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 problem is that it’s a bit of a vicious circle, poor mental health makes it hard to do these sorts of groups not to mention look for work yet doing nothing hinders mental wellbeing. My dh has quit working completely (he can afford to retire thankfully) but he needs to get out otherwise his mental health crashes. Would work related activities include things like volunteering in wildlife projects or similar because that can be very good to rebuild your mental wellbeing.

It does seem to really vary how much people on LCW are expected to do. I know people in that group who are expected to go on courses about getting their CV up to scratch and they seem to have to see their work coach all the time. Then I know others who only go the Job Centre twice a year and are not expected to do anything at all.

I go to some support groups run by a mental health charity and we sit around colouring in and playing Bingo. Im not sure how that prepares someone for work. But getting out and seeing people can do you good if you pace yourself. I have to take some time out after activities sometimes so can understand that.

What have psychological support services said? Surely you have a mental health nurse/support worker if you're so severe you can't work? Aren't they trying to help you access the support you don't want to go to?

Hahaha nope. Not the OP, but i haven't even been offered any support other than 6 weeks talking therapy.
Luckily for me I'm in a much better place and starting to look at jobs even if I don't apply. I couldn't even think about looking a year ago without a panic attack.

i have a couzin who is in limited for work group she says thats all jobcentre expected her to do just do a cv and says they never bother her thats what gets me theres no consistency then i spoke to another person who is in same group she has anxiety says she never has any jobcentre appointments and was suprised that i did so i dont get why two people with same health issue deal with jobcentre are treated so differently

i meant i dont understand why two people with same health condition who both deal with same jobcentre are treated differently

I have mental health conditions that have led to breakdowns in the past, as well as chronic health conditions that cause significant pain daily. I still have to go to work to bring the money in somehow and yes, it's hell sometimes, but I don't expect anything handed to me on a plate.

Twenty hours or five hours of doing what the jobcentre has asked of you isn't asking much. You have to push yourself and help yourself. I've been there and it's difficult.

were all made different i wont be made to feel guilty its not like i havent got reasons for being the way that i am and i do make an effort but i know as it stands im not good to employers just now with my mental health

The same health condition can affect different people differently. You said it yourself in your next post, we’re all different.

fair enough i wasnt thinking when i wrote that and i cant delete it i apologise

its strange that squash assumes i get extra money for being in the limited for work group i actually dont i didnt get enough points to qualify for extra money thats what i was told anyway but i met the criteria for being put in that group so goes to show u dont know what your talking about squash

If you supplemented that with doing some online courses in short chunks, you’d easily hit the 20 hr mark. You didn’t answer my question about the criteria.

i think its up to your advisor how many hours of activities you do a week i dpmt know how they decide but from what i hear they have to speak to theyre manager about theyre clients or whatever were called and basicly get adivised to be tougher on some i dont know if thats the case though

The recent white paper. Our focus has completely changed.

We now have to see people awarded lcw every month and have meaningful conversations about preparing for work and set activities to support that goal

Hello all,

Can we please remind everyone that goady, inflammatory or otherwise just plain nasty behaviour is against our Talk Guidelines? We're here to make parents' lives easier, not stick the boot in.

Thanks all.

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theres only one person here thats been instigating clara if you look through the messages everyone else has been civil

Sorry but nobody is putting down your dignity. You are claiming benefits and you must account for why and how you claim them. I claim PIP, and I have to disclose personal information to do so. It is not put on a billboard and shared with the town. It is part of a process. And it is fair. You are being unreasonable in this respect. If you cannot seek work, you must explain why and you must prove it. Just as those who are able to work but are not working must prove what they do to find work. The test isn't onerous; and your own posts have proven that in this instance they have listened and been reasonable.

in this instance yes and im gratefull for that but as ive said before ive had advisors insinuate theres nothing wrong with me they cant wait for me to be re assessed im going to fail and they couldnt wait so they could get me a job that attitude doesnt help anyone and thats why sometimes people react with jobcentre staff when theyre disrespected like that specially if they have mental health conditions so lets not pretend jobcentre staff or the benefits system is perfect

I am pretty sure that I said no such thing, nor did I insinuate it. Perhaps you are mistaking everyone who says anything you don't agree with 100% for one particular poster who, in my experience, has a habit of jumping on disabled people the way they have here. The system isn't perfect no, but it is the one we have, and so you need to play by that system. You pointed out that the increased demand for activities wasn't possible now, and said why. And the system worked because within 45 minutes they changed the requirement. If people are being rude or offensive then that is not acceptable. But the JobCentre staff also have a job to do and it is to get people into work. They have the treat of regularly being complained about and sworn at or threatened for doing their job. I do realise that it is hard, but their job is to get you into work. And you are currently complaining because the system worked as it should! For all the tea in China I would not do their job - piggy in the middle between government rules and targets, and a clientele many of whom hate them with a passion for doing that job. The JobCentre system isn't perfect. Neither are a lot of the people they have to deal with.

Not everyone has access to CMHRS (CMHT hasn't existed here for many years) & it's nearly always short term.
I have schizoaffective disorder (a more severe form of bipolar disorder) was sectioned in Feb for psychosis & aren't under or eligible for CMHRS/CMHT.

Can you please just ban the one poster who is being plain nasty & spoiling the thread for everyone else.

That’s appalling isn’t it. Mental health services are shocking. When I was discharged from hospital I was under the CMHT for a long time. Who are you supposed to see now? Is it all on your GP? GP’s can be great for mental health conditions such as anxiety and clinical depression, but no matter how knowledgeable they are, they’re not equipped to support people with more serious mental health conditions such as the ones you and I have