Changing number

Hi Smeggy, yes going down for an appointment can be pretty daunting, even for those of us who don't suffer from extra anxiety, so I can imagine how you must be feeling.

Have you got an online account with universal credit? I had a similar problem when my old mobile gave up the ghost and I couldn't log in anymore. What I did was phone the UC helpline and they changed my notification details to my email address instead of my phone, and I thought great! So now I can login with my email. But nope, they won't let you do that. In the end I bought a new mobile (had to have one anyway for everything else), I transferred the old number to it.

If it's not possible for you to keep the old number, I'd do as Drausus says, sounds a pretty good idea. But I'd phone the helpline first even so, so they have a record that your number has changed. Then if they try and play you about when your interview is due, you can say you've phoned them to let them know the problem.

Incidentally, if you can keep the old number, you'll find it'll make things a lot easier for other people / services trying to contact you, it'll save you a lot of time trying to contact them all.

Hope it all works out ok x

Ah, that sounds pretty promising Smeggy. Why not ring back the helpline tomorrow and ask them to double-check that's what they'll be doing? Then if they confirm that's what they'll do you won't need to worry anymore about that. And no reason to send someone over in your place.

You could always try and record the phone conversation with the helpline to cover your back. If you have something to record with, put it next the earpiece and it should pick it up. A digital camera would do if no recorder around, anything that can record sound.

Or, another idea, test if you can log into your account now with the new number… If you can, they'll definitely call you on that number (and then you could also leave a message for them on your account that you've changed your number)