What’s the point of this UC appointment?!

[SeemsPointless]

Have NC for this as DP is a bit sensitive about this issue.

DP has been off sick since last September. Just been made redundant (along with a load of others - not on health grounds).

We submitted a claim for Universal Credit in February. I’m self-employed and work full-time so I had to go in for an interview and provide proof - all good, it’s been accepted.

Universal Credit have now asked DP to attend for a “work search interview”. He has no work commitments for Universal Credit on the portal/journal because his GP is certifying him as unfit for work. In February, just before he got made redundant he had an examination by an Occupational Health Physician who agreed he’s unfit for all types of work, including part-time work.

DP is awaiting to see a neurologist and also an ENT consultant. It’s not a condition which is suddenly going to get better unfortunately.

The UC advisor originally booked the appt for the day after his sick note expired. DP then had an ESA phone appt with the same person and he moved the appt to a week later (to give us time for the new sick note to be obtained). I assumed this meant that the appointment would be cancelled once the new sick note was uploaded.

Today the UC advisor has said the “work search interview” still has to go ahead. Why?? It seems utterly pointless. They haven’t asked him to accept any work commitments and have been accepting the sick notes - so why does he have to go to a work search interview??

I understand that eventually they’ll want him to attend a medical exam with one of their own doctors. No issue with that - makes sense.

It’s just the irrational request to attend a work search interview when he’s unfit for all work. I don’t get it?? If they don’t believe him then arrange an exam - an advisor with no medical knowledge isn’t in any position to assess him so what’s the point?!

For context, I have two disabled DC who are at home so I’ll have to get family to babysit while I take DP to the appointment (he can’t travel alone due to health). That also means I’ll lose money and work for that afternoon as the family who can help are an hour round trip - so that’s two hours in the car, adding petrol costs to me losing work. All of that would be fine if there was any point….but what is the actual point of a work search interview for DP??!

I’m exhausted and broke. I am grateful for UC - I really am. But this seems like such a pointless exercise - and when we asked why we were just told “this is the process”.

Whilst he does not have to take up work, the work coach will still need him to attend as he’s classed as a ‘jobseeker’ until he has his work capability assessment. Depending on his disabilities, you could request a phone appointment instead.

Just to add, when I went for my UC appointment, my advisor:

a) first insisted that DP couldn’t claim ESA and was very insistent that we retract the claim. When told that his employer had told him to claim as his SSP was ending she went off to report it to someone only to sheepishly return and admit that actually, his employer was right.

b) pulled a weird, wonky facial expression while asking if something was “because of your funny brain”. I’m autistic and have ADHD.

c) when told that my dad died of Huntington’s Disease and that I had been his sole carer - she then asked if I’d been tested for the disease and if I had it too. Wildly inappropriate!

d) quizzed me about DP’s limitations - bear in mind this was MY work interview - and when I explained she suggested that he blindfolds himself and asks his employer to install technology for visually impaired people so he could do his job. That wouldn’t actually resolve all of the problems anyway plus his job isn’t one that you could do with a visual impairment - other than that, amazing idea….. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

This is our first experience with claiming and honestly, it’s a bit shit.

He has to attend to avoid a sanction. He will be treated as a jobseeker until Jobcentre make a decision on work capability following assessment. Jobcentre have a duty to make reasonable adjustments whilst he is a jobseeker

Really? FFS. What a total waste of everyone’s time….

They haven’t asked him to attend a work capability assessment or even mentioned it at any point. Do you know how long it takes before they start the process?

The UC guy said we could only do a phone call if he was too unwell to travel on the day - and if these appointments will be monthly (which I’ve been led to believe) we’ll just need to suck it up. I don’t especially want to lie about his health tbh.

We will definitely attend - it’s just an enormously difficult situation for us to get there.

I don’t understand why they are treating him as a jobseeker when they haven’t put any work commitments on his UC claim. Seems daft - they’ve obvs accepted his sick notes because they’re not asking him to carry out any work related activities….but they’re still asking him to come in.

No mention of any capability assessment. Very happy for them to arrange it!! Maybe I’ll ask at the appointment.

Thank you - sorry, don’t meant to sound rude. It’s just a stupid system - surely their time would be better spent doing something that actually has a point?! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Just ask for a telephone appointment via his journal. They can’t really refuse if he has a valid fit note in place and they can’t sanction him for getting in touch to change the appointment to telephony.

Until he's been assessed and found to have limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWWRA), he needs to attend appointments when they ask. A FIT note from a GP is neither here nor there. UC work coaches have a huge amount of discretion, and if he doesn't attend appointments when asked he could be "sanctioned".

Has he had a "work capability questionnaire" (form UC50) yet? If not, he can request one, via his journal, and this will trigger the assessment process. If he gets awarded LCWWRA, they'll back off (and your money will go up).

They are being very on the case with appointments atm. A friend, not on UC, has had to go in for an interview despite being full-time carer for her son and getting carer's allowance in addition to ESA for her own health problems.

If you have disabled DC, do either of them get middle or high rate DLA? If so can DH put himself down as caring for them? This would remove all work conditionality from him.

