Worried about UC50/WCA and PIP

Hello

I applied for UC and have had my first payment (07.10.23). I advised DWP that I was not fit to work. I currently receive PIP. I’m pretty sure that everything in my UC50 (which I have not posted yet) would support the criteria that were used for my current PIP award. But of course, I am aware there is a risk they could cross reference and use anything against me which is causing great distress.

I am absolutely terrified of an impending WCA assessment. I have no one to accompany me. I know already that if I attend alone, it will be used against me. My claim is based predominantly on mental health grounds and some physical.

I felt it might be worth taking the pressure off by cancelling my UC claim and preserving my PIP for now. I have been considering other scenarios and wondered if I could be advised on the following if perhaps anyone has had such experiences:

1. I don’t send the UC50 form at all and DWP deemed me fit for work. The Citizens Advice advisor suggested that so long as I am still sending in fit notes to the job centre from my GP, my job coach would likely be sensible enough to take my circumstances into account in our meetings and not pressure me. Would this affect my PIP if I decided to do this? Does anyone have any experience of this?

2. I do send the UC50 form in now, but if, closer to the WCA date, I really am far too unwell to attend and I cancel my UC claim (for example in a few weeks from now, meaning I would get my next UC payment 07.11.23). Might there be any repercussions for this, such as my UC50 form still being used by DWP? Would this trigger anything regarding my PIP? Would there be any issues with my previous 2 UC payments? Would they want the money back (or can they do that)? Or perhaps I didn’t cancel my UC but did not attend the WCA and would have the same outcome as my first scenario (i.e., placed in the fit-for-work category but having fit notes).

3. I cancel my UC claim now and reapply perhaps in a month or 2. Would this have any effect on my first UC payment? If I started a new UC claim e.g., in a month from now would all my details still be on the system? As before, might this trigger anything regarding my PIP claim?

I am currently on a waiting list to have a mental health support worker through a mental health charity (I don’t know how long this will take but hopefully soon). Since I don’t really have any robust mental health support at present, I thought it might be worth postponing what I am doing now and ‘restart’ the process in a month or 2 hopefully with more support in place to help protect my health. On the other hand, the thought of going through all of this again is nauseating and the support might end up not suiting my needs. I don't expect advice on this, I wanted to add it in to add some context.

I hope this makes sense. Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you.

Hi Gary - that's great and thank you for the advice. That has eased my concerns a little with regard to PIP.