UC50: separate pages are now up to eight!

Commanded2bwell
Commanded2bwell Online Community Member Posts: 89 Contributor
in Universal Credit (UC)
Is there a suggested limit to the additional pages you should add? The form itself talks about adding "a" separate sheet if necessary, and the use of the singular might be a strong hint.

What hasn't helped is that I could not get any meaningful information into the tiny little explanation boxes supplied with each question. Not even when typing it. So every box just has a reference to the relevant separate sheet.

I had to do this for PIP, as well (I think I submitted five pages) and I've always wondered if that was a reason why I was declined and had to go to mandatory reconsideration: the private contractor doing the initial assessment took one look and thought, "No way, not worth my time. Let the MR assessor do it!"

I am attempting to edit my answers down in the hopes they actually get read and understood.

Comments

  • bg844
    bg844 Online Community Member Posts: 3,883 Championing
    There’s no limit as such but remember that as long as what you have wrote is relevant, it’s fine. As many as you need. Also, remember to add your NI number to each additional sheet.
  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 9,653 Scope Online Community Coordinator
    Hiya @Commanded2bwell, as BG has said, as long as the information you include is all relevant to the claim and your condition, there's no wrong answer here, as long as you remember to mark the page numbers and add your NI number to each page. 

     Mine was like an old encyclopedia by the time I'd finished! :grin:
  • Commanded2bwell
    Commanded2bwell Online Community Member Posts: 89 Contributor
    Should I send it recorded delivery, in order to have a receipt as proof of when it was sent?

    I can't recall if the Post Office will still give you a free proof of postage. They've changed a lot of things, lately.
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,794 Championing
    edited September 2023
    Hi @Commanded2bwell - yes, you can still  get a free 'Certificate of Posting' from the Post Office: https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/475/~/what-is-a-certificate-of-posting?
    This is all you need to prove when you've returned your form.

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 9,653 Scope Online Community Coordinator
    I always sent my recorded delivery, as I'd suffered from the DWP apparently never receiving my forms before.  It's always good to leave a paper trail, just to cover your own back. 

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,794 Championing
    That's veering towards really bad advice @Albus_Scope - a Certificate of Posting really is all that's necessary, & sending anything to the DWP by recorded delivery is just a waste of money, as the mail is delivered to a Royal Mail sorting office, where it's just signed for in bulk, before later getting to the DWP where it has to be uploaded on their system before it's seen to have 'arrived.'
    Mail is very rarely lost, which I can vouch for personally having sold some 4-5 thousand books by post.....only one was lost in the UK (& you can never be sure if your customer is telling the truth); as it was of low value we sent a refund. My secret weapon......my best friend worked as a postie, & then as one of the managers in a very large sorting office.
    A Certificate of Posting is your paper trail; you get a receipt with the time, date & postcode destination!
  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 9,653 Scope Online Community Coordinator
    edited September 2023
    No you're totally right there @chiarieds a certificate of posting is totally fine, I'm just massively paranoid as I've had things vanish in the post many times.

    I should've clarified it was just personal preference. 
  • Commanded2bwell
    Commanded2bwell Online Community Member Posts: 89 Contributor
    Thanks, guys.

    New problem! I've typed my answers on separate sheets, and added a few sheets of evidence. And there is no way all of this paper plus the form, itself, is going to fit into that tiny little A3 envelope they've provided!

    @chiarieds this is possibly a question for you or your postie friend: can I cut the address and free postage off the face of the provided envelope and stick it onto an A4 envelope? Will they have a problem sorting this at the DWP?

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 5,331 Championing
    edited September 2023
    What I did with mine was stick the small envelope onto an A4 envelope, and take to Post Office.
    I then paid the excess postage- they deduct the prepaid amount from the total due. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    One thing that needs to be pointed out here is that when you return the WCA form (ESA/UC50) it will be returned straight to the health assessment providers and not to DWP (different to the PIP forms). 

    This is because when it's sent out to you, it's sent from them, not from DWP. For this reason, if you prefer then yes you can send it "next day delivery" however, proof of posting is free and it's all you really need to prove it's been posted. You do not need to prove they received it. Once you've posted it, it's out of your hands.

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