this is even suitable for me any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks

I can't sleep with everything going around my head... I feel like I'm going crazy... so I thought I'd write it down here to see what other people thought. I recently lost a family member to cancer, such a horrible illness that took the life of a beautiful innocent child. For years we were going back and to, to the children's hospital, seeing them go through surgeries, chemo and radiotherapy for it to just come back and then start attacking other parts of their body. Then to see them die, just like that. Its taking me a long time to write this as I just keep crying and can't see the screen. I just can't get why they had to get it in the first place, then all the years of fighting it, just for it kill them. I am not coping well and I just keep to myself. I hate anything to do with cancer.. the word, hearing it, seeing it. I am unemployed on JSA and I was told to go to Seetec to do a community work placement. I go in to be told I'm being sent to a cancer centre! I said no not there can't you find me somewhere else. They replied you do realise this is mandatory. Which I said yes but I've recently lost someone to cancer and I don't want to go somewhere were I'm surrounded by it. What do you mean they said. I reply what do I mean? I hate anything to do with cancer and your going to send me to a cancer centre at which stage I'm crying. You wont be dealing with people having treatments they said. But its a centre for that, there's going to be posters and leaflets everywhere I say trying to get them to understand. What do you mean they say again why would there be posters up. At which stage I couldn't cope and said I'd be back in a minute. I had to go outside for some air and to get away. I go back in to be told he doesn't like my tone and they don't see the problem in me going there. Really I said, you don't understand why I don't want to go . No they said they don't understand why I don't want to go and waived their hands saying lots of people have had someone die of cancer. I can't get that out of my head. I keep replaying it over and over in my mind and its making my angry and upset. They finish with I have to go to a interview with the place. I said and what if I get upset there. They said this is a interview you have to conduct it in a professional manner just like any other interview. I say buts its at a cancer place, bit different isn't it. To which they said again what do you mean. What do I mean? Why do they keep saying what do you mean all the time? How can they be that daft or heartless to not know what I mean. It ended with them telling me I will get sanctioned if I get upset or go there with a negative attitude. So that's it, I'm just supposed to forget about this, all the years of fighting, watching them die. The nightmares I have. The days I feel terrible and upset because something reminds me and everything comes flooding back like it happened yesterday. Since this happened I feel sick, headache, upset and crying all the time. I feel like I'm walking around in a dream / nightmare and I can't take it anymore. I thought things are supposed to get easier with time, well its not, It seems to be getting harder

Hi I really need some help with what's happening with the jobcentre. Every time I go in there its awful and I dread it and always think what next So now I have been put on community work placement for 26 to 30 weeks! I finished the work programme in June 2013 so was put on post work programme when I went back to the jobcentre. In February I did mandatory work activity for 4 weeks. I was left alone for about a month then put on daily signing for 13 weeks, when I said to my advisor I thought this only applied to people who finished the work programme after April 2014 she said it applies to everyone now. Finished that and then about 2 weeks later I was put on a retail course. Just finished that and the first appointment I had at the jobcentre she says she's putting me CWP Can she do this? Fist I thought she couldn't because I finished the work programme before April and after reading what I can it seems you get placed on either daily signings or CWP not both If anyone could give me any information that would be great Thanks

hi, I have recently started the dreaded work programme, however I have been offered a P/T job, 20 hours a week, which I found myself.. now I don't want my work programme provider to know anything about this, I want to just sign off and forget all bout the JSA and the work programme, however I will still need housing and council tax benefit, can the work programme provider stop me getting this if I just ignore them and not keep in touch with them? thanks

Starting a new thread as my work programme one was finished with and I'm relieved about that. I've contacted Ingeus requesting a copy of their exit report. It's been a week so I think I need to contact them again. The Ingeus adviser recommended to me to call a number for 'mandatory reconsideration into the support group' after they'd spoken to the jobcentre as my condition had gotten worse on the programme and they haven't been able to help me. Since leaving the programme I received a letter offering me support from the jobcentre DEA but that this was voluntary. I've had too much stress and pain lately to agree to see their DEA. I received the WCA form through for reassessment and its been filled in and sent back some weeks ago. So they'll be updated on my new condition. I don't know how long this will take or when will I get called in for an ATOS assessment? My reassessment is slightly complicated because my partner has just started part-time work so they have 2 issues to sort out. I don't even know if Ill get ESA because he works 21 hours per week. This has had a knock on affect, his carers allowance has stopped and my housing benefit has stopped. My latest 2 letters from them 3 weeks ago said; firstly that my claim for ESA had cancelled. (We think this happened because my partner started what he thought was part-time work but was over the limit making it fulltime, then he got changed to another department taking him under the limit). The 2nd letter said I was entitled to ESA but only £35 per week. I've received a WFI from jobcentre but had to get my partner to argue the fact that I'm totally unable to get to the appointment as usual so a phone call. Again a problem but we got through it. The 'work coach' wanted to know how I got on in the work programme, so I explained I'd made it to a large amount of the appointments but much less in the last section of it. I told her I'd finished a course at college with great difficulty and with advice from my gp to concentrate on pain relief for my condition rather than start a new course and was told by the work coach that as I'm currently in the WRAG I need to be in some kind of training. I have told her I'm unable to (I can't do it, I can't afford it and I can't access most places and I'm over 25! I've done the free courses like functional skills and gcses. I felt so angry ]when I came off the phone. Am I still mandated to take part in these unhelpful interviews while I'm in the reassessment process? Any comments/advice are welcomed and I thank you in advance.

