UC standard identity appointment. What to expect?

steve1571

I have mental health issues and I am in the esa support group, moving on to universal credit. I have learned I have to have a work commitment meeting and was wondering what kind of questions are asked. Is this like an assement ? I was told I could swap over from esa support group to the LCWRA of UC. I've also been told by a jobcentre adviser to provide a sickline to trigger a work capability assessment. Even my partner was asked because she declared her health conditions. Even though she is my carer and I believe it shouldn't come into play at all. It's irrelevant as it's my claim.

poppy123456

I see in your other thread here https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/111122/uc-standard-identity-appointment-what-to-expect#latest that you've already had your appointment. 

Once your details transfer from ESA then no further appointments are needed. You will receive a message on your journal to ask you to agree to your commiments, which will only be to agree to report any changes. No actual appointment is needed for this.

Please note that it can take a few weeks to update your UC when you transfer from ESA. I know you showed your ESA letter at your appointment yesterday but did you also put a message onto your journal to tell them that you're in the Support Group for ESA?

steve1571 said:

Even my partner was asked because she declared her health conditions. Even though she is my carer and I believe it shouldn't come into play at all. It's irrelevant as it's my claim.

As i advised on your other thread, as your partner is your carer then she didn't need to report her health conditions. She will not have any commiments as a carer. 

It isn't just your claim, it's a joint claim. Your ESA was your claim because you were the main claimant. UC is completely different.

steve1571

poppy123456 said:

Yes, i know you claimed UC because of a change of circumstances, this is known as natural migration. It doesn't change all the advice i've given you.

poppy123456 said:

Have you put a message onto your journal?

You can make a complaint about the way that work coach spoke to you. Details here https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/how_to_complain_about_universal_credit

Your partner doesn’t need a fit note because as a carer they will have no commitments. Going through the work capability assessment is a lot of stress and anxiety when there’s really no need. 

Although as your youngest child is one she wouldn’t be expected to look for work anyway. 

poppy123456 said:

Have you put a message onto your journal?

You can make a complaint about the way that work coach spoke to you. Details here https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/how_to_complain_about_universal_credit

Your partner doesn’t need a fit note because as a carer they will have no commitments. Going through the work capability assessment is a lot of stress and anxiety when there’s really no need. 

Although as your youngest child is one she wouldn’t be expected to look for work anywapoppy123456 said:

You were incorrectly advised. As you were in the Support Group for ESA you will be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim. 

Did you take a copy of your latest ESA letter with you, as I advised? Also did you put a message onto your journal to tell them that you were in the Support Group for ESA? 

It’s not unusual for it to take a few weeks to update your claim. Once this is done your commitments will be changed and you’ll need to agree to them. You will not need to attend any further appointments once this is done. 

Your partner will not need to go through the work capability assessment if she claims carers element for looking after you. However please refer back to my calculations earlier in the thread about the SDP Transitional Element. She doesn’t need to claim carers allowance to be entitled to carers element. 


I feel something horrible is going on. Today the person from the job centre said I have to have a sickline and I will be booked into an assessment at the job centre and will have to sign a commitment form. Now on my to do list its saying the following 

Prepare for and attend your First Commitments appointment in a jobcentre

At this appointment you will agree your claimant commitment with your work coach. This is your record of the responsibilities that you accept in return for receiving Universal Credit.

Complete any unfinished to-dos in your to-do list. This will save you time at your appointment.

If you do not attend this appointment you may not get Universal Credit

This is because you must agree and then accept your claimant commitment to get Universal Credit. If you do not accept your claimant commitment, your claim may be closed.

If you cannot attend this appointment, use your journal to tell us as soon as possible.

I am so scared and confused

steve1571

poppy123456 said:

I see in your other thread here https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/111122/uc-standard-identity-appointment-what-to-expect#latest that you've already had your appointment. 

Once your details transfer from ESA then no further appointments are needed. You will receive a message on your journal to ask you to agree to your commiments, which will only be to agree to report any changes. No actual appointment is needed for this.

Please note that it can take a few weeks to update your UC when you transfer from ESA. I know you showed your ESA letter at your appointment yesterday but did you also put a message onto your journal to tell them that you're in the Support Group for ESA?

steve1571 said:

Even my partner was asked because she declared her health conditions. Even though she is my carer and I believe it shouldn't come into play at all. It's irrelevant as it's my claim.

As i advised on your other thread, as your partner is your carer then she didn't need to report her health conditions. She will not have any commiments as a carer. 

It isn't just your claim, it's a joint claim. Your ESA was your claim because you were the main claimant. UC is completely different.

