Request to change UC appointment?

R200

I have a holiday thing booked when I’m supposed to have a UC appointment, would they change it for this reason?

HillStreetBlues

Would they, maybe. Do they have to, no.

NedS

There is no concept of a holiday when claiming UC, so this would be completely at the discretion of your WC.

If it is a mandatory appointment, and they do not agree to rearrange it and you fail to attend, a decision maker would not be able to accept being on holiday as good reason and a sanction should be imposed.

R200

Thanks all

tacpot12

In the world of work, if you have a pre-booked holiday when applying for job and are successful, the new employer will normally let you have the time off. 

For a Universal Credit claim, providing you can show that the holiday was booked before you started your UC claim, I would expect that they would not sanction you, but you would be expected to meet all your work search requirements while out of the country, and to attend any interviews that could be setup as video calls.  

Newcad

How far off is the appointment?

You could try on your journal:
"Due to other commitments I would find it difficult to make my appointment at XX (time) on ## (date), please could you reschedule this appointment".
and see what your WC comes back with.

They might simply change it, or they might ask for more details of what you mean by 'difficult'.
(of course you haven't told them why there and so if you are going for a long holiday then they may change it to a date/time that's still when you are away).

I have changed appointments that way previously when they had been scheduled too early for me to use my bus pass to get to the jobcentre. Anything 10am or before and I'd have to catch a bus before 9 so couldn't use my pass.
I doubt that would class as 'good reason' for missing an appointment, I could simply pay the bus fare, but they have always changed it with no problem when I've asked politely.

R200

Newcad said:

How far off is the appointment?

You could try on your journal:
"Due to other commitments I would find it difficult to make my appointment at XX (time) on ## (date), please could you reschedule this appointment".
and see what your WC comes back with.

They might simply change it, or they might ask for more details of what you mean by 'difficult'.
(of course you haven't told them why there and so if you are going for a long holiday then they may change it to a date/time that's still when you are away).

I have changed appointments that way previously when they had been scheduled too early for me to use my bus pass to get to the jobcentre. Anything 10am or before and I'd have to catch a bus before 9 so couldn't use my pass.
I doubt that would class as 'good reason' for missing an appointment, I could simply pay the bus fare, but they have always changed it with no problem when I've asked politely.

I have tried this but they it’s difficult to change it.

this was put on journal “Appointments are difficult to make at present and are mandatory except for good reasons. The Work Coach you will be seeing will need to assess these. regards,”

Newcad

Not sure why someone other than your WC is replying to say that you need to ask your WC?

But as it says you need "good reason" to cancel a mandatory appointment, and guess who decides if your reason is "good" or not.

The default position is that you have to attend mandatory appointments.

So if they won't change it you have to attend - and if you go on holiday and don't attend then they will sanction your UC.

In the end that is your choice.

Robbie64

The answer reads almost like a holding reply:  “Appointments are difficult to make at present and are mandatory except for good reasons. The Work Coach you will be seeing will need to assess these. regards,” could mean that the Work Coach will need to look at your reason(s) for not attending and will decide if these are acceptable. Maybe the Work Coach is not available at present (perhaps on holiday?) and will deal with the request when back in the office.