This can't be right - no money? — Scope | Disability forum
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This can't be right - no money?

Arrival456
Arrival456 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
Hello everyone,

I have put the history and overall situation into post 1 and the immediate urgent questions into second post.

I'm a carer for my daughter who is 25, she has suffered from mental health issues since childhood. Including Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, depression. She had DLA at higher rate care but never applied for PIP.

When she first went for her UC interview several years ago, the work coach was shown lots of medical evidence, as a result no mandatory commitments were set. 
(Other than attend her own medical appointments). This was evidenced by the fact no mandatory activities were set during 2+ years of UC).

Suddenly several months ago she received a message in her journal asking how her work search was going...  It was explained she wasn't required to look for work... They then said they had no record of this. 

They scheduled a work search review - it was pointed out this was not correct as there was no work search to review! Instead she asked if she should send medical evidence... 

They never addressed this... as it happens she was unable to attend this appointment anyway  due to me being pinged by the NHS Covid app... and the very clear guidelines not to attend if there was any risk of Covid 

She done as directed and informed the work coach due to Covid guidelines she could not attend - however could they please make a phone appointment instead...

The next thing we heard she had been sanctioned as they didn't consider following the govts own COVID advice as a good enough reason to have missed the appointment!

Continued on next post..

Comments

  • Arrival456
    Arrival456 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    Post 2 -

    So after being sanctioned for nearly 100% of her UC - she received £5 to live on for the month!! This means no bills can be paid, and she is at risk of eviction....

    This sent her into a deep depression, making her conditions far worse. 

    1. Should they be sanctioning people who are vunerable like this?.

    2. They sanctioned her for approximately 100% of her money... Isn't that disproportionate?

    3. She was eligible for a budgeting advance before this sanction - they told her she can no longer get this due to the sanction!!

    However they told her there is a special hardship payment specifically for those who have been SANCTIONED...

    They then told her she can't get this payment BECAUSE she has been sanctioned - and not until she has scheduled and taken part in a work search review!!!

    4. Is this right that she can't even get a hardship payment while sanctioned?. Even though she has no money and is vunerable?.

    5. They have not taken any care or consideration as to her situation, and every avenue to help has been blocked. They won't even lift the sanction once an appointment is booked - it has to be completed which is difficult with my daughter having been pushed into a very hopeless situation.

    Thanks, 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
    edited October 2021
    Has she ever reported her health condition onto her journal and sent in fit notes form her GP  to start the work capability assesment process off? It sounds like she's never done this. I'm very surprised that no one has actually advised you or her to do this. It seems like during that very first appointment some years ago that her work coach turned off work commitments and simply left her alone.  There's some information here https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-disability-universal-credit
    She will then be referred for a work capability assesment usually on day 29 after reporting the health condition but it can sometimes take longer.
    You can request the Mandatory Reconsideration for the sanction.
    You mention eviction, does her UC usually include help with her rent or does she still live at home with you?
    You must have done all the work-related activities that you were supposed to do in the 7 days before you apply for a hardship payment.





    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.
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @Arrival456

    Welcome to the community, thanks for joining.


    Sorry to hear of your daughter's situation and how it has impacted her, I hope the above reply has been helpful. It must be causing you quite a bit of worry as a parent and carer so hopefully it can be resolved soon.

    How is your daughter's mental health at the minute? You said that what happened sent her into a deep depression, which I'm sorry to hear. Does she have support to manage her mental health from her doctor as well as her family such as yourself?
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  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    @Arrival456 she should apply for PIP.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
     She had DLA at higher rate care but never applied for PIP.



    I missed this part. What's the reason she's never applied for PIP. Was she invited to apply and didn't so her DLA just ended?
    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.
  • rubin16
    rubin16 Community member Posts: 347 Pioneering
    I'm in a similar situation I have Autism and Schizophrenia as well as other health conditions and been on Universal Credit since beginning of 2018 due to having to go into hospital. I reported my health conditions and never heard anything from them. (I apprently was sent out a WCA form but never recieved it, and was too ill at the time to even go through things) I never heard anything for a few years until a few months ago they made me start looking for work.

    I got myself a job and worked there for a week in May 2021 before falling ill again becuase of the stress and anxiety, I reported health conditions again and this time started getting sick/fit notes from my doctor ever since. I suddenly got an appointment a few weeks ago for a work search review and that I needed to goto the job centre. I pleaded with them on my journal and expressed that I don't go out much and I hear voices and get bad anxiety when I'm in unfamilar surroundings, to which they said they would phone to discuss and basically said I have to go to the job centre in future till I am deemed to have LCWRA.

    Tomorrow I have an appointment to go to the job centre and if I don't go I will be sanctioned. Luckily I have my nurse going tomorrow with me, but I can't eat with the worry and stress of tomorrow. I hope my nurse pleads my case, as I'm thinking of closing my claim and just live off my PIP with will be hard to impossible with bills. Also I've still not heard about filling in a UC50 or going to any sort of assessment from sending in sick notes since may 2021.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
    When claiming UC you're classed as a job seeker until such a time you're found to have either LCW or LCWRA. It's the discretion of your work coach whether they turn off your commitments, some do and some don't. 
    @rubin16 put a note onto your journal and ask for them to refer you for the work capability assessment.
    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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