Universal Credit Medical Information

Bengi

Hello, we have been signed up to joint application Universal Credit for the last year and due to my husbands health he has been sending in 3 month sick notes each time for the last 10 months because still awaiting medical assessment. I am his carer. He has another month left on the current sick note however Universal Credit work coach has been in contact wanting just him to come into the job centre all of a sudden. He has requested more information as to why but not yet heard anything.

All we no is that it states work review and the work coach has said this is now for every week. He still has a sick note, he has bad anxiety and they have now agreed to a phone call instead. However confused why this has all come about all of a sudden? Has anyone had experience with this situation before? is this standard process? can anyone shed any light on this? Thank you.

poppy12345

When claiming UC you are classed as a job seeker until a decision of the work capability assessment says otherwise. It's the work coaches discretion whether they turn off work commitments or reduce them.

The reason why no appointments were given in the past was because of Covid but now they are asking people to attend their Job centre or have telephone apppointments, if you're unable to attend in person.

With regards to the work capability assesment, has your husband received the work capability assessment form yet? If he hasn't then i'd advise him to put a note onto his journal to ask to be referred for the work capability assessment and then a form will be sent to him.

Bengi

Thank you for your message. So they can instruct my husband to look for work even though medically uncapable and have a current running sick note?

Yes he completed this and sent back about 6 months ago. 

Thank you for your advise.

poppy12345

A fit note doesn't automatically entitle you to limited capability for work. As advised, you're classed as a job seeker until a decision says otherwise. It's entirely the discretion of your work coach.

tomtom256

They probably won't be forcing him to look for work, Jobcentres/DWP are forcing work coaches to see all claimants F2F nationally.
Most of their discretion is being stopped by senior leaders/senior civil servants, who just want numbers through doors.

Bengi

Thank you kindly for your messages this now makes sense and understandable. Its a shame this is the case but is such the world we live in now. Thank you.