Community Work Programme issued by JSA outside of 8 week period! Some advice would be really appreciated. Does the 8 week rule still apply? How to refuse the CWP? Where to count the 8 weeks from? After a 2 year period The Work Programme with Ingeus ended (2faced staff/ incompetent /useless), I was referred back to the Job Centre and issued with an appointment to attend in April this year. I was asked by myJSA to sign the My Work Plan (WS1 form) in May. I had to sign weekly for awhile and then back to fortnightly. Yesterday I was handed a letter to attend a Community WorkProgramme (CWP) later this week. I have been back with the JSA as I said since April or counting from May – either way it is past the maximum 8 week period in which they have to either allocate Daily Signing (DSR) or CWP (Community Work Programme). Has this changed? And if this 8 week max still applies how do I go about politely but firmly refusing the CWP without being sanctioned. Also which date am I meant to count the 8 weeks from – April is when I went back to the JSA – May is when I signed the “My Work Plan” – I am making the assumption this is the date of the WPCI interview but am not sure. Worried I will be sanctioned again – and a second sanction would mean months of financial punishment rather than weeks. (the first one was applied because despite having attended every single mandatory appointment Ingeus had given me and not missing any appointments/workshops of which there were many - there was just one I never received notification of in the post andby the time a text message arrived it was too late, I left a message for the advisor which was never passed on – I appealed the sanction and the Decision Maker in all his glory upheld the sanction as “the balance of probability is that the letter was not lost in the post”!!!!!!!)

Hello I've been on the Work Programme with Ingeus since October 2013 and up to now most of the people there have been OK with me. Some of them have been really helpful. Earlier this year, arthritis in my neck and shoulders started to get worse and I am currently getting physiotherapy for it. I have other problems with chronic back, leg and groin pain, so some days I am as stiff as a board and find it very difficult to move about. I am on a lot of pain medication. Ingeus know about this. About a month ago they changed my advisor. In my first appointment with her she seemed OK, but was a bit aggressive in her manner. She booked another appointment with me for two weeks later, but on that day I woke up and was in a lot of pain and could hardly move. I called her about four hours before the appointment time to ask if she could rearrange the appointment because I was in a lot of pain. She said “well, anyone could say that couldn't they?” and “I've only got your word for it”. She went on to say that I may get sanctioned because of this, and booked another appointment. I am worried now because this seems to me like Ingeus want to punish me for being in pain. My GP has told me that these health problems will probably get worse, so its even more worrying. I’d be very grateful for any comments or advice on what to say to Ingeus, because I don't know the rules of the WP and I'm scared to say anything that may cause them to sanction me.

So essentially, I'm just going to provide a little bit of background information and then I'll get to the question at hand. I'm a University graduate with a 2:1 honors degree in Web Systems and Development (i.e. A Web Developer). I finished University in 2013, I worked up until July 2014 and have been out of work since that time, I have had freelance jobs here and there to help me along the way, but essentially, I have been out of full-time employment since July 2014. Without trying to toot my own horn here, I'm portraying this across to simply imply, I have a lot of qualifications and I have a fair amount of job experience, I have worked with over 5 individual clients, had jobs with 3 different people (from July 2013 - July 2014), so it's not as if I'm in short supply there either. So to get onto the actual topic. I've been on JSA since July 2014, but recently when I went to sign on, one of the advisors there informed me that because I had been on JSA for 12-months, I am now being transferred to "The Work Programme", she didn't tell me much about it, nor did the person who I had my interview regarding the appointment to set-up TWP interview. The sad thing that I happen to see reoccurring all the time is that, The Work Programme is a pile of crap, essentially. I have read no good stories about TWP, no advantageous results of being on TWP, it just seems like it is a gigantic waste of my time and it's going to be more hassle than it's worth. So I guess my question is this, typically what does TWP entail? Has there been any benefits of being on TWP and as someone with a heavy Computing background, will that help me with TWP. I've read that despite your qualifications, you are usually thrown into retail work (shops or whatever) just stacking shelves for 2-4 weeks, you then have a 2 week gap and then you're back on the next job, rinse and repeat until you eventually get a job out of it. I just don't really see how I or anyone else currently on this programme can take it seriously knowing that you're going to be in a place surrounded by other full time employees knowing that they are getting paid minimum wage while you're there working for close to £1.2 p/h? It just doesn't make sense to me. If anyone could fill me in, help me understand this a little bit more, that would be great.

