Universal credit - pensioner

[universalpain]

Ok so I have a 'first commitments' interview next week, just curious if anyone who is one state pension has had to go to this?

I don't understand what the point of it is as surely I should have no work commitments but when I called I was just told 'it's part of the process' - are they seriously going to ask me to look for work at almost 70 years old?

I have no problem going to the appointment, just wondered what it might entail.

Thank you, I was hoping it would be something like this. DW doesn't have to go as she ticks the 'carer' box it's mad that there isn't a 'pension' box too!

Thanks it does just seem to be that the system doesn't know how to manage it!

Thank you, it seems a lot of the 'system' makes no sense!

@FoxInTheForest

Thank you.

It really irks when people make shitty judgemental comments to people claiming the benefits they are entitled to claim. I didn't make the benefit system but if I have an entitlement to something that can make our pretty difficult lives a little bit easier of course I will claim.

I'm not going to go job seeking for my 70th birthday

They won't try and make you seek work. But they can give you financial support anyway so why not accept it? Just go along with what they ask.

I am doing. I haven't said I won't do it, in fact I have said I have no problem going.

I was merely asking if anyone else had been in the same situation.

@universalpain thank you. Sorry if I came off wrong in my post!

@universalpain how did you get on?

Still baffled tbh. Went to the appointment, asked why I was having work focused appointment, man said no idea and booked me a work focused interview for 4 weeks after. I have tried calling, multiple journal messages and spoken to 3 staff in person at the job centre.

Procedure 🤷🏻‍♀️

@universalpain Hmm Thought so.
Warnings were sounded about what could happen when these changes came in six years ago and mixed age couples could no longer claim Pension Credit just because one was under SP age. OP Your thread is the second one ive seen who has experienced this.

Predictive thread from 2019

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/money-matters/3479693-Changes-to-Pension-Credit

I don't really understand your point?

A 5/6 year old thread, what was I supposed to do? Stop getting older?

Oh God no of course not. Im posting because it was entirely predictable that this would happen when they brought these ridiculous rules in and people couldnt or didnt want to see it. i agree with you Absolutely ridiculous that you have to go to work focused interviews and they have now compounded the issue by booking you in for another one?! When im 67 my husband will be 90 Imagine him getting a work focused interview at 89. Its ludicrous and i only posted that old thread because it was entirely predictable at the time.

It's nothing to do with the pension credit thing though. I have no issue doing a UC claim rather than pension credit. The system clearly has an admin issue, known as 'procedure'

I'm not complaining or even bothered about what used to be.

@universalpain they just have the same process for everyone.
So they’ll ask you to come, will establish you dint need to do anything. They’ll explain you about your commitment (eh if you start working again, your partner is etc….) as well as all the admin stuff.
I was given some handy tel number too.

I got very good advice from Age. U.K. in respect of UC

I have done all this. It's a 3rd appointment. The second work focused. Crazy.

Is it possible they got mixed up and have given you the same appointment twice??

No not at all he said at the time I shall book you in for 4 weeks time.

One was 'first commitments' before which I had to fill in job related questions, the next one is 'work focused'

Prior to that I also had an ID check.

I have asked everyone, nobody knows why. It's absolutely crazy to have a pensioner attend a job centre on the premise of job hunting.

ave you tried phoning the UC helpline? As a pensioner, you definitely should not be having work focused interviews.

Its fucking nuts!

Make sure you have the carer element added to your UC award.

Op I'm with you, having read your whole thread. I've also had this when going from a joint to single claim despite the fact I was the claimer unable to work due to disability and receive a indisputable war pension. Had gone through all the interviews etc which I had no issues with, except I HAD to get sick notes from my doctor every 3 months until I complained that this was a waste of services and that my war pension and medical discharge paperwork clearly stated I was getting the war pension because I could not work.

I had to go to the JC 3 times when we split and I claimed as a single. They didn't understand why appts had been generated for me either. It's a flaw in the system.....

More than once, yes.

Nothing run by the UK government works efficiently. Not the NHS, NHS dentistry, SEN education, housing, the list goes on. Just go along with their long winded, money and resource wasting process and fingers crossed you’ll get there eventually.

Is there a difference between UC and Pension Credit?