UC - how often do you get assessed if you can't work?

mars

Hi, 

This new UC is so confusing!!

I understand that you need to look for work or prove you cannot work to get UC.. sort of like ESA. And that if you have a partner it has to be a joint application.

My mum is disabled and gets PIP. She does not get ESA because she doesn't like the hassle of having to get assessed so often (she tried it for a short while then stopped). How often would she need to get assessed if she and my dad wanted to get UC (replacing her child tax credit and my dad's working tax credit)? 

Will she even be asked to look for work if my dad works already (albeit a low income part time job in the evening in order to look after my mum while I'm working full time in the day)?

UC would be worth more than what they get at the moment (especially with the carer allowance) but I'm just really worried about my mum being pushed to work / get frequent doctor's notes. I cannot think of a single job she can do safely and, from our experience, the people who make the decisions are brainless and unsympathetic, requiring constant renewals of doctor's notes. The doctor said it was ridiculous too. I mean, it's a disability so it's obviously long-term... Sorry, rant over . 

Any help would be much appreciated!

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @mars, and welcome to the community!

It's a good question, and one that I'm not sure of the answer to myself- we have many community members who have experience with UC, so hopefully somebody will be able to help you out with regard to how many assessments it involves.

Alternatively, you may want to give the UC helpline a ring to see if they can offer any further guidance with this:

Universal Credit helpline
Telephone: 0800 328 9344 
Welsh language (make a claim): 0800 012 1888 
Welsh language (report changes): 0800 328 1744 
Textphone: 0800 328 1344 
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm 
Find out about call charges

Pippa_Alumni

@CockneyRebel or @mikehughescq, do you have any thoughts on this?