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Original poster

Universal credit

64 replies

Emem13 · 04/09/2025 16:57

hi just got this should I be worried about it ?
really worried I’m going to get in trouble for benefit fraud

It appears that you've failed to report a change in your guy
circumstances promptly. You need to tell us by 12 September
2025, the reason for not telling us sooner and what you've done
to correct this. You did not remove your daughter from your claim when
she left your household on 10 June 2024 .
Reporting changes is something you committed to do in return
for receiving Universal Credit. If you don't do this and you're paid
too much Universal Credit, you'll have to repay any overpayment
and may also have to pay a £50 Civil Penalty.
You can get more information about a Civil Penalty
We'll decide whether you'll have to pay a Civil Penalty based on
the information you give us. If we don't hear from you by
12 September 2025, we'll make our decision based on the

OP posts:
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Hammy19 · 04/09/2025 23:00

It's unlikely to be the exact same amount though, it could go either way

RubySquid · 04/09/2025 22:32

Hammy19 · 04/09/2025 22:29

It sounds to me that, at worse, you might owe them some of your housing element back for having a spare bedroom.

Do you rent? And how many bedrooms does your house have?

But would she have had a non dependant deduction anyway like a pp mentioned above

Hammy19 · 04/09/2025 22:29

It sounds to me that, at worse, you might owe them some of your housing element back for having a spare bedroom.

Do you rent? And how many bedrooms does your house have?

KaitlynnFairchild · 04/09/2025 22:24

Try not to panic OP, it is a letter worded deliberately to scare you.

I can totally see why you didn’t realise you needed to tell them as you were no longer being paid for her. I might assume the same thing in those circumstances.

Deal with it as soon as possible, give them a ring or a journal note explaining and be as honest as possible. If there is somehow an over payment then. Ask to pay in installments.

You absolutely will not get a custodial sentence over this.

Coldnightsapproachingwhereismyduvet · 04/09/2025 22:07

You got no money for your dd surely at 21? If anything they reduce your claim by £100 a month for an over 18 living with you unless they have their own uc claim.

TookTheBook · 04/09/2025 22:03

How many bedrooms do you have OP (if you rent and receive housing element from UC)? Perhaps the issue is that you have been overpaid housing element since your eldest moved out (so called bedroom tax). But you don't need to worry, just tell them the facts - they will take back the money gradually in deductions and the deductions cannot be too much any more.

dodobedo · 04/09/2025 21:56

Emem13 · 04/09/2025 19:53

will they ask for proof of where my daughter lived now as I don’t know as we fell out ? It doesn’t say that oh the letter

They won't ask for proof but they might ask you where she is. Their issue is with you though, not your dd, so they dont really care where she is.

YourSnugHazelTraybake · 04/09/2025 20:50

Op you don't need to panic, you will not be going to prison for this, it's unlikely you will even get a fine. There's some very poor 'advice' in this thread ! Yes, you should have informed uc that your daughter had left as it was a change in your declared circumstances. That said, as she was 20 you would not have been getting paid for her, and they do NOT base any rent allowance to include her, she would have been classed as a non dependent. The only way it could have resulted in an overpayment is if she was disabled and you were claiming as her carer. As long as that wasn't the case you'll be fine. Just inform them that as you weren't in receipt of any benefits for her you didn't realise you needed to inform them.

Enigma54 · 04/09/2025 20:31

I’m guessing the child element payment is for your 14 year old daughter?

Original poster
Emem13 · 04/09/2025 20:27

Yes I have a child who is 14 and my other daughter is 21

OP posts:
Hammy19 · 04/09/2025 20:26

Emem13 · 04/09/2025 20:21

It says in my journal I was getting child element for 1 out of 2 children

Do you have another child as well? That you should have been claiming for?

Original poster
Emem13 · 04/09/2025 20:21

It says in my journal I was getting child element for 1 out of 2 children

OP posts:
caringcarer · 04/09/2025 20:14

Everyone knows all changes in circumstances no matter how small must be reported.

