T: 0121 386 6983										           		    0800 321 3143
									       	E: appointments@ingeus.co.uk																				                          		www.ingeus.co.uk
       
[Date]		 							

This publication has been withdrawn. It is no longer current.
Dear [First name], 
Continued one-to-one support from your Ingeus Personal Health Advisor during your Work-Focused Interview
Thank you for attending your previous work-focused interview with Ingeus – we hope you found this useful. 
As you are aware, the focus of this programme is to help you manage your health condition so that you can improve your chances of finding work, when you feel ready.
As part of your participation on the programme, I am writing to inform you of your next interview. This is a work-focused interview for which your attendance is required under the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008. You are required to attend as a condition of continuing to be entitled to the full amount of employment and support allowance payable to you.
If we do not need you to attend in person you must be available at the time and date below to take part in a telephone interview. The details of your interview are as follows:
On: (date including day of the week) 
At: (Start and Finish time) 
Location: (and can include 'see enclosed map') 
Your Ingeus Personal Health Advisor is [insert contact name]. 
If you are unable to attend this interview and wish to re-arrange for a future date, please contact Ingeus as soon as possible. Our phone number is at the top of this letter. 
We look forward to spending time with you and supporting you to help manage your health condition so that you can progress towards finding work.

Do I need to attend the interview?
Yes, you must take part in the interview, unless you have a good reason not to.  If you don’t take part in the interview, your benefit could be affected.
Can I get help to attend the interview?
We will be able to help with:
•	the cost of registered childcare if you have children and prefer not to bring them with you but have no-one to look after them (payment will be made direct to the childcare provider);
•	the cost of replacement care for an adult you care for (payment will be made direct to the care provider);
•	travel costs (you will need to bring proof of these to the interview for example, travel tickets); 
•	getting an interpreter, if you need one: and
•	any reasonable adjustments you may need.

You need to contact us before the interview to arrange any of these.
Can I bring someone to the interview?
Yes, you can bring someone such as a friend or relative with you.  Please let us know in advance so we can make any appropriate arrangements.
What if I cannot attend the interview?
If you cannot attend the interview, or feel that you have a good reason not to take part, please telephone the number at the top of this letter before the interview. 
What if I want to know more?
If you want more information about the interview, please get in touch with us using the telephone number or address at the top of this letter.
Warm regards,

[Insert name of Ingeus Personal Health Advisor]

Ingeus

Sanctions Fact Sheet

Changes to Employment and Support Allowance Sanctions
An important change in the law which could affect your Employment and Support Allowance started in December 2012. This letter explains the change, provides information and guidance about where you can obtain additional information and help. It is very important that you read this letter.
At present you are in the work-related activity group.  This means you must attend and take part in work-focused interviews if you are asked to do so. If you do not take part in these interviews, without a good reason, your payment would previously have been reduced until you comply.  We call this a sanction. 
From 3rd December 2012, the law changed and you could lose more money, for a longer period of time if you do not attend and take part in work-focused interviews. 
What is the change?
If a decision is made to reduce your benefit, the personal allowance component of your Employment and Support Allowance will be stopped until you do attend the interview, or you come to an agreement with your Ingeus Personal Health Adviser about attending an interview at an agreed date.   
After that the sanction will continue for an additional: 
•	one week; or
•	two weeks: 
o	if you have previously failed to attend or take part in a work-focused interview with Ingeus or Jobcentre Plus in the last 52 weeks; or 
o	if you have previously failed to undertake any work related activity before your participation in the pilot with Ingeus in the last 52 weeks; or 
•	four weeks if you have had your benefit reduced for those reasons more than once and the most recent of the previous failures was within 52 weeks of your current failure.

(We will only count back as far as 3rd December 2012 when these rules began). 
What happens if I comply with the rules? 
As long as you attend your work-focused interviews with your Ingeus Personal Health Adviser, you need not worry about sanctions.  Your Ingeus Personal Health Adviser will only ask you to take part in work-focused interviews to help you improve your chances of getting into or returning to work by taking steps to manage your health condition. You can discuss and agree your personal needs with your Ingeus Personal Health Adviser.
What would happen if I do not comply with the rules? 
If you do not have a good reason for not attending the work-focused interviews, you could face a sanction as set out above.  

What should I do if I get a sanction?
You will still have to take part in work-focused interviews when asked to. If you do not, you could get a longer sanction.
If you do get a sanction, you might be eligible to apply for a hardship payment.  You will need to go to the Jobcentre to apply for this.
If you do get a sanction you still have the right to ask for an explanation, to ask for reconsideration and to appeal.
What do I need to do next?
You do not need to do anything at present.  This is just to let you know what might happen to you in the future.  But keep this safe so that you can refer to it.
If you do not understand the information in this letter, or have any concerns how this may affect you please speak to your Ingeus Personal Health Adviser.
You can also find out more at www.Gov.uk or an independent welfare rights service.