advice desperately needed re UC

Gordon wrote: JP

I think the DWP have contacted her because her children are now two years old and she is now considered as being able to work while using suitable child care.

The first thing you both need to decide is whether she is capable of work if not then she needs to contact her GP and ask for a Fit Note to be issued, providing one is then the first thing that she/you should say to the advisor is that you are reporting that she is unfit for work and she wants to be assessed for Limited Capability for Work and that she has a Fit Note declaring this which she will send to the relevant JC+ office.

If you report her as unfit for work then that in principle should be the end of the conversation. She will then be sent a UC50 to complete, our UC/ESA Claim guide explains what the criteria is that she will need to meet and how to complete the form.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/esa1

If she is fit for work then she will be asked to make new claimant commitment which will detail how she should seek work, for example; how many jobs she needs to apply for each week. There is a guide to avoiding sanctions that you should have a look at, also on the above link.

Gordon

Thank you for this Gordon - it was interesting as I was with her throughout the call - the twins are not quite 2 and he said that she would have to start preparing now as the UC claim was relatively new - in relation to her husband he does not have to seek work as he is her main carer and he told me that unlike Income Support Universal credit does not identify with the main claimant.

After reading your booklet I said she is not fit to work and hasn't been since 2009 prior to that she only had what was therapeutic hours [bar work] because she did not want to give up on the idea she couldn't work. Unfortunately she was not reliable and was "let go" .

I raised the issue she is not really able to honour her "commitments" re work and is fearful that her UC will be stopped. Eventually and I say "eventually" he quoted the UCD50 which I assume is the UC50 and told her to get a fit note from the GP and he would contact her in two weeks he would enter this on the journal and she must agree to those commitments which we did.

Hopefully they will send the UC50 form - I will go through your notes and hope that I have a good outcome as I have done with the PIP through you - I would recommend anyone to go to appeal and use all the format you suggested as since appealing she has had her PIP renewed without the need to appeal