UC Work Coach Being Unreasonable

TheMsTeale

I have found a temporary full time job, but am still on UC credit. The work coach is still insisting on weekly appointments - they have even made one dragging me in on a Saturday. He claims that he has to give me the next appointment that comes up on his system, but I know this isn't true - in the past I have had work coaches who have been flexible & gave telephone appointments instead of face to face & with a 2 or 3 week gap. If I am working 5 days & they drag me in on a Saturday, this means I don't get a weekend. I thought they were supposed to help people get back into work, not make it more difficult. Is there any way I can go above their heads on this as I really believe they are being unreasonable on purpose.

TELLIT01

If you are in full time work why is there any need to deal with a Work Coach at all?

calcotti

TELLIT01 said:

If you are in full time work why is there any need to deal with a Work Coach at all?

Will the requirement only be turned off after there has been an AP which includes earnings?

TheMsTeale

TELLIT01 said:

If you are in full time work why is there any need to deal with a Work Coach at all?

Did nobody tell you - UC is about HOW much you earn, not the hours worked. Until you reach a certain threshold, you remain on UC.

TheMsTeale

calcotti said:

TELLIT01 said:

If you are in full time work why is there any need to deal with a Work Coach at all?

Will the requirement only be turned off after there has been an AP which includes earnings?

What's an AP? The whole idea of UC is to count how MUCH you earn, not the hours worked. My question was about my work coach, not about whether I should be on UC, I'm on UC, so I'm obviously entitled to UC.

calcotti

TheMsTeale said: What's an AP? 

AP refers to ‘assessment period’ which is the period for which you receive each of your monthly payments.

TheMsTeale said: The whole idea of UC is to count how MUCH you earn, not the hours worked. 

Exactly my point. If you have only just started your job and have not yet been paid then no earnings have yet been recorded.

If you have already been paid and had earnings from full time work taken into account then your work coach is definitely out of order.

poppy12345

TheMsTeale said:

calcotti said:

TELLIT01 said:

If you are in full time work why is there any need to deal with a Work Coach at all?

Will the requirement only be turned off after there has been an AP which includes earnings?

What's an AP? The whole idea of UC is to count how MUCH you earn, not the hours worked. My question was about my work coach, not about whether I should be on UC, I'm on UC, so I'm obviously entitled to UC.

No one said you're not entitled to UC. They are talking about claimant commitments.. IE appointments. An assessment period lasts for 1 calendar month and starts on the first day you originally claimed UC. So if you claimed on the 18th of a month then your AP will be 18th to 17th of each month. It tells you on your journal what dates yours is. Therefore, if you've only recently started working and haven't yet received anhy earnings this maybe why you still have to attend those appointments. Once you receive earnings you will no longer have any work commitments.

More on AP here. https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/new-to-universal-credit/how-and-when-youll-be-paid/

calcotti

TheMsTeale said:

TELLIT01 said:

If you are in full time work why is there any need to deal with a Work Coach at all?

Did nobody tell you - UC is about HOW much you earn, not the hours worked. Until you reach a certain threshold, you remain on UC.

TELLIT01 didn’t suggest you shouldn’t be in UC. He correctly indicated that if you are earning enough you shouldn’t have to deal with a work coach even if you are still entitled to UC payments.

People replying to are trying to assist - your response (‘Did no one tell you’) frankly comes across as rude.

TheMsTeale

poppy12345 said:

TheMsTeale said:

calcotti said:

TELLIT01 said:

If you are in full time work why is there any need to deal with a Work Coach at all?

Will the requirement only be turned off after there has been an AP which includes earnings?

What's an AP? The whole idea of UC is to count how MUCH you earn, not the hours worked. My question was about my work coach, not about whether I should be on UC, I'm on UC, so I'm obviously entitled to UC.

No one said you're not entitled to UC. They are talking about claimant commitments.. IE appointments. An assessment period lasts for 1 calendar month and starts on the first day you originally claimed UC. So if you claimed on the 18th of a month then your AP will be 18th to 17th of each month. It tells you on your journal what dates yours is. Therefore, if you've only recently started working and haven't yet received anhy earnings this maybe why you still have to attend those appointments. Once you receive earnings you will no longer have any work commitments.

More on AP here. https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/new-to-universal-credit/how-and-when-youll-be-paid/

Ok fair enough, but my larger point is that my work coach is very "computer says no". I have other work coaches who have been flexible when I have even jut had a few hours work & worked around those times. This one says they have to give me the next appointment that comes up, which I know isn't true. Plus, as I say, the job is temporary. 

calcotti

Unfortunately different work coaches will, as in all jobs, approach things differently.

TheMsTeale

calcotti said:

TheMsTeale said:

TELLIT01 said:

If you are in full time work why is there any need to deal with a Work Coach at all?

Did nobody tell you - UC is about HOW much you earn, not the hours worked. Until you reach a certain threshold, you remain on UC.

TELLIT01 didn’t suggest you shouldn’t be in UC. He correctly indicated that if you are earning enough you shouldn’t have to deal with a work coach even if you are still entitled to UC payments.

People replying to are trying to assist - your response (‘Did no one tell you’) frankly comes across as rude.

Ok, I didn't mean to be rude, but at first sight the "Should you even.. "sounded like it was a why are you even on it statement.. Apologies if I took it the wrong way. But my question was about the work coach, really.