I am felling ill at the moment and i don't think i will be well enough to go to my Work Programme provider this week.I have job search there on Monday,Tuesday and Thursday as well as a one on one appointment with my advisor on Wednesday. What is the process for calling in sick?

so i have now finished 2 years in the work related activity group. got a meeting to discuss post work programme support and time on the work programme. so i need to back a little to my first interview where i was put into wrag. arrived early, checked in quickly with person was meant to see was told to wait until called over. over an hour later asked what i was waiting for. the lady i was to see had gone home, and got a new appointment for the next week. i was ill when i was 14 caused epilepsy left arm and hand paralyzed rest of left side works at about 50% of right. was worried as i had heard bad things about in wrag and was advised to write my own action plan. as i never had any gcse or ever worked. the cv was first point. went to adult center which offers simple computer courses and worked out some which would be fast and easy for me to obtain but would need the ok of my advisor. (which i didnt get) again i arrived early had a few sheets of A4 i typed out and were looked at for 2 seconds and handed back to me, signed into wrag told to expect classes, courses and ill receive a phone call.i was worried and expecting bad things. what i got was nothing (not moved or changed home of mobile number). one year later still heard nothing i had to get a new esa50 form and asked about not being contacted for a year. thank you and you will get a phone call was reply. so now another year is up, phone esa number about a new form and ive still had no contact after 1st interview, he looked and said it seems there is some sort of appointment coming soon.and 3 months later i receive post work programme appointment. so what now im rather worried as ive only seen esa horror stories online. Am i going to get done for not doing anything. could anyone Please help me with your experience or knowledge regarding the post work programme support. Many Thanks.. Stu.

So I’ve got a meeting next week for post work programme help. Initially I was friendly but I’d like to know my rights before the next one. According to them I’ve got a six month work placement or 12 weeks coming into the jobcentre every day. I’m applying for jobs and studying under my own steam and doing related voluntary work which is going to lead to paid work. I can apply for jobs at home, do I have to be mandated to come into the jobcentre? I don’t mind additional help, but after several recent interviews I’m good to go. If I had to come into the jobcentre every day, I couldn’t run the IT course I’ve setup and other voluntary IT stuff. I am relying on the voluntary organisation for a reference having been out of work for a while, DWP girl said I would have to **** all that off to sit and apply for jobs instead. Any help would be appreciated.

I am now put on the wp day one induction now I have to see s money advisor Monday for what no money to advise day two Barking & Dagenham College?????? though you could not go to college?????? is this is what Maximus is about answers please.

Hi, I'm currently in the Work Related Activity Group of ESA, and have been on the work programme 2 years at the end of the month, the provider has said at this point I end the programme and the Jobcentre will take it from there and I'll be on 'Post work programme support'. I can't find much online about this, it all relates to JSA rather than ESA. Is anyone able to tell me what I can expect? I'm a bit uneasy not knowing! Thanks in advance

Reviewing some of the running live memos issued to all Work Programme providers, and I came across WP138. The DWP have kindly issued a WP08 (sanction referral form) with embedded "helpful hints and tips" along with an "aide memoire". A few nuggets of information hidden in there that could be used to appeal against an unjust sanction - One that springs out is on the issue of posting a Mandatory Activity Notice: If you receive a MAN, the envelope should always be kept and the date & time it dropped through the letterbox noted on it - Worthwhile if the WP provider pulls the "send the MAN out Fri. for a Mon. app. at 9AM). On a more worrying note, The DWP hints at looking at making the issuing of a MAN by way of email or text message an acceptable method of delivery - Personally, I don't have a mobile phone, and do not regard emails as a reliable means of communication. In addition, electronic communication is a low cost route. Paper and stamps cost time and money which eats in to the WP providers profit margin Copies of the documents attached.

Trying to make sense of the terms and conditions of ebay's Global Shipping Programme - In places, somewhat confusing and possibly unfair. This would seem to indicate that all fees and charges have been paid up front.... This clarifies the claim that all fees, including VAT has been included in the price paid for shipping.... Then we get to this section: Err.... Unless I am mistaken, previous clauses would suggest that no further charges will be liable once payment has been made.... Finally, the unfair clause: So eBay can amend the T&C without giving notice - Something is seriously wrong with that ! Having paid for this "service" on the assumption that import duties, VAT, brokerage fees, and shipping costs have all been paid up front, should I incur any additional charges, would I be within my rights to: a) Lodge a PayPal dispute and/or b) Do a S77 charge back on my credit card. c) Demand that eBay refund any additional charges on the grounds of unfair contract or mis-sold "service".