UC need some clarity please

Alice_Holt

Do you have sufficient NI contributions to claim for Contribution-based New Style ESA.
This is not means tested.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

Are you receiving PIP, or would you be eligible to claim?
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

Spoonie_Turtle

No, I've never earned enough to pay tax or NI (could only work part-time but it paid enough to live on in my circumstances). I should be elegible for PIP but I've not had the energy to even attempt claiming yet. That's next on my list once I've recovered a bit from the UC/work capability process [If my body had given up a year before it did, I could have claimed the old ESA, but never mind.]

NedS

Spoonie_Turtle wrote: »

My last day of employment is tomorrow (9th), so I plan to make my claim on Tuesday (10th). I have set up an online account but I'm not sure whether I can get started just yet - do they count the claim from when you click the 'Make a Claim' button, or does it count from when *all* the relevant details have been submitted after that? I don't want to mess this up by doing anything prematurely, but if I can have it all filled in ready to submit on Tuesday I'd like to do so.

AFAIK the claim runs from the date you actually hit submit after you have completed all the relevant sections. So you can start to fill out your claim and return to complete it at a later date.

Spoonie_Turtle

Thanks NedS.

I have yet another question (of course) - this time about adding health conditions. I have the main one (ME/CFS) that's disabling, then 4 other minor ones which, by themselves don't generally affect my ability to work but when they rear their heads they amplify the effects of the ME, and vice versa - an ME exacerbation or flare will trigger the others.

Only the ME/CFS is on the fit note, and I've read you can only submit conditions on your claim which are on the fit note. Is that correct? I planned to explain in detail on the work capability form about the others and how they and the ME interact, but if I've not mentioned them in my original claim would that go against me? I can provide evidence of diagnosis to send in with the form later on; I just don't want to jeopardise my chances of being correctly assessed but I don't want to hold up my claim to start with either.

Sorry for all the questions; it's quite unnerving realising that despite all my reading and research over the past few months I'm still not sure what exactly I'm doing!

NedS

I would declare everything. As long as the condition on your fit note matches at least one of the conditions you've declared, you will be fine. You don't need multiple fit notes for multiple conditions. I believe they are not able to assess you for conditions you have not declared, or described on your medical questionnaire, at your Work Capability Assessment (WCA). No problem asking questions - it's always better to be prepared.

Spoonie_Turtle

Little update of actually not much significance:
Due to our postcode I've been assigned to what seems to be the furthest Jobcentre they could get away with (I knows it's automatic and computerised, it just feels that way when there are actually two closer to us!) but the upside is that parking is pretty good there, though I'm still hoping they won't make me keep going in.

I went for my first appointment expecting to have to justify why I can't look or prepare for work and why I shouldn't have to do XYZ, but the appointment was just to get a security number so I can log in to my account (which I thought I was already doing anyway, with the to-do list and journal and whathaveyou ) and book the commitments meeting. So that was 90 mins of travelling to get a piece of paper and book another appointment - I think I'd be furious if I weren't actually a bit relieved that it was much less scary and mentally taxing than I anticipated.

The lady reassured me about what might be on the claimant commitment considering my situation, but I can't take that as definite and I'm slightly on guard in case it turns out to actually be much harder to get appropriate conditions in the commitment. But I shall try not to worry about it until the day of the appointment next week. She did also mention subsequent appointments could be over the phone, so I can say that next time if it's not offered.

Money-wise, the payroll dept messed up with my full pay so the total for this month's pay period will probably be too much for UC, but they paid the backpay some days before I opened my claim, which accounts for more than half of the total and will show up as deductions to the payday total. I'm hoping DWP will automatically calculate based on the actual payday figure but if not I have proof that most of the monthly total was received before starting the claim. I do wish things could be simple sometimes though!

calcotti

Spoonie_Turtle wrote: »

I'm hoping DWP will automatically calculate based on the actual payday figure but if not I have proof that most of the monthly total was received before starting the claim. I do wish things could be simple sometimes though!

UC entitlement should be based on the amount you actually receive during the assessment period. This should be the net payment figure on your payslip.

Spoonie_Turtle

calcotti wrote: »

UC entitlement should be based on the amount you actually receive during the assessment period. This should be the net payment figure on your payslip.

That's reassuring, thank you. I guess I'm just a bit wary that there may be some potential glitch, but it will be nice if it turns out right to start with

11krage

calcotti wrote: »

If the earnings payment is going to be about £250 as indicated in opening post, and this is the only earnings payment within the assessment period, then this will not prevent WCA referral. £250 in a month is equivalent to £57.70/week which is well below the earnings threshold (16 x £8.21 = £131.36/week).

I'm aware of this, however the last time someone on this forum said they'd earned 300 in an assessment period they'd in fact earned over 700, so just covering the bases just in case.

tomtom256

You don't get sent to the jobcentre that is furthest away, you go to the one that covers your postcode.

If there is one easier to get to, you could request your claim be moved there.