Being moved to UC

Thank you TheCatWoman as I was worried I had caused offence. Please do ask as not many people realize you can I read this on the Disabled People Against Cuts site, well recommended for help with UC.  Take care now.

I wasn't refering to you Lucy as I know you didn't say it was easy, if I want to say something to others as well as the person who's post I typing on the end of, it all comes out a bit clunky. I didn't know they paid monthly! I think I will ask for fortnightly payments too.

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But I never wrote it is easy? It took me a few days to complete the forms and I was a nervous wreck for days after. Having to visit the job center in person was an ordeal, I had to go in order to prove my identity. 

I do hope you manage to complete the forms and move on to UC. I did ask for fortnightly payments, you do not have to accept monthly . 

I will try and get as much help as I can, but I think it will take a lot of antianxiety meds for me to do it.

How nice to be told that its so easy. How nice to have a discussion of psychopathy on a thread about claiming benefits...not!

It feels that bad, I go into meltdown when I have to have anything to do with the DWP.

I think the delays are for new claims. If you're moving from a legacy benefit to UC there shouldn't be any gaps in your payments.   Just send it in. In plenty of time.

My deadline for completing my 24 page form was 25 August,  I completed it last week and posted it this morning.

It was interesting that Simon Baron-Cohen said in a couple of interviews that autism and psychopath are like opposites in terms of empathy.

One sees and interprets people well but does not care which allows then to exploit people, the other struggles to read people but really cares once they realise.

The robot in the film Ex Machina is a psychopath. I found the ending shocking.

Thanks Bunny, I will try them, but won't hold my breath, my experience with organisations that are supposed to help is very poor.

I think I will leave it as late as possible before doing my claim. WIll they have the new one sorted in a fortnight or will I end up waiting weeks with no money?

You make it sound very logical and easy to get universal credit.  My experience has been different.  I am making my first claim for disability benefits. Hence the 24 page UC form.  Currently;

1. The work coach at my job centre insists I am fit and healthy.   I attended every two weeks and I am forced to apply for several jobs or else my benefits will be stopped.
2. I find it very difficult to succeed at interviews despite many employability schemes. 
3. When I start a job, I am quickly fired as unemployable. 
4. Cycle starts again.

I am also suicidal and one step from Broadmoor. 

Isn’t a psychopath just another form of personality disorder? Of course a more extreme one but still.

Firstly, here's what happens if you DON'T contact them or make a UC claim -

They will send you reminder letters, and extend the deadline a couple of times. Then they will say they are coming to visit you at home and will send you an appointment. If you are not in or don't answer the door, they will put a letter through saying they will return in a week or two. If you still aren't in (or don't answer), they'll give you a few more extentions. This whole process will go on for a few months, after which they will give you a final warning and a final deadline, then they will terminate your ESA.

I know this because I got my migration letter earlier this year and decided not to claim UC, and didn't bother contacting them.

On the migration letter there is a telephone number for the 'Help to Claim' service, which is run by the CAB but funded by the DWP. I haven't used it myself but I hear they are very helpful. Apparently if you want to claim online, they will walk you through it, and if you struggle to claim online, they are supposed to contact the DWP for you so they can take a claim over the phone.

I conveniently wasn't in when the "visiting officer" came round, but I've heard that they are very professional, and [i]apparently[/i] will take your claim and deal with identity documents there and then. But I can't vouch for this.

If you make a claim for UC by the deadline, you will be entitled to "transitional protection". This means the amount of UC you get will be the same as for ESA. However, depending on what rate you get, it may go down over time, as UC can pay less than ESA, and 'transitional protection' is just there to make sure you don't end up with a big drop in income immediately.

Again, if you make the claim by the deadline, your existing medical status (work-related activity or support group) should automatically transfer over and you will not need to send in sick notes or have a medical. If you don't claim by the deadline [or extended deadline], then any claim will be treated as a new claim and you will have to go through the medical assessment again and you will not be entitled to transitional protection.

Its really quite a stupid system. They've built in so many safeguards to try and get existing claimants extra help with migration, but yet they make the whole process of claiming so difficult. 

Hope that helps.

Robert124 said:

And Broadmoor is not that bad, it's free food and accommodation

My mum worked there, I'd not recommend living there as a lifestyle choice. I'm not sure you can get in without committing a crime.

You can't leave when you want to. I guess there are probably plentiful medications on hand though.

If you are one step away you're either eligible for some money or a budding psychopath.

“Isle of Anglesey County Council has a Welfare Rights Team based at the J E O’Toole Centre, Holyhead which provides advice, support, and representation on a range of welfare benefit issues.”

They also offer outreach surgeries in Llangefni and Amlwch:

www.anglesey.gov.wales/.../Welfare-Rights-and-other-organisations-that-can-help.aspx

Relax, it's not that bad.

I've just been filling out the universal credit application for a work capability assessment.   I got a 24 page form in the post and an option to filling it out online.  And to get the extra money I need to make out that I am one step away from Broadmoor. 

And Broadmoor is not that bad, it's free food and accommodation. 

I went through the process early this year and it can be daunting. I completed the form over a few days. I read up and took advice from disability groups such as DPAC. I agree with you, the DWP are not easy to deal with but this is the system we have to use. I too asked for help from the CAB but found it hard to get any help hence doing my own research.