My girlfriend is trying to claim carers’ allowance as she cares for my grandma with dementia full time and has been for two years without claiming a penny.
She looked into claiming Universal Credit a few weeks ago, filled in the online forms, and declared me as her partner meaning I had to enter my details too.
Whilst I know that part is standard practice, I had to sign the online forms off by uploading my ID to them. To which they confirmed, then booked me an appointment to go in today with physical copies of my ID.
I was already quite annoyed I’d lost a day’s work for this (I’m self employed) for the guy to look at my passport and driving licence for 10 seconds and then thank me. To which he then asked me if I was still self employed, I said yes, where he said I will have to come back for another appointment to confirm proof of my business being active.
Fuming I’d already lost a day’s work, I just asked him why I had to take more time away from work for something that could have been done today? He didn’t really respond. Then showed me what I’ll need to bring in, where I offered to show him the documents there and then but said he can’t process it.
It’s frustrated me that they didn’t just ask me to bring everything to my one appointment today and I’ve been stewing on it for most of the day.
They want people in work and yet they’re pulling me out of it. Twice. But I also don’t want to turn up for my next appointment for them to then book me on another one for something else.
Is this normal practice?