Dear Friends,
I wonder if any other bereaved partners had to deal with the stress of Universal Credit and Sanctions. I had to give up my self employment and was receiving UC while I cared for my husband and father of my two children who deteriorated rapidly in health from October 2023 until his death in February 2024.
Macmillan Cancer Benefits Advisor advised that the post-bereavement period during which work search requirements are waived on Universal Credit is 6 months
I was sanctioned by Universal Credit a few days ago (under 6 months) for not doing enough Job Search between August 1st and August 7th.This was despite being already mandated by them to participate in their Restart Mandatory Programme which as you can imagine is intense - meetings, training workshops etc. I had tried to appeal to UC not to put me on this 1 year programme due to my bereavement period, dealing with my grief, and supporting my two children. I then went on it, cooperated completely with everything, but still got sanctioned.
My husband was 53 and came into the hospital straight from his working as a dancer with all his gear beside him in his hospital room so I witnessed his deterioration from being so strong and agile performing acrobatic dance shows to being confined to a hospital bed and then his death. We all know how tough this is. Also having grown so close as we were holed up together alone over these 4 months, when I had a bed in his hospital room, further makes his loss so hard.
I love my work and can't wait to resume it but this has to be done in a planned and strategic way so was expecting to be on UC for another few months.
All thoughts on these issues I would be very grateful for.
Florence
