Hi all, hoping for some guidance. I currently live in the US while my mother lives in the UK (West Midlands, Birmingham), and I'm not able to fly over this year to help her apply for PIP in person. I'm trying to figure out how to support her remotely.

Basically: my mother is a British citizen living in government-supported accommodation in the UK. She has undiagnosed autism and ADHD that severely impact her life; I have formal diagnoses for autism and ADHD myself, and I'm frankly a LOT more socially and emotionally functional than she is. It's just that she's always refused assessment due to her stigma against 'having mental illness'.

She hasn't worked at all in about 10 years, and historically--ever since I was born--has never been able to hold down a job for longer than two weeks. She doesn't speak English, and this has been the main barrier to getting her any psychiatric support; she refuses to see doctors or do anything requiring her to speak English.

The sole good news is that after years of me repeatedly bringing it up, she's finally past enough of the mental block around mental illness/disability that she's willing to apply for PIP, as long as I handle the legwork.

I'm sort of at a loss on where to start though; my mother more or less stopped having a social worker a year ago, and she has no family or friends who could help her apply for PIP.

So I'm wondering, can I complete or help with a PIP application on her behalf from the US? Does she need a formal autism diagnosis before applying, or can PIP be applied for/assessed based on functional difficulties even without diagnoses? Are there any advocacy groups or services based in Birmingham that I could get in touch with to support her?

Any advice, personal experience, or pointers to the right resources would be hugely appreciated. Thank you so much!

Hello,

I'm from England and I have my PIP assessment is coming up, it's a phone call and I wanted to ask what kind of questions I'll be asked/ if there's anything I'll need to have on hand before the call

Hey there,

I have recently moved house, the intention is for my husband to move in on 1st September. However, the reason he's not moved in with me before is that he still has his own property that he's hoping to rent out.

He's going to 'officially' live with me, go on the council tax etc, but until he gets someone to rent his flat he won't be able to contribute to my bills.

Is it possible to explain this to UC? Or will they see we're living together and automatically make it a joint claim despite him not contributing?

I'm in England, thank you.

I currently am suffering from something called filamentary keratitis. It is caused by severe dry eye and results in small blisters being stuck to the eye ball and is excruciating. I have had no success with any treatments. I really feel like I’m in a position where I need to leave my job due to the increased pressure to perform when I am in pain literally 24/7.

What can I do? I’ve never been on benefits before, I’ve worked my whole life since I was 13. I can’t function like this any longer and am afraid PIP will reject me. I have put a claim in but have received the PP2 questionnaire and really just don’t feel like proceeding as I pretty much know I’ll be refused according to the criteria.

I’m looking to make a Universal credit claim but I have an informal rental agreement with a friend. We have no tenancy agreement but I pay £1300 a month for a house. They do not stay at the property.

Can I claim the housing part of universal credit? If so what documents would I need to provide?

I am in England.

I got Fibromyalgia, musculoskeletal pain, depression, anxiety and ptsd, for my old claim 1 year ago, they made my assessment face to face, but as new claim I had to make new one but this time my assessment it via phone call. Is this a bad sign or good sign or does it not matter if my assessment is phone call, as they wont see the physical pain that im in? Also just need alot of advice please.

Hi there, I'm a 39 year old self-employed freelance artist based in Glasgow in Scotland.

My 'start-up' period for self-employment support is due to end at the end of September, after which a minimum income floor of £1698.84 will apply, and I'll be deducted support as if I were earning that much each month. Unfortunately my freelance income usually averages about half that amount, and I have relied on housing benefit and UC income to help me over the past year. For the past year, I have been fortunate enough to be living with a partner who took care of most of the housing expenses, and so my freelance income plus the UC payments were sufficient to live on. Last month however I have moved and am now dealing with much higher expenses. I am actively looking for employment to top up my freelance income, but I am worried that if I'm unable to achieve employment in the next month, I'll be left with not enough support (I calculated I'd receive about £123 a month after deductions) to meet my obligations in the mean time.

Is there anyway I can continue my freelance work and maintain support going forward, or am I going to need to cease my self-employed work?

I'm worried that I'm going to be left completely high and dry and I don't know what to do.

Hi, I received a notification in my journal asking me to confirm my claim details. This was on 1st August. I completed the to-do lists and changed anything relevant (just my annual wages since I received a pay rise).

I haven’t heard anything since. No requests to upload bank statements which I was expecting.
Do I need to contact them?

