AIBU to really fucking hate universal credit.

[Shootfirstaskquestionslater]

I got a letter today telling me that they have over paid me by £70 which means that I have to pay it back which means even less money for me to live off every month because they keep finding ways to screw me over. I can't afford to feed myself so I am now having to go to the food bank and I'm having to sell stuff to get money together to try and pay bills and get some food in for the freezer. I feel so pissed off and annoyed with the whole thing I'm too ill to work and now they keep finding ways to kick me in the teeth and remind me how low I've sunk. I hate living like this.

Whereabouts in the country are you op? Maybe people could recommend local services that could assist with dealing with UC on your behalf.
Are you able to get a food bank voucher at least?

Yanbu, It's an utter disgrace.

they pay a flat housing rate so any rent over what they would pay you has to be topped up from your personal allowance. where the 3 month searching for work as a paraplegic came from is total rubbish though. that's not the case at all. whether people agree or disagree universal credit is there to encourage people into work. PIP and DLA etc are designed as the top up. I'm in no way defending the process but u fortunately the previous system wasn't exactly flawless either. I would call again OP and chase the carers money up again. your local council may do discretionary housing payments if your struggling with your rent so speak to them and if you haven't already ask for a reduction in council tax too

UC is fucking awful, doesn't work and ends up costing the government more. It's a schlock load of utter bullshit.

Motherofasurvivor I will watch that when its on its bang out of order what they do to people and people need to know how bad things are.

Ritaseducation None of my family can help me out. I don't know about working from home I would lose money for doing that.

Oldbutstillgotit No I'm not enetitled to SSP anymore. Thats what I'm suppose to get but the way they have worked it out they took £178.70 off me for the sick pay then £112.58 for something else then £70.76 for the housing benefit that I now have to pay back then £271.70 for carers allowance so all in all I lost £342.46 to total adjustments they made comes to £455.04 and then they take off £51.52 for the advance that I got which left me with a grand total of £111.67 for the month.

AnneElliot I know but they don't care what they do to me my family know how bad things have got but they can't help me out.

OP ring the carers allowance people. They’re very helpful. They don’t talk to any other benefit people apart from the dla lot the last time I had dealings.

I see propaganda works judging from some of these replies. The driving force behind it resigned. That really should tell people something

Make a note in your online journal and ask for your claim to be looked at. If you don't get a response keep messaging them or call them- UC calls are free now

On a basic level you should be getting various elements which make up your universal credit:

Standard element - currently £317.82 (assuming single person over 25)

Housing element (amount depends on if your social sector or private sector)

Child element (dependent on no of children, and if any more born after April 2017 then only payable for two)

Limited capability to Work element
(if deemed unfit for work)

You can be awarded various other elements too, eg: if you're a carer for someone or have a disabled child or have child care costs

If they have reduced your uc because they think you're getting carers allowance you must ask them to check their systems, to prove you've not had it for years.

you appear to be getting very little so could there be any other reason?

Have they made deductions for any advances you've had from UC, or
any overpayments you're paying back from UC or
if only recently come to UC, any overlapping housing benefit (that was previously paid via the council) or
any from tax credits or other benefits eg: jsa or income support?

Are they paying your housing directly to the landlord which would reduce the amount you get in your hand as it were

Take a look at your online statement and see what's been awarded and what's been deducted because the amount you say you received is very low. You can pm me if you like (have benefits background inc several years with UC)

Thank you AwesomeMixTapeVol1 I will look in to that and see what they say.

MyDcAreMarvel I'm in southport doubt there are many people on here who in live anywhere near me. I went and signed up to the food bank today so thats done.

Confused24 I will phone them up and see what they say thank you.

Gamerchick thank you I will one way or another I will find a way of getting this sorted out.

achangeisgonnacome thank you I will do and I will see what my work coach can tell me. I have put a breakdown of what I'm getting and how they have worked it all out.

This is terrifying. It’s supposed to be a safety net not a stick to beat people with. There is no possible way to make that amount stretch to a month, just none. OP I’m so sorry they’re doing this to you, as PP said get yourself to CAB ASAP, if you can afford the bus fare.