You may be waiting a very long time for an assessment to be honest. If the doctor is willing, get a fit note for a few months duration, they should and can reduce how often he needs to be contacted. It is shit though.

I don't know OP. I mean I get it's annoying and feels pointless, but equally when you are being handed out money you need to follow the rules for that, even if that means jumping through a few hoops. If, like others say, you can request a telephone appointment I don't see that it's a huge hardship in return for 100s of pounds a month.

He won't have had to agree any work related tasks because those are set at the work interview he's scheduled for.

These have to go ahead based on the particular requirements of the claimant's "level". It sounds like he might be under the wrong level but actually speaking to a work coach might help sort that too.

As for the Huntington thing - it's a hereditary illness and they were assessing whether your circumstances might change because of it.

Is he trying to claim disability benefits?

I didn't know this was a thing. I thought you could claim UC with no issues as long as one parent was working full time. I'm a single parent getting UC and working full time, I've never had to attend any face to face interviews. I've never even had a phone call from UC!

Sadly the training around Contributory benefits in Jobcentres is woefully inadequate. You say that your DH has claimed ESA ? This should be contributory esa (based on him working and paying NI over the last two tax years.. and whilst in the assessment period (first 13 weeks) it will be the lower rate around £84.00.

He does not need a work coach interview as he isn't claiming UC . ESA is paid to the sick upon receipt of a sick note.

The UC is assessed on both of you, the kids and any rent entitlement and then reduced by the amount of the ESA (£84).

After 13 weeks he should be assessed by ESA and put into one of three groups. Support, (same money but expected to attend JC for work prep) Fit for work (ESA stops and he would move to joint UC with you and be expected to attend weekly work focussed interviews at JC or found unfit for work and work related activity. This means he gets increased ESA (but this just gets taken £ for £ off of UC but he will get a £330 ish 'health addition in UC and not required to attend JC

The questionnaire for work capability should be sent out after 29 days of handing in sick notes. It can then take months for the actual assessment. I guess it is a case of whether he gets the assessment through Uc first or ESA.
He still needs to attend any appointments until he has been assessed - you could always ring and ask if the appointment could be done by phone instead of face to face. just explain how difficult it is going to be for him to attend.

Ask to speak to someone who understands ESA Contribution based.

JC staff just lump everyone on to UC as it's less work and they don't understand it.

Sounds like you have a dual claim if he has applied for ESA too. Unfortunately UC rules take president. Not sure if you’ve been told but whatever he gets for ESA will be deducted £ for £ from your UC award. Just so you know and it doesn’t come as a shock to you.

He has done the correct thing by applying for both ( dual claim). If he has paid the NI contributions over the qualifying years it makes sense to claim the ESA. If he is put in the support group of ESA/ LCWRA after assessment then the ESA can continue indefinitely and if you reached a point where your children were off the claim and your earnings meant you were no longer eligible for UC which is means tested, then he could still claim the ESA in his own right.

b) pulled a weird, wonky facial expression while asking if something was “because of your funny brain”. I’m autistic and have ADHD.

What

I got called in for one and was asked questions that my Consultant (OBE globally recognised) couldn't have answered. She then tried to give me advice re exercise. She was insulting and considering I was on PIP/ESA had no right to ask me health related questions in a JC surrounded by people. It's a box ticking exercise and a waste of resources.

You have to attend UC appointments until you have completed a work capabilities assessment. Maybe ask your doctor for a longer sick note (2 months) is normal. I'm long term sick but cannot attend the job center so they begrudgingly do a telephone appointment. Good luck, I know it's a pain

We've had a similar situation op with my ds who is long term ill and has a sick note. The job centre expect him to attend a 9-5, mon-Fri two week online course. Whilst it's online he would still really struggle with this. I went with him this week and queried why he's expected to do this when he has letters stating he should only work part time, needs rests every hour etc. all she could say was well try but we do have your sick note and diagnosis etc. He can absolutely manage some but I'm worried he will be penalised if he doesn't attend the whole thing.

Apparently they don't do the work capability assessment until 29 days or something. Not very helpful if you're genuinely struggling and then have to traipse down the job centre every two weeks to be told to do stuff you can't manage.

I reckon I've met her... 😔

Can he not claim travel expenses to the appointments and go alone so you're not impacted? Totally unsure if that's an option or not or even achievable.

Can you take the kids with you?

I know trying to navigate getting there and parking and both DC and your DH might be hard.
But I take my 2 DC (one who is disabled) with me. If they don't like it, tough.
DS doesn't always behave perfectly because of his disability but he can't be left with anyone else.

Your DPs condition means he should now be covered by the equality act.

So email and state he can't attend because of ..... and ask what reasonable adjustments they are going to make for him under this law.

Suggest things like zoom, telephone etc.

The trick isn't to ask what they'll do but rather which option they are going to take to do what they have to do.

It's very hard for them to reply stating he has to do it without actually saying "despite his disability meaning he can't travel alone to the appointment and you have suggested alternatives - we are going to make him come alone!