Health journey UC sanction

raylan2000

Hi all, I am currently on fit notes and all my income comes from UC and adult disability payment. I am waiting on the results for my work capability assessment. Besides the physical affects of my disability it also affects me mentally and has made my autism and adhd much harder to cope with in day to day life.

Originally I was just coming into appointments at the end of each fit note but a few months ago they told me there was a new 'increased support health journey' scheme that was a voluntary opt in and out where they would discuss other options for me besides work while we wait for work capability. Despite being told it was opt in I have never been given an option about showing up to these fortnightly half hour appointments that are causing me much stress and anxiety. Recently I missed an appointment because I was ill and then missed the rebooked one that followed as I have memory issues and my carer wasn't there to help.

I have now been told I've been sanctioned for this as my reason for missing 'wasn't good enough' to miss these 'work commitments'.

I have no idea what I am supposed to do, the sanction letter is confusing and I just don't get how I can be punished for my disability when I'm getting the impression I shouldn't even have any work commitments in the first place?

Does anyone have any advice at all about how to handle this, especially over a weekend when places like Citizens Advice and Welfare Rights are shut?

Thanks in advance!

poppy123456

You are treated as a job seeker until a decision is made on your work capability assessment. A work coach has discretion to either turn off or reduce commitments.

You can request the Mandatory Reconsideration on that sanction and I'd advise you do that.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/sanctions/if-youve-been-sanctioned/

If you find it difficult to attend appointments in person have you asked for a telephone appointment as a reasonable adjustment?

Rachel_Scope

Hi @raylan2000 and welcome to the community.

As Poppy has already said, you could appeal the sanction and ask for reasonable adjustments for your appointments. Could you set alarms to remind you of appointments? I have mine written down in multiple places otherwise I know I'd forget!

raylan2000

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/921571#Comment_921571

Is there anyway to check the progress of your work capability assessment? It's been months since I filed it and still yet to hear anything :/

I will definitely be requesting a mandatory reconsideration thank you.

The whole appointment process in general is what is causing the distress I am unsure doing it over phone will mitigate any of that. The progression of my disability to the point of being unable to work only happened the last year and I'm still struggling with figuring out what I can/can't do and every appointment I've had has been 'what career do you want to be doing' 'you should be volunteering to make sure the gaps in your CV are as small as possible' 'you should apply to college' etc. When I'm at a point where I'm figuring out how to function day to day these are not questions I'm in a place to be able to answer but the work coach's refuse to listen and I am at a loss

raylan2000

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/921693#Comment_921693

When it comes to reasonable adjustments I am unsure what i am allowed to ask for in those regards, is there some kind of list of things they tend to do/offer?

I normally do have reminders however this appointment was a reschedule and I forgot to adjust the reminders for the new day. I also have a carer who would normally remind me but again I forgot to give him the new date/time but UC told me this was 'an invalid excuse'

The text reminders I get the day before normally usually help but for whatever reason this reminder didn't come through :(

It's just baffling to me that they can punish me for simply forgetting 1 appointment!? Now I'm terrified of even going in

Jimm_Scope

Hey @raylan2000, as someone with ADHD I completely understand missing a rescheduled appointment. The number of times that has happened to me, I couldn't even begin to count.

For reasonable adjustments I would ask that text reminders are mandatory for yourself, if possible both the day before and morning of. I am not 100% sure when they do them, but I would still ask if it's a possibility.

Are these in-person meetings only or can they be over the phone at all? The examples you gave above makes it sound like these could surely be done remotely? You could request that as an adjustment too, if you think that would help with attending them in future.

I would put in the MR and add a note in your journal requesting an update on any WCA progress.

How are you doing today by the way? I know it's probably been quite stressful for you so just want to see how you're holding up