Had to reschedule meeting but Work Coach not responding - danger of sanctions?

Commanded2bwell

Hello. I'm currently waiting for a response to my UC50. I'm hoping for LCWRA. In the meantime, I'm playing along with the system.

I'm currently down as self-employed but earned nothing from it in the last assessment period. The day after I submitted this information, I received a journal message informing me of a meeting to review my work commitments. I am assuming this meeting will be about changing my status from self-employed to jobseeker and giving me things to do, and that this is because my self-employment earnings were zero in the last assessment period.

They said come in on Tuesday, but I have a hospital appointment that day, so I explained this. They then said come in on Wednesday, but when I read this I realised I have a therapy appointment on Wednesday! I've just got over a breakdown at the weekend, which I saw the GP about and have been prescribed for. I mentioned this and said that as a result, I was reluctant to cancel the therapy, but that I'm completely free on Thursday. Thursday is fine. Can we do that?

I have heard nothing back. Usually they reply within 24 hours. It's been more than 48 and now it's the weekend, and the appointment is supposed to be next week.

This is triggering some paranoia. Have I crossed some sort of line by "refusing" two appointments in a row? Are they ignoring me, now, and simply waiting for me to default by not attending on Wednesday? Is this the kind of thing that happens?

I just need to get through this period and see what my work capability assessment results in. Until then I'm playing their game but if I get sanctioned, I'll be eating time expired baked beans for a couple of weeks at the end of next month!

poppy123456

Yes it will be because you have had zero earnings in your last AP. This doesn’t mean you will be expected to look for work.

A work coach has discretion to either turn off or reduce your commitments while waiting for a WCA.

Its definitely not unusual for journal messages to go unanswered for quite a few days. 

You are offering to attend the appointment on Thursday because you have medical appointments the other 2 days, which can’t be helped. If you are unfairly sanctioned because of that then I’d advise you to request the MR for that. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/sanctions/challenging-a-sanction/