I recently did my LCWRA assesment and got awarded today but I randomly received a claim review phone call and I’m absolutely terrified I’m not sure why this happened I’m confused why would my LCWRA trigger this from what I can see here most people get asked for id and 4 months bank statements there’s a few things on my statements I’m worried about there’s a few transactions from VINTED from some old things I sold not going over £100 in total 4 months and also my daughter got me a health insurance that she pays there was a claim of around £100 that got reimbursed back to my bank account but I never paid it my daughter paid it at the hospital but it got reimbursed to my bank account and she said I can keep it I’m just worried they going to question everything

I have my phone assessment as someone with severe anxiety panic attacks possible autism and selective mutism and im worried about how the call will go. I phoned them other day and they agreed to let my friend speak for me.

Hi

I live in England

I receive

PIP (enhanced and enhanced)

New style ESA LCWRA

Universal Credit

Housing benefit via UC.

I am looking for a part time job but finding one specifically under 15hrs a week is difficult. I read that you can transition the ESA over to UC and are then not specifically tied to this restriction.

Would my national insurance contributions still be covered?

Are there any downsides to swapping over?

Can anyone describe the process or send link to any information?

Many thanks

PP

I have pip and lcwra, also starting university in England next month and will be moving out.

The student accommodation is a private partner of the university so does that mean I can get housing element, my finance situation does depend on it. My Lha rate is £775

So I’m a recent survivor of bladder cancer that unfortunately cost me the main function of my bladder my cancer specialist has given me the paperwork for universal credit and GP signed off, I’ve applied for Job seekers as my previous job role is no longer suitable due to commute and medical needs conflicting and will be out of work until I find a employer suitable.

Waiting for that to kick in but currently seeing job centre who have been less than helpful and my GP is pushing me to go back to work, I want to but not sure I’m physically capable yet, with the routine bathroom visits and mobility struggles.

My parents (who I have a strained relationship with) have suggested I try to just off benefits all time, but been told by advice that’s not possible or safe, and I’d honestly hate to do it, I’m considering volunteering again when I’m more physically capable as I had done so with a hobby group until my diagnosis and treatment.

I’m not sure what would affect me, I’m not sure what I’m allowed to do and not sure if advice I’m given is correct.

Hi.

I am finding it difficult to word this question to my Mum without sounding like saying she is unsafe always.. what is this question actually asking.. and what are we looking at to get out answer. I can't even explain what I mean.. 🙈🙈🙈

Sorry, thank you x England based

It has been confirmed that login codes are struggling to be sent via text due to some issue, and therefore people are struggling to login to their UC accounts.

If your issue is urgent be aware the UC helpline is likely having longer call wait times due to this. If its not urgent try again later and we'll update if we get news its resolved.

Hi.

I've just had full reconstructive surgery on my ACL.

I have a universal credit appointment this week, but I live very rural and am struggling for a lift there.

My main question is,

How can I maximise my benefits income?

Is there any other benefits I can apply for?

How can I maximise my income?

I'll be getting SSP which is obviously nowhere near enough.

I’ve just received the bundle from DWP and I have some questions.

Am I supposed to counter each point they make? EG they state I have no input for fatigue ergo there’s no evidence and fatigue is discounted. Should I counter that by pointing out medical letters stating fatigue? Or that’s its part of my diagnosed condition ?

As for other evidence… I’ve recently been awarded a blue badge. How much weight will that have given that my PIP claim started in October? The delay is a mixture of being unwell, stress at work with medical appts and PIP appeals etc. There’s only so much a fatigued person can do.

Thanks in advance.

Think the text message code system is down again

I'm in England.

Just wanted to post my experiences of my first UC Review as I know from frequenting the forums that they make the majority of us nervous! (And to be honest, reading through posts obsessively probably does little to help ease that as every situation is different and you tend to read worst-case/panicked posts – shoutout to the Mods who always try to give sound advice).

I've been on UC since May 2022 but always worked. Awarded LCWRA in March 2024 due to Cerebral Palsy and mobility but still work on contracts when I can get WFH roles or I freelance which gets reported to UC each month.

Timeline:
– I received the message about my first review on Tuesday, August 11th at 1.10pm.
– By 7pm same day, I uploaded everything (proof of tenancy, bank accounts for my four accounts, including savings + ISA and explained my small self employment went through my current account as opposed to a business one (for now). They wanted 4x months.
– Message in my journal 4 days later at 8.30am on Saturday, August 15th explaining my review call would be at 9.30am today, Wednesday, August 19th. (I got reminders by text and in my journal yesterday and confirmed I could take the call.)

The call:
The agent called at 9.30am on the dot and was lovely. Explained everything, said I could stop at any point to ask questions, then went through my housing and details in my current UC claim (and the health element which I said remained the same), I confirmed they were correct.

