UC claimant tactics

We are assisting a couple who are dealing with a recent child cancer diagnosis in their 4 year old and are also looking after their 4 month old. They live in Exeter which has recently turned full service, but are staying in Bristol for the treatment (also a full service area) for the foreseeable future.

Knowing that the jobcentre has recently gone full service, I am assuming that they’re flying blind.

Obviously he can claim online using his Exeter address but when it comes to agreeing to claimant commitment etc and progressing the claim, do you think there’s scope for this to be done over the phone? An hour and half drive for both in the context seems unreasonable, but would be concerned that the claim won’t otherwise progress.

Any thoughts gratefully received.

You can ask for the appointment to be held at a jobcentre local to them ie in Bristol. I’ve seen a case where that’s happened before with a guy who was receiving cancer treatment although we did have to escalate very high to get it.

Ask for that and be prepared to have to go to partnership manager or similar and if you still have problems let me know and I’ll take it up via stakeholders (which is what we did with the other case).

I provide advice to the UK’s liveaboard boating community on the side and a few people travel from JC to JC and don’t have any problems switching JCs regularly.

Great, thanks both. Will keep you posted if any problems.