Can I be made to look for work through the restart scheme?

Summer_27

I have a fit note from my GP for my ongoing cervical spondylosis disc disease for 3 months of which I had to show Universal Credit.. They have now said I going to be put forward for their restart scheme.. Of which I have a appointment to the local office.. 
Iam 63 and this condition is not going to get any better but worse with age... Can I be made to look for work through this scheme? I want to go through a cabilitty assessment not this scheme..
Any advice on this would be great.. Iam now anxious about this as I know some days are not good and very painful.. Its causing me to be anxious.. Which is also not good for my condition. 

Thanks 

janer1967

Hi and welcome to the community 

Until you have had a work capability assessment you are classed as a job seeker and required to look for work 

You should be referred by your work coach fir the assessment after you have handed in a fit note covering 28 days the process can take months to complete 

In the meantime your work coach can use their discretion and turn off your work commitments but its their discretion 

I suggest you ask if you have been referred yet 

Have you put your health condition on your claim if not you need to report it as a change in circumstances and input your fit note details 

Summer_27

Hello and thanks for your welcome.. 
Yes I have put on my claim.. Change of circumstances of my health situation.. And showed my fit note to my work coach who acknowledged this.. 
But she has put me forward now for this referral scheme and handover appointment. So I am not sure if they will see me as unfit for this scheme.. And put me forward for a work capability assessment.. But why did I have to get this fit note in the first place from my GP? I just don't think iam fit for any other schemes or get me ready for work at the moment.. And this is making me very anxious.. Thinking I might be sanctioned in the future if I don't attend these face to face meetings every 4 weeks as part of the scheme..
Some days iam in great pain and just can't think of going sitting for any length of time for any kind of re training  course.. 

Biblioklept

Seems like so many people are being shoved onto this scheme at the moment. It's almost like they are trying to meet a quota. @janer1967 gives great advice, ask to check if youv'e been referred yet! 

Summer_27

Yes I did think this also.. I will look at your advice and thanks for replying . 

Biblioklept

Have you been sent a UC50 form?

Summer_27

Hi 
No I haven't.. 
What is this UC50 form? 

Biblioklept

After you've had a fit note for a month they are meant to refer you for a work capability test and then they send you out a UC50 form to give details of your disability or illness as part of it. 

Summer_27

Ah OK.. Well I only put the fit note in 1st June.. So hopefully they will refer me for this work capability and form sent to me also.. 
I just don't understand why I needed to be referred to this new scheme first?
Its all very confusing and as I say making me feel anxious...

Biblioklept

I think they're being pushed to get people back to work if you can't do the restart scheme explain that to them. What do your work commitments say?

zaun

@janer1967  

I agree !

poppy123456

The restart scheme doesn't replace your work capability assessment and you will still have this. There's quite a wait for these assessments in a lot of areas so it could be several months or more before your appointment.

When you report a health condition when claiming UC it's part of the rules that a fit note is needed and you need to continue to send them without any gaps until a decision's been made on your WCA. As a fit note doesn't prove you have limited capability for work then you will continue to be classed as a job seeker until a decision's been made on your WCA.

You can speak to your work coach if your claimant commiments are making your health condition worse. Some will reduce or even turn off work commiments completely and some won't.

Summer_27

Hello 
Thanks for your in depth reply and that has reassured me..
I just will have to say I think if I don't think its for me and hopefully my fit note will not run out and get the work capability meeting I need.. 
Thanks again for your advice

Summer_27

Thanks to everyone who has commented.. It has reassured me.. And hopefully I will get the outcome I think I deserve.. 

janer1967

You will no doubt have to provide additional fit notes as it only covers 3 months and unfortunately in most cases the wca process takes longer than this 

Some get done within this time frame but majority take a lot longer 

Once you have been referred a month will have already passed then you get the form and return it which I'd about another month 

Then the wait for assessments which some ard waiting 6 months of more 

Then the wait for decision 

I would estimate anything from 3 months to 12 months worse case 

poppy123456

It will be worth taking a look at the descriptors for LCWRA, you can see them here. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity you need to meet at least one of those the majority of the time. If found to have LCWRA you will receive extra money from the 4th month after you reported your health condition. There's also no work commiments either.

If found to have LCW there's no extra money each month and you maybe expected to prepare to work sometime in the future. Therefore you could be expected to attend appointments at your local Job centre. You need to score at least 15 points for this and you can see the descriptors here. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work

Summer_27

Thanks again. For all that have replied to my anxious question... On my referral meeting..