December 2023

23 Acceptable Reasons For Missing Universal Credit Appointment In December 2023

This article will look at what happens if you claim universal credit and miss a meeting you are asked to attend. Anyone that receives a universal credit payment can be asked to attend.

You can listen to an audio recording of this page below.

You will be asked to attend a meeting in person or through a telephone appointment. Universal Credit phone appointments are the preferred route nowadays. However, if you cannot make a phone appointment, then you can request an in-person meeting.

Here is a list of 22 reasons that may justify a missed universal credit appointment.

What Are Good Reasons To Miss Universal Credit Appointment?

1. Illness or injury

If you cannot attend your appointment due to illness or injury, make sure you let the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) know as soon as possible so they can reschedule your appointment date.

2. Bereavement

If someone close to you has recently passed away, this is an acceptable reason for not attending the appointment.

3. Unforeseen circumstances

These could include things such as transport disruption, unexpected travel plans etc. Make sure you explain this to the DWP when contacting them about changing your appointment date.

4. Personal reasons

If there is something personal going on in your life which means that you cannot attend your Universal Credit review appointment, make sure to explain this to the DWP.

5. Unavailability

If the date and time of your appointment do not suit you for whatever reason, then you may be able to contact the DWP and rearrange it for a more suitable time.

6. Hardship

If you are going through a period of financial hardship and cannot afford the costs associated with attending your appointment, then this is a good reason.

Watch Our Short Video on acceptable reasons for missing your UC appointment

The video has a lot of useful information to help you.

You can also watch this video on Youtube.

An alternative video for you to watch

7. Work commitments

If you have a work commitment that means you cannot attend the appointment, explain this to the DWP.

8.Working/studying away from home

If you are working or studying away from home, then this is a valid reason for not attending your appointment. Make sure to explain your situation to the DWP and provide evidence of where you are and why you cannot attend.

9.Unsuitable travel arrangements

If you cannot make it to your appointment because of unsuitable travel arrangements, then this is a suitable reason for missing the agreed appointment. Again you will need to provide evidence of this.

10.Difficulties with childcare

If you cannot attend your appointment due to difficulties finding suitable childcare arrangements, this is a valid excuse for not attending the appointment.

11.Caring responsibilities

If you have caring responsibilities preventing you from attending your appointment, then this is an acceptable reason for missing the appointment. You will need to demonstrate that you could not find alternative care to allow you to attend the appointment.

12.Housing issues

This is an acceptable excuse if you are experiencing housing issues and cannot attend your appointment. Make sure to explain the situation to the DWP when getting in touch with them about changing your appointment date, as well as explaining what the housing issues are.

13. Court/tribunal dates

If you have a court or tribunal date on the same day as your universal credit meeting, then this is a reason to miss it. Make sure to provide evidence of the court/tribunal date if asked. You can obtain this information directly from the court.

14.Religious commitments

If you have a religious commitment which conflicts with your appointment date, then this is an acceptable reason for missing it. You may be asked to provide evidence of your religion.

15.Language/Accessibility issues

If you face language or accessibility issues when attending the appointment, then this is an acceptable excuse for missing it. However, if this is likely to be an issue, you are advised to inform the DWP in advance of your date so that they can try and resolve the issue for you.

16.Employment interview

If you have an employment interview on the same day as your appointment, then this is an acceptable excuse for not attending it. Ensure to provide evidence of the job/interview, including details of the prospective employer. Make sure that you have the evidence required.

"You will be asked to attend a meeting in person or through a telephone appointment. Universal Credit phone appointments are the preferred route nowadays. However, if you cannot make a phone appointment, then you can request an in-person meeting."

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17.Vulnerability

If you are particularly vulnerable or if your health would be adversely affected by attending the appointment, you need to explain that this is why you are not attending.

18.Digital exclusion/technical issues

If you cannot access the digital service due to technical or digital exclusion issues, then this could be a reason to miss your appointment. However, you will need to explain why.

19.Weather conditions

If extreme weather conditions make it unsafe or impractical to attend your appointment, then this is a reason for missing your interview. Make sure to explain the situation to the DWP and provide evidence if asked.

20.Mental health issues

If you are experiencing mental health issues preventing you from attending your appointment, this could be an acceptable reason. Make sure to explain the situation to the DWP and provide evidence if asked.

21.Bereavement

If you have recently experienced a bereavement and cannot attend your appointment, then you will need to provide details of the bereavement, including their relationship to you.

