ive got sick note till dec 21 ,but my adviser keeps telling me i must attend job centre next week, — Scope | Disability forum
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ive got sick note till dec 21 ,but my adviser keeps telling me i must attend job centre next week,

mrpip2002uk
mrpip2002uk Community member Posts: 71 Courageous
edited September 2021 in Universal Credit (UC)
hi,i have a sick note till dec 2021 but my adviser at the job centre insists i must go to appointment next week.
my doctor knows i'm not fit for work and as signed the note untill dec,he knows i'm suffering with mental health and am suicidal at times.
are the jobcentre calling the doctor a liar? or discriminating against me,the dwp already lost a case in 2017-18 for discrimination against people with mental health, but it appears they are still discriminating against people with mental health.
i dont know what to do because i feel like taking my own life rather than having to face an appointment at the job centre,but they keep pushing me to attend the appointment soon,but my sick note is up to december 2021,is this discrimination against mental health again?
they will stop my money if i dont attend,i know i'm not fit for work,is there anyone who knows what i can do in my situation?
ps ive put this statement on for a close friend of mine who needs advice,she's really badley depressed.
regards and thanks for reading this link  mrpip.
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Comments

  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    For Universal Credit claimants are by default treated as jobseekers until such time as a Work Capability Assessment has been carried out. The work coach has the discretion to turn off the job seeking requirements.

    Do you know what the appointment is about? It may be so that they can meet with you to decide whether they should use their discretion.

    Have you had a health questionnaire UC50 to complete and return?


    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • idontlikeliving
    idontlikeliving Community member Posts: 119 Courageous
    When I was on the sick a few year ago they told me to come in, it wasn’t every week like it should be, it was like every 3/4 week. They did this with me so they can see how you are etc and if anything has changed. I don’t think they are discriminating mental health. Well they don’t do it where my JC is. How many weeks between the last appointment and this one coming up? 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,344 Disability Gamechanger
    A fit note doesn’t automatically entitle you to limited capability for work. You need a work capability assessment for this. 
    It’s a work coaches discretion whether they turn of work commitments while you’re waiting to be assessed.
    Have you spoke to your work coach to tell them that you’re unable to attend your local job centre because of your health condition? Could you manage a telephone appointment instead? If this is possible then ask your work coach for this instead of attending your local job centre.

    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.
  • Cress
    Cress Community member Posts: 1,012 Pioneering
    I had all commitments (Apart from being asked to supply fit notes) turned off while waiting for wca results and was only contacted by phone once a month, literally to see if I was getting the help and support needed.
    Can you speak to someone other then your work coach or request a different work coach?
    Sorry I don't know how it works but that doesn't seem a good approach for the dwp to take.
  • idontlikeliving
    idontlikeliving Community member Posts: 119 Courageous
     I think your friend needs to ring and explain how she feels because most likely they will just do a telephone appointment. Work coach don’t know anything unless you tell them. All they know is what it says On a sick note. They don’t know how bad it is etc. Hope it goes well. I know how stressful It is 
  • mrpip2002uk
    mrpip2002uk Community member Posts: 71 Courageous
    thanks  calcotti, her work coach  wants her to talk about getting a job,today theyve changed it to a phone call,i'd advised to ask  for a uc50 from what i'd read,emailed work coach about about uc50 and was told it was the wrong form and must have uc55.
    but thanks
  • mrpip2002uk
    mrpip2002uk Community member Posts: 71 Courageous
    thanks to every one above who replied,its very kind of you all and its making the picture of the situation much clearer,its hard when people cant stand up for themselves and  cant get their points accross to work coaches.
    the uc50 form was refused by the works coach in the email,but can anyone tell what the uc50 is please?
    thank you all again for such quick advice and help.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    When were DWP told of the health condition and Fit Note provided?

    29 days after health condition notified DWP should make a referral for a Work Capability Assessment and the claimant sent the UC50 form. This is a health questionnaire. Sample can be seen here
    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uc50-form-universal-credit-capability-for-work-questionnaire

    I am not aware of any form UC55.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • mrpip2002uk
    mrpip2002uk Community member Posts: 71 Courageous
    calcotti,thanks again,
    it all makes sense to me now,
    i think a uc50 needs filling in now ,the sick note was for mental health until dec from the doc,so i think the uc50 should be filled in quite soon, now i know what it is and the work coach needs to be advised of how bad the depression is,so as not to push the claiment to harshly.
    you have given clear and good advice, and i the next steps to take,thank you.
  • mrpip2002uk
    mrpip2002uk Community member Posts: 71 Courageous
    the sickening thing i can see from all this ,is the fact that the doctor has to be made to fill in and sign a fit note ,when someone is very poorly,it must go against all their training and concience,they know it should be called a sick note,people are sick,not fit?
    who ever came up with this idea is sick, not fit, and should'nt be in this form of work?
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    It is the government that determine the name of the form Statement of Fitness for Work. It was changed from Sick Note in 2010. The GP has an option of saying ‘may be fit for work’ with “general advice on the impact of their patient’s condition and, where appropriate, suggestions of how a return to work could be facilitated”. 
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.

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