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universal credit

SugarCoated

hi as ive mentioned previously ive not been on UC long about 6-7 weeks. went to see my work coach and also took in another fit note from gp its for 5 weeks. my work coach asked how i was and i told her not good. she looked at the fit note and accepted it on the system and told me she was going to change my work commitments. i had them reduced to 16 hours with my last fit note and today she changed it to 0 hours. told me to keep updating my journal with my hospital appointments and my therapy sessions, just so it showed why my fit note was accepted in the 1st place.
my GP has said he will provide me with a fit note as long as i need it. ive suffered from depression for a long time.
what will happen with my UC now do i just keep handing in fit notes this was my 2nd fit note submitted. last one was for a month. not been on benefits and not sure how things work. i didnt declare any illness when i applied for UC. a little information about whats next please. checked entitledto and nothing new showed up.
sorry for long posts i find it hard to explain myself. and thank you for reading this post

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Comments

CockneyRebel

Hi Sugar

Have you had a WCA yet ?

CR

SugarCoated

No my work coach just said to keep submitting fit notes. I gave my 1st fit not in on 23rd march-19th April. My new one is until 19th may I think.

Andy2502

From what my experience is and what I understand once you've been on a sick note for 28 day they issue a work capability questionnaire (which I had to phone up and request) then you fill that in send it off then you should get an appointment through for when you have a f2f assessment/WCA but you have to keep providing sick notes until you have your f2f,

That's my understanding, my work coach isn't very nice to me especially since I had to start using crutches and treats me like I'm dumb

Hope that helps x

SugarCoated

Well at least I don't have to go out for a month until I need to take my fit note in. Do you have to do a WCA? Can't you just stay on uc and give fit notes in. I find it stressing enough going to job centre once a month. Don't think I can handle someone sitting there judging me at a assessment. I've only left the house 2 times in a month once to visit the gp and today to go to the job centre. I dont go out much.
Thank you for the replies that gave me some information.

CockneyRebel

You will at some stage have to have a WCA. This may impact on what you are required to do
You might be placed in the LCWRA group with no more need for fit notes or commitments

CR

Andy2502

Because I suffer from anxiety I get someone else to take my sick note in and ask for telephone appointments which she isn't too happy about but they have to understand your needs, capability's and limitations so I've only been in 3 times (twice to start my UC claim) and I've had 3 sick notes to hand in

Explain to them why you need telephone appointments be firm with them, don't let them push you to do anything you can't or are uncomfortable with, but I would advise going for the assessment because if you are put in the support group you won't have to provide sick notes and you'll get paid more

SugarCoated

I msged her saying I didn't feel comfortable getting out because of my skin condition and that my anxiety was really high which happens when my abscesses are leaking. But she was quiet stubborn and said I had to come in and bring the fit note in. She's booked me in again when my fit note runs out. Said she couldn't do a telephone interview as she needs to accept the fit note.

despondent

Can you not get a friend to take the fit note in for you, and explain to your coach via phone call that you were having too much anxiety to bring it in. But bring it in before the date so you dont get any sanctions. My GP use to give me 3 months sick notes, could you ask your GP for longer fit notes? This would help with you having to see her so often.

SugarCoated

My husband can take them in for me but she refused telephone interview saying I was required to go in and hand the fit note in. I will definitely ask my Gp if I can getting a longer fit note next time I go see him. Even the lady from insight health care suggested I have telephone sessions for my depression and anxiety she understood why I couldn't leave the house. Thank you for the kind advice really means a lot when you don't know what to do.

despondent

You are welcome. It may help if your GP adds on your fit note that travelling, or meeting people personally adds to your anxiety. If you have not done yet, please apply for PIP. Good luck

SugarCoated

Yes I'm just trying to get my therapy sessions sorted. Then I will at the moment I don't think I can attend a f2f I make myself physically ill when my anxiety is to high. Even now because I had to go out today and pushed myself out of my safety zone I'm now suffering from chest pains which is all to do with my panic attack that Im having but my minds saying I'm about to die.

Panic attacks are cruel all I want is to get on and be normal.

despondent

What is normal? everyone struggles, it is the difference of how we are able to cope, or the persona we show people. eventually trying to be perfect/normal becomes a burden in itself.
Society from school gives us expectations on how to fit into society. They are not natural but conceived ideas of how we need to fit in. When we dont then we feel odd/wrong but are we?

SugarCoated

Normal for me would be to enjoy 1 day with my children and my husband doing something we haven't for a long time as a family. Without me breaking down and feeling guilty because my kids talk about their memories and I feel guilty and useless because I'm not that person anymore.

CockneyRebel

Hi Sugar

A wise person once said

Accept the things you cannot change
Change the things you cannot accept

We have to make our own normal each and every day

I have had many "normals " in my life,
it was normal to go out to work, that normal has gone
It was normal to run many miles a week for fun, that normal has gone
It was normal to bulid and make things that I wanted, that normal has nearly gone
It is normal now for me to spend time on here trying to help
I don't know what my next normal will be but I do know when it happens I will make it the best normal I can

CR

despondent

I think what CockneyRebel said is very wise. We need to adjust our normal. Try and do things at home with your family eg play board games, help with your children's homework, have date nights in with your husband, if you are not able to cook get a nice take away to eat in. Try to utilise the things you can do.