Benefit types
Some of our customers can complete their UC assessment by telephone.
If this is possible, you will receive a telephone call or a letter from Capita to invite you to attend a telephoneassessment and to provide you with further details of the assessment.
Before your assessment
If you’re applying for UC you will need to create an online account on NI Direct. Once you have created your account you must send your claim within 28 days. If you try after 28 days you will need to create a new account.
You will need to fill in the online form. It’s important that you complete the form as fully as possible, answering all of the questions.
If you need help filling in the form you can contact UC through your online account or speak to a member of the team in your local Jobs and Benefits office or phone 0800 012 1331 (text phone: 0800 012 1441) Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 4.00 pm (excluding public holidays).
If you need help before your consultation, call our Capita on 0800 072 0398. The Customer Enquiry line is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm.
Watch this DfC Video on YouTube: ‘Universal Credit explained - What, who and how’
Watch this DfC Video on YouTube: ‘Universal Credit explained - Getting ready to claim’
Further evidence
You will need to send any medical evidence or other information you might already have. Remember – only send us copies if you already have them, not original documents, and write your National Insurance number on each piece.
Things Capita would like to see, if you already have them include: |
Things Capita doesn’t need to see include general information about your medical conditions that are not about you personally such as: |
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You may be asked for details of the professionals or carers who know the most about your health conditions, illnesses and disabilities - expand the list below to find out who these might be.
List of professionals and carers
- Consultant or Specialist Doctor
- Psychiatrist
- Specialist Nurse, such as a Community Psychiatric Nurse
- Physiotherapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Social Worker
- Support worker or personal assistant
- Carer
Remember – only send us copies of medical or other information if you already have them. Don’t ask or pay for new information or send us original documents. Please write your National Insurance number on each piece of information you send to us.
The DfC may not be able to continue to pay you benefits if we don’t receive this form in time.
If you cannot attend your appointment
If you do not attend your telephone or face-to-face appointment, you will be sent a form (BF223) asking why you did not attend. You will need to complete it and send it in the pre-paid addressed envelope DfC provided. If they accept 'good cause' for not attending, they may refer your case back to us and we will arrange a new appointment.
Audio recording
We will make an audio recording of your assessment unless you tell us you do not want this.
If you do not want us to make an audio recording, contact Capita and tell us before your appointment. You can also tell the health professional at the start of your assessment or at any time during it.
During your assessment
Be ready for the healthcare professional to call you 10 minutes before the time of your telephone appointment. Ensure your phone is fully charged. Find a quiet place with good signal and no background noise. It may be an 0800 number or private number.
The healthcare professional will introduce themselves and explain the assessment to you. They will record information on a computer. The telephone assessment should last between 20 minutes and 1 hour but could take longer if necessary.
If your condition varies, the healthcare professional will ask questions to understand how it changes and how this affects you on both better and worse days. Please tell them if the day of your assessment is not typical for you..
The healthcare professional
Our healthcare professionals are doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and paramedics registered with their governing body, including the General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and the Healthcare Professions Council. They go through a specifically designed training course, approved by DfC.
Companion or chaperone during your consultation
You are welcome to bring a relative, carer or friend with you, but they must be 16 years old or over. If your support worker or friend cannot be with you in person we can add them to the telephone call. We will ask you for their number and they will need to be ready to answer the phone at the time of your appointment.
If you have an appointee
An appointee is someone appointed by the Department for Communities (DfC) to act on your behalf if you are not able to manage your own benefit claim. An appointee must be aged 18 or over. They can be a family member, a friend, or an organisation such as a solicitor or a Health and Social Care Trust.
If you have an appointee, they can deal with us about your assessment. They will receive your appointment letter and can contact us on your behalf.
Please ask your appointee to contact Capita before your appointment. We can then talk through what will happen at your consultation and make sure the right arrangements are in place for you.
Taking notes
You or your companion are welcome to take notes for your personal use. Your notes will not form part of the medical report that we send to DfC.
After your assessment
We provide DfC with an assessment report which is impartial and provides justified medical advice about how you are currently affected by your medical condition. The report is one piece of information DfC uses in deciding your entitlement. You may request a copy of the full report from the DfC office handling your claim.
DfC makes decisions on claims; Capita has no decision-making role.
Further information
If you have questions, contact the DfC office handling your claim. The office number will be on letters you have received about your claim or use your Journal to contact DfC.