UC sanctions should be temporarily lifted

[Needachangee]

NC as been discussing with a friend who uses MN

I am on UC currently but have been sanctioned for missing appointments as my mum was in hospital. I had a single piece of toast yesterday, I just started my period, it’s 30 degrees and I have 3 potatoes and half a tin of beans to last until Monday. That’s when I can apply for a hardship payment that I might not even receive and if I do it won’t come through till Tuesday.

AIBU to think sanctions should be lifted temporarily with the cost of living crisis. I understand that there has to be consequences and incentives to make people attend the job centre but the alternative is people like myself are close to starving. The only positive outlook I have is I’m starting work in September. Food banks are scarce as everyone is struggling to buy their own shops let alone donate.

The country is on its knees so I know there can’t be an increase in UC and as I say I will be earning myself soon enough but as I’ve been sanctioned the most I will get is £100 if I’m accepted for a hardship payment to see me through till payday in September. I think sanctions should be banned temporarily as a help to people like the increase during lockdown.

I'm not middle-class at all, I've seen how much some people take the piss on benefits, fail to attend appointments, work on the side, don't make any kind of effort to apply for jobs and make themselves employable. If anything it's WC people who work for a living that are harder on those not working and expecting to be given money, and then complaining about it.

How many appointments did you miss?

Can you get a letter from your GP re your MH difficulties?

UC sanctions should be outlawed and criminalised I don't know about temporarily lifted. A missed appointment is not or rather should not be punishable through poverty, that's financial abuse!

why should the friend be put in that position its not their job to get involved.

The government is actually meant by law to provide people with the money for basics.

I think the heat is getting to everyone's compassion today. Wtf. OP sorry you are in this situation

Happy Hippo you're a nurse and you advocate poverty. Because that's what you're doing saying 'a sanction is appropriate) That is very very worrying.
If you don't care about people's basic welfare you really are on the wrong profession.

You can still care about people's welfare but still think that there should be conditions attached to receiving benefits. The abuse of benefits in the past is the major reason why public opinion of benefits claimants has sunk so low. When benefits started they were meant to last for a few weeks when people were between jobs. If that was still the case I think people would be much more relaxed, and there wouldn't need to be such stringent requirements and sanctions for those that didn't comply.

I think that the issue of sanctions is a separate one from the question of whether benefits are at the right level, so no, I don’t think that they should be suspended, but I do think that the amount that people receive should be re-examined.

OP, I understand that it must be very difficult juggling your job, child care, and looking after your mother, and definitely think that you should appeal, but as others have said, when failure to communicate or attend has such a severe effect on your ability to get by, you do need to make sure that you let them know when you really can’t attend.

The government is actually meant by law to provide people with the money for basics.

And they do. They just ask that the person receiving the money, attend an appointment.

Why should she borrow money? Have you not read the thread, she hasn’t enough money for food, so if she doesn’t borrow anything how do you suggest she feeds herself and her family?

As above, they do, but they set certain conditions on that. These conditions have to be complied with in exchange for the payments.

I don’t think the idea that you can get benefits but not engage with the relevant conditions is something that any party would want to implement.

I do think that if UC payments are vital for basics like food (which I'm sure they often are) then the appointments need to be a priority.
I also understand that poor MH can make keeping on top of basic life admin very hard.
Depending on where people live, there is seasonal work in many areas/pet sitting/cleaning etc. All jobs that can be temporary and just for a few weeks if necessary. However, it sounds like that might not be do-able for the OP.
I don't have the answers.
But I do think sanctions are necessary and missing appointments or not communicating if you do is a fair reason to be sanctioned. For most people.

people cant help it if they cant get a job, people need money to live on while they are without work.

Do you believe in starving people as a punishment for being poor and needing benefits because thats what it is!!!

Ok, yes this is a difficult situation.

I have a couple of MH diagnosis and have been waiting for an adult autism diagnosis for a couple years. I don't see the nhs being able to do this any time soon, but as far as I'm aware there's no "treatment" as such for this, or various other conditions.

Nhs counselling is almost nonexistent, and when it it accessible it's woefully crap, like 6-10 sessions then you're on your own.

OP, I sympathise very much with your predicament, but I'm not sure how much additional help you'd receive even if you successfully got a diagnosis.

I think the only way to safely continue to receive your UC is to prioritise your appointments for this above everything else - unless of course it's a life or death emergency.

The system is fucked. It doesn't make allowances for Undiagnosed MH issues. It should, but I doesn't. I agree this is horribly unfair, but realistically the only way to continue receiving UC uninterrupted is to turn up to everything.

Of course allowances should be made in your situation. But they probably won't be

the government should not take away the money she needs for food. Its not the freinds job its the governments job. Everyone should have money to live on for basics from the gvt if they arent working! Its law.

She shouldnt need to be in the position of asking a friend? What if she hasnt got any friends that want to lend her money either?

yep, just remembered why I only use mumsnet for the SN board. Some horrible, heartless people on here, here’s hoping you or your close ones never find them self in a bad situation.

OP, I hope you find a way to get through the weekend. Please ignore these close minded people. Thinking of you!

but some of the rules are petty being 5 mins late to an appointment etc. They come up with anything to trip you up. They can say you havent looked for enough jobs etc.

You can be sanctioned on a whim. Its nor right. The DWp are looking for ways to get people off benefits by fair means or foul.

It dosent get people into work, it just makes them miserable and puts pressure on foodbanks.

OP Sikh temples give free meals to anyone who is hungry. Look up your nearest Gudwara to see what days they offer meals.

*missing!

You are posting rubbish. She needs to deal with the world as it is today, not as you wou,d prefer it to be. She has been sanctioned, she has more money, what are you suggesting that she actually does now, this week, to eat if she doesn’t borrow some money.

I genuinely cannot understand how a supposed adult can advise anyone to act based on how the works “should” be rather than how it is. Are you the sort of person who’d not look both ways when crossing a one-way street, as nothing “should” be coming from the wrong direction?

Where does the op say she has a child? Apologies if I've missed it.