Category: Problems & Solutions

Problems with filling in DP222JP claim forms and Time Sheets

11/27/2020

The DP222JP AtW Support Worker claim has a column that AtW users have to fill in when making a claim called “hours claimed”. But interpreters and interpreting agencies usually charge for minimum sessions, e.g. half, full day, or evening session fee, not by the hour.

This means that Deaf AtW customers have to record in the “hours claimed” column the number of hours to make sure that the interpreter is paid for their session fee, which might be more than the hours than is actually worked. E.g. the interpreter is booked for a 2 hour meeting, but their charge is for a half day session, the hours claimed may be for 3 or 3.5 hours.

If the interpreter is booked through an interpreting agency the Deaf person also has to keep a Time Sheet, and as part of that has to record the “hours worked”. This can be a problem because if the hours worked recorded is different from the hours claimed, AtW may not pay the invoice in full.

AtW understand that interpreters and agencies usually charge by sessions, that these sessions may not match hours worked, and that because of this the DP222JP and customer’s timesheet are confusing.

DeafATW has been discussing this issue with the DWP for some time, and will update this information if there is any news to share.

For more information about the information DWP say you need to provide on the claim form etc. click here for the DeafATW update about this.

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Coronavirus / COVID-19

3/18/2020

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Several deaf people, interpreters and agencies have contacted me about arrangements for AtW, especially about signing claim forms and working remotely, because of government advice about working remotely and self isolating because of COVID-19.

I've asked AtW these questions, and will post answers as soon as I have any.

If you have any questions for AtW about Coronavirus then post them in the comments below this post.

If you want to see information about Coronavirus in BSL, SignHealth have regular updates.

If you are worried that you may have Coronavirus and don't know what to do, you can contact 111 in BSL through InterpreterNOW.

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AtW and Pooled agreements - You can choose to be in a pooled agreement, or choose just to manage your own budget.

1/10/2020

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12th March 2017

If an employer or business has several Deaf staff, they may think it is better to have everyone's AtW awards put in one pot together, i.e. pooled.

This may make administration easier, e.g. with all of the bookings going through one agency; or make it possible to have freelance or staff interpreters available in house for all Deaf staff as needed.

However, Deaf people don't always agree that their AtW award should be pooled in this way. For example, they may want to book interpreters directly who meet their specific needs, may not want to go through an agency because they feel they have less control over who is booked, may feel they have less access to interpreters when they need them, etc.

So DeafATW has clarified with DWP whether Deaf people can choose to be part of a pooled scheme or not. DWP have said:

"If the customer feels their currently agreed support isn’t sufficient, they can make a Change of circumstances application through the Contact Centre. They do not need permission from their employer and the adviser would be able to sort out the pooled support issue if there was an impact."

In other words, you can be part of pooled support if you think it is a good idea. But if you think pooled support does not meet your needs, then:

1) You can contact the AtW contact centre and let them know you need to make a change of circumstances application.

2) You need to explain why your current pooled support does not meet your needs.

3) Because your AtW award is an individual award to meet your needs, even if your employer would prefer you were part of a pooled system, they can't tell you that you have to be part of the pooled system.

4) If you have problems with this, your AtW adviser can help sort this out with your employer.

Any questions or problems with this, please contact DeafATW.

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When AtW make awards, either Advisers or after a Reconsideration, ask them to EXPLAIN their decisions

1/10/2020

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18th March 2016

If AtW make a decision that doesn't make sense to you, then ask them to explain how they made the decision. If they still don't explain, ask again, and again, and again (!), until they do.

Questions you can ask them include:

Please explain the detailed reasons for your decision.
What information did you consider in reaching your decision?
Can you explained how you reached the view that this support would meet my minimum needs?

AtW advisers can make choices in what they decide, but they have to have a reason for those choices, they can't just make things up, or make decisions with no reason. Because they are a public service decision maker they are obliged (have to) tell you their reasons for their decisions.

If the AtW adviser doesn't answer your question, or says that you have to do something, then just write back and ask them again. And again. Etc.

If they refuse, or ignore you, then you should complain to AtW.

Read "Never give up - An AtW success story" below about how this can work.

