Job Centre Appointment on LCW

IntoTheFire1
IntoTheFire1 Online Community Member Posts: 132 Contributor
in Universal Credit (UC)
I have a new work coach, and they want me to attend an appointment in October at the job centre, can they make me go if I have agoraphobia and received LCW, 15 points on the 'going out' section. What happens if I don't go, can I get sanctioned against my mental health? 

I am currently appealing the decision against LCW and am aware that even on LCW I am required to attend appointments, but how can they expect me to go if I have agoraphobia?

Comments

  • bg844
    bg844 Online Community Member Posts: 3,883 Championing
    With LCW you will still have appointments unfortunately, if you really would struggle to attend then you should leave a message on your journal explaining why you can't attend in person and ask for an appointment by way of telephone instead. There's no guarantee they will agree, and you can still receive a sanction. For clarity, have you already passed the Mandatory Reconsideration step when you say you are appealing the decision?
  • IntoTheFire1
    IntoTheFire1 Online Community Member Posts: 132 Contributor
    I left a journal message a little while ago, explaining that I would have trouble attending and requested that the appointments be telephone rather than at the job centre. 

    Yes, I have already done a Mandatory Reconsideration and they said that they couldn't change their decision, so am now appealing. 
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    I guess they are not happy with you having telephone appointments then @IntoTheFire1 - would you like to tell us more about how requesting telephone appointments went for you and their reasoning?

    Have you got any evidence from medical professionals, e.g., GP or mental health team/counsellor etc, explaining why you would not be able to attend a face-to-face appointment and why telephone appointments would be more accessible for?

    How are you currently feeling about appealing? Please don't hesitate to let us know if you wish to talk about this further or if there's anything else we can do to help. We are all here for you and listening to you :)
  • IntoTheFire1
    IntoTheFire1 Online Community Member Posts: 132 Contributor
    Thanks. Sorry I didn't update this. The appointment isn't until October, but they did change it to telephone appointments, thankfully. 

    But in the past, they've always been weird about allowing them, saying that they'd allow it for that appointment but then all future appointments would have to be face-to-face. But my mental health has deteriorated. I used to be able to attend the appointments despite the anxiety, but haven't been able to leave the house for nearly 6 months now. 

    I just explained that I scored 15 points on 'going out' on the WCA in June and they changed it. 

    As for evidence, I don't have much. I used to have therapy, but didn't last long and this was a few years ago now. And I have been on medication the last 9 months. But haven't really spoken to the doctors for a while,

    And appealing, I received my original decision on 29th June, then received the mandatory reconsideration decision on the 26th July. So been appealing since then. However, the whole waiting around for the assessment and the decisions they've made just affect my anxiety a lot more. 
  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    Hello @IntoTheFire1

    I'm glad they changed it to a Telephone appointment for you :) I'm so sorry to hear it's been 6 months and your mental health is getting worse. You can refer yourself for talking therapies under the NHS. They even offer online appointments. I would encourage you to reach out to your GP too. Have you got support around you? 
  • IntoTheFire1
    IntoTheFire1 Online Community Member Posts: 132 Contributor
    Yeah, sort of. My mum is quite supportive. But with other people, they say that what I need to do is just push through it it, like I can control that. It's not something I can just get over. 

    I tried to do talking therapy again last year, but by the time it came round to speaking to a therapist, it was too much and was making me more anxious. It's so hard to want to help myself when the things that would help actually make me more stressed and anxious. 
  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    I'm glad you have your mum :) You have us in the community too! I hope we can be a place of support for you <3

    I understand that, there is nothing wrong with referring again and seeing how you feel when it comes around? There are also other organisations you may find you get on with better. Like SHOUT which is a 24/7 texting mental health service :) 
  • IntoTheFire1
    IntoTheFire1 Online Community Member Posts: 132 Contributor
    Thank you so much! I'll have a look into that! 💕

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