Community Action Programme (CAP) advice please ..

[Ann]

Has anyone else been on this new CAP organised by the government for those out of work for a long time? a friend is to go on this programme - 30 hours reporting in to an office 22 miles from home and then being sent out to work in charity shops, community work or wherever the staff choose. she is willing to do this but the main gripe is that she will not be paid travelling expenses for going in her own car, only by public transport, the timings of which are completely unworkable as she lives in a rural area. Travelling costs alone will eat up most of her weekly benefit, what is she to do as they just will not listen?

[factor-fiction]

Well to get job seekers allowance I had to to agree to apply for/accept any suitable job within an hour's travelling distance. My last job was 35 miles from home

[Buenchico]

Has she enquired about being paid at the 'public transport rate' while actually using her car? i.e, if she can find out what the bus or rail fares are, can she still be paid those amounts (as long as she turns up) without actually producing any tickets?

If such an arrangement is possible she might even make a profit (without costing the Programme a single penny more than if she'd used public transport). It costs me about £3 for the return trip to and from my nearest large town; if I was to to be paid the £4.80 return bus fare for doing so, I wouldn't be complaining!

Chris

[factor-fiction]

Sorry, I had half an eye on Corrie and didn't read your post properly.Buenchico's suggestion is a good one. I know for my last temporary job travelling by car (under an hour) was the only viable option- the only alternative was 2 buses and two trains taking 3 hours each way

[Ann]

Thanks I will pass your advice on to her. I do know when I did jury service, in order to get my travel expenses I had to keep all receipts, a lady I was with that week, lost her ticket one morning and they refused to pay her, so maybe it will be the same in this case. Hardly fair though is it?

[THECORBYLOON]

This is a chapter from the CAP Provider Guidance http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-cap-10.pd f. You wil see that at 10.2 it says “Participants on CAP should never be worse off by virtue of the requirement for participation.”

10.9 deals with travel expenses and it does not say that they are limited only to public transport rates. If I were the friend, I’d quote their own guidance and if they are willing only to pay for bus fares, go by bus. If that affects the ability to participate fully, the Provider will be the one at fault not the friend.

[boxtops]

ann, it's fair in that this process is the same as is applied if you were in employment - I can claim my travel for work (not to work) by public transport, but if I lose the ticket and can't submit it, they won't pay me.

[Ann]

Corby loon - the link to that page can't be found - maybe they have taken it off as it doesn't apply now?

[THECORBYLOON]

Ann there was a gap at the very end of that link. If you click on this http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-cap-10.pdf you'll see the chapter.