Universal Credit - First Commitment Meeting

essentialmnb

I have just completed the universal credit paper work and within 48 hours my husband has received an email saying he has an appointment for his first commitment meeting.

My husband is severely ill, he has a number of illnesses including heart condition which requires him to be on oxygen and tons of medication. He is in the support group for ESA contributions based, and the higher levels for PIP.

He is too unwell to go to the job centre, he is unable to work, he was medically retired when he first took ill.

Does he really need to go to this meeting?

Or can they just look at his ESA file and assessments?

I was under the impression that if he is in the support group at the time of applying for universal credit he would not have do all these assessments and meetings.

From what i understand he would be staying on ESA contributions based, so the only thing changing over is housing benefit and child tax credit.

I am worried his health physical and mental will not hold up this time round.

Kimmy87

It takes a few weeks for ESA to send details across to UC.

In the meantime, he is treated as able to look for work.

Work Coaches do have discretion to turn off commitments related to job searching.

Please put a note onto the journal stating he has migrated from ESA Support Group.

If a request for a fit note is made, ignore that as it isn't needed- until all the various bits of information get collated, the system can spit out irrelevant messages.

You can also request the commitments meeting be done by telephone, as a reasonable adjustment.

In regards to his benefits, CB ESA changes automatically to New Style ESA, and will be paid seperate to UC at a rate of £276.40 a fortnight.

This will be deducted in full from your UC award, at a rate of £598 odd a month. This is because ESA is a weekly benefit and UC monthly.

Once ESA have confirmed his details, he will be entitled to the LCWRA element on your claim.

You could also look into becoming his appointee, if appropriate

https://www.gov.uk/become-appointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits

Lauren29

I would suggest that he put a note on his journal explaining that he is too ill to attend and that he is in the ESA Support Group. The Work Coach should not be treating him as being able to work.

essentialmnb

thank you for your comments, it has given me hope to press on. The last encounter with dep they made him have 3 assessment as the assessors kept leaving and not completing his report. He suffered so much back then, but now he is in a lot worse health. It’s great to find somewhere like this that offers some advice without all the judgements.