Universal credit, sanctions, autism question

al5929

Hi my name is Alan i have just been diagnosed with level2 autism.

i have been unemployed since the beginning of the pandemic, and am on universal credit.

A job program forced me to take a job working from home for a call centre, and have been quickly overwhelmed by the job and dread it. i want to leave the job, but am worried i will be sanction by universal credit for leaving a paid job.

i had the assessment back in October, and didn't receive the diagnosis until after i had taken the job.

my question is will i be sanction if leave or will they consider it justified because of this diagnosis and the way this job it triggers my autism?

Rubyroobs

Did you make them aware of your health condition when you first made the Uc claim?

al5929

during lockdown i had a video assessment with Lancashire autism services,  but my the time i was informed of the result i had been given this job at the call enter and could not turn it down. I did mention it briefly in my last job centre appointment. before i started.

huckster

Follow the normal process while still in employment.

Don't leave paid job.

Contact your Doctors about how you are feeling and see what they say. There may be local help for people with autism and employment, so worth seeing what is available.

Your Doctors may issue a fit note saying you should not work for x period and you report this to your employers ? You also report the fit note on your Universal Credit claim under the health section which can be found if you click on report a change of circumstances.

It may be that the fit note does not relate to autism, but could be say stress related.

It is better to stay in work, continue to be paid, while you work on resolving the issues you are facing. Giving up work may lead to the process of finding what work you can do more difficult.

 And you should definitely speak to your employers about your autism diagnosis and how this is affecting you. Follow this up in writing to your employers. Your employers may be really supportive and have other work they can ask you to do, which you are more comfortable in doing.

You can get in touch with the Job Centre by calling 0800 328 5644 and ask for an appointment with a Work Coach to talk about this.  The Job Centre have access to information about the support that can be provided to people with autism.

So there is lots of help available and you should find people you contact will want to help you.