Help please! I'm worried

Piney15 · 2024-05-28T20:01:44+00:00

Hello, abit of a long one but I am afraid I have been being overpaid on universal credit. For 3 years they have been paying me for being single, when my circumstances changed I did tell them twice and could they check I was being paid correctly, and it's my fault for not following it up, I had a text message last week to say I have a commitments appointment tommorow, which prompted me for the first time in around 2 years to log on to my online account (I guess I got too comfortable) and they have a new feature to see what the breakdown is you are getting paid, and I have now seen it is around 380£ a month for the last 3 years!! I am absolutely petrified and obviously I need to bring this up to them but I'm so scared something bad will happen to me, I am more than happy to pay the money back when I get a job (little one just turnt 2) .. but I don't know how to go around it what will happen to me??

somedaymykingwillloveme · 28/05/2024 21:04

How long have you been in a relationship for? Have you ever been single?

ColourMeBlue · 28/05/2024 21:04

Little confused by this-you need to log into your account 3 times a week or they close your claim.Impossible to not check a single statement for 2 years.
Ring debt management to arrange a payment plan.UC can take up to 25%,where debt management can lower it

Original poster

Piney15 · 28/05/2024 21:12

@ColourMeBlue @somedaymykingwillloveme hey yes wasn't living with baby daddy for first 2 years of my application, but then moved in together and living for the last 3 years, also I would wish that was true about needing to log into your account 3 times a week otherwise they will shut it down! It would save me the mess I am in now! .. but honestly I had asked them and have it on the account chat records to breakdown to me exactly what I am being paid for as I thought it was incorrect (i sent this about 2 years ago) and they replied with they need my partner to create a application which he did not do, and I have never heard from them or needed to log in to my online account since until a few days ago when I recieved a text message saying I needed to log into my account to view my upcoming appointment

OP posts:

Sapphire387 · 28/05/2024 21:15

ColourMeBlue · 28/05/2024 21:04

Little confused by this-you need to log into your account 3 times a week or they close your claim.Impossible to not check a single statement for 2 years.
Ring debt management to arrange a payment plan.UC can take up to 25%,where debt management can lower it

This is misinformation. You do not need to log in three times a week.

OP, if you told them repeatedly, it's their error. I presume you have records of that. I have a nasty feeling they will still be able to claw it back, but you should be able to come to some kind of terms with them, like a gradual repayment plan.

ColourMeBlue · 28/05/2024 21:17

OK,I have been on UC for 2 years and have had to log in constantly.I imagine they will class it as a overpayment now and start a repayment plan.Try not to worry too much,if it's a genuine mistake it couldn't be helped.Ring debt management-I was paying £150 a month for a overpayment and debt management took it down to £20 a month 😊

ColourMeBlue · 28/05/2024 21:24

Sapphire387 · 28/05/2024 21:15

This is misinformation. You do not need to log in three times a week.

OP, if you told them repeatedly, it's their error. I presume you have records of that. I have a nasty feeling they will still be able to claw it back, but you should be able to come to some kind of terms with them, like a gradual repayment plan.

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If I don't log in 3 times a week,I get a text message asking me to log in and confirm my commitments,which is log in regularly.

youhavenoidea123 · 28/05/2024 21:26

I was overpaid child tax credit. I reported a change in circumstances that resulted in a higher payment. I was not clear how much extra it would be.

I made a SARs request. I was able to evidence I'd made them aware of the change and they had made the error.

I did not have to pay anything back.

LuluBlakey1 · 28/05/2024 21:31

So you suspected the overpayment, your partner was asked to complete an assessment so they could define this overpayment, he didn't and you just accepted that, kept living with him and didn't push it, and didn't log on again and hoped they wouldn't action it. Now they have caught up with you and you are worried. Tough I say. You were not entitled to the money. You owe the money back.

LuluBlakey1 · 28/05/2024 21:32

'baby daddy' 🤮

catlady7 · 28/05/2024 21:33

ColourMeBlue · 28/05/2024 21:17

OK,I have been on UC for 2 years and have had to log in constantly.I imagine they will class it as a overpayment now and start a repayment plan.Try not to worry too much,if it's a genuine mistake it couldn't be helped.Ring debt management-I was paying £150 a month for a overpayment and debt management took it down to £20 a month 😊

I'm on UC and not had to log in constantly. Maybe to update savings but that's about it

DoingJustFine · 28/05/2024 22:04

Why do you write 380£ and not £380?

dahliadraws · 28/05/2024 22:07

how did you tell them? did you write it on your journal? dig back and find it - and make note of date and time you wrote it.

i suspect it doesn’t matter whether you told them or not. if it gets passed to debt management be extra clear that it’s the dwp error and be very upfront about what repayment plan you can afford .

