issues with uc and being in limited for work group

[masterofdoom]

i'm in limited for work group on universal credit due to poor mental health i have activities i'm required to do which until today were always 12 hours or a few hours a week but today i had an appointment with my advisor told her i was struggling mentally after my meds were increased from 50 mg to 100 mg and i had been referred to a mental health nurse she tells me that i've to continue doing my activities for a few hours a week and that i had to accept my commitments or no money so i read through my commitments and my commitments have been increased from 12 hours to 20 hours a week after me just telling her i was struggling and wasn't sleeping its as if it went in one ear and out the other so i'm unsure what to do

The 20 hours thing is meaningless. It isn't monitored and you won't (shouldn't) be asked to prove what you've done.

Just nod your head and get your money.

The 20 hours thing is meaningless. It isn't monitored and you won't (shouldn't) be asked to prove what you've done.
Just nod your head and get your money

i get what your saying but i cant understand my advisors mindset of increasing my activities hours after just telling her i was struggling ive had other people tell me they are in similar group for anxiety and never have to attend appointments yet for some reason i have appointments every three months

What activities for 20 hours are they asking you to do?

going to different local groups like theres one at a community centre which is on in an afternoon where u go in for a few hours and talk interact with people sometimes theres days out then theres a local mental health charity which has a mens group which is pretty much the same thing where its just men that go in and chat but sometimes i struggle going to them as i constantly feel exhausted and irratable because i dont sleep and i dont understand why shes nearly doubled my hours for activities

Leave a journal message and ask her to clarify.

have done but theyre not always good at responding or they hit you with a lot of rubbish i feel like ive never been taken seriously for some reason like being told last year i was going to fail my re assessment and they couldnt wait to find me a job like i was being lazy and just couldnt be bothered working yet i know others that have been in similar groups all theyre adult life and theyre the same age as i am and they never get an attitude

Would you be able to get a new fit note?

it doesnt work that way im supposed to have regular assements i was due one in debruary never had it i questioned them about it but was never given a direct answer as to why ive not had one yet in my experience they tell you as little as possible but your supposed to tell them all your personal stuff and your made to feel like you have no privacy

If you don't feel well enough for the expected activities have you considered getting assistance from CAB or similar to apply to be classified as Limited Capability For Work Related Activity? Your work coach is obliged to remind you to keep to the terms of your benefits.

ok they reduced my activities to 5 hours a week which im suprised at so thats a good thing i dont mind being expected to do stuff but i feel like sometimes im being treated differently to others and not being taken seriously

im not explaining myself all ill say its youve clearly never suffered from poor mental health to make those comments and heres hoping you never have too

i find it hard to believe you suffer from mental health issues yet your telling somebody else that suffers from them theyre being lazy and trying to get out of work people come on here for advice and support not to be verbally attacked so take your attitude somewhere else

That's great news, it sounds like in this case they have taken you seriously.

Do point out where I said you were lazy... I'll wait.

'Why are you trying to get out of both working, and doing the activities' you directly said i was trying to get out of work and getting money for nothing that implies that you believe im being lazy if youve got nothing constructive to say then dont speak to me

there always has to be somebody that enjoys creating drama and getting a reaction

@masterofdoom I'm also in the LCW group, my job coach makes me have fortnightly meetings which I find so stressful. I think my commitments say 16 hours per week preparing for work. But I do a couple of voluntary things, and have just finished an online course which seems to satisfy her.
I hope your mental health improves soon.

They will treat you differently to other people, because they can only respond to individual circumstances which will be unique even for people with the same or similar diagnoses. It doesn’t mean they don’t treat you seriously, just that someone else needs something different.

To support your mh journey?

Its surely not such a stretch of the imagination that just because you are able to work, that some other people with MH issues may not be able to do so !

They reduced your weekly activities hours by 75% in less than 45 minutes since you first posted?