Request for UC phone appointments being made needlessly stressful

Hi all,

I am a universal credit claimant suffering from severe anxiety with agoraphobia. I am currently awaiting my work capability assessment.

A few months ago, DWP management confirmed with me by email that my future appointments will be conducted over the phone. Unfortunately, my next appointment has been scheduled as a face-to-face appointment; I have tried several times via my journal to ask for it to be changed to a phone appointment.

The response that I am getting on my journal is “don’t worry, your work coach will call you,” however, my request to get the appointment properly changed on the system is being ignored.

I am not understanding why they won’t officially change the appointment details so that it is clear that I am having a phone appointment (not a face to face appointment) and there are no mishaps/misunderstandings on the day of the appointment. In other words, on my To Do list, the appointment instructions remain the same, stating that I am required to attend the interview at the specified jobcentre address.

Because my appointments have been frequently changed in the past with the press of a button, the apparent refusal to properly change the appointment is creating so much additional stress for me a) because it just seems so odd and b) I fear being sanctioned if the appointment isn't properly changed and I don't turn up for the appointment in person.

I am wondering what people’s thoughts are on this. I have set out below what I was expecting when an appointment is amended.

When a change is made to my DWP appointment, I typically receive a number of notifications/updates on my universal credit account.

1) I receive an email  message in the following format:

Subject: Your Universal Credit appointment has changed
To:  my email address

Dear ______________
Your phone appointment at 10:30am on Monday 11 July 2022 has changed. Your appointment is now at 12:00pm on Friday 15 July 2022.
Sign in to your account for details.
From,
Universal Credit

2) My journal is updated as shown below:

Work Focused Interview

Monday 11 July 2022 at 10:30am by phone

Rebooked:

Work Focused Interview

Friday 15 July 2022 at 12:00pm by phone

3) The appointment details on the To Do List change to reflect the amended appointment.