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! 😡

None of this would be an issue if work actually paid enough to live off.

I understand they take my maintenance loans and divide them by the number of months I’m at uni but what happens during summer months?

Iirc, student loans were treated as income under ESA and Income Support, so that's not a new thing.

Given that they reckon 2/3 of student debt will never be repaid, it would be hugely costly to do otherwise.

Do you have to go for an interview for UC then?

Yeah, claim online then call at the end of the process to book a meeting. I need to take proof of my tenancy and proof of my national insurance number.

I’ve not been asked for evidence of my child, evidence of my Uni course or student finance. This worries me, I’m taking child’s passport and letter from Uni confirming I’m a full time student but worried that it won’t be straightforward.

I saw that the CAB was getting into bed with UC,speechless and cant see it working

If im on ESA /CTC/PIP and get transferred when the time comes will i have to have a medical regarding esa to uc?

Even if you're on tax credits already do you have to fill in a claim online and have an interview?

It's happened to me this month too. Haven't actually earned any extra but the last wage fell on the final day of the assessment period so I'm £230 down this month. It's so frustrating!

purple yes- there are options if you are unable to submit online but everyone must attend a meeting, if you fail to attend you have to restart the whole claim online.

The second you submit the claim your tax credit payments will stop.

I've had n choice but to switch due to needing some help towards my rent.

@winterbella, if I have understood it correctly the next month after not getting any UC the month your wages are paid twice in one calendar month (this will happen once a year I think) you will only get that month’s UC not double the amount. However, over a year it will balance out as both those paid four weekly and monthly will get 12 UC payments over a calendar year.

The disadvantage is if UC claimants who are paid four weekly are not aware that once a year they will not get a UC payment for that one monthly assessment period they will not budget for it and get caught unawares.

So, if you’re already claiming some form of money and then your situation changes or you get transferred onto universal credit you have to go and attend an interview despite this meaning you have to take a day off work unpaid (and go through the embarrassment of telling your employer why you need the time off?)

@winterbella, one thing I missed is the next month they will be deemed as not having earnt anything, so they will get full UC but will miss out on the work allowance that the disabled and those with children get if working. As said, though over the whole year it should balance out. However, happy for someone to correct me if I have understood it wrong!

Oh I'm really worried about this interview now. What is the interview for? What do they ask you?

Flopsy- If you are on ESA prior to transferring to Uc then your ESA group should transfer with you. However it is not always straightforward. Uc have to request ESA to send details of the end date of your ESA claim and what group you were in. It is transitional rules but as usual many of the people manning the phone lines don't seem to know about the regulations.

There is an ID interview that you need to go for to verify your ID, take childrens birth certificates, tenancy agreement etc then most people will need to go for a work commitments interview but this depends on your situation.

God, it sounds awful (& complete gobbledygook)

So 2 interviews despite the fact that you may be working full time and be frowned upon for having to take 2 periods of time off work unpaid. What a joke.

I already work part time and get working tax credit and child tax credit and childcare. Does that mean I have to go to work commitments interview? Will they ask me anything about work?

Sorry to jump in, can I ask for clarity please? I’m not yet on UC but will be reliant, 2 dc one disabled, I work 16 hours, get paid 28th of every month and will get paid say 26th if Sunday is 28th so that counts as 2 payments a month? How?! Or does it depend when the date I apply for UC is? Do they count the date they receive your application as the date or the date you send it?

hmmmwhat thats about it

i suspect thats why Next CEO Simon Wolfson doesnt like UC. He objected to it when making an appearance on the Question Time panel.

purple - That would depend if they deem you to be working enough hours or whether they say you need to look for more hours. There are different numbers of hours depending on the ages of your kids but it also depends how much you earn. So if they say you need to be working the equivalent of 25 hours at minimum wage but you get a job which pays above minimum wage then they may allow you to work less hours without hassling you !

thanks baby

i really cant understand how the Gov got away with allowing this to be implemented and start when its a bloody mess

Oh this is more worrying than I anticipated I have to say

Ilmb - Yes it will depend when your monthly assessment period runs from. Your assessment period starts on the day you make the claim, so if you made a claim today it would be from 4th Oct - 3rd nov. When you do need to apply try to keep your assessment period well away from pay days !

I think most of it is a mess. There are a few good points, but not many.

Wait until some of the Christmas retail temps have to attend in work conditioniality appointments in work time leaving their shop floor short staffed for periods at the busiest time of the year Then the penny will drop with more employers.

Its already dropped with the owner of Next.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tory-peer-and-next-boss-simon-wolfson-slams-insane-universal-credit_uk_59e9aca9e4b0df10767c1802