Citizens advice + UC. Just ranting

[Jodielou5972]

Hi all, long story short I have to submit a change of circumstances for my benefits and subsequently change over to universal credit. I have no idea how any of it works so I rang citizens advice, who told me they hold a benefits drop in service every morning 9-12.
Off I went today, got there for 9:15am and I was already ticket number 53 to be seen 🤦🏻‍♀️
The woman at the desk assured me I would receive help, and advised me to wait.
After 1.5 hours I was ready to pee my pants (32 weeks pregnant), I got up and asked where the toilet was. The woman actually scoffed at me, pulling a face and told me the toilets aren't for public use and I have to leave the centre and walk into the town centre to use those toilets! Everyone in the room was so angry. I am carrying very very large it's hard to miss!
Anyway, I don't expect "special treatment", maybe kindness and understanding. But I wiped my mouth and walked to the toilet and back.
I never got seen till 11:30 only for them to tell me they no longer help with claims/forms and literally gave me a 0800 number to ring. That was it!!!
Complete rant for no reason I just thought it was appalling. They are supposed to be there to help and offer support!

Oh, may as well ask, if anyone knows where abouts will help with universal credit that would be appreciated!

Sorry you had a bad experience op, though if that number was for Help to Claim, that's the best one.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/help-to-claim/

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.gov.uk/universal-credit/how-to-claim&ved=2ahUKEwiYid_1yaj9AhVfQkEAHSLoDFwQFnoECB8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw0AT69OVQjVUnX9uzJHduCz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Universal Credit, how to claim

There are groups on Facebook which will have ALL the answers and you can do it from the comfort of your own sofa with a clean toilet just metres away. 👍

I too have had terrible experiences with citizens advice - for PIP (“it’s only for bed bound people”) and other stuff (which I’d googled and they knew nothing about).

Probably the type of people who tell you it’ll be cheaper if you don’t leave your heating in 24/7 at 30 with the windows open.

www.gov.uk/universal-credit/how-to-claim

When I had to claim UC after the breakdown of my marriage I found Citizens advice pretty useless. They couldn't tell me anymore than I'd already found out via entitle to etc. I filled in my claim and then was given an appointment at my local job centre and they went through everything with me, telling me what evidence etc I needed.

It's not their fault the toilets aren't available. They'll be based in a council building or round the back of the library, or upstairs from the community centre - or something. And I doubt she "scoffed" when she told you. Why on earth would she. She was running a busy area and must get asked the same question twenty times a day - likely there is a notice up too directing you to the nearest toilets.

So - slag off an organisation that offers help to millions completely free, face to face, online and over the phone. Help to Claim is an initiative set up by them - and has helped a lot of people by the way

Cab will help you with the complexities with your claim but they do expect you to have started the process and got as much information as you can first. The forms are pretty straightforward if you are computer literate (as you are on Mumsnet you must be) they don't have capacity to file your claim for you

Thank you for this. I’m a CAB adviser and we are overwhelmed at the moment. During the pandemic we lost a lot of volunteers, tried to keep some kind of service going on the phone and had to deal with a lot of harrowing stuff. It’s a lot to take on board. After that we’ve had to adapt our way of working with fewer people and the cost of living crisis meaning so much more hardship to try to address. It’s relentless.

I’m sorry OP had a bad experience at her local office. I’d advise anyone to have a look at www.citizensadvice.org.uk first to see if they can find the answer to their query or call Advice line (details on the website) to speak to a trained volunteer adviser for information and support. If they can’t deal with it on the phone they will refer to your local office who will arrange an appointment or signpost your to other local resources.

Thank you everyone! I will do a little research and try and figure it all out! My aunty seems well knowledgable on the subject so she has offered me some help. I don't have facebook!

I wasn't trying to slag off a company at all. She did pull a face at me and said it very distainfully, she made me feel like a tramp, like she didn't want a person like me using her toilet. I was not the only one who thought this, when I came back and retook my seat (people were kind enough to keep for me), those around me said it was disgusting how I had been treat. Maybe she was just having a bad day, thats absolutely fine. I also have the right to feel upset by it.
There were no signs about toilets, thats why I asked. We were all in this tiny room with a door on the side and I just wanted to check the toilets were through that door (they were, but we werent allowed to use them). Citizens advice was not in a library or community centre, it was in a seperate building on its own at the edge of town, toilets are in the centre, maybe 5mins walk away. Granted not that far, just very inconvenient. My point was, the drop in service is 4 hours, they should have a toilet available for use.

Thank you for all the advice! I can manage the claim online, I just wasn't sure what I'm entitled to or what evidence I needed etc.

In my office we can’t have clients using the toilets as they are in the office area where we have confidential information on screens and advisers will be talking to clients on the phone - again confidentially.

And it’s not a company - each citizens advice branch is a self financing charity, and they all pay a subscription to Citizens Advice head office for access to information database, training resources etc. Most branches have to basically beg for funding from local govt and other sources to keep themselves afloat - ours is on the bones of its arse financially. Hence the heavy reliance on volunteers, all of whom have undergone 9 months “classroom” training plus 3-4 months of supervised advising before being allowed to advise on their own.

Is it a difficult benefit to claim? I know of someone currently worried about starting a claim (post divorce), and had no advice to offer. They were more worried about the Job centre than anything else.

I had no advice to offer that should read.

For people who are relatively computer savvy then no it’s not that difficult to claim. They can always contact Cit A Help to Claim service if they have issues/ questions

I really don't know, I've been on ESA for years so understand all of that. But ESA is now classed as a "legacy benefit", it doesn't exist anymore. Because I'm reporting a change of circumstance it has triggered a move to UC.
UC is all online, you have an account and everything, totally different. I'm struggling because I don't know what would effect the claim or what evidence I need. It's not very clear online. Just says "claim here and have evidence ready" very helpful!
Apparently there is a place near me that offer appointments and guide you through it so I'm going to give them a ring!

Honestly the process is (imo) painless. I transferred from TC to UC last year, so the DWP already had me “verified”.

I used entitled to to figure out what I’d be doing then just followed the online process which is a doddle.

yes it takes 5-6 weeks to get your first payment, however you’re able to almost immediately (within minutes/hours) put in for an advance of your award. It’s 0% interest over 2 years so even if you don’t need the cash “today”, it’s the best damned interest rate you’ll see.

Then, once you’ve got your first award, look at help to save - which is a savings scheme where the government natch your savings by 50% (you can withdraw at any time although will lose some of the bonus) - and you could come off UC the month following, but would still be entitled to make use of the scheme for the following 4 years.

(Advance is in your bank within 48 hours).

If you will be claiming the limited capacity fir work related activity element (LCWRA) which effectively replaces ESA for people whose ability to work is limited by health conditions, then you tick that box on the application and you will be sent a UC50 form to complete to give details of your health issues- this will be followed by an assessment . You will need to submit regular doctors “fit” notes throughout your claim.

Thanks OP. I'll signpost her to this thread as it looks like it might be useful.

See this is what I was worried about. I asked the bloke in citizens advice if I had to have an assessment or get sick notes and stuff and he said no 😕 although he knew it was health conditions/disability. I'm just really confused.
Have to ring the help to claim number and hope they can clear it all up. Thank you for the info that's really helpful!!

You should report that bad advice to the branch manager and/or Chair of trustees of that branch - really shocking!

Being honest I was in the consultant room all of 5 minutes and felt like they barely looked at me or anything. I left with exactly the same information that I had walked in with. Will look into a complaint x

The answer to your last question OP is maybe. If you were in the support group for ESA and are moving directly without a gap to UC then you should be automatically put into the LCWRA group. The DWP may ask you to do another WCA but they may not.

If they don't apply it automatically you should appeal (assuming my assumptions above are true).

If you are in receipt of ESA and make a claim for Universal Credit you should not be asked to complete a UC50. In effect UC accept the result of the Work Capability Assessment carried out by ESA. You will be asked to fill in a UC50 if you are not in receipt of ESA when you move to UC but state that you are too ill to work when you make the claim. You will then to asked to submit fit notes and will be sent a UC50. If you are unhappy with the information /service you received from CAB I would see if there is another advice agency in your area and contact them for a second opinion. You could also contact the CAB concerned and make a complaint.

That has reassured me a bit thank you!!!
I was hoping they would just "swap me over" so to speak.

Thank you, I have looked into another organisation that will help me with the transition and claim etc. They seem lovely.
Fingers crossed this isn't a nightmare. Baby due soon and it's a stress I don't need

My Citizen's Advice hangs up on you the second you mention Universal Credit!