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New UN claim - Signing and agreeing to Universal Credit commitments ?

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8 months 1 week ago #288713 by peggy2
A recent Universal Credit claim for a family member as left us totally confused, Their Health conditions were completed during the on line process, theyt have had two appoitments at the job centre and now been told they have another one next week. They have now been told to produce a Fit Note - Meantime on their work journal they have been told to sign and gree to the UN Commitments and if they do not agree the claim will be closed.
Are they allowed to close a UN Claim before receipt of Fit note?
if you dont agree to the Work commintments of 35hours per wk which is inpossible considering their health and medical appointments Do you just sign and agree to stop the claim from being closed down and then add a Note to your journal advising that you will be adding a FIT Note and hope your work coach adjusts your commitments.

It seems a harsh process as at the moment their physical and mental health have not been taken into account which mean the only way they or anyone who is ill/disabled can get any benefit and rent paid is agree to the UN Commitments that they dont agree to as unable to do due there disabilities.

Does everyone who is ill/disabled have to agree first and then once the FIT NOTE is given and considered are the commitments adjusted by the work coach to such things that they are not available or able to do 35hours a week job searches or work or travel 90 mins there and back to and for a job?

Should we have provided a FIT NOTE when we submitted the UN claim? Our family member will recieve a FIT NOTE on friday when they see their GP should we request it is back-dated to the start of the Universal Credit claim?

What should they write on their journel for there work coach?

Thankyou

If the Universal Credit claim is closed down how does someone who is ill and disabled claim help with there rent?
The following user(s) said Thank You: VIA

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8 months 1 week ago #288734 by Gordon
p

It's a pity that a Fit Note was not submitted when the claim for UC was made but if you did not know...

The Claimant Commitment is a Mandatory Requirement for claiming UC, if it is not signed then the DWP will close the claim.

The Fit Note is separate and starts the process for a Work Capability Assessment to be carried out. Presenting the Fit Note should move your family member to the Non-Work Group, effectively negating the Commitment.

However, they need to stay on top of this. Make sure they put an entry in their UC Journal as soon as the Fit Note is sent to the DWP and they may need to "police" their Work Coach to ensure that they are treated as having Limited Capability for Work which is the thing that exempts them from work.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: denby, VIA, Charlie

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8 months 1 week ago #288793 by peggy2
Gordon thankyou so much for that information.

Its just been so difficult and their medical support especialy urgent councelling and GP appts have overwhelmed everything else trying to make sure they attend as they become so isolated.

Hopefully the GP will back date the Fit note to date of the Universal Credit claim. My sister will help them to put some wording on their journel when there back from gps and hopefully that will advice the work coach they were unaware they needed the Fit note or how to go about getting that. Also they required urgent medical attention re their mental health and well-being.

Hopefully any one reading this will go the right way about it and not go through what our family member is going through as since approx 14 days thay have been requested to attend the job centre 3 times through a work journel and be available for work 35 hours and also travel 90 mins there and back. Everything put on there claim is basically ignored he took medical inrforamtion to appointments it was ignored, Obviousley the only thing they will accept is a Fit Note. Hopefully anyone reading this and having to make a claim for Universal Credit please make sure you supply a Fit note as soon as you claim UN as we had no idea the Fit note starts a process for - work capability assessment- Also that has not been explained clearly at any of our family members face to face job centre appointment and they have clearly been ill at each one, its been a very distressing process upto now and I only wish we had them provide a fit note sooner.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Gaddy

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8 months 1 week ago #288827 by Chris
Hi peggy2,

Have you asked your GP to backdate the fitnote ?
When I used to get mine, the GP would ask me if I wanted it backdated.

Regards, Chris.

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7 months 2 weeks ago #289711 by peggy2
hi Chris

Sorry for delay in replying I havent been to good.

Yes thankfully the GP backdated the Fit Note to the first date of the claim and for 3months. Hopefully GP will issue another one after that one until Job Centre advices further. Our family member still had to attend another Job Centre appointment and have now been issued with a UC50 Form which I think is like the Work Cabability Assessment form. We just hope that the UC50 form allows enough points for our family member to be supported fairly with there disabilities.

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7 months 2 weeks ago #289721 by Gordon
p

Yes, the UC50 is the form used for the WCA.

Make sure that your family member uses are UC/ESA Claim guide to help them complete the form.

Gordon

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