DWP Advertising Dressed Up as Editorial

The ABC has turned down the opportunity to work with the DWP Work Programme and Work & Health Programme (WHP).

The Work and Health Programme helps you find and keep a job if you’re out of work. It’s voluntary say the DWP, unless you’ve been out of work and claiming unemployment benefits for 24 months. The DWP want organisations to identify refer and support people they think will benefit from the WHP but may have limited contact with Jobcentre Plus.

We felt this was more to benefit the DWP than those eligible and we decided to pass on that opportunity. 

We have not ruled out working with the DWP in future, but their track-record and reputation regarding the treatment of disabled people is not something we want to get tarnished with. Sorry to the WHP team ... we will have to pass on that one. 

We don't have the resources we might add, to do more voluntary work. We do tons already. 

Meanwhile:

The Disability News Service has sent a call out to all members and supporters regarding the DWP universal credit uncovered advertorials that are running in the Metro newspaper currently: https://dpac.uk.net/2019/05/callout-to-supporters-to-dump-the-metro-dumpmetrodwplies/

Advertising dressed up as editorial comment is something that really gets us media types annoyed. Advertorial can be very good, but our audience needs to know where they stand. The conventional media such as newspapers are seeing falling circulation and lower advertising spending. At the ABC ours is going up.  If people want facts based editorial - at the ABC we do the very best we can to provide it. We are not on anyone’s payroll. We are not paid to kiss anyones arse. 

ABC Comment, have your say below: