Harassed by universal credit!

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Hi
I was just wondering if anyone else felt harassed by universal credit and how to deal with the situation.
so I have worked full time since 16 now 34. In 2020 my partner left and I had a baby (now 3) I have worked part time 8-10 hours a week since he was 9 months old.
recently he turned 3 and I have been non stop harassed by the job centre about getting 16 hours of work. I currently work 12 hours on a self employed basis but for a company. I have very limited child care only 1 day a week, going to 2 mornings and 1 full day in September when little one starts nursery. I don’t drive so need to stay local and also have no family to support with childcare. My sons dad is not involved in his life so I am literally on my own!
my question is how do you get the job centre off your back, they call me in 2-3 times a week and have done since my son was 9 months old. I feel like I’m doing everything I can right now to work but it’s never good enough and they are constantly on at me. Has anyone dealt with this before?
its making me so anxious! I literally don’t know how I can work more than I do without leaving my child home alone! (Obviously this isn’t an option)
Thanks in advance

You’re doing the best you can , just get proof for UC that there is no childcare till 2024 - they’ll have to accept it

Have you posted on your local FB groups asking if anyone knows childminders with availability? Are you regularly ringing round to see if spaces have come up? Kids move, parents change jobs, spaces come up out of nowhere sometimes. Perhaps they want to see you’re really looking rather than a one off phone round and giving up?

If they aren’t on the list of providers registered with the LA then they may not be Dbs checked etc. OP has contacted all the ones on the list and none have spaces.
if OP got in writing that she has asked and there’s no space but they will
contact her if one comes up before then surely that’s enough for UC? Why should OP be chasing things constantly that don’t exist I think she’s done enough

Well no because situations change don’t they? And the nurseries won’t be clamouring to call her if a space frees up. She needs to be proactive and regularly chasing. Our local nursery gets a space or two freeing up most terms due to kids moving house, parents switching jobs and no longer needing the hours they did previously and similar. The onus isn’t on the job centre to prove there are nursery spaces available, it’s on her to prove they’re not to carry on receiving the payments.

Is it really an achievement 🤔

Nurseries etc have waiting lists and yes they do want to fill spaces as it’s £££

Yes it is - why do you want to put someone down and make them feel shit? There’s NO requirement at all to work on UC of a child is under 3??? OP has been working since her child was 9 months ?

Hear hear @Bananaandpecan

Might it be possible to get a few hours WFH in order to satisfy UC?

Look at MSE's list of ways to make extra money - maybe some online work.

You'd have to be confident you'd meet the minimum income requirement though, which isn't always the case with online work.

So who employs you is happy to up your hours. And you can work from home. So why can't you do this in the evenings when your DC is in bed?

Thank you! I agree. My life was very different and very comfortable before my ex left me. You never know what’s around the corner. I’m am trying my best

She happy to give me more hours but it will be office base as it’s physical stock work rather than admin

Yes I am on all available waiting lists and the nursery list for more hours if any come up. The trouble is, it’s doesn’t seem to be enough for universal credit. They are not very understanding of individual’s circumstances. I’d happily work more hours if I could get the childcare. I’ve always worked and certainly don’t think I’m lazy, it’s the childcare I’m struggling with

I don't quite get this- you have a child going to nursery but say you have no childcare in the area? You have a nursery clearly- can't you just find more work up to say 25 hours and up his nursery time ?

No the nursery don’t have any more hours at present. I’ve taken what they had available and there is no available registered childminders in my area. I don’t have any family support so I’m struggling to find a way around the situation until 2024 when more places become available for childcare

Sorry OP, saw your other posts about this. I would look if there's something you can do from home in an evening etc

You will soon I imagine be entitled to 30 free hours at nursery. Plus if your on UC as PP said you should get up to 80% of the remaining fees paid.

Also if you have two mornings and one full day from September surely you can do 16 hours within that. Full day 8 hours the mornings 4 hours each? Especially if one day is from home?

Unhelpful comment, don't know why you even bothered commenting tbh

I agree! Why should the taxpayers be responsible for you and you are only working 12 measly hours per week. When your child goes to daycare you should be able to work more than 16 hours per week.

Only entitled to 30 hours a week if you are working 16 hours a week minimum, when your DC reaches 4/5 depending on what month your child is born he will be going into reception which will make things alot easier work wise.. Never heard of a nursery not having enough space they usually don't take in the child if that was the case(but I'm just assuming)

I get you op. I am single parent live rural and don’t drive. It’s nightmare to find childminders locally. These harsh comments from people think we are lazy to work. It’s not like that, then if you leave your child alone at home these people all come up under child neglect. They don’t understand how difficult to get child to child minders in public transport which have hourly service and they always running late and then get to work. People never know what is waiting for them.
best thing is if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t comment.

It’s a real harassment if they are doing from 9 months.

IME they don't give a shit, it's box ticking.

I had cancer and a stroke, they decided I was fit for work and harassed me twice a week for a year, it took a year to get a tribunal and finally they decided my disability was such that I couldn't work, but that year was hell.

The jobcentre woman told me I could work because I could raise one arm above my head, however she didn't help me with what type of work I should get that requires me to raise one arm. She kept putting me forward for jobs as a carer, and then sanctioning me because I would cancel the interviews as I physically couldn't do the job.

Ironically since the harassment stopped I've had both the time and the money to learn from home and buy things in order to set up a small business, so I am actually working part time now between treatments.

Their time would be much better spent helping people, so helping you try and access childcare rather than phoning a few times a week and moaning at you.

They just don't seem to want to help though.

Could you do the physical stock work during the hours your child is at nursery and the work from home work in the evening?