22.Military service

If you are a member of the armed forces and cannot attend your appointment due to military service, then you will need to explain what this is and provide evidence that you needed to attend.

23.Disability or long-term illness

If you have a disability or long term illness which prevents you from attending your appointment, then you should tell the DP about this and why it stops you from attending. They will then look at alternative options for you

Make sure your reasons are valid

It is important to remember that these are only acceptable reasons.

There are other circumstances which may mean that your appointment needs to be changed or postponed, and in those cases contacting the DWP as soon as possible can help ensure that this happens to avoid what happens if you miss a universal credit appointment.

If you have any further questions or queries about missing or rescheduling a universal credit review appointment, then directly contacting the DWP is always the best course of action.

Remember, if you cannot attend your universal credit appointment for any reason, then you must let the DWP know as soon as possible so they can rearrange your appointment date.

The sooner you reschedule, the better, and in some cases, failure to attend an appointment may result in a Universal Credit sanction. Missed appointments are therefore potentially severely detrimental.

What do you have to take to a universal credit interview?

When attending a UC appointment, you may be asked to provide certain documents and evidence to support your application. This could include things such as:

Proof of identity (do this with a passport or driving licence)
Proof of address (do this with a utility bill or bank statement)
Evidence of any earnings/benefits that you receive
Evidence of a medical condition, disabilities or health conditions, especially if you have a long term health condition
Documents relating to any other household members who will be included in the claim
- Any documents related to your rental agreement and housing costs
- Details of any bank online account or a building society account
- Your national insurance number
- Evidence of any childcare costs or living costs

It is important that you check with the DWP before attending the appointment what evidence they require so that you can make sure you have the right documents ready.

Failing to do this could result in unnecessary delays, which may mean your application is not processed as quickly as it should be. Therefore, always make sure to contact the DWP beforehand and ask them exactly what evidence they need.

Additionally, remember to bring along valid identification when attending a universal credit payment interview, as without it, your appointment may be cancelled or postponed until you can provide it.

Why Was My Universal Credit Appointment Cancelled?

There are many reasons why a Universal Credit meeting can be changed or cancelled. Most of the time, it’s because of something unexpected, like an administrative mistake, a lack of staff, or a problem with the system at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

There are also times when the claimant doesn’t have all the information or paperwork they need, which means they have to redo. It’s important to remember that if a claimant’s meeting is cancelled, the DWP should let them know right away and work with them to set up a new one as soon as possible so that their claim doesn’t get held up.

Who can attend a universal credit payment meeting with you?

In certain circumstances, you may be allowed to bring a support person with you to your universal credit appointment. This could include a friend, work coach, or family member who can help provide additional information and moral support.

They can also share any work-related requirements with the interviewee.

However, it is important to remember that the DWP will need to speak directly with you, so the presence of someone else should not prevent them from doing this.

In addition, it is important to note that if you are bringing someone with you, then they must also provide evidence of their identity when attending the appointment.

This could include a passport or driving licence and proof of address such as a utility bill. It is therefore important to check this before attending your meeting.

Finally, it is essential to remember that only one person can attend interviews with you, so make sure to check if the DWP will allow more than one support person before attending.

Try not to miss the appointment

It is important to note that if you miss your appointment without providing a valid reason, this could result in a sanction and loss of benefits, so make sure to contact the DWP as soon as possible if you cannot attend.

By not doing so, you could lose your universal credit payments. The impact of this is that you could lose your universal credit claim.

Additionally, always provide evidence whenever possible to support any reasons given for missing an appointment. This could include things such as hospital appointments, proof of travel etc.

The DWP may require evidence of your circumstance before they agree to change your appointment and if this is the case, make sure you provide it.

If any of these reasons apply to you, don’t hesitate to contact the DWP as soon as possible to discuss rescheduling or cancelling your appointment. It’s important that you do so in enough time for them to arrange a new appointment date that suits both parties.

Universal Credit Appointment On Saturday

The Department of Work and Pensions in the UK made it possible for Universal Credit appointments to be held on Saturdays. This was to give claimants greater flexibility and help.

Most of the time, these appointments are for people who can’t make it during the week because of work, child care, or other tasks. During these Saturday meetings, applicants can talk to their work coach about their claim, report changes, and get any help they need.

This is a initiative to make sure that everyone who applies for Universal Credit has the same chance to talk about and manage their claim, no matter what their personal situation is.

Meet the author

Jane Parkinson

Jane is one of our primary content writers and specialises in elder care. She has a degree in English language and literature from Manchester University and has been writing and reviewing products for a number of years.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Illness or injury