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Health Assessment Advisory Service - set up by Universal Credit (really long post I'm sorry) xx

Mweekie6852

Heya,

On Monday, I had my Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) phone call - set up by Universal Credit.

This was a seriously distressing day for me - actually I had better go before Monday to explain how filling in the form went.

So in August, my UC workcoach (who I usually get on with), phones and says he will send out forms for the HAAS.

With a lot of help from my Mum and Dad, we gathered literally all my medical history dating back to the 1990's and sent it all off - in a parcel, rather than the silly A5 envelope the HAAS sent me.

When I got the first response back, saying it would be a phone call on the 23rd October - I had to change this as I wasn't going to talk to them on my own and my parents were currently on holiday (cruise to the Canary Islands), so it got moved to Monday 28th instead.

So that day came and I must admit I was absolutely panicking like mad - I wanted to take the morning off work for the phone call, but it was half term and my manager had another child event on at the same time as the centre (Wildlife Trust) was open and I was 'technically' in charge of the crafting event - thankfully I had other volunteer's and my Mum helping right up until the time of my assessment - so that did distract me a bit, although not much.

My Manager allowed me use of the main office for the phone call, so I got a decaf coffee, lemon and ginger tea for Mum and we settled down.

Anyway, the call....finally....happened (25 minutes after the actual appointment time).

Here's the gist of what was said...

After the initial security questions - the woman said "How is the depression doing now?"
 - Well actually I only have anxiety, reduced liver function and self-diagnosed ASD (still waiting for assessment). So that got my back up and I started shaking like crazy.
Mum tried to explain more about my physical and mental health, but the woman just stated "I can't write all that down! I can only go on what the form says!"

Then she said about whether or not I was feeling suicidal (err...no) and both me and Mum were thinking "Just what form has this lady got in front of her?"

Mum kept trying to explain but she kept retorting that she didn't have time to write all the info down.

This kept going all throughout the phonecall - by which time I had gone into full meltdown - complete with crying, shaking and going mute on the woman.


At the end of the phone call, Mum had the guts to ask what was the woman's profession - to which her response was and I quote...

"I am a physiotherapist. But don't worry, I have had a full 6 week training course and know what I am talking about!"

After the phone call, even Mum (who bless her heart had been suffering badly with a cold), was extremely frustrated in the way the woman handled the phone call.

When we went back out into the main centre - my best friend (who has helped me so much as she is also on the ASD spectrum - so has been able to understand me more)  just took one look at me, bolted into the cafe next door and came back with a large hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows and said "no you're not going to pay me back...you look like you've been through hell and back!"

At the moment I am only claiming UC as I only do less than 16 hours a week paid work - but I am now not sure if I will lose that, depending on how the results come back from the HAAS.

I have a meeting on the 6th November with my work coach - and for the first time in a long while - Mum is coming with me to complain about the phone call and how I was on the day.

I'm sorry for the very long post - but just wanted to vent a bit after the stress of Monday.

Mweekie xx

  • in reply to sapphic princess

    I hope so too as I was supposed to have heard back last summer from the Assessment People - but when I emailed them, they messaged back saying their backlog has backed up, but I should hear between Jan-July 2025, so hopefully they'll get back to me then.

    Looking into the pet sitting - it does cost quite a bit to properly set it up as a business, so putting it on the back burner for now until I've saved up (which I'm not very good at lol). As I mentioned in my last message, I've also applied for a couple of animal-based jobs and I have an interview on Friday with a well known animal charity as an Animal Care Assistant, so hopefully that'll go well (although I suck at interviews).

    Mweekie xx

  • in reply to sapphic princess

    Thanks Sapphic Princess - I've responded to your new post now xx

  • in reply to Mweekie6852

    I have posted an update regarding my HAAS appointment and it went almkat as badly as yours did, and it hasn’t even started yet!

  • in reply to Mweekie6852

    Sorry to hear about your struggles. I hope you get your autism assessment date soon! 

