Moving to UC and really anxious

Spoonie_Turtle

peteuk said:

… in reality that is what they are a work coach, they should still support you and assess your ability and requirements to work.  If they do their job fully then they will assess that in some cases the ability to work or seek employment is not required. 

Once the system knows we have LCWRA we're no longer assigned a work coach (even for those who want one!).  I assume the same is for carers, although not sure about people who are 'earning enough' above the conditionality threshold.

It is certainly not their job to assess our ability to work; you might be thinking of the fact they do have discretion to turn off work requirements temporarily if someone is awaiting assessment, and they have discretion to tailor requirements for everyone else who does fall into a conditionality group that has requirements.

peteuk

Spoonie_Turtle said:

peteuk said:

… in reality that is what they are a work coach, they should still support you and assess your ability and requirements to work.  If they do their job fully then they will assess that in some cases the ability to work or seek employment is not required. 

Once the system knows we have LCWRA we're no longer assigned a work coach (even for those who want one!).  I assume the same is for carers, although not sure about people who are 'earning enough' above the conditionality threshold.

It is certainly not their job to assess our ability to work; you might be thinking of the fact they do have discretion to turn off work requirements temporarily if someone is awaiting assessment, and they have discretion to tailor requirements for everyone else who does fall into a conditionality group that has requirements.

Yes sorry assess is the wrong word in the full meaning, but yes they will assess the situation and as you say use their discretion to adjust work requirements and tailor others. 

Cyclamen

nayathepsychic said:

I really do feel for you, it's such a worry isn't it? My initial claim for UC (not migrated) was March 2020 so you can imagine how that went with everything happening at that time!

My advice is from now on if you have any questions or concerns is to contact your work coach (I agree, it does seem a daft title to those of us who can't work) either in your journal or by phone at the jobcentre. The "helpline" isn't staffed by the people who actually deal with UC, they are just call centre staff with limited generic information that mostly won't apply to people in our circumstances. The work coaches I've met or spoken to have all been helpful and understanding. 

That's very useful info... and explains my experience with the helpline and why so different when my call was transferred.   The first very much felt like reading from a script the second person was actively helping with issues.

I was told we can't ring local job centre anymore, so will ask if there is a number to use. 

What awful timing for you UC is stressful enough without doing it during early covid. 

sammyjammy

Helpful as they may seem do not take benefit advice from a work coach, they are not benefit experts, not trained in benefits and shouldn't be advising anyone on it.

Spoonie_Turtle

Cyclamen said:

nayathepsychic said:

I really do feel for you, it's such a worry isn't it? My initial claim for UC (not migrated) was March 2020 so you can imagine how that went with everything happening at that time!

My advice is from now on if you have any questions or concerns is to contact your work coach (I agree, it does seem a daft title to those of us who can't work) either in your journal or by phone at the jobcentre. The "helpline" isn't staffed by the people who actually deal with UC, they are just call centre staff with limited generic information that mostly won't apply to people in our circumstances. The work coaches I've met or spoken to have all been helpful and understanding. 

I was told we can't ring local job centre anymore, so will ask if there is a number to use. 

There's only the helpline, as far as I'm aware.