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UC and PIP Descripters

Luna51

Hi everyone

I hope you are all keeping well

Okay, I am now filling in a UC50 for a work capability assessment, on my daughter's behalf.
Can I ask please..
Would it be wise to use some of her PIP descriptors to explain how her disability affects her ability to work?
I realise that PIP & UC are very different benefits in that UC are looking at her capabilities to work but her OCD, autism, anxiety, LD and inability to communicate with people are huge issues for her and what I wrote on her PIP form covers it perfectly...
My only concern is that they compare the two claims and think I'm just plonking the same things on the form!
Any advice much appreciated as always 😊
Thank you so much..

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Comments

poppy123456

There's no reasons why you can't do that just make sure the answers are related to the questions in the form.

calcotti

You need to reorganise the content to relate it to the questions asked. Any general narrative you prepared will obviously be the same

Luna51

Hi @poppy123456
I was going ask you directly but didn't want to keep pestering you..

Thank you for answering, I have read up on this and some people say that UC & PIP claims are often compared by the DWP (but I will reserve my judgement on that one!)

Wouldn't it be great if we could hold just one comprehensive document outlining a person's needs and difficulties that could be accepted by all..
It surely cannot be that difficult to devise and could save so much time, effort and money..
Oh well, wishful thinking eh?

Thanks again @poppy123456 you've been very helpful as always.. 😊

Luna51

Thank you too @calcotti

All advice has been gratefully received.. Will keep you all updated re the outcome.. 😊

L_Volunteer

You are welcome @Luna51. It is the very least you deserve.

Please don't hesitate to let us know if we can do anything else to support you. We are all here for you and listening to you.

Good luck!

Luna51

Hello again everyone 😊

I hope you don't mind if I ask another question..
I have almost finished the UC50 form!! (thank goodness)
I am literally just skimming over the answers to ensure it all makes sense..
In all of your infinite knowledge, does the 'Moving around' and using steps' under the catagory 'Physical Functions' only relate to people who are in physical pain when doing this task? My daughter struggles with Tourette's Syndrome and OCD so while is not in pain when moving as such, she takes much longer to move around due to stopping & repeating her steps and coping with vocal and motor tics..
Thanks so much in advance..

poppy123456

The moving around part and the steps are for those with physical health conditions, not for those with mental health, ASD, learning disabilities or OCD etc.

Underneath the question it tells you what each one means.

Luna51

Hi @poppy123456

Thank you for your reply ☺️

I thought this might be the case, but I wanted to be sure.
I have been using the 'Work and Benefits' guide (highly recommend it) and as it didn't mention these conditions in that, it makes sense.
I will breath a sigh of relief (and some trepidation) when this form goes off next week!

Take care and thanks again.

poppy123456

You're welcome. Yes, i know that feeling, it's always a sense of relief once it's all done and sent.

Luna51

Hello everyone 😊

Well there is some relief, as I sent the UC50 form for my daughter this morning, via special delivery, tracked, guaranteed next day at 1pm (for the usual hefty price of £7.65!) BUT only to be then told that Royal Mail are striking tomorrow and Thursday.. (I had no idea!) and so delivery is now not guaranteed! and all tracking is suspended, so I won't know it if got there by the cut off date -
Letter is due by Friday 2nd 😨

I wrote in my daughter's journal explaining and her work coach was lovely and gave me a number to call if I am worried.. I am calling tomorrow.
It's never easy is it, I walked out of the post office feeling like kicking something (and don't worry, I love cats! 😂)
ahh well, always something eh? that'll teach me to take my time over these forms! 🙄
Have a good evening and keep warm..

calcotti

Even when it’s signed for it is only signed for at a mail handling centre. DWP don’t have the documents until they have been scanned onto the computer system which is not immediate.

Luna51

Hi @calcotti

Yes, I've read this elsewhere.
I thought I would have enough time as in theory they would have received it tomorrow, it is cutting it fine I know but it took me an age to fill in as I care for two young adults, so time is precious, as it is for all of us of course.
Hopefully when I call tomorrow they will be understanding, but we will see I guess...

poppy123456

All of my WCA forms, including my daughters were all returned straight to the health assessment providers and not posted to DWP first. This is because the form doesn't come from DWP so it's not returned to them.

Luna51

@poppy123456

Sorry, yes you are correct, they are going straight to a health assessment address (I can't recall the exact address but it's in Wolverhampton)
I have a number to call that my daughter's work coach gave me, that's also a health assessment number, will call them tomorrow and explain my concerns.

I feel really silly for not keeping up with the postal strikes! But I have now read that the post will not be guaranteed from the 24th Nov right through to the 1st Dec..
But I've posted it now and that's all I can do..

Luna51

@poppy123456

The the number the work coach gave me is for the Health Advisory Service Helpline.. Hopefully, they will be helpful! 😉
I will post an update, as this information might be useful for others in the future.. 👍

tifo

calcotti said:

You need to reorganise the content to relate it to the questions asked. Any general narrative you prepared will obviously be the same

I did this.

tifo

Luna51 said:

Thank you for answering, I have read up on this and some people say that UC & PIP claims are often compared by the DWP (but I will reserve my judgement on that one!)

They do use both claims, in my WCA appeal the DWP fully used my PIP assessment and report, which was mostly untrue.

Luna51 said:

Wouldn't it be great if we could hold just one comprehensive document outlining a person's needs and difficulties that could be accepted by all.. It surely cannot be that difficult to devise and could save so much time, effort and money.
Oh well, wishful thinking eh?

They were thinking of doing this from 2022, testing it anyway.

poppy123456

tifo said:

Luna51 said:

Thank you for answering, I have read up on this and some people say that UC & PIP claims are often compared by the DWP (but I will reserve my judgement on that one!)

They do use both claims, in my WCA appeal the DWP fully used my PIP assessment and report, which was mostly untrue.

That's not quite correct and they don't always do this. I claim ESA and PIP and my daughter claims UC with LCWRA and PIP and they've never used either claims for the other one.

Luna51

There is a graph in one of the the guides on the Benefits and Work website that shows some descriptors can be viewed (and compared I guess?) to a PIP claim. I suppose they have everything on the system so can do this? I simply filled the UC50 then took a quick look at her PIP claim answers, both were similar in describing her challenges. That said, I'm not sure if it IS something that Assessors do, as most claims PIP and LCWRA (depending on the descriptors) will of course, corralate..

calcotti

tifo said:

Luna51 said:

Thank you for answering, I have read up on this and some people say that UC & PIP claims are often compared by the DWP (but I will reserve my judgement on that one!)

They do use both claims, in my WCA appeal the DWP fully used my PIP assessment and report, which was mostly untrue.

Luna51 said:

Wouldn't it be great if we could hold just one comprehensive document outlining a person's needs and difficulties that could be accepted by all.. It surely cannot be that difficult to devise and could save so much time, effort and money.
Oh well, wishful thinking eh?

They were thinking of doing this from 2022, testing it anyway.

The proposal was I understood it was to have one provider doing both tests - not to provide the same test for both benefits.