Universal want a telephone interview to get me back to work but i claim PIP

happyfella
happyfella Online Community Member Posts: 519 Empowering
edited April 2021 in Universal Credit (UC)
Hi, Me and my wife claim UC because she is off work at the moment due to doctors not letting her back to work due to where she works and her health. I now receive PIP from the beginning of January after applying for it last year. UC know that I receive PIP, but i have a message this morning that they want to phone me next week to talk about getting me back to work. They have said if I do not pick up the phone then my UC will be withheld.

I am really confused, i barely leave the house at the moment due to suffering from chronic pain, so why are they phoning me and wanting to try and get me out to work. I am confused
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Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Hi there 

    Unfortunately getting PIP has no weight with UC in regards to bring able to work 

    Pip is completely different and lots if people who claim PIP still work 

    In order for UC not to expect you to look for work you need to go through a work capability process to be declared unfit to work 

    If you want to know more about how to do this I am happy to explain 

    Without doing so you will be expected to look for work and will be sanctioned if you dont meet you set work commitments 
  • happyfella
    happyfella Online Community Member Posts: 519 Empowering
    hi, please do explain
  • happyfella
    happyfella Online Community Member Posts: 519 Empowering
    Thank you for that. I were informed at the start that i cannot work. I have not got any fit notes from my doctor as i have not been allowed to work for many years due to my health but have never bothered to claim any benefits as my wife has been working. But with COVID we were force to claim UC which is a temporary measure. Once she is back to work we will not be claiming UC
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Online Community Member Posts: 3,119 Connected
    edited January 2021
    Unfortunately though to continue to claim UC you are going to have to agree to work search commitments or get a fit note to start the work capability assessment process. Otherwise your claim would be affected. 
  • happyfella
    happyfella Online Community Member Posts: 519 Empowering
    The governmnet like picking on people who are unable to work. I have not claimed a penny from the government for more than 20 years and then when me and my wife do due to the mess Boris has made of the COVID affair, i then have to go through the stress of dealing with people. I struggle to commuicate in person and over the phone, so this telephone conversation will be interesting
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    As above I do agree with the point you make but unfortunately now you are claiming benefits they expect you to look for work or be assessed as not able to ? Unfortunately this is the process for everyone 

    We all know the faults in the benefit system but it's not until you join the system you understand fully all the red tape you need to get through 


  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 11,750 Online Community Programme Lead
    Hi @happyfella.As others have said, unfortunately it will be a part of your claimant commitment at the moment for you to agree to look for work. Your claimant commitments are set with your work coach so hopefully you can have these adjusted.
    Is it possible your doctor would be able to provide you with a fit note for UC? 
  • Tizzy695
    Tizzy695 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    I am autistic with severe mental health problems and mobility issues.I am having a phone consultation about PIP next week.Iam dreading it.Any tips on how to handle this???
  • Tizzy695
    Tizzy695 Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener
    Many Thanks for ur advice.Great advice!!!
  • happyfella
    happyfella Online Community Member Posts: 519 Empowering
    what can i expect from the interview, what questions will they ask and has anyone had one of these interviews. Have to be honest i am not looking forward to it, and my doctor has told me to keep away from stress
  • glenmayers
    glenmayers Online Community Member Posts: 8 Connected
    Please don't try to impress them, they're not interested. Don't be proud talk about all of your embarrassing moments if asked. They want to score you as low as possible. Don' t try to impress them for example if on a good day you can walk 20m but your speed is below average then you must say you can't walk more than 20m. Please remember you are not being dishonest. Good luck and check out citizen's advice.

    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/how-to-claim/

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    There is a parallel discussion on this same subject by same poster here https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/76688/employment-review-over-the-phone-tomorrow-advice-please#latest
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    @happyfella

    All i would add is just explain your circumstances and hope they are empathetic and turn off your work commitments 

    But dont be surprised if they go by the book and expect fit notes and a WCA 

    Let us know how it goes 
  • happyfella
    happyfella Online Community Member Posts: 519 Empowering
    thank you
  • happyfella
    happyfella Online Community Member Posts: 519 Empowering
    well the interview did not take place. The did not bother to phone me. I kept on checking the site and it was down. Now they have sent me a new appointment for the evening next week. But once their system is up i will be sending them a message and telling them i am not prepared to have an interview at 9.30pm at night. I take medication for the evening to deal with the pain and i am not going to delay it because of UC
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    9.39 pm does seem rather unreasonable.
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Online Community Member Posts: 3,119 Connected
    Unless they have put PM by mistake. I’d clarify. 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    That time does seem strange for UC and a work coach to be working that late but you never know however I would check 

    Sorry it didn't go ahead as planned it could have been down to absence