Is this just getting ridiculous! UNIVERSAL CREDIT

[ChristmasTime2023]

So had a review with UC today phone call she stated she would up date the journal with what I need to provide.
A full length photo of myself standing outside my front door with the key in the lock!?
Then a letter from the children's school & nursery saying they attend there
A letter from the children's gp
Passport photos
Child benefit award letter
Birth certificates (they have had birth certificates before )

This isn't a new claim either I dont understand why gp letters are needed they want one for me and my partner too.

Also on the phone call asked who I use for my gas and electricity
Ive never been asked these things before seems strange to ask?
Anyone else had a review lately what did they ask for.

Partner works full time if that matters.

FFS 🙄

Similar to some schools.
If my son skips a couple of classes they’d come down on him like a tonne of bricks. But I’ve lost count of the number of lessons a teacher hasn’t turned up not set any work.
n.b. He doesn’t skip lessons.

I’m not trying to be rude here but how does going to them differ from say, doing your shopping, going to meet a friend for coffee, taking a flight etc or does it?

Sounds like a much better system. All in one place.

On behalf of everyone who's ever claimed so much as a penny of child benefit, I'd like to offer our heartfelt and eternal gratitude for your munificence and sincere apologies for not being as amazing as you. You are a wonderful, wonderful person..

Maybe she has support for those things or doesn’t do them.
The job centre obviously demanded to see her in person at a time/day of their choosing.

That’s why I’m asking…I’m genuinely interested!

It would be proof that the op has children living with her in the area.
I was caught up in the mistake with child benefit where HMRC looked at travel booking records and stopped CB on the basis that they wrongly thought people had left the country and not come back. I was asked to provide letters from school and the GP to prove I hadn't secretly emigrated.

.

Have you phoned them? If not, I'd give them a ring and say nobody is responding to your journal messages.

I have something like 10% of the energy of a healthy person. I have to stay at home most of the time and rest a lot to avoid getting ill. If I overdo it too often, I can end up bedridden. This is the nature of ME/CFS.

The Job Centre is fairly far away, which is part of the problem. So yes, I have coffee with a friend about once a week. It’s easier because it is nearby and it is also a quiet and calming sensory environment whereas the Job Centre is the opposite. Plus seeing friends occasionally is essential.

I do go on flights. If I do that. I pack at least a week in advance, have at least 2 days of total rest beforehand, get a lift to the airport and use disabled assistance at the airport.

The DWP had has had my health assessed and the result of that was that I am too ill to work.

Ok @dizzydizzydizzy thanks for your response. I don’t know anyone we ME/CFS so was just wondering is all.

Yes. I phoned on Monday and the telephone person put a note in my journal to say that they had contacted the team responsible for replying and they would reply by 6pm on Wednesday. It’s now Saturday and they have not replied.

I don't think that's out of the ordinary for UC sadly. But the point is it's obvious with your journal messages and follow up phone calls that you've made a lot of effort to do what they've asked, so less chance of having your UC suspended.
In my experience once you do that, the pressing need for the requested documents quite often vanishes forever!

Ah thank you. I am beginning to wonder if they have now decided they don’t need my documents. I didn’t understand their reason for wanting them in the first place. The way they behave is appalling.

I doubt you do as that is illegal.

I'm not entirely sure, I think that its proof they live with me maybe or proof they are real. But people have said the GP will charge for the letters I hope thats not the case.

The idea that benefit fraud is low is not the case , what is low is benefit fraud that’s detected and caught- and it’s not just single mums or families knocking out zillions of kids too . Theres a fair amount of middle aged and elderly people at it too - but being a bit more crafty about it - couple of people 60 plus I know, sold their house, bought one abroad and transferred a load to their daughter. Gave it a year then rented and we’re claiming in full for housing benefit and various UC things as we’re a few years under pensionable age . The guy had £200k in pension fund but didn’t touch it ( allowable apparently as he was pre pension age) - there’s people transferring money over, hidden partners, cash in hand jobs, mysterious ailments that mean 2 weeks in lanzarote is fine , 14 hours a week down at Sainsbury’s on tills isn’t fine. I had totally crappy neurological shit after Covid for 9 months, very frightening, buzzy fingers/legs/ chronic migraines daily and acute neck pain - still managed to keep
my business going .

and don’t get me started on the woman I know getting close to £900 a month maintenance they keep , plus full UC for them and 2 kids plus rent paid and all on working 10 hours a week with little hassle because 1 child has a controllable condition . Brought in by the Tory’s because they couldn’t be arsed to fund/manage the CSA - now this isn’t fraud it’s allowed but it’s made it that she’s better off than many a single mum working full time with a mortgage etc - Our system now has so many anomalies that if you have kids and rent and no savings and average/loweages- it really doesn’t pay to work, particularly if you are on your own.

I am a centre left voter, I am a fan of the scandi system having lived there, I believe in strong social support for those truly in need, I am not sympathetic towards piss takers and I think the system has made it that it doesn’t pay to work for many - it’s not a Labour thing or a Tory thing - it’s housing costs particularly with private rents and high house prices in many parts of the country, it’s a lack of well paid employment due to many reasons, it’s all of them creating the perfect conditions for the situation the country is in

If you can go for coffee once a week and go on holidays then you can go to the job centre for a one off appointment. How can a 15 minute appointment possibly be more exhausting than either of the other two things? I’m saying this as someone who has a disability myself. I work full time but spend most of the weekends recovering do I do get the tiredness. Not working is not an option for me though.
If you really can’t face a visit then you can request a home visit, there really isn’t any excuse not to engage.

There is no set earnings limit for UC. It all depends on individual circumstances. Somebody earning more than £50k could very well be entitled to UC.

They probably will charge unfortunately. It will be to prove their address so you should be able to use a prescription or hospital letter instead if that’s easier.

She's not a beggar. They work!!! How bloody rude.

No. You have not understood. I am not explaining my ill health any more.

I know. I hate it. Part of my job involves helping people manage their claims and we see all sorts of nonsense from UC. Currently on study leave and I'm not missing dealing with it at all!

I've always worked, and moved to part time when I went back after maternity. But last year I had to stop work to become a full time carer for my mum so thats why I applied for UC it was actually my mums nurse who told me I may be able to claim as I knew nothing about UC.