WCA agony

newtonian
newtonian Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener

Hi there! I've been hunting for anyone in the same situation as me and haven't found anything so decided to make my own post here. I filled out the WCA form for UC in March last year. I have been giving in sick notes since January 2024 after I worked a job that opened my eyes to how my disabilities were actually affecting me. I was told again and again my assessment would come soon, as months passed by. Finally, towards the end of last year, I phone the assessment centre and was told it was because it was a reassessment. I was baffled as I've never had an assessment. Turns out whoever put my claim through, inexplicably, put it through as a reassessment, so it's not considered a priority. I've exhausted every option, as far as I can tell. My work coach can't do anything, I made a formal complaint and was told they couldn't do anything about it, my only option is to start a whole new claim which, naturally, I don't really want to do after waiting almost a year with this one. They don't seem to understand this means I am expected to live on £500 a month, with extra costs from disability. It also enlightened me to the idea that, if they are willing to give extra money if you can prove your disability, the incredibly low pittance they give to job seekers is meant to "motivate" them to find a job. So I am living on an amount that's meant to motivate me to work, when I can't work. I am stuck in limbo. They seem unbothered because if I get the decision I'll get back paid, but how does that make up for a year of not being able to work but also not being able to afford being disabled? Please have anyone gone through this? Or knows how long reassessments can take? My health is only getting worse and this is not helping. By the time my assessment comes round I'll have 3 new diagnoses from the time I filled out the form. I'm exhausted.

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Comments

  • Hopeless
    Hopeless Online Community Member Posts: 316 Empowering

    Hopefully someone will be along who is more knowledgeable than me but maybe it’s worth contacting your MP?

  • newtonian
    newtonian Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener

    Thank you Hopeless, it's a good suggestion I hadn't really thought about, I can look into that and whether they'd be able to help at all.

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 3,180 Championing

    Who did you make the formal complaint with?

  • newtonian
    newtonian Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener

    The DWP through their online complaints service thingy for UC. They called me back after a few days and basically just apologised and said it's their fault but they can't fix it :/

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 3,180 Championing

    You could try speaking to the assessment provider, and ask them to treat you as a new claim not a re assessment.

  • newtonian
    newtonian Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener

    I believe this is who I called who told me originally that it had been put through incorrectly - they also said there was nothing they could do on their end, but that maybe the UC people could... but then they said they couldn't do anything to change it either! I don't know why they have a system where everyone knows something is wrong but can't change it??

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 3,180 Championing

    It's definitely not good enough. What about contacting your MP?

  • newtonian
    newtonian Online Community Member Posts: 5 Listener

    ( sorry if quoting every time isn't how to reply, it's my first time lol)

    Yeah I think this is probably the next step now. Is there a specific process to contacting them about these things or should I just get in touch, explain the situation and ask if there's any way he can help?

  • Kimmy87
    Kimmy87 Online Community Member Posts: 3,180 Championing
    edited January 29

    No specific process, it's as you say, get in touch, explain the problem and ask if he can intervene on your behalf.

  • Jimm_Scope
    Jimm_Scope Posts: 5,717 Scope Online Community Specialist

    You could consider contacting the Independent Case Examiner How to bring a complaint to the Independent Case Examiner - GOV.UK if you find they should be taking corrective action, not just an apology. It is not guaranteed to help and does take sometime however.

    It is rather concerning the number of people who have been waiting over a year for a WCA. We've been trying to collect reports of this and send them over to our policy team to raise this issue with MPs. Have you contacted your MP by the way? That is another avenue that you can try.