My overall Benefits journey from 2013 to date - and on going still!!

[tomtom256]

Are you getting DLA/PIP as well? If you do, are getting the SDP on ESA?

[tomtom256]

Yeah that's technically right, as the two systems cannot communicate with each other.

 

They will have to manually transfer the WCA result over, however they should be able to look at opstrat (ESA), pin a note to UC and then send a handover to get it sorted.

[tomtom256]

Everyone claiming UC has to have and agree to some commitments or the benefit gets closed.

 

If you are working they are generic, if you have limited capability or a job seeker they will be tailored to you.

 

A fit note or an existing WCA will not prevent this form happening as until commitments are agreed the claim is not technically live. If you fail to attend the appointment its an automatic claim closure and  and if refuse to accept them it's an automatic claim closure.

[tomtom256]

They should switch off the work side of the commitments and just do the work preparation bit until the WCA is pulled across from ESA at which point you will have generic commitments auto created as you will fall in the no work requirements catagory.

 

In my jobcentre it's just a box ticking exercise until the information is transferred and we don't normally book any further appointments after that. But most jobcentres do it there own way as there is no official guidance on this and insufficient staff to run it smoothly.

[tomtom256]

CIS doesn't show WCA though only what amount is being paid. "where ESA is in payment staff manually check whether a component was in place and, if so, put the corresponding element on the UC award"

 

So they still have to check OPSTRAT.

[tomtom256]

Don't do the to-do where it asks about work etc, wait and go through it with the work coach at the commitments appointment and mention what we have discussed here.

[tomtom256]

Worst case is it takes a few weeks to get sorted, you can't get lower than that.

 

OPSTRAT holds all legacy benefit data and is an MSDOS package, hence why it cannot automatically talk with or be uploaded to UC. It's outdated an not really fit for purpose anymore.

 

CIS can talk with UC, but only holds basic information i.e. dates of claim, amounts paid, benefit interests etc. It does not hold information on premiums, WCA outcomes or periods WCA is awarded for, what group you are in or when next assessment is due. It is a basic info system designed to share data with other government agencies/LA benefit staff.

 

Even if the service centre manually checks OPSTRAT, they still have to follow guidance in order to transfer it to UC and complete the necessary action, which at worst can take a few weeks. However if mentioned to a work coach during an initial or first commitment appointment they can do the checks there and then, pin it to UC notes and send a handover to the service centre, which greatly speeds up the process for all involved.

Edited March 18, 2019 by tomtom256

[tomtom256]

Your case manager should remove the referral for a WCA from the system as it's no longer needed.

 

If they don't the CDHA/assessment centre should just cancel it but if they do send a questionnaire call them and explain that you have migrated over owing to a change and hopefully they should cancel the WCA.

 

The whole system is a joke to be honest and there is insufficient staff trained and able to do whats needed, most work coaches get this and try and make it easier where they can, but they are as stuck with the process as you are and believe me are just as frustrated as what should be simple is yet again made convoluted by the DWP/government.

[tomtom256]

Your work coach should have told you, although now your WCA is on you won't have a work coach and will only have a case manager.

 

If you check your journal it should hopefully show in there, however if you pick the option payment or service issue this will route the message to a case manager to look at, however you could be waiting for a while to get a response as they tend to be overworked.

[tomtom256]

Excellent news and glad it all worked out for you and that you can breathe easy for a while.