ColourMeBlue · 29/05/2024 08:49

catlady7 · 28/05/2024 21:33

I'm on UC and not had to log in constantly. Maybe to update savings but that's about it

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I wonder if it goes by circumstances-if you work,are exempt, etc.Im on a UC Facebook page,and most people there would agree you have to sign in constantly

catlady7 · 29/05/2024 11:49

ColourMeBlue · 29/05/2024 08:49

I wonder if it goes by circumstances-if you work,are exempt, etc.Im on a UC Facebook page,and most people there would agree you have to sign in constantly

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I think it does go by circumstances

littletesco · 29/05/2024 13:05

@LuluBlakey1 I second you on that 🤮

Loubelle70 · 29/05/2024 13:14

ColourMeBlue · 28/05/2024 21:17

OK,I have been on UC for 2 years and have had to log in constantly.I imagine they will class it as a overpayment now and start a repayment plan.Try not to worry too much,if it's a genuine mistake it couldn't be helped.Ring debt management-I was paying £150 a month for a overpayment and debt management took it down to £20 a month 😊

This. I worked at citizens advice. You will have to pay it back, they will state why not put it aside if you knew, why spend it? I disagree but thats how it is. It will be sizeable so get the total owed and if its too high to pay back seek debt advice to knock it down to affordable payments. Print off and take to meeting where you notified them...it shows lack of intent if anything.

Loubelle70 · 29/05/2024 13:15

DoingJustFine · 28/05/2024 22:04

Why do you write 380£ and not £380?

You understood it so it doesn't matter

Redruby2020 · 29/05/2024 13:23

@Sapphire387 Lol in my experience any organisation, including UC/DWP etc won't take responsibility. Also that the Op states that they asked for her partner to do something too but he didn't. If they can make it that you've committed fraud they will.
I certainly wouldn't agree with the signing in that regularly as a necessity.
But more often than once in a couple of years!
So that's 5 years in total that you've received UC? And 3 of those you've had your partner living with you right?
Yes it sounds about right that they are booking you in for something, I am shocked they haven't before now.

Redruby2020 · 29/05/2024 13:25

LuluBlakey1 · 28/05/2024 21:31

So you suspected the overpayment, your partner was asked to complete an assessment so they could define this overpayment, he didn't and you just accepted that, kept living with him and didn't push it, and didn't log on again and hoped they wouldn't action it. Now they have caught up with you and you are worried. Tough I say. You were not entitled to the money. You owe the money back.

This is what I was saying in my other reply, it's not just an overpayment. Even though the Op can hopefully still show proof of her contact made with them etc. So if they haven't come back to her, that is a failing on their side too.
If they think you've sat there for a couple of years and not said anything further they could try to say it is fraud.

Redruby2020 · 29/05/2024 13:26

LuluBlakey1 · 28/05/2024 21:32

'baby daddy' 🤮

😂 Yeah I must admit it's not a term I like.

Crinkle77 · 29/05/2024 13:32

DoingJustFine · 28/05/2024 22:04

Why do you write 380£ and not £380?

Seriously, does it matter? Obviously a typo 🙄

Original poster

Piney15 · 29/05/2024 21:06

I'm very amused everyone is enjoying the baby daddy comment 😂 not a term I would use either but it was easier to put that I'm living with the father of my child (husband) than just write husband and people think it may not be the father etc lol. Anyway, yes I have online communication there that 4 times I told them my circumstances had changed and very clearly stated that I hope they wasn't overpaying me as I don't want to end up paying it all back. To the person saying I knew how much I was getting/spending yes but how was I to know if that was normal or not ( I have 2 children) as I had also asked them for a breakdown of what I was getting paid for as I was unsure and they didn't reply, it is also not available online to work out how much I should be getting which was also frustrating, so for all I knew it could have been correct, but I queried it as it just 'seemed' alot ( I don't know anyone on universal credit) so I had nothing to compare it to. As said I logged in last night as they had sent me a message about a appointment this week via text .. as my son has turnt 2! This is the first communication I have recieved from them in 2 years! Last communication was either when I was quering what they was paying me or when I told them I was pregnant with my son!

OP posts: