Hi there

Ash2025

I’m on lwcra but I have the unfortunate dealings with a UC Review not the LWCRA but the UCR agent has given a pause of the review and for me to have opportunity to get my carers bank statements of 4 months I have explained that due to the carer being unavailable and away I can’t obtain these documents the bank account is in their name not mine the agent then asked me to set up my own bank account then update my bank details and tell let him now through my journal that I have updated these details that was today the 28th of this month the phone call was the 24th of this month then today after change bank detail telling them I’m now basically leaving my accommodation to sofa surf between family due to my carer not being available to do the things they were before they left the agents still today asked me for the statements from the bank I can’t provide not because I’m hiding anything just because I don’t have access to a third persons bank account and their statements and I have asked multiple times to provide a letter from my landlord stating I was paying them rent since since 2021 and that their agent was getting the payment via cash with receipts handed and signed to me but I can’t provide them with the full outgoings on my benefits in someone’s bank account etc the rest of my benefits as Asda and Tesco and coop was all done on my behalf with me and the carer on their phone ordering my food and essentials this has put me in a very difficult position where my frontal lobe disorder personality disorder and learning disabilities and behavioural disorder are now being exposed to extreme levels of stress and I have asked to provide what I can with what I have at hand to me but the agent still today asked can you contact the carer to get the statements my reply was no I have tried but I can’t seem to get through as they are unavailable at this moment does anyone else have or had this experience of being pressured by the ucr agent

Holly_Scope

Hi @Ash2025 that sounds like a really tough predicament to be in. Has your carer been acting as your appointee and receiving the payments on your behalf? It's a shame you're not able to get in contact with them. Do you know if they're likely to be away for long and is there a friend or family member of your carer that you could contact if you're struggling to get hold of them directly?

Ash2025

it’s a former carer who has now vanished uncontrollably but I have set up my own bank account now and have a appointment ten days before the payment will be sent to my new account in my name the following call with the review said will give me a month from today but also that only gives me 11 days of recent use of my own bank account plus he still expects me to contact someone that’s unreachable and will all my mental and other conditions like brain same frontal lobe learning disabilities anxiety and depression he has said he will put it up in a month from today but last Thursday already told me the review was paused with out a deadline now it’s a month deadline to show my own financial progress an with being homeless sofa surfing to and from other family members and then the odd occasions in a tent due to me moving out and my health being impacted by this review my family wanted me to be closer to them and have support so that they could help me with the shopping but have my finances controlled by myself the reviewer has not stuck within the dwp guidelines pressuring me for things I can’t get as that bank account wasn’t not in my name and I can’t breach laws and do unlawful actions to please him I’m not allowed to for one with out their consent to I can’t contact the former carer three I need adjustments and I have begged him to provide alternative payment proof etc rent was paid but I can’t show the shopping part as the former carer did that on their phone and they had the funds in their account but I was the one that told them what to get from Tesco online shopping but the deliveries don’t come with receipts to the actual delivery house that was previously renting at so I’m hoping he will go off of 11 days of transactions as he an I both said it was best for me to set up my own account otherwise I wouldn’t receive my money due to the former carer not communicating or anything like that so it put me in multiple situations where I have been affect left my rented place to get support from family members as I don’t socialise due to my mental and physical health issues I just either enjoy my own company or see family stay with them and move between their homes and stay in a tent when I need breathing space and so on so I’m just not in the best of situations as it will impact me so much if they suspend my claim or penalise

Me for not being able to get through to the carer for those statements which I can not magically pull from my cheeks

Ash2025

and no I only spoke with my own family and the carer was basically the only person I knew from where I lived at the time. But I was payment my rent and getting my shopping nothing was saved so luckily before they went I paid my rent cash that was given to me and ordered the monthly shopping for me and my emotional support dog so I have been struggling with this and my family have now been told due to them visiting me and saying well you need to be closer to us we will support you by allowing you to stay between their homes on the sofa an due to my own personal reasons if I can’t stay with them I’ll stay in a tent to have my breathing space so that way I can allow my health to get away from stress and the situation but after the review is unpaused I don’t know what to expect when the ucr is fully aware of all my problems and the situation I have made clear I have been open honest and transparent with him and the uc review helpline team and had my grandmother and my mother assist me with the situation via my journal to have it also written out clearly due to my conditions I do forget things misunderstand and also muddle up my thoughts with sentences as I have frontal lobe disorder that is now called frontal temporal lobe dementia due to the whole impact of my frontal lobe from a car accident I had when I was ten I’m now 34 I have never had a issue with reviews in the passed but this reviewer is very unhelpful and pressurises me for things I can’t physically obtain

Holly_Scope

Hi @Ash2025 thank you so much for providing this information. Are you staying with family or at your own accommodation at the moment if you don't mind me asking? I know you're looking to stay with family and friends after your carer left but are you thinking of moving permanently closer to them?

It's lovely that your Mum and Grandmother are supporting you with the situation at the moment. It must be tough for you right now. It might be worth having a look together at getting you a care needs assessment with the NHS so you can put in place some care for you moving forward. Here's the link to the website where you can arrange this - Getting a care needs assessment. That way, if you still wanted to live alone with some care support, you might be able to and using a verified care professional with the NHS.

I am concerned about the situation with your previous care worker and the banking situation. Especially with them disappearing, leaving you unable to get the statements that you need for your review. My concern is they may have taken advantage of you. May I ask what your family have said about this situation?

Holly_Scope

@Ash2025 I should add, if you'd prefer to talk about this privately over email, please let me know and I can send you an email which you can reply to.

Best wishes,

Ash2025

I was still in control of the money in there account but as I don’t like to use Internet as much I often use other peoples accounts and the carers details luckily the review manager has noted in my journal today that the reviewer pressured me and all they did need was my ID to proceed with the review process so the reviewers management has been more active in helping me especially with conditions that I have and the situation I have been in luckily I have set up my own bank and a wise account so I can verify my bank account on the appointment date

Ash2025

I’m alright everything is good and well now just wondered if anyone else had the same problem as I didn’t but I have sorted it all out and I’m happy that uc sorted and I sorted out my own bank account so that all I needed but just wondered if anybody else on here with disabilities or health issues was going through the same situation as I was now I’m just happy that they sorted it out for me

Holly_Scope

Oh good, I'm pleased it's sorted @Ash2025. That's one less worry. Are you going to look at options for a new carer? 🙂

Please take care of yourself.