home visit from best DWP representative I have ever dealt with;IR ESA to UC move

I honestly still can't believe it.

The representative informed me that through this visit I would save myself a Jobcentre interview. He was very polite from the start, but it's what he said in the course of the visit that truly surprised me:

He asked me if I had any family or friends. I replied that I live in complete isolation, am basically a monk, I never go out or see anyone,
because of several reasons, such as chronic fatigue syndrome (people don't understand and expect you to keep up with them, which I soon find exhausting), and that I prefer to be alone because generally people are mostly a pain in the neck. I am better off alone and if I have to be with people, I can't wait to get away from them. I had very good friends but we lost contact years ago, and my introspective nature didn't allow me to seek them out. I have two wonderful sisters in another country, which I keep in touch with, although not on a regular basis; we live separate lives, and I haven't seen them for many years.

The representative asked me what I usually eat. If I had my breakfast. If my heating was working (I keep it off to save money, I don't like to waste them if possible. Even though my ESA affords me everything I need, and more, I still try not to waste money unnecessarily, as I always remind myself of when I didn't have two pennies to rub together.).

He asked me to consider applying for PIP.

He saw my musical instruments and he asked me when he could come around playing some keyboards. I said, anytime.

Of course, this was just small talk, done out of politeness, to break the ice, so not 'real' but still, I never thought small talk could be so pleasant, since I generally am not interested in it.

And all the while, he was saying all this to me with a huge, warm smile on his face.

He checked my passport and asked me questions about my bank account, rent account etc, whatever he needed to know.

I just could not believe it. He really seemed one of these rare souls worth being friends with, but of course I could not wish for that. I asked him if I could make him a cup of coffee, but he said that unfortunately he had to see other people, to which I replied I completely understood.

I still can't believe it. Can't say I know him well, and one can never know someone just by judging the surface, but I can say I saw what seemed a really, really nice person. I have dealt with many people from the DWP and most of them were patronizing, condescending, and frankly even dim. But not all of them, but even in these cases they all paled in comparison to this experience.

Well, as they say, learning never ends, and one can never be too sure about judgements: for most things, there's almost always exceptions.

I sincerely wish all the best to person who visited me and anyone he cares about.

Hi BIS,

''With so many people having awful experiences...''

oh believe me, I know a thing or two about that....in fact, I just had a video interview for my UC and I am going to start banging my head on the wall already....with some of these people it's as if they just don't understand what you say to them. A real mystery....

Hi BIS,

''...whereas your UC video assessment was about your health...''

Actually, it was the opposite. The work coach was treating me right off the bat as if I were just someone making a fresh claim. I had to politely stop her and immediately clarify that I am moving from IR ESA with the WRAG as part of managed migration, which would mean that by law my WRAG is carried across (thanks for this advice to David! at least I know where I stand.)

So I said that what my WRAG implied a, is still there and for me nothing has changed, my health problems are still there. I asked her if the UC team is aware of this as I have tried to make it clear several times, including in my journal, but I received only vague answers about her training (suggesting she was new or something) and that they still 'don't have all the information....'.

Oh well. I have been through that before. What was I expecting...