To the think this Universal Credit rule is so so wrong!

[ilovewelshrarebit123]

I'm a single parent, one DD and I work 30 hours a week.

I didn't get my UC payment this month which was a complete shock. I get paid my salary on the 15th of every month, and as the 15th of August was over the weekend I got paid on the 14th.

After investigation which has taken over a week, UC say I've been paid twice in the assessment period (15th to 14th) so I get nothing. I was paid on the 15/8 and 14/9 but it isn't two payments in one month is it. It was just a day early because of the weekend.

I'm £600 down and i just can't get my head around this policy. They've said there is nothing that can be done and I won't be getting this payment. It will also happen in January due to Decembers pay date.

They suggested I cancel my UC claim, start another one so the assessment period is different. But then I have to start the claim again and wait the 6 week assessment period with no payments.

Please don't tell me not to 'rely' on UC, I have no choice and I work hard.

So that's it, I'm stuffed this month through no fault of my own and UC is a crock of shit! 😡

@AbsentmindedWoman Sorry what?? I'm disabled and been on UC 18 months now. I'm 34. What have I missed???? I'm panicking now x

SPR A lot of tenants who rent from a big HA that starts with an S have paid and still get letters because the HA is using the SAP computer system which is not compatible with other systems

Dream Im not on UC but have seen someone posting about how they got sanctioned for doing jury service.

Similar thing happened to me with my interest on savings. Just had to change payment dates so seems you may have to alter assessment dates and put it down to experience.

Powerless - I'm not sure there is anything to worry about - I think if under 35 and you get PIP then you are not just paid the shared room rate , I think you can get the one bedroomed rate.

@AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight WELL SAID!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@starzig Doesn't work like that!! You cannot later your assessment dates, this isn't a bank you're dealing with

*alter

UC is shite. DH overpaid tax in the previous financial year. When it eventually came through this financial year is was counted as "earnings" despite DH explaining actually it was a refund, not an earning! They couldn't be reasoned with...

It's all about timing when you start your claim. if you have lost your job and expecting a last payday then the Uc claim needs to be made the day after the last pay has gone in otherwise obviously those wages will be counted. I met someone last week who had missed out on £500 by not delaying making their claim a day later as they hadn't realised.

Thanks @babyroobs for confirming. So as you said if people don’t plan for this happening once a year they could get into debt. They are making it hard, aren’t they

It can happen more than once in a year depending on how many times your paydate falls on a weekend/bank hol/early Xmas pay. Add in to the fact you often have 2 wages in a household meaning it doubles the chances of it happening.

@babyroobs, can I pick your brains again on something I hadn’t quite understood? When they say UC will not be paid up to six weeks after the initial claim, this six weeks is not backdated and the claimant does not get that first month back?

Yes it's very difficult. like I said especially if that month when two lots of wages fall in the assessment period happened close to you starting your claim and you don't realise. I think Christmas is going to be a huge problem too as people will be paid early, get no Uc payment and struggle through January ( even more than they already do !! ). It's a very complex system which isn't working well.

Thanks @thismustvemydream for explaining that, so not good :(

I am fucking dreading this, In the last year, we have gone through hell with ESA being denied and then given back, PIP being denied, 2 tribunals later and I am still waiting for another date. Now, we are going to have to cope with UC in November, just in time for Christmas, when we are already struggling to put food on the table and paying anything towards our gas bill.

Tog - It's 5 weeks now as they abolished the seven waiting days. No it is not backdated as it's paid in arrears. You can apply for an advance payment at your first ID meeting and they will loan you the first months estimated Uc payment which you then pay back over a year but this just puts everyone in debt straight away as if you have an advance of £1200 that is paid back at £100 a month which is deducted from your payment. So you start off in debt. One thing they have altered to help people is to give a 2 week run on of housing benefit as people were getting into arrears but obviously that is only for people who were already on HB prior to switching to UC !

Thanks @babyroobs, not good at all. I also know when you are living on very little, it’s easy to get into debt, then take high interest loans out to cover a shortfall causing a downward spiral.

beyond the hills - is there a reason you are switching in Nov ? Just because an area becomes full service it doesn't mean you need to switch unless you have a relevant change of circumstances.

Thanks babyroobs, small mercies they have abolished the seven day waiting period.

The issues like this with UC haven't been "resolved", because they were deliberately designed in to cause hardship and suffering.

Much like workhouses were deliberately designed to punish people for poverty.

Babyroobs

We are meant to be moving which is going to trigger the change, I am trying to speed up the process, but am reliant on housing

It certainly is a very punitive benefit with its sanctions and its job searching / work commitments and just the complexity which is confusing people. Also many vulnerable people can't even make the initial claim online let alone maintain their journal / upload documents etc.

@Sharingtheload “UC is shite. DH overpaid tax in the previous financial year. When it eventually came through this financial year is was counted as "earnings".’

That is earnings though.

sobeyondthe hills - Yes that would trigger a change if moving to a full service area and needing to make a new Hb claim in a full service area. hope you manage to speed things up and good luck with the PIP tribunal - another shambolic system !

Go to your MP and ask them how you are supposed to survive. If no reply in 48 hours go to Frank Field, one of the architects of this fiasco and his office are very good with helping people with these problems.

Good luck and I'm so sorry you are going through this.