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Universal credit

NAS83237

I’ve recently been made redundant and I have started my own business - ironing at home. 
l have to attend a gateway appointment at the job center for my universal credits. 
I suffer from extreme anxiety and panic attacks attending appointments like these, plus the extra stress of having to drive away from my home through Ipswich town center will cause me much added stress as the traffic is so unpredictable, and mostly busy at 9 in the morning, 

I have requested due to my anxiety/ autism for the interview to be conducted on phone or video call, and I upload any supporting evidence they need online. So far they are refusing to do this, and want to see me face to face at the job center, for a one hour appointment. I have also asked if some of the appointments can be done on phone then I only pop into job center for ten mins to show ID etc. they have refused this also. 
I don’t think I could cope with an hour appointment, I’m afraid if I don’t attend or panic half way during the appointment my universal credits will be stoped. 
I have explained they are discriminating against my disabilities, but I fear they still won’t make adjustments to the appointment 

  • My personal experience is they won’t take your condition seriously until you have a work capability assessment. Get signed off by your doctor and ask universal credit to start what they call your “health journey”

  • in reply to Gwagero

    Agreed, take a friend, they might be more polite and civil with you if you have an independent witness.

  • I highly recommend looking into bringing someone for support, a family member or friend, or perhaps an advocacy worker. If you struggle this much, you should probably get a work fitness assessment or sick note. I also recommend applying for PIP/ADP

  • in reply to NAS83237

    If you end your business and say you're unfit for work, you will then be required by the DWP to obtain sick/fit notes from your GP. After 29 days, you will automatically be sent a Work Capability Assessment questionnaire in the post, which you have approximately a month to complete and return. At some point, you will then be required to have an assessment by an "independent" doctor or nurse. They then submit a report to a DWP Decision Maker. Irrespective of whether your GP is in agreement that you are unfit for work, it's the DWP Decision Maker that ultimately has the final say.

    I can relate to the anxiety that your forthcoming job centre appointment is causing you. If you're able to take someone along with you who can provide you with emotional support, then I would strongly advise that.

  • This is totally not OK and you have my sympathy. Can you get CAB to contact them and sort it out since they agree that it is not lawful?

    If you have no way to avoid it, can you try to reframe how you think of it and try to come up with ways to make it a bit less awful and maybe even possible? Bribe yourself with a reward, or consider how much worse it could be if you lived in a war zone or if the interview was all day instead of an hour.

    Firstly can the journey there and back be made less bad? Taxi? Even ask them to pay for the taxi! Or can you get a lift with someone you know or an advocate? Can you walk there? Even if it is quite a long way, walking can be calming and it might be better than the traffic or public transport.

    Since you have warned them about your panic, they ought not to be surprised or stop your credit if you panic during the interview. I know you want to avoid this because it is never fun, but if you warn the person doing the interview that you might panic, before it begins, possibly by saying it and by giving them a bit of paper with it written on then they really ought to deal with it. Say what might happen if you panic, that you might have to run out of the room or you might cry or shout or vomit (have they got a bucket or bin? How near is the nearest toilet, would you make it in time?) or whatever it is that might happen. Is there any danger you might attack the person? Because that would be an entirely different situation. How long does it take to recover from a panic? If you can recover in five minutes they ought to wait for you to calm down and return if possible. But if it takes an hour then can you ask them if that happens if you can finish the interview on a different day (even if you really don't want to - you are showing willingness to work around your problems).

    The unknown is a huge source of stress, so find out as much as possible what to expect from this interview, ask them to let you know what questions they will ask so you can prepare answers. Since they are forcing you to do this thing which is so hard for you the least they can do is try and reduce the problems and work with you to make it possible!

    Think it through and try to work out what exact things are most likely to trigger the panic, that will give us a focus to work on solutions if none of my ideas here are any use. Don't give up! You can do this - you have a daughter, surely this can't be worse than childbirth?! Sorry if I am making an assumption here but even if that is not the case, it takes great strength to rear a child, strength I don't think I have so I have never tried, but I am sure you can do it for her even if you couldn't do it for yourself. You are not alone.

  • in reply to sn

    Thx you I know I am not alone 

  • in reply to NAS83237

    This made me very sad and concerned to hear. I understand how distressing even the thought of attending these places can be. I know I would not manage. I am sorry you are going through this.

    It really concerns me just how many organisation don't take the equality laws seriously, especially with things like autism and mental health. They treat it like adjustments are only a recommendation even when they are necessary to us to be able to access services fairly. It took the DWP over a year to even respond to my request for email communication.

    I hope you somehow manage to get this sorted. I wish I had something helpful to say, but you are not alone.

  • in reply to NAS83237

    Hello how are you doing today 

  • It’s in two weeks. I’ve been on phone to talk to someone else and she said that due to the nature of the appointment it has to be done in the job center, otherwise my payment will be stopped. I’m in tears at moment, I know how emotionally difficult this appointment is going to be . Citizen advice say it’s unlawful to not make adjustments for people who can’t attend face to face appointments , but if everyone I’ve spoken to say there no other option other than not getting universal credit (I have rent and a daughter to take care off ) I haven’t got a choice. I’m going to be shaking in fear, and possibly sick. 
    im so angry and keep crying . 
    I just don’t understand , universal credit is meant to help get people into work, but I’m seriously considering ending my business and just say I’m unfit to work, I’m so upset at the moment 

  • Hi . IDK what to say to you can you maybe change your appointment or something to another date or idk ? is the appointment today or next week ? how people can be so careless about this ? sometimes I have anxiety and panic attacks too at the wrong time but yeah . hope you're ok thought