BettysRoasties · 04/09/2025 20:07

Crunchymum · 04/09/2025 20:01

Doesn't the child element stop automatically when they reach a certain age? If they aren't in full time education?

Or is the onus on the claimant to stop the claim?

Show quote history

You’ll get a note on your journal that you need to let them know that your child is staying in education in the August of their year 11. If you ignore it they will stop paying. If you fill it in it asks for an end date which they will check in again at that point from my understanding.

Same with child benefit you need to declare you are still entitled.

Hammy19 · 04/09/2025 20:06

Crunchymum · 04/09/2025 20:01

Doesn't the child element stop automatically when they reach a certain age? If they aren't in full time education?

Or is the onus on the claimant to stop the claim?

Show quote history

It should stop at the end of August after their 19th birthday. But things can go wrong. If @Emem13 checks her statement in her online account then she can see if she has been receiving the child element, and for how long, when she shouldn't have been

YesHonestly · 04/09/2025 20:04

Crunchymum · 04/09/2025 20:01

Doesn't the child element stop automatically when they reach a certain age? If they aren't in full time education?

Or is the onus on the claimant to stop the claim?

Show quote history

It stops automatically.

DiscoBob · 04/09/2025 20:01

Well you've been called out for making a mistake by not telling them. I don't think there are many circumstances you can give to excuse yourself from paying the fine. But tell them it was an oversight as there were lots of stressful things going on, that you intended to do it and you accept you were in the wrong.

Just do as they say and they'll probably take the money a bit at a time. Try not to dwell on it though and just don't get caught out again.

Crunchymum · 04/09/2025 20:01

Cookingupmyfirstbornson · 04/09/2025 19:30

Is a 21 year old a child?!

Show quote history

Doesn't the child element stop automatically when they reach a certain age? If they aren't in full time education?

Or is the onus on the claimant to stop the claim?

DorothyStorm · 04/09/2025 19:56

Cookingupmyfirstbornson · 04/09/2025 19:30

Is a 21 year old a child?!

Show quote history

But as she is her child, op might not have thought anything of the language

Original poster
Emem13 · 04/09/2025 19:53

will they ask for proof of where my daughter lived now as I don’t know as we fell out ? It doesn’t say that oh the letter

OP posts:
BettysRoasties · 04/09/2025 19:39

After 19 you wouldn’t get money for her as a child. You would get help for rent tho.

It will show on your statement I just googled and stole this one. So standard is what you’d get. Housing is rent obviously. And if you have children there will be a bit that says children. But a 20 year old wouldn’t be classed as a child.

If you’ve been getting housing. They will have been paying you the LHA rate including her body in the house. So 3 bed would require you, her and other children. Without her and the same sex under 16 would get you the 2 bed rate. Or if just you and her you’d drop form a 2 bed to a 1/studio rate.

Universal credit
Cookingupmyfirstbornson · 04/09/2025 19:30

Emem13 · 04/09/2025 19:29

How would I know this

Show quote history

Is a 21 year old a child?!

Original poster
Emem13 · 04/09/2025 19:29

RubySquid · 04/09/2025 19:27

Wouldn't have thought u could get a child element for a 21 year old

Show quote history

How would I know this

OP posts:
BettysRoasties · 04/09/2025 19:28

Emem13 · 04/09/2025 19:26

So why are they saying I needed to declare it ?

Do you get part of your rent paid for by UC ? If so the extra body would have counted towards house size entitlement.

So just you, 1 bed or even studio. You and her 2 bed.

RubySquid · 04/09/2025 19:27

Hammy19 · 04/09/2025 18:27

Have you actually been receiving the child element of UC for her? Because usually the system would stop it automatically. Have you checked your statements?

You should make any benefits aware of any changes, though, just in case.

Show quote history

Wouldn't have thought u could get a child element for a 21 year old