Vent ESA (Universal Credit)
I am fuming with the UK benefit system.
Before i explain to give some Background context, im 26 with a now 7month daughter and pregnant due in November, My Husband and I are Long distance as in UK/US (We met on a VR Game called VrChat and eventually started visiting eachother in person....etc
Yes, the kids are planned as we are trying to save up for a visa, and I wanted to give birth in the UK due to the NHS rather than in the US. (We have our reasons for our own personal choices)
NOW to the ESA Vent Context.
So in early April, I had an email saying I received a message on the Universal Credit Journal, so I logged on, and all they wanted me to do is to confirm and update any personal details needed, by a certain date or my money get stopped Simple right? Nope, my daughter needed me, and of course, I left the Tab on my PC , but because I have AuDHD (Autism and ADHD) after changing her nappy, feeding her....etc I forgot about and started doing random meaningless tasks, it was getting late and without thinking I switch my PC off. I didn't save and update the task for the ESA.
My husband surprised me with plane tickets for me and my daughter to fly to him in the US for the 14th of april as she was turning 6months on the 18th of April as I kept going on about all these huge milestones and he didn't want to miss it neither did I.
Side Note,
UK citizens can go to the US for 3 months on a tourist visa
US citizens can go to the UK for 6 months on a tourist visa
So, as it was within a few days to prep me and my daughter 16hrs+ travel overall
Getting to the airport 2hrs, 8hr flight, 3hr wait, 2hr flight....etc
By the time I'm in the US, I finally realised my mistake, so I tried to log on the Universal Credit website to do my task but here's the fun part.
I enter my log in details....
'We will now send a verification code to your mobile number'
Well shit....As im in the US, I CANNOT, receive any text nor Calls internationally...and I'm using an old beat up phone too.
So I tediously download an app that allows me to call internationally for free for a certain amount of minutes.
So I called them up explain the situation how it was all of a sudden...etc how I can't access blah blah blah, they got on my journal but said they couldn't update the information on my behalf. They said they'll try to sort it out by 27th of April.
I also told them the ONLY way of communication is Via Email
The date goes by, but nothing still so I assume things been sorted
14th of May, when I get paid, my money never came through....well shit as that's my main source of income, as I haven't done child benefits yet and my PIP is bearly pocket money.
So Yet AGAIN, I call them up, round 2 of re explaining, they said then sent me a message via the Universal Credit website .....the one thing I can't access and see, they sent me a link there to show proof of my stay in the US, aka Flight tickets....etc by the 24th of June.....I told them before I'm in the US till 14th of July... and they knew
I told them what im supposed to do, how I'm going to care for myself and my child
This was a last minute surprised from my Husband, he doesn't know these things happen
So here I am next 4months lost my £800 a month income, I can't pay my phone bills and all the additional bills NEED paying, My husband pay varies due to his job but it is sustainable for us 3
But I'm breaking down scared what happens when I'm back in UK, as I'm not have any money for nappies, formula, stuff for myself, my bills, overdrafts...
All I wanted was to access the website without needing a text code....and I can't even change it to my mums number unless I make an appointment but I can't even do that as they would have to call me so I would never see the call until I'm in the uk.
I'm kicking myself so hard over this, nothing can be done buy it's eating me till I can get it done, but I can't even save up for the visa, which costs nearly 5k
What would you have done?
So today I needed to make an amazon return. For context I'm in the US and the way they handle amazon returns is you take them to a Staples or UPS and they scan and send them back without having to pack and ship it yourself. Not sure if its the same other places.
I had just the one item. I am also 7 months pregnant and have a just under two year old. I didn't get a cart, none were by the door and I figured it would be quick. I get into the queue and both cashiers are doing returns. No problem I can wait a bit. The person directly in front of me is returning dozens of items. I started counting because I was bored. Lol. I got over 50 separate packages(20 lunchbox ice packs, 30+pairs of leggings her son was stacking on the counter), which did not include the items from the 3 empty boxes (I assume those had already been scanned) in the cart she was using or the unopened box she had yet to pull out from the cart.
After about 10 minutes the cashier asked me if my item was an amazon return and I said yes. She asked the woman in front of me if it was okay for her to take me since I only had the one item. The woman seemed shocked and said "But I was here first". The cashier just said oh okay and kept scanning her items all of which had to individually have a qr code scanned, put in a bag with a sticker, and then their return box needed to be scanned.
The other cashier was clearly new and so it was taking him a while to do the few items the other person had. Eventually he finished and scanned my item and we left after maybe 2 minutes at the register. The woman who was directly in front of me was still in the middle of returning the 20 ice packs.
So my question is if you were her what would you have done? Let me go ahead or keep going with your transaction.
