Can I change my UC work coach?

TheMsTeale

I don't like my work coach at all. My last one was great but I find this one rude. I am not sure if they are new to the job or incompetent - he asks me something, then seems to forget & ask the same thing again. I find him forceful and robotic as though he is reading off a script. Would it be possible to ask for a new one (and how would I do that) & would it count as a negative against me if I even asked?

tacpot12

Asking for a new work coach is not going to affect your entitlement to benefits (you are either entitled or you are not), but having a good relationship with your work coach can solve a lot of problems for you.  

My suggestion would be to try giving them some feedback, very politely. They may have not idea how they come across and may want to improve. They will be especially grateful if they can and do make a change and you write a glowing letter of praise to them that they can share in their next appraisal. They don't need to change much to have a big impact. 

When giving feedback, I have found it best to do so as close to the point where the person can actually use the feedback. So give them the feedback as part of asking for something that is going to cause them to have to contact you, and remember to be gentle. They may really have no idea how bad they are.

I suspect that if you could talk to a manager at the job centre they would either want you to try to work things out with your work coach, or they would ignore it. I think you would have to have evidence of quite serious professional misconduct for them to change your work coach immediately. This would result in an investigation into your work coach, which may find that while they were not great, neither were they particularly poor, and this could cause them to become more resentful. In theory, they should not know who has made the complaint against them, but I don't think you can guarantee that they won't find out who it was.

You could try calling the Job Centre and ask to speak to a manager. Just say you need some advice and would appreciate it coming from a manager. I would suggest that you ask the manager for advice on how to resolve the issue. If you come across as being willing to work with your work coach, they may even allow you to ask for them in future, when you need more advice...

TheMsTeale

Ok, thanks, from what you say it doesn't look likely that the manager would change them. Tbh, I wasn't even sure if the work coaches were connected to particular job centres anymore for UC as everything else seems to be centralised, but I suppose they still are from what you say.

Grumpy_chap

TheMsTeale said:

I don't like my work coach at all. My last one was great but I find this one rude. I am not sure if they are new to the job or incompetent - he asks me something, then seems to forget & ask the same thing again. I find him forceful and robotic as though he is reading off a script. Would it be possible to ask for a new one (and how would I do that) & would it count as a negative against me if I even asked?

Sorry that I can't give any helpful or meaningful advice, only to reinforce that a good work coach is worth their weight in gold. I was very fortunate in that my work coach was fantastic - I never gave any thought as to dealing with a less good work coach, or even just an individual not on my wavelength.

Hope the OP can get this resolved suitably.

huckster

Job Centres will change the Work Coach if you provide a good reason for this.  But they won't do so, just because you did not  like having to search and apply for work x hours per week.

There are quite a lot of new Work Coaches due to the numbers claiming now and they will take time to settle in the job, as most people would in any new job.

Are you being unfair on them ?  If you want to change Work Coach send a journal message or speak to the Job Centre duty manager when you next attend, explaining your good reason for wanting the change. 

[Deleted User]

TheMsTeale said:

I am not sure if they are new to the job or incompetent - he asks me something, then seems to forget & ask the same thing again. I find him forceful and robotic as though he is reading off a script. Would it be possible to ask for a new one (and how would I do that) & would it count as a negative against me if I even asked?

Whilst I don't work in a JC, I sometimes get like this, only because the job role isn't so me, but I like the Manager and creature of not liking change actually so much that anywhere else may be out of the question and I wouldn't be able to explain it.  At first it was hard having to ask really quite personal questions to people who can be closed and new rules that I hadn't come up against before when working elsewhere.

Perhaps he is in a job he doesn't want to be in or trying to fake it to make it, a lot of people have been forced to do jobs they don't necessarily want to do or feel suited to, I agree with a Covid19 job programme that aired last Autumn that said many people wouldn't be able to do or carry on what they were use to. 

TheMsTeale

huckster said:

Job Centres will change the Work Coach if you provide a good reason for this.  But they won't do so, just because you did not  like having to search and apply for work x hours per week.

There are quite a lot of new Work Coaches due to the numbers claiming now and they will take time to settle in the job, as most people would in any new job.

Are you being unfair on them ?  If you want to change Work Coach send a journal message or speak to the Job Centre duty manager when you next attend, explaining your good reason for wanting the change. 

No you are assuming my reasons there, I don't think I am being "unfair" on them. And lastly if I send a message that will clearly be seen by the work coach themselves!

huckster

They probably receive journal messages asking to change people handling claims all of the time.  Like water off a ducks back.

As long as you are not rude, I doubt they would be bothered.  But you should offer a reason for this.  Be specific about what help you are wanting from the Work Coach and that you do not believe that the current Work Coach is able to offer the help required. 

Or just send a journal message asking for an appointment to be booked with the Work Coach team leader to discuss the help/support the Job Centre is offering you, as you are not happy with the recent change in Work Coach.

TheMsTeale

huckster said:

They probably receive journal messages asking to change people handling claims all of the time.  Like water off a ducks back.

As long as you are not rude, I doubt they would be bothered.  But you should offer a reason for this.  Be specific about what help you are wanting from the Work Coach and that you do not believe that the current Work Coach is able to offer the help required. 

Or just send a journal message asking for an appointment to be booked with the Work Coach team leader to discuss the help/support the Job Centre is offering you, as you are not happy with the recent change in Work Coach.

Thanks for your reply, you may be right, but I somehow doubt it would be water off a ducks back if I mentioned the reasons why somebody is not competent & that message is read by the same person! Anyway, I may try calling the UC helpline for advice as I doubt whether they are giving face to face appointments at the moment anyway due to covid.

calcotti

TheMsTeale said:... I doubt whether they are giving face to face appointments at the moment anyway due to covid.

JobCentres are open.

TheMsTeale

calcotti said:

TheMsTeale said:... I doubt whether they are giving face to face appointments at the moment anyway due to covid.

JobCentres are open.

Ok, didn't know that as all my appointments are remote. Just checked online & according to the website anyway it says that they are open on shortened hours for people who can't use phones or internet, so I don't know if they are giving out a lot of appointments. Anyway, I dare say that if I did get to speak to a manager it would be a phone appointment, but we will see.