Universal Credit information

loobey2288

Hello All, 

Looking for some advice and guidance please. 

I am a 37 yo mother of 2 and currently unemployed claiming UC as my youngest is under 4. 

I am begining to have the work related phone calls where they're asking me to upload CVS etc but not expected to return to work as yet. 

I am autistic, have severe fibromyalgia, scoliosis and have long term mental health issues. (All diagnosed) I have always found work extremely hard and was always being signed off sick due to extreme issues and not coping. 
I am waiting on responses from WC assessment and PIP claim. 

I am terrified about the prospect of being told I need to return to work. I'm not going to go into personal details but when I say I would not cope in a work place environment, I mean I would be incredibly unwell. 

I've worked all my life since 16, good grades, a degree but I just can not cope around people and changes and pressures etc. 

My point is, if I'm refused PIP and WC fails and says I need to return to work and I say I can't (refuse) what benefit components will be cut from our UC claim? My husband brings home £1600 a month. We have no savings, debt, rented property and live as frugally as possible. 
We just want to know if we would get something to help top us up a little? child component remains? Or if because I'm technically refusing we lose all UC benefits? 

Sorry abit long winded. Hope this makes sense. Kind responses please. 

Spoonie_Turtle

In the worst case scenario where they sanction you, it's £10.30 per day for the length of the sanction taken off your award (assuming you're both over 25).  The child and housing elements are not ring-fenced so depending on your maximum UC award there is a chance it can be reduced to nil once deductions for wages are taken too.

Absolute worst case scenario, they can take the whole of the standard allowance (£628.10) for longer or repeated sanctions so if your UC payments are less than that you wouldn't get any money, if they're higher than that you would still get a bit.

But this is the important part:
Are you aware of how the Work Capability Assessment outcome is decided?  It's descriptor-based like PIP so in order to know whether you should have LCW or LCWRA - and thus whether the WCA outcome is correct - you need to know which descriptor(s) apply to you.

This is a comprehensive explanation in case you don't already know how it's assessed: https://www.advicenow.org.uk/get-help/benefits/employment-and-support-allowance-esa/employment-and-support-allowance-esa
^ that page refers to ESA and the different groups but it's exactly the same for UC.  The work-related activity group is LCW, and the support group is LCWRA.

The activities mentioned also have to be able to be done repeatedly, safely, and without detrimental effects (similar to repeatedly/reliably for PIP) so if you can do the activities once or a few times but then have to stop because of pain or exhaustion, or you can do an activity on one day but it would leave you unable to the next, that doesn't count as being able to do it.  (I know our brains tend to be quite literal so it's really important to understand that point, and not accidentally assume you don't score because you can technically physically do the activities once or twice in isolation.)

I've run out of brainpower now but I hope that helps.

Yamor

If your husband is making £1,600/month, then you should both be placed in the light-touch regime, and they cannot sanction you for not looking for work, or for not accepting a job offer.

In practice, they mostly leave people in the light touch regime alone completely, and don't even apply any conditionality.

TheShape

Yamor said:

If your husband is making £1,600/month, then you should both be placed in the light-touch regime, and they cannot sanction you for not looking for work, or for not accepting a job offer.

In practice, they mostly leave people in the light touch regime alone completely, and don't even apply any conditionality.

If the earnings are from self-employment it won't move the OP into the Light Touch regime.

Might be worth the OP clarifying whether the earnings are from employment or self-employment.

loobey2288

Thankyou all, is someone able to share abit more information about this light tough regime? 

My husband is not self employed and works in an education setting. 
We're just trying to work out financially if we can "get by" with a hopefully some benefits to top us up until one day I may feel in a position to return to employment or my husband could find higher paid work. 

The absolute pressure from this work coach scenario is extremely unsettling. I find it very intrusive and intimidating, like I'm some kind of criminal waiting to be caught out. From my understanding from the work coach, things seemed very regular and rather intense. Which has sent my autism spiraling.

It all seemed very patronising and not at all tailored to the individual. E.g CV writing, skills searching and free courses. She said all these takes were compulsory and called "payment blockers" I have a degree, good career background and skills. I'm just not well or capable of working or dealing with that sort of environment or stimuli without becoming extremely unwell (not even taking into consideration my physical disability) 

Spoonie_Turtle

You said you're 'waiting on [a response] from WC assessment' - presumably you're having in fit notes, have you filled in the form?  How long ago? 

Your work coach should tailor your current requirements to your circumstances while you wait, including taking into consideration your health limitations.  I'm not sure what the protocol is if they're not doing that and are requiring things of you that make you (more) ill.

loobey2288

Spoonie_Turtle said:

You said you're 'waiting on [a response] from WC assessment' - presumably you're having in fit notes, have you filled in the form?  How long ago? 

Your work coach should tailor your current requirements to your circumstances while you wait, including taking into consideration your health limitations.  I'm not sure what the protocol is if they're not doing that and are requiring things of you that make you (more) ill.

Yes, completed the form August and still waiting for a interview I presume. Yes still sending in sick notes which state I'm autistic. 

Just feel I'm getting the same scripted conversation everyone probably does with no regard for my situation or background. 

TheShape

OP, I think it would be worthwhile you checking a couple of items in your UC account.

If your husband has earnings each month in excess of £1,534 (gross) you would be expected to be in the Light Touch regime.  In general and at present, this means that you would have no requirement to attend meetings or undertake work related activities.

Are your husbands earnings being correctly reported to Universal Credit and are you seeing a deduction for his earnings on your statement?  What is his take home pay and is this being shown on your statement each month?

What was his gross pay for your last Assessment Period?

What Commitments do you have?  Can you look in your account, look at the commitments and report back what is in your commitments.  You could paste a screenshot of them of you remove your details or just enter what the details are.

loobey2288

TheShape said:

OP, I think it would be worthwhile you checking a couple of items in your UC account.

If your husband has earnings each month in excess of £1,534 (gross) you would be expected to be in the Light Touch regime.  In general and at present, this means that you would have no requirement to attend meetings or undertake work related activities.

Are your husbands earnings being correctly reported to Universal Credit and are you seeing a deduction for his earnings on your statement?  What is his take home pay and is this being shown on your statement each month?

What was his gross pay for your last Assessment Period?

What Commitments do you have?  Can you look in your account, look at the commitments and report back what is in your commitments.  You could paste a screenshot of them of you remove your details or just enter what the details are.

I've uploaded my work commitments. Can't see anywhere where it would tell me what group I'm in. 

I've also uploaded break down of payments if this helps posters give a better insight into what we're getting and could lose if I refuse to return to work. 

Yamor

How old exactly is your youngest child?

TheShape

I believe I know what the issue is. 

If the OP has a child of 2 years old, I believe I'll be correct.

I'll post what I believe the issue is in a while when I have the opportunity.