Pretty much the whole shmeer. But mainly employment and disability.
Especially appeals over FACS criteria and DSA.
These things ruin peoples lives.
Gotta say I'd rather help people find work, butthat's not going to happen anytime soon. Work said it'll pay.
Quote: sootyj @ December 10 2011, 9:10 PM GMTPretty much the whole shmeer. But mainly employment and disability.
Especially appeals over FACS criteria and DSA.
These things ruin peoples lives.
Gotta say I'd rather help people find work, butthat's not going to happen anytime soon. Work said it'll pay.
So are you mainly interested in the area of disabled students' benefits or have I misunderstood?
Not so much students specifically.
More just helping people trying to get an income or support services.
oops see what I did there not DSA, DLA doh!
Quote: sootyj @ December 10 2011, 9:31 PM GMTNot so much students specifically.
More just helping people trying to get an income or support services.
That's interesting - I get the impression you are someone who feels strongly about supporting people and who likes working closely with them, but moving away from CBT and Counselling seems a big change.
I imagine this new career will be less one to one, but that's only based on my limited experience of benefit advisors, which is that if you ever actually get through to someone who knows what they are talking about there is no continuation of care - it's just a job number or a case on a computer and pot luck who takes it up, if anyone.
Or perhaps you mean something more like advocacy and advice rather than working directly for the Benefits Agency?
I know I'm being nosy, don't feel obliged to give me the details, I'm just very interested in this sort of thing. 
Quote: sootyj @ December 10 2011, 9:32 PM GMTNot so much students specifically.
More just helping people trying to get an income or support services.
oops see what I did there not DSA, DLA doh!
Ah, well with everything supposedly about to change and disability related benefits integrated into some newly named one size fits all I think there will be a lot of confused people wanting advice.
More I was thinking there's specialist supporters in benefits and those with disabilities. But not much cross over. So alot of the time there's someone who can talk and draw out some one with a developmental/mental condition. But can't do much to offer practical advice.
I'd like to work on combining the 2 disciplines.
No interest in working for the benefits agency directly.
Quote: Loopey @ December 10 2011, 9:49 PM GMTAh, well with everything supposedly about to change and disability related benefits integrated into some newly named one size fits all I think there will be a lot of confused people wanting advice.
Absolutely.
I think a lot of benefits have been too high, more like a bribe for not being able to provide other service.
But some people are going to lose 60% of their income and get dropped into poverty suddenly.
Quote: sootyj @ December 10 2011, 9:54 PM GMTMore I was thinking there's specialist supporters in benefits and those with disabilities. But not much cross over. So alot of the time there's someone who can talk and draw out some one with a developmental/mental condition. But can't do much to offer practical advice.
I'd like to work on combining the 2 disciplines.
No interest in working for the benefits agency directly.
Absolutely.
I think a lot of benefits have been too high, more like a bribe for not being able to provide other service.
But some people are going to lose 60% of their income and get dropped into poverty suddenly.
It certainly makes worrying reading. I fear that some people don't know or understand what's coming and won't know what to do about it when it does. There is an excellent advocacy and advice service in my area regarding benefits but they used to work in conjunction with mental health, disability services and Age Concern all under the same roof. Funding issues put a stop to it after a while, even though there were more volunteers than paid staff.
Mental health services have started up again in a different place and seemingly work independently from other agencies. I feel that such a lot more could be done (and money and time saved) if these people and organisations could work together.
I'm relieved that you are not interested in working for the Benefit Agency directly, I think the need for support and advice about how to deal with them is more important right now.
Everyone knows the computer assessing systems are not fit for purpose.
They're designed for elder care and really don't work.
The NAPF's annual report, based on surveys of members from July and August, found that only 19% of final-salary pension schemes in the private sector were open to new employees.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16179653
The NAPF's report suggested that despite the squeeze on household and business budgets, total contributions have remained stable at about 12% of salary over the last five years.
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Comparison
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15925017
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15551702
The one exception is the local government scheme.
Here, employer contributions will be 10.9% instead of 9.3% as first envisaged.
But staff contributions will now amount to 9.5% of salary, up from the average rate of 8% that was first suggested by the government.
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To me these articles seem to imply that Private sector persons pay 12% of their salary towards their pension and public sector contribution was 8% and with the latest scheme will be increased to 9.5% of salary.
So it seems the public sector workers will still pay 2.5% LESS towards their pension than private sector workers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Guide to public sector pension schemes http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-10912958
If you bear in mind Bill that back in the day, the formerly mighty NHS pension. Was a reason for many people taking on hard, poorly paid work with extensive training. Then these things are not exactly equal.
We're quibbling over a few percentage points. As it is most of these usually tabloid/conservative comparisons of wage and privillege. Compare jobs that aren't so much like apples and oranges, as apples and coal.
I'm not quibbling. I'm just trying to find some real facts instead of propaganda & giving the links here for people to form better-informed opinions.
Actually the last of my links above is the most useful as it sets out the real details of most of the public sector pension schemes.
Thanks for effort, a man thing I suppose!