DD no benefits for another 3 months, appeal?

knightstyle

My DD has been in work for over 20 years but was made redundant two months ago. She has applied for various benefits but not received anything yet.
Now she has got a letter saying her benefits are suspended for three months!
She has applied for dozens of jobs and even tried being a traffic warden for two weeks but could not put up with the aggressive people, she is just going through a divorce from an aggressive man.
So what can she do? She has a mortgage holiday for three months but simply cannot survive without some income.
Is there an appeal process and what should she base her appeal on?

FBaby

Was it suspended because she gave up the traffic warden job?

Alice_Holt

You haven't given enough info, my assumption would be that her UC has been sanctioned as she voluntarily ended a job.

I would suggest she gets an appointment at her local CAB / advice agency (be prepared for a wait as all CAB's are overwhelmed by demand), takes all paperwork in and gets advice on appealing the sanction and a benefits check.
Is she claiming CT reduction from her local LA?

Penitent has given you a good link. She needs to be aware of the time limits involved, and get her MR to the DWP in time.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Universal-Credit/How-do-I-challenge-a-Universal-Credit-decision

Mandatory reconsideration
If you think a decision made about your Universal Credit entitlement is wrong you can contact Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and ask them to look at the decision again, explaining why you think it is wrong.

This is called 'mandatory reconsideration'. The contact details will be on your decision notice, you have 1 month from the date of the decision letter to submit a MR.

https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/178163/mandatory-reconsideration-request.pdf

knightstyle

Thanks, I will follow this up with her. Yes she lost the benefits because she gave up the traffic warden job.

robpw2

knightstyle wrote: »

Thanks, I will follow this up with her. Yes she lost the benefits because she gave up the traffic warden job.

thats the problem if you willfully give up a job you have to wait 3 months to get benefits - they do this to stop people from making them selves unemployed to claim benefits

why couldnt she have done the job whilst she found something else?

Alice_Holt

Penitent wrote: »

If by "could not put up with" she means couldn't cope with the aggressive behaviour due to previous spousal abuse, I'd say that's grounds for an appeal.

Agree. It would strengthen her case to get some evidence in support (GP, ex employer, family member).

tomtom256

But then why go for a job where you know people are going to be aggressive towards you?

Everybody knows traffic wardens/civil enforcement officers are hated and abused for the job they do on a daily basis.

xylophone

My DD has been in work for over 20 years but was made redundant two months ago.

She has a mortgage holiday for three months but simply cannot survive without some income.

Has she not received any redundancy payment?

https://www.gov.uk/redundant-your-rights/redundancy-pay

konark

Penitent is correct , you can give up a job if you have had it for less than 12 weeks without sanction and with rapid reclaim for JSA (no waiting days) , this is to encourage people to take jobs they may feel they are not suited to.

However.....on UC it's anyone's guess.

sammyjammy

konark wrote: »

Penitent is correct , you can give up a job if you have had it for less than 12 weeks without sanction and with rapid reclaim for JSA (no waiting days) , this is to encourage people to take jobs they may feel they are not suited to.

However.....on UC it's anyone's guess.

OPs daughter would have had to have done the job for a minimum of four weeks for Employment on Trial to apply, it doesn't sound like that happened

knightstyle

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. We are away for a few days but will spend time with her when I get back.
She did get a small redundancy but used it for her divorce and for some counselling sessions, she is now getting these through her doctor so no longer pays.
She took the job as nothing else was available, she even got turned down for a part time job in a card shop and she was getting desperate.
She was there for two weeks.