    That’s interesting about the pet sitting! I’ve also been wanting to do the same thing. 

  • in reply to sapphic princess

    Hey Sapphic Princess,

    Thanks for your reply - I can understand fully your situation regarding only wanting phone calls instead of face to face and the panic behind them. On your other thread, I am glad to see you're going to phone up 'sick' tomorrow and wait for your partner to be free to take the time off to go with you. I agree with you about the posters put up at the Job Centre, with no sign of actually following up with the support they claim to provide. 

    Because of my both phyiscal and mental health, I've been on UC for a long time - even back when it was known as Job Seekers Allowance. Up until my current and previous workcoaches (who have actually been surprisingly supportive) - all the others I really struggled to cope with - especially when I was on a 'cocktail' of very strong opioid medication (this was before I found out about my reduced liver function) and could just about function for about an hour before collapsing and having to rest for 3 hours before I felt OK again - I was pretty much a zombie at the time. 

    I was barely coping and had several panic attacks before, during and after my appointments and ended up being unable to work at all at one point because of it - I went on sick and was then put on reduced hours (which even then I just about managed at the time). One time I was asked (not very politely) to go on of the JSA work courses - the ones that are supposed to 'help' you get a full-time 40 hour a week job - such as doing your CV, learning how to type and (the funniest one in my opinion) how to even turn on a computer - all of which I had already done and I am pretty computer literate. It used to frustrate the hell out of me just being in that room with not knowing anyone and just ended up randomly looking at different animal websites on the 'pretence' of looking for work.

    This was all before I even realised I could be autistic - in fact I am still waiting for my autism assessment, so just self-diagnosed for now whilst I wait.

    I've gotten to the point now where I am able to go to the UC appointments on my own (up until last time when my Mum came with me after my HAAS phone call), but I still panic about lots of other things though. My current workcoach was genuinely apologetic when my Mum explained what happened and how I reacted to the situation and he seemed really surprised at the 'curtness' of the woman on the phone. He gave me the number to make a formal complaint - so Mum has very kindly done that for me - she's better at confronting people than I am lol.

    I am currently working/volunteering (on reduced paid hours) with a charity I love, but I am also starting to research starting my own pet-sitting business, but that's going to take a long time to work that one out. I've also applied for a couple of animal-focused jobs and hope I at least get an interview for.

    You'll get there and I am glad you have a very supportive partner and I hope that after the face to face - you'll be able to revert back to phone calls.

    Take care and virtual 'hugs'.

    Mweekie xx

  • I'm so sorry about your experience. I can't believe that they said they didn't have enough room to write important things down! Considering they're a service that is supposed to help us, i feel that they are incredibly inexperienced, insensitive, and uneducated on autistic people and our needs. 

    It sometimes feels impossible to get the help we need, when those who are supposed to help often do more harm than good. 

    Although different, I've not had very good experiences with UC so far. I've been on since July after quitting my job where I worked one 5 hour shift a week, which became too much and caused me burnout after finishing university. However i was only diagnosed with autism in September. Since reporting my disability and having fit notes, I've tried to have phone call appointments instead of going into the job centre, as its incredibly overwheleming and i become very anxious and panic. 

    My work coach kept saying he wanted to see me in person but i insisted that im unable to come in for a face to face because of my anxiety. He didn't listen and scheduled a face to face. I had a panic attack in the car and couldn't go in. I almost got a sanction for missing my appointment. Luckily it was dismissed as i had a reasonable explanation, but it had all caused unnecessary stress and anxiety. 

    For the few times i went into the job centre, i saw a lot of posters for support for neurodivergent people and disabled people, yet since reporting my autism ive been offered no support at all. I had hoped for some kind of support with finding appropriate employment, or even a course or something i dont know. I was just very disappointed that despite putting up posters, they havent even given me any or even offered it. 

    Sorry for the rant under your post, I just wanted to make you feel less alone in your negative experience with UC.