Jobcentre sends disabled 57-year-old on youth training scheme in error

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

The Department for Work and Pensions claims it mistakenly placed a 57-year-old man from north Wales onto a training programme for 16-30 year-old jobseekers.

John Colamatheo has been out of work for a year after suffering an ankle injury that prevented him working in construction.

Despite his disability allowing him to claim Universal Credit, he decided to actively seek new employment and was thrilled when presented with a chance to become a Universal Credit Agent working for the DWP.

“I needed it, not for the money, for my mental health,” he said. “I wanted that camaraderie, that feeling of being in a workplace, around people.

“My job coach at Wrexham Job Centre thought it was a great idea.

“I thought the fact I have a disability, I have claimed benefits and was coming out on the other side that my experience might help people. I could use my experience to make the process of claiming benefits – and coming off them – easier.”

John was told that after the training he would have a job so he purchased new clothes for the workplace.

“I wanted to go to the training looking smart,” he said. “I could ill-afford to spend the money but I reckoned I would cover it after I started getting paid.”

But after attending training for a week, John was taken aside.

“On the Monday of the second week of training I was taken aside and told there had been a mistake. I was told that the job was only open to people aged 30.”

John, who is 57, was shocked.

“I didn’t understand it,” he said. “Firstly they had all my details and knew exactly how old I was at the start but it wasn’t flagged. There was nothing on the job advert that indicated it was for people aged 30 or under and why would it be age restricted anyway?

“We are not talking about manual labour here where age would be a factor. This is a desk job advising people. I can’t see how that should be only available to a certain age range.

“I was willing to share my life experience, something that people who have to claim benefits might have valued because I have been where they are.

“This has destroyed my confidence. How can the DWP make a mistake like this? It makes no sense.”

When approached for a response, the DWP explained that John had been incorrectly placed on a employment charity training programme designed specifically to get people aged 16-30 into work.

Error

A spokesperson for the DWP explained: “In our efforts to support Mr Colamatheo, he was mistakenly placed into the Movement to Work programme – a national charity to support 16-to-30-year-olds into employment.

“We sincerely apologise for this error and are in contact with Mr Colamatheo to discuss other job support available, as we help him to explore further employment opportunities.”

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