Universal credit and submitting fitnotes dont mean a thing! ESA scrapped ...

MasterMind

Hi Guys..

On the 31 March I applied for universal credit and submitted a fit note for 2 months but can submitted another note if possible for depression and anxiety and was prescribed anti depressants

I had my first interview today for the evidence, its where you have to submitted all your paperwork etc bank statements, housing tenancy, passport and ID.

I submitted my fit note,The woman said Depression and anxiety is not a serious illness and its not as thou youve lost an arm or leg is it!! HER WORDS!! don't bother submitting it.. I did submitt it because i spoke up!!!

Apparently the waiting times for appointments are 2 weeks apart and theres 2 interviews and it takes 8 weeks to process a claim..


I have a doctors appointment to review my medication..


So under universal credit it looks like people with mental health don't count

Its taken weeks since the first interview and the claim has not even been processed yet..

The sick and poor and people with mental health issued don't matter any more .

red_devil

contact your mp. Its a !!!! up.

MasterMind

Apparently ESA don't exist anymore under UC...

MasterMind

Find out if you are eligible for Universal Credit

To be eligible for Universal Credit in this first phase you must:
be single
be a British citizen who has not left the United Kingdom (UK) for a continuous period of more than four weeks in the last two years
have a UK National Insurance Number
be aged between 18 and 60 years 6 months
have a bank, building society, Post Office or Credit Union account
not have to rely on an appointee or have any person acting on your behalf in relation to the claim
not have any dependent children living with you who are adopted, fostered or being looked after by a local authority
not have any dependent children living with you who are getting Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or who are blind
not be pregnant
not be a registered foster carer (even if no foster children currently live with you)
be fit for work and not have a current fit note or have applied to get one
not be a company director or in a limited liability partnership
be either out of work (or it isn't expected that you will receive take-home pay of more than £330 in the next month)
not expect to receive any earnings from self-employment in the next month
not have a member of your household who is in the armed forces (regular or reserves) who is away in connection with that role
not be receiving Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit - Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, DLA or PIP
not be awaiting a decision on a claim to Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, or Housing Benefit
not be appealing a decision against Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit or Housing Benefit
not be homeless or living in supported or temporary accommodation
not own or partly own the home in which you live
not be a carer for someone with a health condition or disability
not be in any form of education or training or about to start a course of education or training within the next month
not have more than £6,000 worth of savings, shares or capital (total of all capital whether held individually or jointly)


Alot of people will suffer under UC....

pmlindyloo

The above eligibility 'rules' will not eventually apply. These are only operating as Universal Credit is being 'rolled out'.

For an up to date version please check out this link:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/before-you-apply/universal-credit-eligibility/

If your area is not allowing people who are unfit for work to claim UC then you will need to make a claim for ESA.

Hope you reported the advisor!

MasterMind

Universal Credit has already been introduced into my area and ESA no longer exists under UC I was told this today ...

MasterMind

I wanted to apply for ESA but its now been replaced by universal credit because i did try and apply for ESA by phone, only to be told i couldn't as UC is in my area but i can apply for universal credit without a fit note but they did take the original fit note and i got a copy of it.

Everyone is telling me different information when i originally made my claim i was told as long as i kept submitting fit notes it be fine..but when i got to the interview its a different story!!!! .. i'll wait till my next appointment...

I thought Universal credit was meant to make it easier but its harder to claim ... Universal credit does not support council tax either.. that's a separate claim.

Its all very complicated ..

MasterMind

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

So does that mean anybody applying for uc can only have £6000 savings?

Are home owners excluded from uc too?

Your guess is as good as mine..:(

The internet says one thing but when you have your interview its a different story.

auldblerk

Make sure you go to your local Council office and get a form to reduce your council tax, the other issue to consider is you will have a 4 to 5 week period from signing the claimant commitment to receiving any payment.
There is a crisis loan you can apply for that will bridge the gap of this period then will be deducted as a percentage off uc payments or once you start work. More often than not, the JC advisors will not mention this so you will have to prompt them about it.
However, they might offer advice on eligibility to go to a food bank and the procedure you will have to take before you receive your first payment.

MasterMind

I made the claim on the 31 March, and I haven't even signed claimant commitment yet this will be on the 25 March, so it be even longer without money maybe all in all 2 months and i am sick too and have a fit note but that's been over looked..

There's posters up at the job center displaying advance payments numbers ..my guess you'll have to wait for that too..

Guess i been evicted by the time i receive my first payment ..Many people will suffer ...

auldblerk

Ring UC (03456000723), trawl thru the robots and once you get a human being on the line, explain to them that you face an eviction and you can't afford to wait 4 to 5 weeks before seeing a payment and ask about a crisis loan to bridge the gap