Agreed, pushing people towards work is inappropriate for so many people. A case worker could help people access health and wellbeing support. It should also be entirely optional so that people don't have to take part if it's not right for them

For more on the barriers to work that disabled people face, see this brilliant paper by @beccastacey.bsky.social www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

The Pathways to Work green paper does little to address the lack of accessible work and training opportunities or the lack of trust in DWP, among other challenges. For truly effective support, govt will need to tackle the systemic issues that make work inaccessible for many disabled people

I propose five principles for the support conversation: 1) Make the conversation voluntary. 2) Be empathetic and supportive. 3) Offer flexible and tailored support. 4) Look beyond work, at health and wellbeing. 5) Offer ongoing support to those who want it, not a ‘one-off’ conversation

This paper builds on my previous work proposing a case worker model for Jobcentres. Case workers would be claimants’ main point of contact and refer them for specialist support, as well as ongoing pastoral and practical support bsky.app/profile/kslh...

The ‘support conversation’ is meant to help disabled people move into work, but the govt offers little detail on how this will be done. My paper argues that using a case worker approach would offer a consistent, trust-based relationship and allow more holistic support beyond employment support

Many thanks to @cjayanetti.bsky.social for their write-up of this piece in the @bigissue.com tinyurl.com/2rvs3n4t

It's now more important than ever to write to your MP and tell them that the only acceptable outcome is for ALL of the cuts to be stopped