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Universal credit help please

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jayjay05
jayjay05 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
edited December 2018 in Universal Credit (UC)
Hi there, I’m looking for some help/advice about universal credit, I have recently applied for this benfit and received my first payment around a month ago, I have been sending in my fit notes for my extreme anxiety and depression, I have not been able to make the past two appointments as going to the job centre triggers my anxiety to the point were I don’t sleep even a week before an appointment and I have panic attacks on the day I cannot go on like this I called them up each time to cancel my appointment the second time I did this the man on the phone booked me a phone interview, but when my work coach phoned me for the interview she said at the end of the chat that she was going to be booking me in for a face to face one next week I explained all as stated above to her but she still has gone ahead and booked me a face to face interview i know I won’t be able to make it I feel I’ll now about it all and it’s a week away!!! Really dont know what to do, feels like im being punished for my mental state ?
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  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi @jayjay05, and a warm welcome to the community!

    Thanks for sharing this with us. I'm truly sorry to hear about your experiences. It can be so frustrating to feel you're not being heard, and I'm sorry that you're having to cope with this on top of everything else.

    We have lots of community members who also have mental health issues and experience with UC, so hopefully they'll be along to offer some guidance shortly.

    In the meantime, do you have any support in place for your mental health at the moment?
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  • jayjay05
    jayjay05 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
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    Hi pippa! 
    Thank you for getting back to me, yes I’m currently on the waiting list for cbt and I see my doctor every couple of weeks is there anything else I could do as iv heard that the cbt therapy is a long wait 
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  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
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    Glad to hear you have some support in place @jayjay05, fingers crossed the wait isn't too long.

    In the meantime there are some helplines listed on this NHS page and of course, you're always welcome to come and chat to the community. I know it's not at all the same as therapy, but our members will do what they can to support you, even if it's just a chat about your day!
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  • lizzieloz30
    lizzieloz30 Community member Posts: 57 Courageous
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    Hi @jayjay05
    I'm on universal credit & have been submitting sick note saying for anxiety & depression for most of of the year. I had to go to a f2f but after I did, my work coach switched all my work commitments off & I now only have to speak to them via phone. I recently just had my WCA for UC & il waiting to hear the outcome of that. Have you got anyone that could go with you for a f2f? If you attend it is possible they will from that point on, just give you a phone call. I garauntee that will happen though. 
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  • lizzieloz30
    lizzieloz30 Community member Posts: 57 Courageous
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    Sorry I meant to say I can't garauntee that will happen. It's predictive text on this thing x
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  • jayjay05
    jayjay05 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
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    Hey lizzieloz30,
    thank you so much for getting back to me! I literally cannot make the f2f it’s Making me so Ill I don’t have anyone to come with me ? my work coach knows the history bit seems like she’s completely dismissive of this xx
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  • jayjay05
    jayjay05 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
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    Hi again lizzieloz30,
    i forgot to say that I hope you hear back from the assessment soon and what does the WCA consist of? xx
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  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 54,003 Disability Gamechanger
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    The WCA is to determine your ability to do any type of work. It's about the work you can do rather than the work you can't do and this is what you'll be assessed on, as well as the criteria for meeting either of the groups.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
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  • jayjay05
    jayjay05 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
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    Hi poppy123456, 
    thanks for explaining WCA to me, I feel like there’s absolutely no thought for mental illness I saw a piece of information wrote up the other day for the independent news paper about how dwp say that anxiety isn’t an illness and to discriminate against people with mental illnesses. Reading things like that does not give me any reassurance what so ever 
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  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 54,003 Disability Gamechanger
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    Just like PIP, a WCA is not about a diagnosis, but how your conditions affect you. Mental health alone will not give you LCW but how it affects your ability to do any type of work, may.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
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  • jayjay05
    jayjay05 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
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    poppy123456
    Yes thank you for your feedback ?
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