To ask what happens if you can’t attend universal credit interviews?

[Icecoldtulip]

We are transferring from tax credits and are both self employed. We have appointments to che k we are gainfully employed. Both on weekdays when we have work and kids to deal with and at completely different times so we individually have to drive over on the same day for 45 mins. They won’t accommodate us having similar appointment times.

we then have another app on tent at the same place in the same week to verify our id. Can’t be during the same appointment apparently. So we are driving 45 mins to the job centre 4 times between us when surely we should be able to do it once and get everything sorted. It’s crazy.

if we can’t attend I guess we won’t get any money and there’s no other consequences? It’s so hard when we are trying to juggle our business and have primary children one of which has medical conditions and can’t be looked after by just anyone. (They know we get dla for said child).

Will we be able to apply again in a few months when work isn’t so crazy? Won’t be transferring from tax credits though I guess would be new claim. It’s making me so fed up and miserable.

You won't get any money, and your claim will close.

You can apply again in a few months - I think there's a minimum period but I don't know if that applies in this situation - but if you are then not being migrated over, you won't be eligible for transitional protection, or the savings disregard if that's relevant.

It is really difficult to claim if you are self-employed. You basically have to run a separate second set of monthly figures for them, with different expenditure allowances to HMRC. It might be worth working out what you'd get, and then seeing how worthwhile it'll be. If it's a good amount of money, it might be worth finding a way to make it happen.

It's unfortunate you've both been summoned to ID verification, they can usually do that online.

It's a pain but it's what you need to do if you want to claim.

Thank you. We have done the I’d check online but they want to see us too. I get that they need to do id checks and make sure we are gainfully employed but surely they could do it all in a joint appointment as the same time. It’s the same business for both of us. They will just see the info twice!

I may look at a calculator. We earn about £23k each a year. I don’t know if they’ll decide this is gainful employment or if we will get much money on this income. It sucks. I wish we could do all the info online as we could with tax credits. Or just have the one appointment.

Most people are able to verify online so don't actually need to go for ID appointments. But yes self employment is more appointments/ proving your business is viable etc. These checks are important after so many people took the absolute piss on tax credits with their hobby jobs earning basically nothing but still getting working tax credits for years on end. Things are a lot stricter now for good reason.

We had to go in. We are both employed!
Transfering from tax credits means jumping through many hoops. We did it because there is transitional protection for a year than means we are better off. We probably won't get anything after that

Just do it, life is busy and hard and these things happen. Easier to do it now then faff about in a few months. You're self employed, just move stuff around and make it work 🤷‍♀️

I could for one meeting for the both of us. To traipse over there 4 times in a week is madness when you have young children, a business to run and a child with medical conditions.

we will have to close on one day as we won’t be able to open when we both have to be there the same day but one in the morning and one in the afternoon. That means swapping all the clients that day to somewhere else. Then that’s not counting the times when we have to go individually to do the ID checks. That won’t be quite as bad as hopefully won’t take too long. I just feel they could have us both in at the same appointment and do ID checks at the same time.

They could but these government things are neither reasonable nor sensible. So you just have to suck it up - you need to put yourselves first in this instance and rearrange clients etc as required for unforseen circumstances.

They did my ID check and self employment check in the same meeting. You may find when you get there they just do both, the staff are much more helpful than the computer system (which seems to be “computer says no).

Take all your ID with you to the first appointment and if you're lucky and get a helpful work coach, they may be able to do the ID at the same time and cancel the verification appointment.

When I applied for UC I was in hospital so couldn't attend an interview. They came to the hospital to do it. Not sure if they could come to your house due to your DC?

Thanks. We will do that. Fingers crossed it will work out!

wouldn’t be so bad if it was closer than 45 mins away too! Will probably find out we can’t get anything after all this!