Urgent advice request

starstyx

Hello everyone, glad to be a member

I'd first like to apologise if this is a little incoherent; it's going to be rushed and I'm having a mild panic attack.

With regards to my UC, I'm not currently expected to look for work but am not getting any extra money. I'm not sure what this is called. I'm on this due to substance misuse (or rather, the side-effects of tapering & withdrawal) from Diazepam (or Valium. A tranquiliser) aswell as chronic anxiety. I rarely leave my flat, have minimal contact with my family (due to anxiety) and have lost nearly all my friends. And just recently a lot has gone wrong and I have gotten worse & unfortunately relapsed, like an idiot (the Diazepam has become a 'tool' I use to function like a normal person). My substance abuse Doctor has, understandably, given me an ultimatum: to cut off my prescription altogether or go to a residential detox facility.

The problem I have is that I have an advisor who calls once a fortnite and has set several 'deadlines' in my work plan and claiming PIP is one of them - by the end of today, in fact! The thing is, I don't want to claim PIP at this point. I strongly feel it is the wrong time to do so - I don't have a Doctor or any sort of formal diagnosis, claiming now would leave me less than a month to get one (I digress, but as a child the school I went to recommended I see a psychologist who believed I was on the autistic spectrum, which my dad rubbished and stopped. I would like to look into this further).

I have sent a long message on my journal asking for time and that there have been 'developments', but she says to request an extension for the form and explain why. I don't understand why I can't simply request later?

I usually only make it 3 weeks out of the month for food/bills and can't afford a sanction. I'm pretty sure I know the answer but if I don't do as she asks, I will won't I?

Sorry if I went OTT, like I said I'm pretty distressed atm. 

Anyway, have a nice day and it's good to be here

poppy12345

Firstly, you don't need a diagnosis or a Doctor to be entitled to PIP because that's not what it's about. I'm not sure how your work coach can make you claim a benefit, if you don't want to and more to the point how you could possibly be sanctioned for not claiming it.

What other things have you been asked to do?

Spoonie_Turtle

Claiming PIP is a big thing.  It's far more work - and a far more prolonged process - than any job interview!  And likely to be a total waste of time and effort if you don't fully understand how it's assessed and how to fill in the form.  My personal view is this is an unreasonable requirement - how on earth does it help you prepare for work?!

I don't know how you proceed here, though.  Some other members are more knowledgeable about the practicalities of UC claims and expectations and will hopefully be able to advise.

Unfit for work but without an extra financial element is LCW, just so you know

born_again

starstyx said:

Hello everyone, glad to be a member

I'd first like to apologise if this is a little incoherent; it's going to be rushed and I'm having a mild panic attack.

With regards to my UC, I'm not currently expected to look for work but am not getting any extra money. I'm not sure what this is called. I'm on this due to substance misuse (or rather, the side-effects of tapering & withdrawal) from Diazepam (or Valium. A tranquiliser) aswell as chronic anxiety. I rarely leave my flat, have minimal contact with my family (due to anxiety) and have lost nearly all my friends. And just recently a lot has gone wrong and I have gotten worse & unfortunately relapsed, like an idiot (the Diazepam has become a 'tool' I use to function like a normal person). My substance abuse Doctor has, understandably, given me an ultimatum: to cut off my prescription altogether or go to a residential detox facility.

The problem I have is that I have an advisor who calls once a fortnite and has set several 'deadlines' in my work plan and claiming PIP is one of them - by the end of today, in fact! The thing is, I don't want to claim PIP at this point. I strongly feel it is the wrong time to do so - I don't have a Doctor or any sort of formal diagnosis, claiming now would leave me less than a month to get one (I digress, but as a child the school I went to recommended I see a psychologist who believed I was on the autistic spectrum, which my dad rubbished and stopped. I would like to look into this further).

I have sent a long message on my journal asking for time and that there have been 'developments', but she says to request an extension for the form and explain why. I don't understand why I can't simply request later?

I usually only make it 3 weeks out of the month for food/bills and can't afford a sanction. I'm pretty sure I know the answer but if I don't do as she asks, I will won't I?

Sorry if I went OTT, like I said I'm pretty distressed atm. 

Anyway, have a nice day and it's good to be here

Does your Substance Abuse Doctor give you Fit Notes? (unfit to work)

If not, get yourself registered at a local doctor. So they can supply a fit note based on your current situation. Or are you not supplying any fit notes at all?

I wonder if the work coach is using the PIP application as a means to help you, as it might open up LCWRA? 

But PIP is never a quick process & it sounds like you would need help, as it is not the easiest of applications.

Spoonie_Turtle

born_again said:

starstyx said:

Hello everyone, glad to be a member

I'd first like to apologise if this is a little incoherent; it's going to be rushed and I'm having a mild panic attack.

With regards to my UC, I'm not currently expected to look for work but am not getting any extra money. I'm not sure what this is called. I'm on this due to substance misuse (or rather, the side-effects of tapering & withdrawal) from Diazepam (or Valium. A tranquiliser) aswell as chronic anxiety. I rarely leave my flat, have minimal contact with my family (due to anxiety) and have lost nearly all my friends. And just recently a lot has gone wrong and I have gotten worse & unfortunately relapsed, like an idiot (the Diazepam has become a 'tool' I use to function like a normal person). My substance abuse Doctor has, understandably, given me an ultimatum: to cut off my prescription altogether or go to a residential detox facility.

The problem I have is that I have an advisor who calls once a fortnite and has set several 'deadlines' in my work plan and claiming PIP is one of them - by the end of today, in fact! The thing is, I don't want to claim PIP at this point. I strongly feel it is the wrong time to do so - I don't have a Doctor or any sort of formal diagnosis, claiming now would leave me less than a month to get one (I digress, but as a child the school I went to recommended I see a psychologist who believed I was on the autistic spectrum, which my dad rubbished and stopped. I would like to look into this further).

I have sent a long message on my journal asking for time and that there have been 'developments', but she says to request an extension for the form and explain why. I don't understand why I can't simply request later?

I usually only make it 3 weeks out of the month for food/bills and can't afford a sanction. I'm pretty sure I know the answer but if I don't do as she asks, I will won't I?

Sorry if I went OTT, like I said I'm pretty distressed atm. 

Anyway, have a nice day and it's good to be here

I wonder if the work coach is using the PIP application as a means to help you, as it might open up LCWRA? 

If the work coach thinks that then they are mistaken.  The WCA has its own separate criteria from PIP, and claiming PIP won't change anything.

starstyx

Thankyou for taking the time to read and reply (and sorry if that was something of a rant!).

I just ended up calling; I've been logging in and out of my UC account all day and it clearly says that I could face sanctions if I don't follow my work plan. I'm not brave or bold enough to argue back. I have a phone appt tomorrow with my advisor and will try to talk to her.

I now have an open PIP claim with a form on the way. I don't really know too much about it and was too shy - quiet, stuttering, mumbling etc to make my situation clear or even that I would like an extension in receiving the form.

In fact, I'm unclear on where I stand with Universal Credit altogether. I sent several fit notes and did an assessment. As a consequence, I'm not expected to actively 'look' for work but am expected to 'prepare' for work. I don't receive any extra income and don't even know what this set up is called (had a poor time trying to explain this to PIP). The person I'm working with now is someone my previous work coach recommended and I agreed.

I'm assuming that due to my financial anxiety, that PIP was suggested and I agreed at some point? 

And I think this all came about - the deadlines - because I was making slow progress without them. But they really are making things so much harder.
By the 28th of June, I have to contact some debt advice agencies (Citizens Advice etc), do some research into making my dog into a support animal and possibly look into my mental health (I can't remember and am totally drained, despite writing another essay - sorry btw!).

Again, thanks for reading/replying and sorry for the long messages. Am a little worked up!

starstyx

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Unfit for work but without an extra financial element is LCW, just so you know

omg! LCW! I don't know how I missed this but thankyou so much!

HillStreetBlues

As Spoonie_Turtle pointed  out you are in LCW.

Your claimant commitment should be solely based on preparing you for work, anything else is outside their remit (why they can't force you to apply for a job).
I am with the others, I can't see how applying for PIP can be any part of your CC.

calcotti

starstyx said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Unfit for work but without an extra financial element is LCW, just so you know

omg! LCW! I don't know how I missed this but thankyou so much!

It was part of a longer post - quite understandable that you could have missed it.

starstyx

Sorry guys, I'm still getting used to the formatting.

Born_again: I moved just before Covid fully hit and got my fit notes simply by giving the details of the surgery I was using at the time. My substance abuse Doctor is a lovely guy but I'm unsure of how much of my medical details he has access to (he's a GP who volunteers at the charity). Getting registered at my local surgery is something I've been meaning to do. As pathetic as it sounds, my grandad tends to take me out when I leave the flat but I'll be sure to do that!

Hillstreetblues: Thanks for the advice, it was what I was wrestling with before. But I do have a work plan (that I agreed to) with dates clearly laid out. I really don't want to risk a sanction.

And I have no idea what the WCA is, I really don't know a lot about any of this stuff.

Thanks again, everybody I've got to get off my phone for a while!

Spoonie_Turtle

starstyx said:

And I have no idea what the WCA is, I really don't know a lot about any of this stuff.

The WCA is the assessment you had after sending in fit notes, the result of which was LCW.

Now you've started the PIP claim I'd highly recommend trying to get help from somewhere like the CAB or even ask your clinic if they can recommend any organisations to help.  I actually think it was incredibly irresponsible of your work coach to push this on you, they obviously have no idea about the realities of doing the claim for PIP.