WCA Assessment via video help please

DayDreamerBeliever

I’ve just received a text message to say remember you have a WCA via video next week but have received no notification it was even taking place! Nothing on journal or post. What do I do now?

Can someone please explain what happens at a video call assessment?
I was expecting a phone call or maybe being called in F2F. This has totally thrown me into a right panic. Will this be recorded? I hate the thought of being on video, I never video message anyone or anything like that! Will they be asking to look around my home? Do I even have to be in my home when it takes place? Will they want me going up and down stairs? Will they being asking me to say go in the bathroom and show us how you manage? Or show us how you manage in the kitchen? Can I have someone with me when the assessment is going on? I’ve nothing to hide obviously but I’m also a very private person and struggling with my mental health as is. My anxiety is through the roof at the moment with health issues plus I’m struggling with incontinency so will no doubt be in and out the bathroom. Can I ask for a phone assessment or F2F instead or will that look like I’m trying to hide something?

Any help much appreciated x

poppy123456

You can ring the Health Assessment Advisory Service and change it to a telephone appointment instead. It will not look like you’re trying to hide something.

It will not automatically be recorded. You can either ask them to do that or record it yourself. If you record it yourself you should tell them you’re doing that.

To answer your questions with a video call, they wouldn’t ask to look around your home. You do not have to be at home during any call.

Details to contact HAAS are here https://chdauk.co.uk/about-us/contact-us/

DayDreamerBeliever

Thanks so much Poppy for your help again. I will ring them and ask them to change it and to record it as well xx

DayDreamerBeliever

They rang me out of the blue and cancelled the assessment before I had chance to ring them. Just said you will get a decision in about 6 weeks. Not sure if that’s good or bad 🤷🏼‍♀️

poppy123456

If this was a paper based assessment and it was your first assessment then sounds like it could be good news. Decisions can take up to 12 weeks but for UC very often it's much sooner than that.

DayDreamerBeliever

Thanks Poppy. All my fingers crossed 🤞🏻

I’m still just about managing limited hours at work - only 5 hours last week and none the week before. My doctor is saying I shouldn’t be working at all really and wants to sign me off completely unfit but I’d promised myself and my employer I’d try my best for 3 months to see what I could manage - the last 2 months have been lower wages - if I give up altogether do I lose the transitional protection? If I just get LCW do I then just have a single persons tax credits to live on?

Thanks for all your help. It’s much appreciated xx