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Never give up - an AtW success story

1/10/2020

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18th March 2016

Sometimes it can feel really hard to sort things out with AtW. Especially if it feels like AtW won't listen to you.

This is a true story (I have changed some of the details to keep it anonymous) of someone who didn't give up, and got what they need in the end.

Hannah is a BSL user who works with hearing children. She applied to AtW and said she needed 22 hours CSW support.

At first, AtW said that the CSW would be doing Hannah’s job for her, so AtW would not support her. Hannah asked the AtW adviser how the CSW would be doing her job instead of her, but the adviser never answered that question.

The adviser wouldn't change the decision, so Hannah asked AtW to reconsider the decision. The reconsideration decision said that they agreed with the adviser's decision, and would not change it.

So Hannah made a complaint to AtW, because they had not explained how the CSW would be doing her job, but they did not reply for 4 months. She chased them 5 times, but they still didn't investigate her complaint. So she wrote to her MP. Her MP chased AtW, and they said they would investigate her complaint that week. They still didn't. So Hannah complained to the PHSO.

The PHSO agreed with Hannah that AtW had got it wrong. They asked AtW to go back and make the decision again.

This time, the AtW adviser decided that Hannah only needed 10 hours’ support a week, even though she had said 22 hours was what she needed to be able to do her job.

Hannah asked the AtW adviser to explain how they decided 10 hours would be enough. The adviser did not not explain this, but asked Hannah for more information.

Hannah gave the adviser the information they asked for, and also asked the adviser to explained how they had reached the view that this support would meet her minimum needs. The adviser didn't answer the question, and said that Hannah needed to explain why she needed 22 hours.

Hannah wrote back and asked the adviser again to explained how they had reached the view that this support would meet her minimum needs. The adviser again replied, and didn't answer the question. This carried on for two months, Hannah just writing back and asking them the same question, and explaining that the adviser did need to answer the question about how they had made their decision.

Hannah really felt like giving up, but she didn't.

Then after 2 months, the AtW adviser wrote to Hannah and said they agreed to give her the 22 hours she had asked for. Success at last.

The important thing Hannah did was not to give up, or get cross, even when she was very frustrated and fed up. AtW had not explained why they thought 10 hours was enough, so Hannah made sure she kept repeating that question. Because AtW could not explain their decision, they agreed to her request.

So if you feel like giving up, remember this story. It may take time, and patience, but you can get there in the end.

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'Deadweight' does not apply if you have had help from family or friends

1/10/2020

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18th March 2016

AtW guidance at the moment says that if you have help from friends and family with interpreting, for example. supporting you with communication if you are self-employed, then AtW can say no to helping you, because you already have communication support.

But really deadweight was meant to stop employers who are already paying for interpreters (etc) from deciding not to pay and asking AtW to start paying instead.

DWP have realised that this was a mistake (thanks) and have changed this.

So from the 1st April 2016, ‘deadweight’ rules will be changed to say that it doesn't matter if you have had support from relatives or friends.

If you have a problem with this, please contact DeafATW, and we will send you more information.

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The AtW Call Centre can only give information or pass a message to AtW staff

1/8/2020

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2 June 2014

After the restructure, when you call AtW, you will normally talk to call centre staff.

They can be really helpful, but all they can do is look at your file, or pass a message on to an AtW Adviser. They don't seem to be able to make decisions.

Sometimes if you ask want to talk about a problem with them it sounds like they are answering your question, or saying no to you, or there is nothing you can do, but all they are really doing is reading what it says in your letter or file.

So it is important, if you want to sort something out, or want to complain, make sure the call centre staff pass a message on to an AtW Adviser or manager to call you back.

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Updates

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Click on a Blog Category below to see ONLY all the updates in that category.

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Problems with filling in DP222JP claim forms and Time Sheets

Coronavirus / COVID-19

AtW and Pooled agreements - You can choose to be in a pooled agreement, or choose just to manage your own budget.

When AtW make awards, either Advisers or after a Reconsideration, ask them to EXPLAIN their decisions

Never give up - an AtW success story

'Deadweight' does not apply if you have had help from family or friends

The AtW Call Centre can only give information or pass a message to AtW staff

Updates

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