I am in Liverpool op, not that far but don't know any support agencies there though.
Glad you signed up to a foodbank.
Are you claiming pip?

Sorry to hear this. Is there anyway you can appeal this amount there taken. Such as a mandatory reconsideration i think its called

MyKingdomisBrie they don't want it to be a safety net though they want to go on power trips and remind you how badly your struggling and take money off you left right and centre just to make it even harder and to force you back in to work or in to an early grave which ever happens first.

MyDcAreMarvel oh cool your not that far away from me then. No I'm not getting that I will look in to it.

Elusiveone I don't know I could try and do that but it might not work. Thank you though.

BettyCatLover it really is a disgrace what they are doing to people.

where the 3 month searching for work as a paraplegic came from is total rubbish though. that's not the case at all. whether people agree or disagree universal credit is there to encourage people into work. PIP and DLA etc are designed as the top up.

Yeah, no. PIP and DLA are in work benefits, they are not supposed to be for paying rent from. Of course not everyone getting them is working and some people do top up rent with it.

PIP is really, really hard to get. Additionally, almost nobody is awarded it upon first applying - a huge number of applicants wait months for a tribunal process. So no money in the interim.

You won't be able to access housing benefit top ups designed for disabled people unless you get PIP.

Under the old system of JSA and ESA, disabled people were entitled to extra top up amounts. These have now disappeared with universal credit - to be replaced by a disability element which is considerably less.

If you claim universal credit, you are not automatically entitled to the disabled element of it even if you claim PIP successfully. I'm not sure but I think you have to wait a certain amount of weeks for it and maybe go through a medical.

I'm sorry OP, it's a shit system and you have my every sympathy.

I bloody hope I never have to attempt claiming universal credit but there but for the grace of God go I. Reading about what they do to the disabled makes my blood run cold, as a woman living with disability.

You cannot live in a dignified, safe, basic life on universal credit. It is an utter disgrace.

Thank you Absentmindedwoman there is no dignity or safe way to live when your getting universal credit.

Survivor Ive seen you post about that situation on previous threads. Do you know the date that the programme is being broadcast?

Sometime in April apparently. They still have one more person to film.
I'm terrified. If my ex watches that the abuse will start again. The fat jokes etc. But I had to do it. To warn people about the risk of losing the SDP. You'll see what I'm talking about f you watch it x

@AbsentmindedWoman Actually it is true! When you apply for UC as a disabled person, there is a mandatory three month assessment period. During which even severely disabled people such as paraplegics, are given the standard basic rate which carries with it the requirement to attend Work Search meetings with your assigned Worm Coach! As you are receiving the standard jobseeker-equivalent rate for that three month assessment period!

What 3 month assesment period no one told me about that.

Some of those early responses are full of cuntery. UC is a shitshow not to mention PIP etc. Hope things improve for you OP.

Thank you MsJuniper things can only get better right. Just wish I was well enough to work again.

@MotherofaSurvivor I was basically agreeing with you - read the rest of my post. I know how shit it is for disabled people.

@Shootfirstaskquestionslater Yeah everyone who is unfit for work who claims Universal Credit loses the first 3 months of the extra payments due to sickness or Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA). In other words, once they find you unfit for work, and back date your payments, you only get backdated to 3 months AFTER you first claimed. Everyone loses that first 3 months. It's really shot. If you call UC or ask about it on your Journal they will confirm what I've said. They should have told you.

I claimed UC in February 2017 and was finally placed in LCWRA in September 2017 (No idea why it took so long but apparently that's average!) but I only got backdated LCWRA payments from June to September as I lost the first 3 months. I was pretty annoyed as I had no idea as nobody had told me about it either

If you are placed into LCWRA which is Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity, you will then get an extra £318 a month.
However if you are placed into LCW which is Limited Capability for Work, you will still be expected to take part in 'Work preparation' activities and will not be given any extra money.

Do you have a 'Work Coach' and are you being asked to provide Fit notes for the time being? If yes, then you are still currently on the basic rate and are considered a 'Jobseeker' until you have your Assessment.

I know it's degrading and humiliating sitting in that Jobcentre when you're not able to work. Just get through those initial few months. Hopefully it will all be worth it in the end

April I will keep my eyes peeled for it.