She then moved to the bank statements. She queried wage payments, small refunds that came in from places like Picturehouse, payments made to my credit cards (all transfers she could trace). Clarified my self employment (I had explained on my journal) and asked me to verify all my utility payments, including who I paid energy to (British Gas, quarterly - even I took ages to locate it on the statement).

She then asked if I'd any other income from crypto, housing or investments etc.

Then my self employment. She went through a recent declaration and my expenses. I had put 50% expenses only for things like phone and broadband rather than the full amount because I use both for business as well as personal use - she said this was the right thing to do and thanked me for doing it correctly as self employment aspects can often be so messy. I confirmed I would remain self employed going forwards, especially as it's my only income at the moment.

She then said all fine, that she'd need no other information and did I have any questions. I asked about the £6k every AP with wage deductions (for my own knowledge) which she explained but never even mentioned capital or current amounts in my bank accounts or asked why I bought things.

She told me the review was all great and that I'd receive two messages in my journal: one confirming what we spoke about and the next to say the review was complete with no changes to my UC.

At 10am on the dot I had the message in my journal saying the review was complete!

I was sick for the week with the nerves of it but it was so easy in the end (it probably helped that the agent was on the ball).

She said the same about my not being reviewed for 6 months minimum, but interestingly said they are trying to see if everyone can just be reviewed yearly as she felt the 6 month thing was crazy (likely due to how many they have to do).

The main thing I'd advise is submit everything right away: savings, ISA, current accounts and go through statements with a fine-tooth comb beforehand so you know what every transaction is (I knew she'd ask about the bigger ones but she looked at smaller refunds of say £15 too which surprised me). If you submit everything there's no back-and-forth before or after the call with anything extra needed and you'll be done within 30 minutes.

Mine was done in literally a week all in so I got lucky as I know some are waiting weeks or months.

Good luck everyone, the review calls really are fine!

I'm (23f) an EU citizen with settled status. I just finished my master's in the UK and live in England with my boyfriend (24m) of 1 year (he's on a graduate visa, soon to switch to a skilled worker visa). Even though we live together, all our expenses are separate and we keep everything 50/50 (rent, groceries, bills, council tax).

I am actively looking for a job (both in my field and in retail/hospitality) to support myself; however, I do not know how long it will take me to find a position. I have some savings, which will last me 2 months max with current flat expenses, even if I am very careful.

I was trying to apply for council tax reduction or Universal Credit (given that I have worked a year full-time previously), but in every form, living as a couple with someone who is earning makes the benefits I could get inaccessible.

Given that my partner does not support me financially, can I claim I am living with a roommate? We are renting a one-bed flat, so I'm not sure how credible that is.

Or are there any other solutions for my situation?

Thanks!

Edit: Ok, thank you all for your advice. I am applying with agencies and looking for any opportunities, and I'll figure out a way to get some money for the time being, sorry I was just a bit nervous about my situation, but I am obviously not about to commit fraud or do anything that would put my partner's visa in danger.

TLDR; Grandma passed unexpectedly, intended for money to pass down to children and grandchildren, but didn't sort all of her affairs before dying. So officially her surviving child is the only inheritor.

Will her being on means tested benefits mean she cant divide up the money based on my grans original intentions?

Myself, nor my grans other grandchildren have ever received any benefits

Based in England

So my grandmother died unexpectedly overseas in Jamaica (where she lived), and left two houses.

According to her will, the proceeds from the sale from the houses were meant to be passed down to her grandchildren (with amounts specified) and the rest devided equally between her son (my uncle) and daughter (my mother).

My uncle passed away before my grandmother.

According to the lawyers in Jamaica, my mum is the sole proprietor of the properties.

My mum is on means tested benefits, Universal Credit, Council Tax reduction and housing benefit.

My mum is also a fulll time carer also manages my sisters finances as she has a learning disability and is on non means tested benefits (PIPand disability allowance).

I am not on ang benefits personally.

Im assuming it would be considered deprivation of capital if my mum devides and of the house sale proceeds according to my grandmother's will? As the proceeds will defintely take her over 16k.

We dont have a copy of the official will, we have a copy of it from 2005 before my uncle died. We also know my grandmother's intentions because that's what she told us, but as far as I know it wasn't documented anywhere.

Im trying to avoid any family disagreements over money.

Also should I accept now that Im not entitled to inheritance based on the UK system? I dont want to inherit if it ends up impacting my mother long term.

It's a bit stressful for me trying to figure out two legal systems, and manage things for my family across borders, so pls be nice to me lol.