UC - just lost everything XXXXInteractive pdf and Cloud Word

I have until 24th to have my UC50 returned. I can't write well so was using the interactive pdf questionaire with some extras on Word. Thought I was saving back ups but it seems not.

Really struggling with just filling in the form. I am not on top form at the moment, brain not working well since been in hospital.

I am 60 and haven't really kept up to date with cloud and interactive stuff. Paid for pdf something or other (which benefits don't really allow). Really really have saved stuff and to my pc, but can't find it. Went to sleep (I have fatigue after illness) came up, my pc closed down, its all gone.

I just don't have time for this. Struggling anyway. I don't have time to do a course on how to use newer versions of word and adobe pdf. Not in the time available. Don't have a clue how cloud works.., always used traditional word with no saving to cloud, saved it to my pc.

Hardly anything is left. And 9 days to go. It will probably just disappear again if I start again because I don't know what I am doing.

There's no help, when I tried phoning CAB, there was just a menu, it seemed they'd only help with the initial UC application form. And its too late now anyway.

I am on the point of suicide. I won't be able to feed my son if I don't complete the UC50, we both have special needs and if you get it, its 400 a month, I hardly leave the house, how can I go to work search meetings etc. I can't deal with people at all. If I hadn't been ill and gone into hospital (ITU for 20 days, had sepsis, pneumonia etc) I'd probably be more able. But I'm not. I need more sleep than I used to. Oh if only I hadn't gone to sleep and been able to stop my pc shutting down.

Why oh why do UC make you do all this? I can't possibly write the forms by hand. My writing is really bad now.

I don't know what to do.

I just don't understand how life can go so wrong. So many ifs . But don't see how I can get over this.

Hello

Just to add to Davids advice and reply you can do a search on your computer for all files that end with the extension of .pdf
This youtube video will explain on how you can do that

Also you can go into your pdf software settings and look at the location of where your files are stored. I cannot give you a guide on how to do that because I do not know what pdf software you are using.

To find a local welfare advice center near to you then you can use this site and put in your postcode and it will list all of the available advice centers in your area advicelocal.uk/welfare-benefits

Waxwing

So sorry deannatrois. I was cleaning one day and had a bowl of soapy water near my computer, dropped a buffalo external hard drive in the water. Lost practically my whole life. Wiped out. Photographs, documents, DLA information. Addresses. Everything. Heartbreaking!! Had done a part time fine art degree some years ago. Even my 10,000 word dissertation was stored on it. Argh!!!
I have now paid for Drop Box on my computer, my son installed it for me.
I feel for you.

I would advise you to try contacting your local Citizens Advice or Welfare Rights Unit who should be able to advise you. Try not to panic about getting the UC50 back on time. There is a space on the form if you are sending this back to explain why this is the case. If it is going to be received late I would put a note on your UC journal explaining what has happened.

You say that you have tried contacting CAB and that they can only help with initial UC claims. This is not correct they have a special service called Help to Claim which only deals with new UC claims but your local CAB should be able to help you with a UC50.