Hi poppy thanks for the advice. Yesterday was an indenity meeting. Where the adviser said I would need to bring a sick note to my commitment meeting as well as my partner and that would trigger an assessment.  He wasn't interested in my esa support group letter. I'm really sorry I got confused at the time. Of my other thread So my next appointment at the job centre will be a commitment meeting. Hopefully they read my journal and see what the benefit welfare officer sent me to send to them in my journal. I think he knew nothing and it just deoends if they take my esa into consideration.  He still gave me the wrong advive and I don't think it was his department as he seemed to know nothing about esa. Again sorry for the confusing. My next appointment will be a commitment meeting and from I've learned the appointment can ask anything. I don't know if it's a case of walking in agreeing to the commitments and leaving . Because of my ill health and the fact I'm in esa support group (hopefully) but the adviser at the indenty check did say it lasted 50 minutes. So you can see why the confusion happened. What I don't get is he said oh you've put yourself down as carer (to my partner) but you'll need a sick note because you've mentioned your health problem. But on her uc account there is no option for her to upload a sicknote on her to does infact she's already agreed online to this. I haven't. So I'm wanting to take a welfare rights officer to my commitment meeting as I don't trust the job centre. Again poppy sorry if it felt I wasted your time. Iw as very shaken yesterday and confused.

poppy123456

Yes but you have transferred from ESA in the Support Group. Therefore that doesn’t apply to you.

Once your details are sent from ESA to UC then your claim will update. You will then receive a message on your journal asking you to agree to your commitments, which will only be to report any changes. 

You only recently claimed UC and It’s perfectly normal for it to take a few weeks to update your claim. 

poppy123456

No need to be sorry at all, it’s very confusing for a lot of people when they first claim UC.

You won’t need to attend your job centre to agree to your claimant commitments. As I advised on your other thread here https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/111122/uc-standard-identity-appointment-what-to-expect#latest you will be able to agree to them through your journal, once your claim updates.

I wonder if a member of the scope team can link both this thread and your other thread together so it saves confusion. It’s so difficult answering questions related to the same thing on 2 different threads. @Jimm_Scope @Albus_Scope @Hannah_Scope @Rosie_Scope thanks in advance! 

Hannah_Alumni

Have merged the threads for you  

steve1571

**update**

My appointment was cancelled and I got my commitments to do on my journal which I accepted.

One thing I am confused about though is on to do list it says health- declare a new fit note (I've never gave one on the uc account before) 

Should i judt ignore this?

poppy123456

@steve1571 I see you’ve commented but I’m not sure what happened because i can’t see all of the comment. I think you may have quoted a comment and typed inside the quote box. This makes it very difficult to read. 

steve1571

Hi my previouspoppy123456 said:

@steve1571 I see you’ve commented but I’m not sure what happened because i can’t see all of the comment. I think you may have quoted a comment and typed inside the quote box. This makes it very difficult to read. 

Hi poppy my previous post was about how today my appointment at the job centre was cancelled and they sent me my work commitments on my to do list. However I was confused how on my to so list I still had to provide a fit note.  I actually cancelled this. Then my partner rang uc and asked about this and they cancelled it on their end.

Just want tk thank you for all your help and support. You really helped put my mind at ease and you're one of the good ones in life  genuinely thank you x

poppy123456

That’s great news that your commitments have now been changed! I’m assuming it’s just to report any changes, is that correct?

The report a fit note will be for you and not your partner. Please just ignore this. 

For my daughters UC she’s had “report a fit note “ on hers since December 2022 but she’s already been found to have LCWRA so no fit notes are needed. I just ignore it.

Im glad I was able to advise you and help to put your mind at ease. You’re not alone in finding the process of claiming UC very stressful. Thanks for the kind words too, they are appreciated! ☺️

steve1571

poppy123456 said:

That’s great news that your commitments have now been changed! I’m assuming it’s just to report any changes, is that correct?

The report a fit note will be for you and not your partner. Please just ignore this. 

For my daughters UC she’s had “report a fit note “ on hers since December 2022 but she’s already been found to have LCWRA so no fit notes are needed. I just ignore it.

Im glad I was able to advise you and help to put your mind at ease. You’re not alone in finding the process of claiming UC very stressful. Thanks for the kind words too, they are appreciated! ☺️

You're welcome. It just says prepare to meet work coach. But sure that will go away soon. Again thank you thank you thank you

poppy123456

“Prepare to meet work coach” is that your commitments or your partners? 

If yours then this indicates that your details haven’t yet been sent from ESA. Once this is done your commitments will only be to agree to report all changes.