10 January 2013  A WOMAN with agoraphobia has been ordered to attend JobCentre appointments IN PERSON – rather than by videolink.
Jen Lant, 22, is often unable to set foot outside her home  because of the condition and has a letter from her GP.
She claims she is a victim of discrimination.
She receives £98 by “attending” appointments from her home in London Road, Marks Tey, near Colchester, Essex.
But she’s been told that under new rules she must attend monthly appointments in person with training firm Seetec, or risk losing part of her benefit.
Jen says she has good days when she leave her house for a couple of hours but often is unable to set foot outside.
She said: “With my agoraphobia that will be virtually impossible.
“Even with a letter from my GP they have told me I have no way of getting around it so I’m in a situation where I really don’t know what to do.
“There are lots of other disabilities in which people cannot leave their homes for various reasons.
“It seems the JobCentre along with Seetec are discriminating against these disabilities and are getting away with it.
“They were not able to tell me over the phone how much I might lose but that is money which is needed to go towards rent and other things.
“Put yourself in the shoes of someone who'd be living alone in a flat, disabled, unable to work, and unable to go to their Seetec appointments, they'd lose money they need to survive.”
Jen has been able to log on and speak with trainers and employment support advisors over the internet or on the phone for two years .
During the appointments she is set targets that focus on helping her to work from home and to do online courses.
She has been on a skills and training programme since 2011.
If she cannot overcome her condition, Jen hopes to find a job where she can work from home.
A spokesman for the Department for Works and Pensions said: “Meetings with a Work Programme provider are an important part of the process of helping someone with an illness or disability prepare for eventually moving back into work.
“Any work-related activity a person is expected to do in return for their benefit will be appropriate to their condition.”