Can someone help, what's the point of a Universal Credit work coach?

[Gusto Brunt]

Yeah, my friend has been on Universal Credit for 5 months, and three weeks ago, her work coach told her she had to do some training or else lose all her benefit.

So my friend agreed. The course was set to start online last night but my friend had some technical issues with her computer, so she thought she better message the work coach this morning (using her UC Journal) to tell her work coach why she couldn't be there online last night - fearing it would be an excuse if she didn't make contact - to stop her benefit.

But get this. My friend just phoned me and told me her work coach was very rude and told my friend not to contact her again over tittle-tattle.:fist:

The tittle-tattle' being remember that my friend's benefits would be stopped her if she didn't attend the course. The work coach then went on to say the Journal is only for late payments and appointment issues. Number one the work coach said four months ago she should never be contacted about late payment issues - the UC direct is for that.

So we're all confused and I can't help. So if anyone who's on UC here can explain, what is the point of a work coach??? Thanks. :) And are they allowed to be rude and contradict themselves?

[Ammi]

…I found this thread on Reddit…I don’t know if it’s any help at all to your friend, Gusto…


https://www.reddit.com/r/DWPhelp/comments/1765ot9/can_i_report_my_universal_credit_work_coach_for/

[Gusto Brunt]

…I found this thread on Reddit…I don’t know if it’s any help at all to your friend, Gusto…


https://www.reddit.com/r/DWPhelp/comments/1765ot9/can_i_report_my_universal_credit_work_coach_for/

Many thanks. My friend's a sensitive soul and she said she felt tearful the work coach was so rude.

[Ammi]

Many thanks. My friend's a sensitive soul and she said she felt tearful the work coach was so rude.

….awwww and that will have completely set her back in confidence to have that sort of experience…hopefully she’ll be able to get back on track again, I wish her well and I hope it’s resolved for her to feel ok with the work coach again…sometimes these relationships begin badly but then can be resolved easily when explained, you know…

[Gusto Brunt]

….awwww and that will have completely set her back in confidence to have that sort of experience…hopefully she’ll be able to get back on track again, I wish her well and I hope it’s resolved for her to feel ok with the work coach again…sometimes these relationships begin badly but then can be resolved easily when explained, you know…

Thanks very much. I'll pass your regards and good wishes on. It's certainly a bizarre thing going on at the Job Centre. Telling my friend to do training or else, then not being bothered if she was at the training or not. :shrug:

[Vanessa]

Aw that's awful. She could maybe try using a laptop at her local library?
I'm going to apply for UC very soon. We have to apply because housing benefit is ending.

[UserSince2005]

How about your friend goes out and gets a job?

[Beso]

Many thanks. My friend's a sensitive soul and she said she felt tearful the work coach was so rude.

Tell her she could probably get signed off work with depression because of it

[Vanessa]

How about your friend goes out and gets a job?

You're entitled to UC even when you work.

[Gusto Brunt]

You're entitled to UC even when you work.

Very true. :)

Tell her she could probably get signed off work with depression because of it

Good point.

How about your friend goes out and gets a job?

She's trying. But she's 53 and she's come up against ageism.

Aw that's awful. She could maybe try using a laptop at her local library?
I'm going to apply for UC very soon. We have to apply because housing benefit is ending.

Yes she is using her sister's laptop tonight.

But the point was, she thought the work coach would need to know why my friend had missed the first night. Just in case it was put down as a black mark and a sanction. But the work coach was very rude and quite frankly couldn't give a toss, and yet it was her who said not attending the course would might benefits were stopped.

This work coach has also ignored other messages from my friend.

Unbelievable.

[Cherie]

The WC ...what a pun has no command of English ....tittle tattle is gossip...not relaying messages about being unable to get on the internet

[Beso]

She should be able to refuse to see this idiot and request a new coach.

[Ammi]

Thanks very much. I'll pass your regards and good wishes on. It's certainly a bizarre thing going on at the Job Centre. Telling my friend to do training or else, then not being bothered if she was at the training or not. :shrug:

…yeah I do understand why she she was upset and how the work coach made her feel and it’s all difficult enough for her…it would be a good thing for your friend to follow the phone conversation up with an email to the life coach also or the UC department just so there is a record of her having contacted them and explaining…it’s always a good thing to do…

[Oliver_W]

Most of the HMRC seems to be an employment scheme for people with no real skills.